There's No Place Like Home

I got dressed for work early today. I'm wearing one of my Curves' shirts. It has ruby red sneakers sitting on a yellow brick workout mat and the writing on it reads: There's no place like Curves.

On the TV is Disney's Alice in Wonderland. Alice is now singing about how she gives herself very good advice, but seldom takes it. I hadn't really paid attention to the movie--it reminded me immediately of the Wizard of Oz. Alice, like Dorothy, was wishing to be someplace else, imagining that to be somewhere different would make things better. And we all know how that turns out...

But why? In the very beginning we had the Garden. We had intimate access to God. And only one rule to follow. And we were enticed by a slithering serpant to believe that more than what we had was to be envied and obtained--even at the cost of losing what we did have.

I have often dreamt, and wished, that life might be different, but more energy was put into making the now the best it could possibly be. It's not always easy. I look at the lives of my friends and see things that could certainly be enviable. Most of them wouldn't stress over broken glass frames (mine broke last nigh) or be trying to figure out how to cut pennies that will add up to dollars. But I refuse to disparage my life.

I'm just sitting here amongst the chaos and noise of two of my grandsweeties and I much as I'd like to dive in staighten and bark out orders, I am content to watch strange cartoons, read stories, and change batteries. I'll take the wonder in their eyes over the lostnes of Wonderland any day!

Before and After

The Friday before Christmas I said that Nelson had braved the yucky weather for an important errand.

This is Nelson before:


This is Nelson after:


Nelson decided that he wanted to get his hair cut before going back to work. He donated a 15" tail to Locks of Love. It was a bit of a shock to Asher, so he explained that he gave his hair to a sick kid. Asher was telling everyone and anyone that Pepa gave his hair to a sick kid.

He's been doing well at work. The days are long, but we're both thankful that he has a job!

Christmas Eve

I figured out how to tackle the wrapping. When you present an insurmountable and overwhelming task to a person with ADD--at least when you present one to me, I lean heavy towards procrastination. The best tool for tackling said huge task is to break it down into manageable pieces, which I did. I will wrap the other family's gifts this morning and deliver them this afternoon. I will wrap Nelson, Beth and Asher's today and tonight. I will wrap Caden and Penelope's on Friday. Very doable!

Yestderday I cooked. If you knew me, you would know how challenging that is and how my family makes faces. Anyway...I made a cassarole many, many years ago when we were poor (when haven't we been...) and living in Wisconsin. We called it Fisherman's Pie. It's so easy, even I can do it. Get a cassarole dish (I use my favorite Tupperware one). Bottom layer is cream soup, 1/2 can of milk, and a can of salmon. I forgot this time to pick out the bones--Nelson almost gags on them, oops. This time I used cream of shrimp soup instead of cream of mushroom and we liked it! Next layer, one can of corn, drained. Next layer, a healthy portion of mashed (instant) potatoes. Top it off with finely shredded cheese. I cooked it in the microwave for ten minutes. Oh, it was wonderful. Nelson smiled a lot and thanked me several times. Yay!

Tomorrow morning is going to start off very, very different. This will be the first Christmas where there haven't been children in the house. It seems weird. I'm going to make an egg breakfast cassarole and we'll go over to Beth and Asher's later to exchange gifts. It just doesn't feel right. I'm sure I'll get over it and it will all be fine. I will be sure to tell myself that at least a hundred times today--perhaps by tomorrow I will start to believe it.

Well, I need to get wrapping since I have to work at Curves for a few hours this afternoon!

Merriest to you!!!

Elf Help

Y'all are the best!! I have some great recipes to work with. Nelson bought a can of cherry pie filling yesterday at the grocery, so I know which recipe he wants to start with!

So here's my next question: I have one gift left to buy. Nelson asked for an MP3 player with 2GB. I don't have a bunch of money to spend. I don't know anything about them---Help! All suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!!!!

Submissions Please

I have a wonderful crock pot. It's not been used very much. Since Nelson has gone back to work I need to pick up some of the cooking and I thought crock pot meals would be an option, but I don't want to wade through the myriads of recipes.

So help me out: what works for you? ")

Advent Conspiracy

Our church has participated in Advent Conspiracy for a couple years now. Last year we bought gifts for a family of five. As the time approached this year, I really didn't know how we were going to be able to give what with our own finances so tight. Well, God made a way. A family in our church donated some money and we will add to it to be able to bless another family.

This afternoon I called the family to get some ideas before I went shopping. All I knew was that we had a mom with a 10yr old daughter and an 18yr daughter. I told the mom who I was and why I was calling and she started to cry. In addition to learning what the kids liked, I also learned that the dad died just last month (11-1-08). My heart started to break. Things may be tight, but my life is so blessed.

I felt very strongly that we needed to do more. I wrote the Minsiter of Outreach who was organizing this whole thing and told her that I was going to try and do more by contacting the leaders of our Sunday School Class and passing a card around next Sunday. Tonight we had our intergenerational Christmas program and I talked to the class leaders and they agreed that it was a great idea.

I'm sure that this will be a very different Christmas. To participate in this conspiracy will mean that there will be fewer gifts for Nelson and I...and you know what: I'm ok with that. We are blessed, and even more blessed as we share the blessing with others.

So I wonder...how will you be a blessing in your corner of the world?

Here I Am

Somebody missed me. You have no idea (or maybe you do) what kind of balm that was to my weary heart. I feel like I've been on such a roller coaster ride lately. The really hard thing is that I almost had decided to quit posting because it seemed that my blogstalker had returned and was twisting information. I even deleted some of my posts because of it.

While I was away I poured over Jeremiah 29 and pondered it deeply. We so often quote 29:11, but forget the rest of the chapter. It's good to know God has plans for you, but it's even more important to remember that that promise was spoken to the Israelites when they had been taken into captivity. The message is: settle in folks, you're going to be here for a while. You're going to be somewhere you don't want to be--but remember this I have you there for a reason and I will be with you.

I also reflected on the characters of the Christmas pagent. I was thinking a lot about who I related to. As I thought about it, I thought, I could relate to them all. I also thought about where Jesus would come today. Who would receive him? Who would be looking? Who would be looking in the wrong place? I'm getting pretty good at asking questions.

Part of our coaster ride was Nelson being released to go back to work and on the very same day being told he was being laid off. I went through a lot of emotions related to that one. Then he learned he was going to get to go back. My level of reservation surprised me. I felt like I was from the heart of Missouri: show me! Thankfully, he goes back on Monday.

I am enjoying my elder sitting job. Nothing has changed with my little lady, but my attitude really has. I've been doing cross stitch. I find it very stress demishing and I'm getting gifts for others, too. I found a patriotic one that I'm going to do for my brother for his 50th birthday in January and a nice southwest themed one for my mom and George for their anniversary in March. I've made a quilt sampler for my MIL and a little one for Nelson. Right now I'm working on a Pooh and Piglet for my granddaughter.

I promise not to stay gone so long. One of the things that came out of my study of the Christmas characters was the consistent admonition to not be afraid. Fear is a very strong de-motivator. I have been working on facing down the fear. The biggest help: realizing that though life may not be going the way that I want...I don't go it alone!