Look Who Lives Down The Street!

Pretty sure The Griswolds moved in while we weren't looking. ;)



Merry Beginning of the Christmas Season!

Random Dozen -- Thanksgiving Edition

1. Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving foods this year, or are you being culinarily adventurous?
I'm pretty much sticking to the traditional menu. That's one thing I love about Thanksgiving Dinner, the menu is pretty much set. I am planning on trying pecan pie this year. It's my new daughter-in-law's favorite.

2. Tell me something concrete that you're thankful for. (Something you can literally touch, see, etc., not a concept like "hope.")
My home. I feel comfortable and safe here.

3. You knew the flip side was coming: Share about something intangible that you're thankful for.
I am oh so thankful for God's unconditional love and for my hubby's unconditional love. I think it is so cool how God gives me an earthly version of His great love for me.

4. Share one vivid Thanksgiving memory. It doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, just something that remains etched in your memory.
When we lived in Singapore we had a wonderful time celebrating Thanksgiving with our new American friends there. One year our family was in three different countries on Thanksgiving Day. Caleb was in Malaysia with the youth group from our church on a retreat. Megan was in Singapore with some Singaporean friends. Pete and I were in Hong Kong having a wonderful long weekend just-the-two-of-us. That is my vivid Thanksgiving memory.

5. What is one thing that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt is going to happen this Thanksgiving because it always does, year after year?
We will eat turkey! And we will share what we are thankful for.

6. Do your pets get any left-overs?
No pets here.

7. Does your family pray before the big meal? If so, do you join hands while seated, stand, repeat a formal prayer or offer a spontaneous prayer? Who does the praying?
We pray before every meal. We join hands while seated. Hubby most often does the praying. The prayer is not a formal prayer.

8. Will you be watching football in the afternoon? If not, what will you be doing?
I am positive that football will be on the TV. And I am positive I won't be watching it. I will probably have my nose in a book or most likely, in my computer.

9. There are two distinct camps of people on this issue: How do you feel about oysters in the dressing/stuffing?
I have never had it. Is that one of the camps? I'd like to try it. I am still trying to find the perfect dressing that we all like.

10. Do you consider yourself informed about the first Thanksgiving?
Yes I do. I have learned a lot more in the last several years thanks to Barbara Rainey. I have a special feeling for Thanksgiving and what it means to this country. My husband's nine-times great-grandfather is William Bradford. He was governor of the Plymouth Colony. I have stood on the beach the Pilgrams sailed from in Holland and I have stood on the beach in Plymouth, Massachusetts. I was moved by the obedience of William Bradford and the Pilgrims. Because of that, I have my hubby and he has had the privilege of having the Christian faith passed down through many generations.

11. Which variety of pie will you be enjoying?
Pumpkin. My mom has the best pumpkin pie recipe.

12. Do you feel for the turkey?? (This is a humorous throw back question related to the 12th question in another Random Dozen!)
No. Turkey is good eats.

Dr. Max

I enjoy participating in Linda@2nd Cup of Coffee's Random Questions posts. It gives me ideas about what to write about and brings up some fun childhood memories. I like reading the answers of all the people that participate and link up to this.

A couple of weeks ago in one of the Random Questions posts there was a question about sharing an after school memory. One of the blogs I went to wrote about a TV show she used to rush home from school to watched and even included a short video of the show. I starting laughing when I watched it because I remembered watching that show when I was very small. It's called Dr. Max and Mombo.



When I was four years old, my dad took my siblings and I swimming at the local rec center. After the swim my older sisters and I were showering. I slipped in the shower as I was trying to leave. I fell and smacked my head on the ledge you step over to get out. I cut my forehead and started bleeding. One of my memories of that experience is sitting in the office at the rec center and someone suggesting that they should call Dr. Max. I was sooooo excited because I thought it would be the Dr. Max of the TV show.

Then I was really disappointed when I realized that it wasn't.

I ended up with three or four stitches and a scar in the middle of my forehead.

Just thought I'd share. :)

Amazed

<sup>There are times in this Christian walk I am on, that I have no choice but to sit back and shake my head in amazement.

Sometimes I am amazed at the hard things: the friends who are getting divorced after almost 30 years of marriage; the cruel things said by someone close who should be a cheerleader rather than a criticizer; the cluelessness of the lost.

Sometimes I am amazed at the overwhelming goodness of God: the Bible verse I read that speaks amazingly specifically to something I am struggling with; sunshine; a song on the radio; the unconditional love of my hubby; friends who take time out of their lives just to help me (and I didn't even ask).

I struggle with throwing around the phrase "God is good." It's not that I think He is not good sometimes. I believe He is good all the time. Yes, He is even good in those terrible heart wrenching times: when the divorce comes at you, when family members treat you badly, when children grow up too fast. He is good then because He always loves me even through those kinds of things. God goes out of his way to show me His love. Even if He is breaking me to teach me how to be more faithful to Him, He is good and He loves me. I think Christians tend to throw around the "God is good" phrase too haphazardly especially when our lives are going the way we want them too. But can we say "God is good" even when things in life stink? I'm learning to.

This verse is one that I have been aware of for several years:</sup>

^{The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17}

I just can't quite wrap my brain around God rejoicing over me with singing. What in the world does that look like? I picture me holding my sweet little babies, or sitting on the edge of their beds and singing to them. Is that's what it's like? Does God try to calm me with a song? Does God look at me and do a little happy dance and break into song? Amazing. Simply amazing.

As I was thinking this over, this song came to mind. Worship God with this.

A Dozen More

For more answers to these questions from lots of other great people click on the button and click on Linda's Mr Linky button. (Is that too much instruction? You can handle it.)

1. If you could master one sport, what would it be?
I have been sitting here staring at the computer screen for several minutes trying to figure out what sport I'd like to master. The question is can I master a sport? I seriuosly doubt it. When I was in PE in school I remember being frustrated that I couldn't make my body do what I thought it should. I finally came up with tennis. I wish I could because I would have been able to play with my hubby. He used to really love playing tennis. I took a tennis class in college to fulfill a PE requirement. I remember the instructor wanted to fail me. I just did not have the hand/eye coordination. (okay and I had a smidge of an attitude) I would hit the ball over the net in the court next to me, not the net in front of me. The TA thought it was ridiculous to flunk someone for a one credit class, so he gave me a B in the class. I haven't played tennis since.

2. When you make a major purchase, do you go with your gut instinct, or do you do research to make an informed decision?
I like to do research. I have made a couple of purchases without the research and regretted it. Consumer Reports is my friend. When we had to buy a new refrigerator recently my research consisted of talking to the repairman who declared the old refrigerator dead. He is a great repairman and has a great reputation in town. I trusted his opinion.

3. There is an old kids' game that says you can find out what your movie star name would be by using your middle name as your first name and the name of the street you grew up on as your last. What is your movie star name?
Lorraine Meadow. Ugh.

4. Would you rather give up your favorite music or your favorite food?
I bet that if I gave up either one I would develop a new favorite food or new favorite music. (How's that for avoiding answering?)

5. There are two types of banana preferences. One is pristine yellow, almost to the point of being green; the other is spotty and more ripe. Which is your preference?
Definitely pristine yellow bananas. I got in trouble with my dad about this when I was in high school. I remember one time when he started yelling my full name, you know, first, middle and last name all together. My mind raced to anything I might have done that I was getting in trouble for. I couldn't think of anything. It turns out he was complaining that I had eaten the bananas before they got spots on them...the way he liked them!

6. Your favorite tree is?
I love the Willow Tree in our back yard. I love how it sways in the wind. I love the bright green color in the spring. My hubby hates it because whenever it's windy, it make a mess with all sticks it drops. My kids hated mowing under it. I always thought it was cool to mow under it and walk through the branches. It seemed like a little private world under the branches.

7. On a scale of 1-10, how tech savvy are you?
I would guess a 5. But I can get a lot accomplished with my "click until I get it" method.

8. Has H1N1 touched your family?
I don't think so. I was sick a few weeks ago, but never went to the doctor.

9. Are you an analytical person, or do you just accept things the way they are without questioning or scrutinizing?
I don't think I'm an analytical person, but I don't think I just accept things the way they are without questioning. I would say my hubby is definitely analytical and I don't think I approach things the same way as him. (But I would say we are a good mix.)

10. Is your personality more like that of a dog, cat, or Koala?
I cannot even begin to tell you how much I dislike this type of question. So I am actually not even going to attempt to answer it. No offense, Linda?

11. Do you keep in touch with friends you made years ago?
A few. Facebook and email really helps with that. I have reconnected with a Junior High friend thanks to Facebook. I have reconnected with a friend from when we were first married thanks for email. I reconnected with some college friends thanks to Facebook. I keep in touch with many friends that we no longer live near to through email and Facebook.

12. You are checking out at a grocery store. In the express lane, there are more people than the regular lanes, but of course, their load is less than those in the regular lanes. Which lane do you choose (assuming you qualify for the express lane) and why?
Sorta depends on how antsy I am at the moment. Although my choice is usually the self-checkout lane.

Driving Music

I went shopping in the Big City and obviously did a lot of driving. I enjoyed listening to the radio and heard several songs I hadn't heard for a while. This one by Ginny Owens really spoke to me. The video is of her singing it live. Enjoy. It is my prayer to God.

Peace

I just needed something peaceful to look at. There have been way too many stressful things in my life lately. I need to escape.