A Little Poll

I know this is an odd poll, but oh well. I want to know what your favorite smell is. If you read this post, please comment, even if you are anonymous. I want to know if anyone is as wierd as me. :) My favorite two are:

* the bag of Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips right after breaking the seal

* the smell of a white washcloth the first time it is wet after having been washed, bleached and dryed. Mmmmmm!

Still So Innocent

I got a kick out of my daughter's innocence today. I had to take Annie to the Chapel Store because the one person she wants to buy a Christmas present for with her own money is her favorite friend, Ebony. She decided last week that she wanted to buy her a book about Jesus. Anyway, there were a couple of items I wanted to purchase there for Annie's presents and since our trips there are not often, I decided to try to buy them right under her nose. It worked!! She didn't have a clue!! I think by the time I was almost 5 I was already searching for my presents hidden in my parents' closet and under the bed. I hope this lasts awhile!

A Daughter After My Own Heart

Annie's newest fascination is Little House on the Prairie. Yes!!!! It is still my absolute favorite show of all time and I'm so excited that she has taken a liking to it. I own the first season on DVD, so that's what she has been watching. I can't help but watch it with her. I know every line before its spoken, yet I still find myself tearing up on each episode. It may be traditional and even boring to some (okay many), but there are awesome moral, spiritual, and family values that are upheld throughout the series. I'm amazed at how many topics have come up through the first several episodes that I've needed to address with Annie to broaden her understanding. Subjects like: outhouses (and how blessed we are to have indoor plumbing!), horses and wagons, childbirth (I was not looking forward to this topic but managed to find my way through it), horrid sicknesses that we don't need to worry about today because of vaccinations, the effects of alcohol abuse in a family, angels, and God's will in our lives even when ours doesn't match His. So, if anybody is Christmas shopping...Annie and I would love the second season! J/K!!! I'll probably end up buying it for her next month for her birthday. So tonight, she insisted on role-playing. Just call me "Ma" and Jose "Pa"...Annie is "Laura" and against her will, Bekah is "Carrie". I wonder how long this will last. :)

More Than Enough

After some words of wisdom, encouragement, and time spent in God's Word, I think my bug is going away. Hurray! Something the Lord ministered to me that He had in the past (and my feeble mind somehow dismissed lately) is that He sent His Son to pay my penalties and give me everlasting life...a hope that is living and will not fade away. Why would I ask for more? That's enough for me and all the abundance that He adds to it is just that...abudance. I love in Romans 8:32 how it says, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

I realize that usually I'm quite aware that I am only 1 in billions of people on this earth. But when I get into these little fits somehow it become all about me. Lord, may my heart be more thankful and faithful from here on out, focused on You and others, not myself. Your grace is sufficient, more than sufficient, for me.

I Just Can't Kick This Bug!

No, I don't have the flu or a cold...I have a case of the "I Wants" and I've had it pretty bad the last month and a half. Warning: if you don't want a glimpse into the ugliness of my natural heart, stop reading here. Anyway, I know that I am truly blessed with an amazing husband, two healthy and beautiful daughters who adore me, a cozy little roof over my head, a fabulous extended family and a wonderful church family...the list could go on and on. But for some reason I find myself wishing for more and better. A bigger home to own, not rent and beautifully decorated. My children to be obedient and considerate all the time. My husband to be less stressed out and his time more available, even though I couldn't ask for a more honorable man who's desire is to be in school studying how to teach God's Word and make an eternal difference in people's lives. Unlimited funds to send my children to private Christian school. I want clear, pretty skin. I want to be able to buy whatever all of my family and friends want for Christmas. I would love to be that person who has to make numerous trips to the car to unload all the presents to give out. I would love to be able to just be out and about, see an item in a window and buy it because so-and-so would love it. I want to be able to meet others' material needs. I want, I want, I want. This is my discontent, my struggle, and one of the many areas of my life the Lord is working on. I have never regretted staying home with my children because deep down I know I need to be with them and all the material things don't hold a candle to the impact my presence and care have on them. I'm not willing to go back to work right now for these "wants". But somehow I've got to get out of this mentality. Now feel free to slap me around a little and tell me how ridiculous I'm being and to snap out of it. Meanwhile, I'm going to send my Christmas wish list to my cousin. :)

Celebrations

Today marks the 24th wedding anniversary for Jaime and Leti. Congratulations!! What a testimony to God's grace and love in their lives!

Also:

Happy 23rd Birthday to Jaime Jr.! May you have a great day celebrating the 23 years God has given you. Here's to many many more!!

My Privilege

On Friday, I had the privilege of meeting Baby Sophia. She is beautiful and looks like a tiny girl version of her big brother. Carin looks and is doing well.