Easter or Any ole day!!

I close my eyes.
and the first thing I imagine is the thorn of crowns, cutting into His sweet, bloody brow. I look at the crown. In my mind, I run my fingers gently across the thorns and I whisper to Him. I just sit in the sorrow for a bit, and when I feel ready, I let my minds-eye travel to His face and His beaten body. His arms, aching from being stretched out and held up. I spend time studying His sunken cheeks, His hollowed eyes, His chest, His arms, and oh, Lord, His wrists. The blood that came from a nail, spilled for me...

I gradually see His back, beaten beyond human recognition. I move slowly, taking it all in. I trace the wounds, I pray for Him, I weep with Him. I thank Him. I see His legs, hung weightlessly into the base of the cross, nails driven through his ankles. I imagine what it must have felt like as the nails pierced His skin. I hear the shouting, the chaos, the overwhelming sense that the moment of death is near.
I am another woman who stands at the foot of the cross, forgiven.

whoa, woe is me

this world is not my home. i know that because there is much frustration, disappointment, and so many things that bother me and just plain ole get on my nerves. and that is ok for we are passing through. i do desire joy in this life and contentment and peace and God has given all of this to me. He helps me cope through things that really used to paralyze me. I will persevere. I have a job to do while i am here in this world and with His constant help I will accomplish that job. smiling all the while even when i may be crying too.
Another year has come and gone and resolutions have once again been made for this chic. Study scripture, cook more, eat less, exercise, love well, and journal.
As i think about the past and my ever-lingering struggles, my heart cries out for relief from these things. A new set of challenges doesn't sound near as bad as the round and round with the stupid things that i drag around and allow to hold me back. Symbolically i am laying these things down, once again, and asking that my God would take me beyond myself and transform my mind, body, and soul... that he would prepare me to experience life on a new level of thinking and service. There is much i would like to pursue. but before i may lay hold of any single thing that i dream of, i must pursue Him like i have never pursued Him before. I know this. i have no doubt about it. so with this totally at the front of my mind and heart i am crying out for a passion for Him that supersedes anything else about me. .. family, marriage, work, exercise, anything at all... i want Him to overwhelm me with a relentless longing for Him. His name, His glory, His character, His plan, His promises. I want to love Him like i have never loved Him before. It's a confession i am making... I want my love and my pursuit to be different. It must look different and involve much more than it does today. if it does not then nothing will change, nothing will develop, nothing at all. i will remain as i am today. It will take a new level of determination, a new level of obedience and a new level of diligence. I admit i am lazy when it comes to pursuing the God whom i want so desperately to know. and to not pursue equals to not know. i desire to have a transformation take place in this heart of mine and for Him to be glorified in a beautiful way because of the way i love Him and the way i love other people in His name.
Holy God, will you please take this dirty nasty lazy life of mine and breathe new life into it...daily. it has been redeemed by your precious blood so let me not allow these negative things reside here. Transform my mind, heart, body and the passion that fills my days. Show me how to be different. Give me the strength to do my part.

what else is there

I LOVE this bag!!!!!

cheese-ball snowmen!

Yummy appetizer!

snowmobile fun!!!!

In case you are wondering, I am the driver on the closest ride!!!

Dishes...

I don't think it would be too dificult to do the dishes with this as your view! My sister-in-law's kitchen view! Love it!!

sledding in Oregon!!!!

brussel balls

When I was a young girl, my mom would boil these and serve them and I would THROW UP everytime. I hated these green vegies.... I have not had one of these in my mouth for YEARS...
Fast forward 35 years later and I thought "why not" let's give them a chance.
Last night I cut them and drizzled olive oil on them, added some kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, and threw them on the grill with my chicken. At the last second I added a dash of teriyaki sauce...cooked till soft-er and viola...GOOD BRUSSEL BALLS!!!! I can't believe how good they were! I am seriously hoping they are extra healthy, since I went to all the trouble of making them after all these years. I honestly struggled with the first bite "will I throw up" filled my mind... they were delicious.
btw: I know they are called brussel sprouts, when we were young we called them brussel balls.

please a christmas card photo...for the love

My family

and this too!!!

So I have an addition to the "ups" column.
Just when you think no one appreciates your work... I had a mom of a football player tell me what a great job I am doing coaching the cheerleaders and she would like to treat me to a hot wax pedicure! GO ME! I chose RED...I never choose red. I am way more the "french" kind of girl, occasionally I will choose a dark brown, but never a red.
Who knows, red it is...

the ups and downs and ups

Hanging over my head has been this whole Cancun trip. I really want to go, yet my "mom guilt" takes over...do I really need to spend the money on myself? Do I need to be gone right now? Do I need to miss our last pep rally and game? Do I need to miss my 2 younger kids last soccer games? How is Corey going to get everything done without me here?
I have been going round and round with it. I stalked the orbitz.com website trying to find the best ticket price. I stressed over each dollar I was going to spend. I had to buy the ticket and then still drive to Dallas, pay for parking etc... What was I thinking???
So I decided that I would base my decision on Corey's last game. If he won and went to the National Tournament, I would not go to Cancun and go to the tourney with him.
Saturday morning: got a speeding ticket. Now this is not too bad to say if you (idk) HAVE A DRIVERS LICENSE!!!! The police are not too happy to pull someone over who doesn't have a driver's license. (Or maybe they are but I am not) Well, last nail in coffin...no Cancun trip when you have to pay multiple tickets to the fine city of Tyler.
Super fun time on Saturday stunt clinic with good friend John Blake. I think I learned as much as the girls did! It was a great way to take my mind off of Cancun trip for 8 hours.
Sunday: day of game... Corey's team loses on overtime and shootouts. Okay Cancun could possibly still be on???
Monday: still stalking Orbitz.com. Tickets are TOOOOOO expensive. Definitely NOT going.
Tuesday: My sub calls and says she cannot sub for me after all for Cancun trip. Okay really NOT going.
Wednesday: really want to go so bad! I go to school and check with a different sub...he CAN sub. Check ticket prices and (gasp) under $300.00 bucks!!!!!! Book it Immediately! (even though flight leaves Dallas at 7:00, be there by 5:30 meaning leave Tyler at 3:30am and get up (stay up) at 2:30.... oh well, I am going to Cancun!
Thursday: Went to dmv to take drivers test (yes I have to re-take written and driving test). Lady is nice, and asks me KEY question: Have you ever had a Texas driver's license? Why yes I have...okay renew old license, take cute picture, pay $24.00 and BAM license in hand!!!!! YEA!
I do something amazingly nice for ex-boss (find him judges for an event he has on Saturday and no one to judge) and he BOOKS ME A HOTEL ROOM IN DALLAS ON TUESDAY!!!!! Yea! So that the above doesn't have to happen and I can also park my car at the hotel!
Friday: Call about ticket.
IF I go to defensive driving school ticket will be only $111.00 and WILL NOT show on my record therefore not raising my insurance. Whew.

So> I am going to Cancun!!!!!

I do like this one...

Got to be fair...

Emy and her mighty "Tinkerbells" cleared the fields and won their tourney as well! Go Tinkerbells!

I love this one too!!!

Mac + soccer = Champions!!

Mac had a great weekend playing soccer! Here are 2 photos, I took tons...he LOVES his team!

Kennedy and her homecoming "date"

And I use the word date VERY loosely...
At the game she said to me "Mama, he is like, stalking me... he wants to be with me all the time..." and she is just so upset about it and she says "I kind of want to hang out with Matt a little bit" And I am trying not to laugh, but I say to her "Well, what did you expect...he asked you on a date and you said yes. So technically he expects you to be with him. He is not stalking you, you are on a date!" LOL
And these are the Homecoming mums...kind of out of control if you ask me...

Why...

I want to know a few things...
1. Why do I have an enormous headache everyday after school?
2. Why did I let my MS drivers license expire last month...forcing me to have to take a written test and a driving test in order to get TX license?
3. Why do little things seem like such a big deal?
4. Why do kids cut their own hair?? Even after they have cut it before and were disciplined?
(PS the answer I got was "this piece was hanging in my face" it was a CHUNK from the BACK!!!!)
5. Why do kindergarten age kids have homework???
6. Why do I constantly want to move...right after I move somewhere new?
(wait that was deep...sorry:))
7. Why can't it be November 12th yet?
8. Why do 41 year olds still have acne?
9. Why did K's soccer coach schedule a tournament ON THANKSGIVING DAY in Dallas, when we will be in SC???
Any answers will be accepted, and some advice may actually be taken, so feel free!!!

love my sisters - one!!!