DON'T MENTION IT

Okay....I am just going to say it....I hate underwear shopping.  There.  Enough said.  If you do not want to join in on the  discussion of the undignified and extremely frustrating act of shopping for unmentionables, now is your chance to run, screaming from my blog!  Be advised.

I have spent more time shopping for underwear in the past two weeks than I ever care to do again in my life!  There is not a worse experience than that kind of buying.  Unless it includes listening to your 17 year old complain the whole time she is with you about how people are looking at her!

If you were able to catch the gist of my last post, you caught on to the indignity end of shopping for lingerie.  First, I had to suffer through the trying on of items. WHEN did my 25 year old body become 42???  I used to be able to shop for whatever I liked not for....what?....function!  But, I will say, that Vickie is a really good picker-upper (if you know what I am saying) and has lovely, functional undies suited to a 42 year old mom.  I also LOVE the sales girls at Vickie's!  Because there is NOTHING worse than shopping for ladieswear at Penney's and finding that everything you just brought into the dressing room is the wrong size, style or cut!  That means, you have to get the new stuff off and get completely dressed again and go out and hope you get it right this time around, or else you will be doing the whole on/off deal again!  At Vickie's the girls keep popping outside your room offering to get you whatever you need.  I never had to leave my dressing room!  That alone, is worth the price of their goodies!

I am convinced that if you are the worst sales girl in any given store - Penney's, Vickie's, Soma or otherwise - your punishment is working in the bra department.  I need a drink after spending 10 minutes in there!  Honestly, there HAS to be a better way to display unmentionables with STRAPS than hanging them all crowded up together on hangers!!!!!  This is especially an embarrassing incident in Vickie's because no matter how much I appreciate their wares, I do NOT want to call attention to myself in that place.  BUT...that is next to impossible in any intimate apparel department or store!  No matter how delicately I try to rummage - yes!  RUMMAGE! - through the racks and hangers, I end up with ten tangled bras around my head trying to find a sales girl to help me escape.  I mean, you need to be Harry Houdini to shop for those things!!!!!  The only thing I can see through the mess is my sales girl, Kylie, coming over, WITH HELP, stifling a laugh and untying me like a rodeo champ!

What I hate about Vickie's though, is the porn all over the place!!!!  I think some men go in there because they don't have internet access!  They just wander around.  They aren't shopping with wives or girlfriends...they are just there for the peep show framed on the walls.  And I can't decide if that is worse, or the fact that just when I felt halfway decent about myself in the dressing room, once I set foot back in the store, I have to compete with Sleezy Girl posters all over the joint!

It is a humbling experience.  And infuriating on so many levels!  (body image, tangles, competition) I am beginning to think that the only decent idea coming out of the 60's was going au natural.  I know, it isn't a pretty thought....but it would save me from being hogtied in a lingerie store somewhere!

CATCHING UP WITH OLD FRIENDS

I have this friend, Vickie.   We used to hang out together a lot.  Back in the days before I had kids.  She is single and kind of a hot mama and I didn't fit very well into her life after I had kids.  I missed her, but I know how life goes.

While I still liked Vickie, I started making other friends who understood my family committments.  Vickie liked Carl, but didn't really have a place for my kids to hang out.  It's not that she didn't like my kids, she just didn't understand them very well. They didn't really belong in her world. So, I started hanging out with another friend, Penney.  Penney was always welcoming to me and my kids!  She is a fine hostess who makes time to have just what the kids and I need at any given time.  She even includes Carl in her hospitality.

Penney and I have grown old together.  We are familiar.  But, as I get older, Penney is sometimes unable to keep up.  She is growing older, too, and sometimes I just need someone who can make me feel good about myself, like I did when I was 20.  As much as I love Penney, she just isn't like Vickie.

So, after trying for a year to make do with what Penney could offer, I finally realized, I should get back in touch with Vickie.  So, I left Penney's abode today, and went to visit Vickie.  It has been about 17 years since I have seen her, but she was awesome!  One thing I will say for Vickie....she makes me feel good about myself, AND...

She knows how to keep a Secret!!

STILL THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

*****Click on the video title for best viewing.*****

IT'S ROCKET SCIENCE, I TELL YOU!

My grandmother was born in 1913.  She died just a couple of years ago.  In her lifetime, she saw many, many advancements in technology.  Later in her life, someone asked her, "Of all the things you have seen in your lifetime, what has been the best advancement?"

My grandmother looked them square in the eye and didn't even have to think about her answer.  She said, "Easy.  When they put pumpkin in the can."

I always thought she was being funny.  Now, I think maybe not.  Because I have seen a lot of progress over my 40 some odd years, too, but the greatest invention of my time?

Yep, the gift bag.  If I never wrap another present, it will be too soon!

Do you remember when department stores had a whole department dedicated to wrapping gifts?  Those ladies (they were always anal-retentive, over achieving, older matrons) not only made the presents look beautiful, but every seam matched flawlessly and the bows were things to drool over.  There is no way to match that.  Trust me....I have been trying for the past month.  My poor family is getting gifts in paper that matches the Tree of Sheba, but looks like the dog wrapped them.  

Next year....gift bags!  

What?  My Gramma's pumpkin pie always tasted good!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM US TO YOU

Have I mentioned I have a very talented photographer in the family?  She set up and took most of these shots.  Merry Christmas!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

TIDINGS OF COMFORT AND TRUTH

"Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick;  so he sent messengers, telling them, 'Go, inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.'"  2 Kings 1:2


A little background here for those of you who don't know Ahaziah's lineage (as I didn't before reading 1 Kings). Ahaziah was the son of Ahab and Jezebel.  If you know nothing else, you know his mom was a terrible woman! She really, REALLY was.  She brought her false religion and priests to the palace in Israel and she persecuted and slaughtered hundreds of Hebrew prophets.  It was during Ahaziah's parents' reign that Elijah was prophet.  He called fire down from Heaven in the name and power of Yahweh, the one, true God, several times.   And God showed up in all His burning glory.  Ahaziah would have seen the fulfillment of several of Elijah's prophecies.  So, when Ahaziah lay dying, wondering what his fate might be, what did he do?  Did he call on the Proven Prophet of God?  Oh no, he made inquiries of a false god.  WHY???

I believe the reason Ahaziah sought out Baalzebub (other than the fact that he needed a good laugh at a funny name) was because he wasn't really interested in truth.  He was dying.  He just wanted comfort.  He sought out a false god because he knew his servants would bring back comforting words of longevity.  I think Ahaziah died in turmoil because he never sought truth, so he did not gain comfort.  And before we get all disgusted with Ahaziah, I think it is a good thing to take a truthful look at ourselves.

I will start.

This summer, one of my children walked through a difficult season.  It was difficult for me, too.  At first, it looked like one thing was occurring, but it turned out it was something totally different.  It was so sad to me.  Seeking comfort for me and my child, I filled in a friend of mine and asked her to pray for us, which she did.  But, she also spoke truth to me.  Things she had observed and how she thought that might have compounded the situation with my child.  At first, I had no interest in hearing that.  I wanted her to just lift us up and send a long-distance hug and move on. But, when it comes to my kids, I want to make sure I am doing right by them (and I know my friend loves us all), so I re-read the words she had written and really prayed over them.  In the end, I did not agree with everything she felt, but I did see eye to eye with her on some other things and made appropriate changes in my awareness. The changes that I made, made such a great difference!  Some of the changes were very difficult for me and effected other relationships in my life, but as I saw the results in my child, I was comforted.  If I had hardened my heart to the truth, I would never have made the changes that brought comfort to me and my child.

Recently, I walked through another stressful circumstance.  I was struggling to even know what truth was in this situation, let alone seek it.  When I prayed, the verses that came to mind did not support what I wanted in this case.  I shared a small amount of my burden with a very good friend.  I just wanted to get some things off my chest so I felt better.  So I would feel comfort.  But, I didn't feel any of that, I was just sad.  Then my friend put her arms around me and prayed for me.  In her prayer she prayed for the things I then knew I should be seeking.  Truth.  She didn't pray about my hurt, but about what was truth so the Lord to help me overcome the shadow of hurt.  I had only been concerned with whether I was right, so that I could be justified in my hurt and anger, but while my friend prayed truth over me, I  God's truth is...reconciliation and love.

I was not completely wrong in either of these circumstances. But, I wanted the other people to be completely wrong.  I did not want to look at the hard stuff.  I did not want to see my own faults.  I did not want truth because I thought it meant I was not right.  And that, my friends, is pride and it is the biggest stumbling block to every blessing of comfort God has for us.  So, I wanted comfort and I wanted to be right, but I did not want to be truthful with myself.  Do you think I received comfort?  You know I did not.

In Hebrews, Paul tells us one of the ways we draw close to God is by having a clear conscience.  If we have pride and distortion in our hearts, how can we be close to God.  We are turning away from what He calls us to and building a wall between He and ourselves.  We are trying to convince ourselves that God doesn't know best.

I appreciate, so much, those friends who took the time to speak loving truth into my life, so that I could unburden my heart and gain comfort.  Proverbs 27:6 says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy."  I am not interested in a friend who wants to try to "help" me by telling me what I want to hear.  I want those faithful friends who want to see me restored to God above all else and also to those around me.  Let me also say that I believe that God has set certain relationships in our lives as the light of truth.  While we should be able to speak the truth in love, not all of us can.  Our big, fat, truthful, tactless egos can get in the way.  BUT....a friend with whom you have shared your heart with and who has shared her heart with you....a friend whom you have a very special God-given bond with....those friends we need to listen to.   They have a special way of speaking to your heart the truth you need to hear. They usually have our best interest at heart.

God had spoken truth to His people for thousands of years while they sought comfort.  They turned away at every chance.  Even after God parted the Red Sea before them, they turned to the golden calf when they wanted comfort while they waited for Moses to return from the mountain.  Kings of Israel (God's chosen people) continually turned to false gods to give them comfort, rather than doing hard things and ruling in God's truth.  For hundreds of years God was silent, and the people were VERY uncomfortable.  And finally, He sent a Voice in the Desert, speaking truth and baptizing in repentance.  The people who heard the truth and took it to heart, and cleared their conscience and believed, were given the greatest comfort in the salvation of Jesus Christ. What if John had never confronted people with the truth?  Comfort does not come without truth.

If my friends had not been faithful and truthful with me, I would still be trying to be right, and I would never have found comfort.  So, I encourage you, if you are struggling, seek out that friend that you know will speak truth to you and not just whatever you want to hear.  Do not complain to her, but show her your burden.  She will help you carry it to the foot of the cross.  And there, you will find....

Tidings of Comfort and Joy.

IT'S COMING! IT'S COMING!!!!!!

AND I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

PLAY-DOH TO PLATO

I put a lot of work into planning my elementary school co-op.  Many times I have to make up the activities because I can't find or don't like what is out there. I also know what it is like to teach preschool, elementary school, jr. high school and high school ALL IN ONE YEAR!  I hope to boost others on the walk and share ideas.

Check it out!  I will list activities we do with instruction on how to do it, observations from the homeschool frontier and encouragement for those walking the path.  I hope it blesses you.

Play-Doh to Plato

MY APOLOGIES AUNTIE

Apologies to my wonderful Aunt Mickey.

Who lives, and loves living in Nevada.

Perhaps those little mountains are pretty, once they have snow on them, as she says.  Maybe the sky really IS blue in the tiny corner of the state where she lives.  I suppose there is something nice about Nevada.

Surely.  Maybe.  Perhaps.

Nah.

Love you, Auntie!