2016 Year in Review

Just a few snapshots to sum up 2016!  

Lots of fun stuff including:

Trip to Okinawa, Japan to see my Marine son!

Cruise to the Caribbean with our friends

Found out I'm gonna be a Grandma!!!! (Ok this is definitely the highlight!!)

Trips to Austin, Virginia, Pittsburgh!

Friends from Pittsburgh came to visit and we gave them a Texas tour!

Lots of geocaching!

Lost some friends and family too :( 

Biking and Hiking!

So much laughing!

Lots of little weekend adventures too!

Fun and games with nieces, nephews and great nieces & nephews!

Continuing to work on memorizing Philippians

Got a (new to me) car! 

Praying you all are blessed and have a fabulous 2017!

 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,  always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:3-6

Memories of Christmases Long long ago...

I was reminiscing today about Christmases from my childhood. I love Christmas today! I love the traditions, songs, gift giving, decorating, cookie baking, tree decorating, present wrapping....I love it all! I think it's due to the traditions that were instilled in me when I was young.

We used to get two weeks off for Christmas break. The whole two weeks were usually spent at my grandparents house. We called them Maamaw and Pop. My sister and I went up to their house first before my parents came up. That week was so much fun. These were the days before internet, cable tv and iphones. We had to make our own fun. And we did too!

My grandparents lived out on a farm so there was always places to explore and things to get into. The first thing we'd do when we got there was go out into the forest and cut down our Christmas tree. Now you have to realize that it's my grandpa and us 2 little girls that are going to cut this tree down and drag it back to the house. That's why I love Charlie Brown trees! It's almost always what our tree looked like! We'd pick some scraggly little thing and be so excited about it, "This one Pop! Let's get this one!" Pop would chop it down and we'd drag it home all proud of our selection! We'd get back and Maamaw would have her work cut out for her to make it beautiful. She'd put it up on a table and drape a pretty cloth around the bottom. Then we'd get to work stringing popcorn or cutting out construction paper chains. Whatever we had around the house to decorate the tree. We didn't go to the store to get our decorations we just looked around the house and made stuff! Sometimes Maamaw would cut out an article out of a magazine and say "Do you girls think you could make this?" "Of course!" we'd say..just find us some scissors and tape and maybe an old magazine.

Then we'd have little bitty presents to open each day before Christmas. Sometimes it was just a small Hallmark calendar that Maamaw had gotten for free. To us it was a wonderful new toy to play office or school! We'd spend hours invented new games and plays with our new found treasures.

Then the baking would begin and Maamaw would make our favorite little individual pecan pies! We thought we were queens!

Then we'd go shopping at the Walmart to buy our presents for our parents. Maamaw would always direct us to something we could afford or something we could put both our money towards.

Then our parents would come up and we just could hardly wait for Christmas morning to come! We'd go to bed late and wake up every hour just waiting for it to be daybreak so we could wake everybody up! Then we could hardly stand it...we would decide that we'd waited long enough and head down the long haul to announce to everyone that Christmas has come! Wake up everyone! Everyone would drag out of bed all cock-eyed. But I knew they were excited too! We'd run down the long hall and into the dark living room with just the glow of Christmas lights from our scraggly tree. The cookies we'd left Santa were gone! Pop would go out to get wood for the fireplace. Even though most Christmases it wasn't even cold..Pop would start a fire in the fireplace. It was Christmas after all!

Then the paper would start flying and the games would start playing! Pop would gather all the trash and feed the fire. You'd have to be careful the directions to your new game didn't get caught up in that fire!

So as we get closer to Christmas enjoy every minute of it! Make new memories. Keep the old. Tell your kids your Christmases past. They will love it...if not now then someday :)

Remember that the Saviour of the World came to seek and save the lost! That's us! Without Him there would be no hope!

27 Years!!

It's our 27 year anniversary on Friday!  Here's a little tribute to being married to this guy!

27 things I love about being married to Larry:

1. My life is a constant adventure.
2. I have grown out of my comfortable box in many ways.
3. I get to laugh and laugh and laugh.
4. He gets my puns.
5. He melts when I put on perfume.
6. He cooks me the most amazing gourmet meals from leftovers.
7. I've learned what really matters.
8. He tempers my temper.
9. I've learned about the stars and the moon rise/set.
10. I get to really know the words to those Journey songs.
11. He plays Word feud with me.
12. He can usually cheer me up from a bad mood.
13. He will take on my hobbies as his and enjoy them! Hooping!
14. He loves to go with me geocaching in cemeteries.
15. I never need to worry what I'm going to do on the weekends.
16. He's taught me to march to the beat of a different drum.
17. He shows me the importance of evangelism.
18. He's my biggest cheerleader.
19. He fully trusts me.
20. I know what 100% commitment is like.
21. He gets on board with my crazy ideas when I get them!
22. He doesn't mind me shopping on Amazon every day 😊
23. He's my fun multiplier.
24. I get a best friend.
25. He rounds out my rough edges.
26. He's the Tigger to my Eeyore-ness.
27. He challenges me to grow closer to the Lord.

Thank you for the last 27 years Larry!  It's been great (and sometimes not!) but that is life! I pray we have many more to come! Love ya! 💗💗

Thankful heart is a happy heart

Giving Thanks this season for....

(in no particular order)

a job that I love and the ability to make money

a husband that encourages me

kids that are grown and responsible for themselves

My Savior Jesus

a memory that is holding in Philippians so far

beautiful fall weather

time to be able to research things

people that encourage me
a new grandbaby on the way

friends that make me snort when I laugh

bacon and all things keto

pounds I've shed

music and hooping together

a good book I can get lost in

a big comfy bed and going to bed early

a hubby who loves to go on walks with me

the beautiful full moon and a hubby that takes me to see it rise

1 Thessalonians 5:18

in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

Leviticus 22:29 

And when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, offer it of your own free will.

1 Chronicles 16:8 

Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Psalm 69:30 

I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Ah....vacations...

Ah, the vacation life.  No place to be, no commitments, no bad news...just pure bliss and relaxation. Yes, I love vacations.  I love the traveling, the relaxing and most definitely the getting away.  

We just got back from a cruise with 4 other couples!  We went to the Caribbean and it was blissful!  If you haven't been on a cruise yet--I highly recommend it!  It's super cheap for all that you get!  The food!!  And there's so much to do..or if you prefer to just sit in a chair on the deck and read a book --you can!! That's the best part!  I love going with our friend every year.  The best part about going with a bunch of people is that's there's always someone to hang out with!  

We played lots of dominoes, danced, ate, snorkeled, swam, hooped and laughed. 

If you haven't tried a cruise! Do it!  It's amazing!

What do we require in our relationships?

Well, I gotta get on my soapbox a minute.  My heart breaks for girls today.

Girls today sell themselves short.  They are quick to give their hearts away in a relationship and even quicker to jump into bed with someone they aren't married to.  They move in with them in the hopes that "probably" they will get married.  Probably?  What are you requiring of him?  You give your all to the relationship without expecting anything in return.  You aren't requiring a solid commitment from him!

Why is this completely accepted in not only the world but also "Christian" circles?

Ladies!  You are worth so much more than that!  You don't need to sell yourself short!  Don't give in to the physical pressures of the guy.  They are requiring you to give in.  What are you expecting of them?  A maybe, someday, hopefully proposal?  That's not a good way to start off a marriage anyway. The statistics on divorce after co-habitation are grim.

Marriage is a wonderful covenant!  It's two people fully committed to one another.  It's two people who completely trust each other.  It's two people who come together with an understanding that they will do whatever it takes to protect their relationship.

So, ladies, protect your virtue.  It is a virtue to remain chaste.  Require a commitment from your guy.  If he is a gentlemen he will honor that.  Don't you want to be married to a gentleman after all?  If he's a gentleman before marriage-he will be a gentleman during your marriage.

And gentlemen, treat your lady right.  Honor God.  Respect her and she will respect you.

Galatians 5:19-22 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders,drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.


The problem with living together

Test driving marriage

Ok, off my soap box now.

What do we require in our relationships?

Well, I gotta get on my soapbox a minute.  My heart breaks for girls today.

Girls today sell themselves short.  They are quick to give their hearts away in a relationship and even quicker to jump into bed with someone they aren't married to.  They move in with them in the hopes that "probably" they will get married.  Probably?  What are you requiring of him?  You give your all to the relationship without expecting anything in return.  You aren't requiring a solid commitment from him!

Why is this completely accepted in not only the world but also "Christian" circles?

Ladies!  You are worth so much more than that!  You don't need to sell yourself short!  Don't give in to the physical pressures of the guy.  They are requiring you to give in.  What are you expecting of them?  A maybe, someday, hopefully proposal?  That's not a good way to start off a marriage anyway. The statistics on divorce after co-habitation are grim.

Marriage is a wonderful covenant!  It's two people fully committed to one another.  It's two people who completely trust each other.  It's two people who come together with an understanding that they will do whatever it takes to protect their relationship.

So, ladies, protect your virtue.  It is a virtue to remain chaste.  Require a commitment from your guy.  If he is a gentlemen he will honor that.  Don't you want to be married to a gentleman after all?  If he's a gentleman before marriage-he will be a gentleman during your marriage.

And gentlemen, treat your lady right.  Honor God.  Respect her and she will respect you.

Galatians 5:19-22 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders,drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.


The problem with living together

Test driving marriage

Ok, off my soap box now.

Carpe Diem!

I've been thinking a lot about death lately.  Morbid I know, but hear me out.  I just went to a funeral for a friend's grandma.  She was 94 years old.  She lived life to the fullest.  She was super active right up until the end.  She got to see her great-great grandkids!  What a life!

I have another friend that is barely in her 40s and was just sent home on hospice care.  She has cancer.  Cancer stinks.  She has a young family and a sweet husband.  It just doesn't seem fair.  She also lives life to the fullest. She is the happiest, sweetest person through all this yuck.  Even now.

I've just been contemplating living life.   Why do so many people put off things -- "I'll travel when I retire" "I'll have kids after my career gets started" -- "I'll go see that relative when I build up some vacation time".  Why the wait?

Shouldn't we be living our lives NOW!  Shouldn't we Carpe Diem and all that!

I know, it's easy to get stuck in a rut.   It's easy to think we have lots of time to do things later.

It's so easy just to fall into the lull of life.

But I want to get out there and live!  I want to do those things now!

Maybe they are big things like traveling, or moving, or learning something new.

But it's also the small things--like visiting with that person, or saying hello to someone, or having a conversation that you've needed to have with someone, or giving a hug.

Take time to do the things you've been wanting to do. Time is a valuable commodity.  It's the only thing that once we use it we can't get it back.

I don't want grass to grow under my feet.  I want to go and do and see and live my life NOW!

So go out and seize your day!  You won't regret it!

Grandma Status!

So the big news of the year.... I'm going to be a grandma!!! A friend told me don't say "I'm going to be" because I already am! Yes, that is true! There's a new life growing right at this moment.

I can't believe my daughter and her hubby are going to have their own little sweetie pie.  It's a surreal feeling.  Your kids having their own kids.  I'm really happy and excited for them!

I just want to spill out everything I think and know and have learned.  But that wouldn't really be helpful.  They will learn and grow into their own.  I'm sure they will do things differently than we did.  (Thankfully!) I'm sure I'll disagree with things and wish things were done differently.  But they will probably do some things similar too.  Either way, I need to be OK with it.

I'm looking forward to this new role.  I'm excited to be a grandma!  I'm wondering how do I be an influence, show love, and be involved without being "the mom".  I guess it's probably a lot like I'm doing now with my adult children.  I stay involved, text, send presents, ask questions, show them I'm there if they need anything, keep the lines of communication open.

It's an exciting new chapter!

Grandkids!

I really feel too young for this to be happening!

But I'm just thrilled to see my kids raising their own kids.

Doing the happy dance!!

Any advice for this new grandma?  Comment below!

Things I don't understand

Proverbs 30:18 "There are three things which are too wonderful for me,

Yes, four which I do not understand:"

There are many things I don't understand in this world.  Just a few I was thinking about today...

Why do people value going to college so much?  Anytime anyone says "I'm going to school" or "I'm going back to school" people applaud and give so many accolades.  Why don't we applaud people starting a new business or staying home with their kids?

Why don't people plan ahead enough financially to be able to stay home and raise their kids?  This isn't a dig at working moms.  But why don't people make it a priority?  This is probably the most important job in the world.

Why do people buy big houses that they can't afford? And then they are only really there to sleep in them and never there to use them because they are constantly working?  The more you have - the more you have to have to take care of the things you have.

Why do people wait years and years to have kids?  Just biologically speaking, a woman's body is only available to have kids for a certain amount of time.  Again, not a dig at people that have trouble conceiving. I just don't understand why people postpone this huge blessing..maybe because they are going to school...

I don't understand why people don't put effort into their relationships.  Whether it be their marriage, or friendships, or family relationships.  In this age of technology it takes a very short amount of time to show you care.  In marriage, it takes putting the other's needs ahead of our own.

I don't understand why people don't travel.  It doesn't have to cost very much.  You can actually travel on a budget! There's so much of the world to see and experience!

I don't understand why people can't see the Creator in the creation!  Isn't it obvious that something can't just come from nothing?  If we see a beautiful work of art we never say "Wow that is so amazing how that randomly happened!"

Well, I'm sure I've offended a few people with this...but that's another thing.. I don't understand why people are so worried about offending people all the time.  You'll never please everyone.  The only one I really want to please is the Lord Jesus!

Anything you don't understand?  Comment below!

The Power of Joy!

So I've blogged a lot of times about my love of hooping.  It's my JOY!  It makes me happy!  It's so hard to be sad when you are hula hooping!  But the fun part is taking it everywhere!!

At first, it was kinda weird- me a grown woman- taking my hoop out in public.  I thought "What if people look at me!"  Well-of course they will!  And "What if I mess up!" -- Well, of course you will!

I'm not one usually to want a lot of attention drawn to myself either.  So it was a big big step to hoop in public.

But once I did.  Just tip toed out into the abyss of the unknown....wow.  A tiny bit of freedom opened up to me.  A tiny bit of creativity opened up.  A tiny bit of  "I don't really care what people think".

Then the next time it was a little easier.  Then the next.  Then the next.  Then...I was taking it everywhere!  The freedom!!  You never know when a good hoop place will pop up.

There's a fountain! Oh great place to hoop!  There's a band! Oooh cool song to hoop to!  There's a great big open field! Perfect hooping place.

Then I started traveling with it!  On cruises, plane rides, everything.  I have a great twist up hoop that my wonderful hoop teacher and friend --Geri-- makes!  She's such an inspiration and a JOY to me! She makes me smile and I love to see the joy she spreads to others.

Joy is a powerful thing!  It can make a terrible day not so terrible.  It can bring a smile to others.  It can open your heart to new adventures. Joy can spread like wildfire!  Joy can make you young again. Joy can make your soul lighter.  Joy can heal you from within.  Yes JOY can do all that!!

Check out Geri's website here!  It's called Around JOY!