Well, we're back home from being in Ocala for Thanksgiving. It was a GREAT trip, but too short! I'm so glad I got to see some of my old friends from Gainesville. I know I didn't get to some of you, and that makes me sad. There is just not enough time after church to talk to everyone!! :( But, however brief it was, I was so happy to see you!
I feel like I grew a lot closer to Jer's family this Thanksgiving. We had some good family discussions, good times staying up late and playing games, and I got to meet one of my brother-in-law's close friends (it doesn't mean anything that she's a girl, hehe). I look forward to seeing them again after Christmas. :)
Getting back to the old grind is never easy after a holiday, but it wasn't too bad this time. It's so weird because normal life just picks right back up where it left off, and sometimes it makes me wonder if the break was a dream, or if it really happened. Does anyone else ever feel this way, or am I just weird? (Ok, I know I'm weird, but I mean about this specifically). :)
I've already gotten my first Christmas card in the mail. I can't believe people already have them done and are sending them out. We haven't even taken our picture yet. Well, my goal is at least to get them sent out just before Christmas this year. Hehe, last year it was mid to late January before I got them all done. I'm pathetic.
I love Christmas music. Especially when Frank or Bing sings. I think I'll rent "White Christmas" soon. Can you believe I've never even seen it all the way through? Yet another reason I'm pathetic. However, I am proud to say that I have seen "It's a Wonderful Life" several times. It's one of my favorite movies ever.
Which brings me to the next subject... I found the Turner Classic Movies version of the game Scene It at Big Lots in Ocala over the break for twelve bucks! I am SOOOO excited! Jeremy and Jordan versed me, and we never got to finish, but I was winning. It makes you want to see all of the movies. It's really fun! I LOVE OLD MOVIES!
Well, that's enough of my randomness for today. :)
*** Disclaimer: Please know that when I say "I'm pathetic," this is no reflection of my self-esteem or self-worth. I know I'm not REALLY pathetic. It's just fun to say sometimes. No sympathy needed. ***
It was great seeing you all sitting there on the back seat, but I'm sorry I didn't get to talk with you! Caleb is adorable! So glad you had a fun visit! You can watch movies "someday". Enjoy living life to the fullest, and sometimes that means you don't have time for other things. Your son will be grown before you know it, you can watch movies later.
I was shocked when I read that you have not seen "White Christmas" all the way through(I can quote the movie:), but I have never seen all of "It's A Wonderful Life", so you can be shocked at me.
I figure if the majority of the recipients receive our Christmas card by Christmas Eve or the day after Christmas at the latest, it's successful. Sometimes I just mail them on our way back to Rockford... because that's basically the absolute latest I'm still working on them. So I sympathize. :)
Ok, first of all, if you like old movies and Bing Crosby, you definitely need to watch Holiday Inn (if you haven't already). It is one of my all-time favorite xmas movies. Secondly - yes, I DO remember that happy mail! In fact, I was going through some old boxes the other day and FOUND THE ORIGINAL! I laughed for a while and remembered the good times. Ahhh, Becky.
I am so blessed to have the job(s) that I have, and to be able to bring Caleb with me every single day. I'm so blessed to have a strong husband who loves God the most, and who can stand up against immorality at school- even when he is the minority. I'm so blessed to have a sweet, smart, and funny little boy who makes me laugh every day (and even when he makes me mad as fire ;). I'm so blessed to have 3 square meals a day, a warm bed to sleep in, a place to hang my hat, good and caring bosses, a great congregation of Christians to worship with, loyal and encouraging friends, a shoulder to cry on, a free country (at least for now- but I'll be just as blessed if this ends somehow), time with my family and friends, quiet times to talk with my LORD, older and wiser Christians to confide in and learn from, time to relax and watch an old movie every now and then, opportunities to show kindness & to and try to teach others, music, time to train and teach my child to love God more than anything or anyone, time to stop in the grocery store to pray with Caleb at his request:), and the TOP 3 THINGS:
To have a Father who loves and forgives me.
To have a Savior who suffered for me in more ways than I really know so that I can be with the LORD one day.
To have His Spirit living inside me to help me and to guide me.
LORD, THANK YOU! Help me to love you like you love me! Amen!
Thanks for your encouraging words, everyone! I've just in the past few months come out of a "woe is me," "I don't like my job," etc. kind of stage in my life, and I finally realized (thanks to one of those older, wiser Christian sisters) that I needed a change of perspective. I wasn't thankful enough. So, looking back on what I wrote here, I hope I didn't sound "holier than thou" or anything-- my life is definitely not picture perfect because I still make mistakes. BUT, it has gotten SOOO MUCH BETTER since I stopped focusing on the negative. So, I just wanted to share because that is what is on my mind and my heart, and hopefully, if any of you out there are struggling with what I was struggling with, this will encourage you. :)
Thank you for day. Thank you for Mommy, and Daddy, and Caleb. Thank you for Nanny and Poppy and Grammy and Papa and Nana and Grandma and Grandpa and Nana, Papa, and...Grandma... Help obey, be kind, not pitch fits like freight cars [he refers to the freight cars on Thomas and Friends because they are mean- we tell him he doesn't want to be mean like them]... Thank you for Bible and Holy Spirit [and usually he would say "Jesus" along with those 2, but today...] and T.V...."
Hi sister. You most certainly do not live up to your username, so there would have to be some kind of inside joke. I remember you and confirmed that I had the right person in mind with the shot of you and your "Hubba Hubba Hubby." Caleb is a cute kid.
I agree with your remark and I'm pretty sure I used that critique myself in the post before the one you read. You are right, it just doesn't make sense. The CoC has started by making a ginormous chasm between the work of an individual Christian and the work of the church, so much so that no common sense can be exercise to figure out how to organize the local church to suite the needs of local Christians.
Then we get all hung up on this treasury/funding authority thing which accounts for most of the quams with institutionalism. In reality, 1 Cor 16 is about a specific collection for a specific need for a church that has existed on its own for years and still, apparently, had to find some way to take care of its own needs apart from the collection that Paul was entirely going to take to Judea.
How one can jump from that to setting up a "pattern" for one collection every Sunday to cover all needs is beyond me. But if collections can be multiple for whatever we might choose, then it is difficult to limit what the church can collect money for in the name of Christ.
I left two more comments (one long spiel split in two) on Josh's post where our discussion began. Just wanted to let you know since he created a new post before our discussion was over. :-)
