Claire & Henry

photo:celebritywonder.com

I saw The Time Traveler's Wife.

Maybe if I hadn't read the book it would have "wowed" me more. Can it be that hard to make a really great movie? In this case, the author of the book did all the hard work!

It could have been unbelievably fantastic, but for me? Not so much. Maybe a "B-" or "C" if I had to grade it.

One scene I truly loved though showed the power a mother's behavior has on her child. It reminded me, again, how our children, no matter their age, are watching and taking their cues from us on how to handle life. We can tell them the cup is half full, but when the rubber meets the road they believe behavior.

I'm glad my daughter (16) and I saw it in the theatre because we enjoyed a date night together, but I really thought it would be my new all-time favorite movie. I guess it's hard for any movie to live up to that! And, as in most cases, reading a book and using your imagination to create settings and characters beats a movie hands-down any day.

Don't fret if you wait for the dvd to hit your library. You'll enjoy the (free) movie this winter while sipping a warm cup of cocoa. Like the book, it makes you think about things in new ways and that's always a good thing.

5 Joys of the Day

Bring JOY to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. Psalm 86:4

We just began a new Bible study this morning in my home

(my house gets cleaned very early on Friday mornings)

The study is called Lord, Change My Attitude by James MacDonald.

(wow, he stepped on my toes this morning...cheeesssszzzzz)

One of my friends told us that at the end of the day she asks each of her children to tell her
"the 5 JOYS of the day."
(maybe this will interrupt their complaining about my "fear factor" menus...)

And so today, I stop, tip head heavenward,

and think of 5 random JOYS this day has brought.

(because it really does make for a better attitude)

1. waking up healthy
2. first cup of coffee
3. clean water from my tap
4. laughing with friends
5. sunshine

What joys has God given you today?

Packaging Pushover (Added Photo*)

The kids are back in school and I spent the day galavanting around.

Target has these Watkins cleaning products for sale.

Cha-ching!

Obviously, even birds like the packaging.

laSt niGht of SuMmeR

11 teenage boys in our house right now*

one poker table going strong upstairs on the back porch

one table bickering about rules downstairs

pizza/junk food buffet in the kitchen**

boy heaven

*and 1 fifth grade brother who has been invited to play by his big bro

be still my heart...

**buffet being stalked by 16 year old sister while getting ready to go out with friends

*UPDATE: the 5th grader is winning! the 5th grader is winning! Go figure.

photo: flikr, dupo-x-y

Identity Crisis

lately i've been having a blogging identity crisis

after i re-read this post, i thought to myself...

wow. every party needs a pooper and i'm it

and then i visited a new blog...she was talking about feeling blue in that day's post and her anecdote being God's amazing Word...

but she had a majorly cool dance tune playing

that's more like the real me! i thought

a little bit funky. fun. refreshing. (at least that what's my friends tell me)

chippy paint. scripture. family. shopping. jesus. flowers. good books. great music. poetry. entertaining. prayers. alaska..........

this is you life, are you who you want to be*?

yea, pretty much.

but who am i as a blogger?

who have you decided to be?

*Switchfoot

Hating the Stones

no, not the Rolling Stones

kidney stones (they don't deserve a big font size)

i spent yesterday in bed, not writhing in pain (the usual drill) but uncomfortable



i am so glad we live in an age where I could take these pills

strong medicine

but those stones are little devils. i saved one once. how could anything so small feel like a broken, jagged Chilhuly chandelier traveling through me?

but the bright spot to being down...



...i got to gaze at these all day. my undeserved blessings.

and the two boyish ones couldn't do enough for me. so sweet! chicken noodle soup (without asking for it), checking in on me with the intercom, crawling in bed with me to watch a movie ("you get to choose, mom").

feeling much better today. and grateful for the ugliness of stones in my life

so that i can clearly see and experience the beauty that surrounds me

A Hard Word

google image

"You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have...

Then come, follow me."
Luke 18:22

"Sell everything you have," undress yourself morally before God of everything that might be a possession until you are a mere conscious human being, and then give God that." (Oswald Chambers)

"Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Himself?" (Chambers)

yes. it is far easier for me to be devoted to your causes, Lord, than devoted to you. i am so sorry... but i know you know.

my head drops.

i am naked before you.

I am hearing a hard word this morning. The same hard word was drowning out crickets and katydids the other night as I finished a book about a rich man losing his life to finally live. The hard word could be heard above the din of children singing in Alaska and I started dumping. But I am lazy and have filled myself back up with me.

"Empty yourself. Follow me."

"The great solution is the simple one -- "Come to Me." The depth of our reality, intellectually, morally, and spiritually, is tested by these words. In every degree in which we are not real, we will dispute rather than come." (Chambers)

here i am, Jesus.

empty me.

again.

weak and wounded sinner, lost and left to die. raise your head for love is passing by. come to jesus. come to jesus. come to jesus. and live.*
*come to Jesus, by Chris Rice