There's NO Place Like HOME!

Two thirty in the morning 18 December 08 and we are finally almost loaded and ready to hit the road. I had to curl my hair and Kyndal used the straightening iron thingie on hers ...only to find it was raining when we walked out the door. It will not dampen our spirits.

We grabbed a nutritious breakfast on the road.

It was icy, foggy, windy, and hilly!

Since he is still in training they 'released' him to me...but my suspicions were soon confirmed!

All buckled up and ready to hit the treacherous roads home.

Now he is just acting silly...showing out as he does so well!

We stopped for cheese fries and steaks!

ARE WE THERE YET????

FINALLY HOME!!!!

"Hey, Dawg...let me grab my laptop."

Man...I can hardly believe it!

Justin, his cousin, drove up just as we were unloading the truck.

First glance of home...and the sign! That's Justin behind him...there were laughs all around.

And who do you think was waiting patiently for all the luggage to be stowed? Bruno! A boy and his dog...the look on Jake's face says it all doesn't it?

It wasn't long before Justin's wife and children came over. Caleb made 'Uncle' Jake a welcome home card.

He had to give 'his' Sophie some sugars!

There's no place like home!

I can't believe I am gonna sleep in my own bed tonight...in my own room...in my own house!

How Long Can One Day Actually Be?

The morning started out with a delivery of 10 fresh, hand-packed Christmas fruit baskets to the Holiday Inn Airport in Little Rock....ahhh...such is the life of a produce man's wife! Then my mom wanted to run to Mardel, the local Christian bookstore to pick up a few last minute gifts

Hunter and Gage got out of school early today so around 2:00 this afternoon they came in like a whirlwind and I still hadn't accomplished all I had set out to do.

Never-the-less we dug out all the crafft and scrapbooking stuff so they could finish making Uncle Jake some surprise presents. Hunter is working hard on a place mat that says: "veterins rule!"

Gage made him a Christmas picture to hang on his wall.




But the best "craft project" of all is the scrap book the boys are making documenting everything that has taken place since Uncle Jake left for the Army. They are giving it to him for Christmas. Hunter has written notes on several different pictures. I love the part where he says "We played a lot but it would be funner with you." awwwwww He has such a sweet spirit!

We even made a welcome home sign. Gage used the "sparkley" paint and Hunter drew pictures of the Lonoke Jackrabbit football team. Family members stopped by all evening to sign their names.

When Kyndal showed up at 5:30 I really got excited...and realized that I still had not accomplished all I had set out to do!

Daddy showed up just in time for dinner. How convenient...mom had a committee meeting this evening and I guess he did not want to eat the casserole. We are always happy to share!

Everyone was so excited they just wanted to hang out at the house...the boys do not know Jake will be home tomorrow night...they know he will be home soon. What they don't know is that Friday morning before the Christmas program at school he is going to show up in their classrooms and surprise them!

Even Bruno knew something was up today! As you can see it is almost midnight and I am still up...wide awake! I have finally finished all I set out to get accomplished but I just can not seem to close my eyes! We are leaving in two hours...TWO hours! That means in 7 hours we will see our baby boy...but don't tell him I called him that! Well, I'm off to make a pot of coffee, then brush my teeth....thanks for the comments and for allowing me to bore you with this hum-drum, but I know you can understand....thanks for that....and thanks for the prayers!

At least Kyndal won't have great big black bags under her eyes!

Good night and God bless and we'll see y'all again in a couple of days. Oh, by the way, Trish and Muse....thanks for counting the days with me!

This Just in From Fort Leonard Wood, MO

We just got off the telephone with Jake. He is doing laundry and getting things ready to turn in so he can come home! We have promised to be the first to arrive so he can be among the first to go home. Tomorrow his girlfriend will be here around 3 in the afternoon and 11 hours later...we will be on the road. He said the roads are icy up there right now. But we have a day and a half to pray that stuff away. It's going to be so good having him home.

Lost as a Goose!

There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays, like Christmas. His wife, however, did believe, and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments.

One snowy Christmas Eve, his wife was taking their children to a Christmas Eve service in the farm community in which they lived. She asked him to come, but he refused. "That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man? That's ridiculous!"

So she and the children left, and he stayed home.A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening. Then he heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window. Then another thump. He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet.

When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window. In the field near his house he saw a flock of wild geese.Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and couldn't go on. They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter. They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed.

The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them. The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought. It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside.But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and didn't seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.

The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them and they moved further away.He went into the house and came with some bread, broke it up, and made a breadcrumbs trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on.

Now he was getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe."Why don't they follow me?!" he exclaimed. "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?"

He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human. "If only I were a goose, then I could save them," he said out loud.Then he had an idea. He went into barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn--and one by one the other geese followed it to safety.

He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind: "If only I were a goose, then I could save them!" Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier. "Why would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!"

Suddenly it all made sense. That is what God had done. We were like the geese--blind, lost, perishing. God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us. That was the meaning of Christmas, he realized. As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful thought.

Suddenly he understood what Christmas was all about, why Christ had come.Years of doubt and disbelief vanished like the passing storm. He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer: "Thank you God, for coming in human form to get me out of the storm!"

--Author unknown

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Today is a rare "snow" day here in Arkansas. We didn't actually have snow but we did have sleet and freezing rain. As a result, I have the boys again today so coming up with something original is unlikely. I received the above story from my friend Missy via e-mail this morning. I usually don't forward a lot of things but this is just too good not to share and I chose you. God bless you all this wonderful Tuesday!

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Matthew 1:18-21 "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother, Mary, was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

Bloggyland Christmas Tour 2008

Probably not what you are expecting on a tour of this magnitude...I am happy to have been included. Be sure to view the video post just below this one. God bless and stay warm....It's cold here so bring a jacket!

Today is the Christmas bloggyland tour....TODAY!!! I'm nowhere near ready to receive guests...

The house isn't even decorated! If you were expecting something bigger and fancier...well you're gonna have to wait a while for that.

Oh, well come on in...don't mind my attire...I just got up. I know it's late but have a steaming cup of coffee and I'll dig out the biscuits I made last night during one of my middle-of-the-night's, I gotta have something to eat sessions.

No...not that one....that came from the nightstand....now where are the rest? Surely...I didn't eat them all!

Ahhh....there they are. We can just pop them into the mircrowave with a damp cloth and they'll be just like they are fresh from the oven....almost.

Not good enough for a meal this time of day, you say? Hey Barbie, little sister, be a dear and check the fridge for some of those Thanksgiving leftovers. I think the turkey is stuffed way in the back.

I did pick up a tree, though...it was on sale. I hope you remembered to bring your ornaments. This is the tree decorating party portion of the tour. What, Muse didn't tell you that?

My handly little helper, Hunter, was hand-making each one of you these great little birdhouse planters for your gardens. As you can see on his face...he is as surprised as I am that time has slipped up on us.

He's going to work hard and fast to have them completed while we are visiting and eating...hopefully they will be dry before you head over to your next stop.

There....what do you mean....the house needs a roof? Ok, OK....take these instead. Maybe the birdhouses will be finished by our next garden party or something.

Wal-Mart gift cards then it is...for the whole lot of you!

Now that's pretty and the work is done...at least some of you remembered to bring an ornament.

You still here? Oh No...we are not going to start singing now are we? Don't you have another stop... you don't want to be late and miss the sleigh do you?

Merry CHRISTmas to all my bloggyland friends!

To watch the video...turn off music at the bottom of the page.

Made for Love

I'm reaching out, reaching up, reaching over
I feel a breeze cover me called Jehovah
And daddy I'm on my way
Cause I was made to love...

I was made to love you
I was made to find you
I was made just for you
Made to adore you
I was made to love
And be loved by you
You were here before me
You were waiting on me
And you said you'd keep me
Never would you leave me
I was made to love and be loved by you

I love the Toby Mac song, "I Was Made to Love" it is the reflection of someone who got caught up in the crush of life, chasing dreams...one who has found themselves half a step away from God. One who has come to the realization that no matter the dream we were made to love HIM first, love HIM most...

This song came to mind as I was reading the introduction to "Walking with God" by John Eldredge. "It is our deepest need, as human beings, to learn to live intimately with God. It is what we were made for..."

Before the fall of man, before humans living to please themselves caused the world to spin out of control...in the Garden of Eden...Adam and Eve had that relationship...it is what we as humans have been searching for ever since. They walked with Him, they talked with Him...they had a personal relationship with Him...

"Intimacy with God is the purpose of our lives. It is why He created us. Not simply to believe in Him, though that is a good beginning. Not only to obey Him, though that is a higher life still. God created us for intimate fellowship with Himself and in doing so He established the goal of our existence - to know Him, to love Him, and to live our lives in an intimate relationship with Him."

"And this we must recover...."

I don't know about you but I spent a lifetime trying to be somebody special...being from a large family...I was not the oldest, not the youngest...not even the middle child...it was always a struggle to be the one to get the attention of my parents. Looking back it seems like life in our household was a competition between siblings. My brothers and sisters were smarter, more talented, closer in age, shared interests, etc. and I felt I just kind of blended into the woodwork of mediocrity.

It was the acceptance of that mediocrity that led my life down the wrong path...but it was that childhood desire to "be somebody" that gave me the gumption to step out of the nightmare to travel a road, step-by-step...I thought, on my own.

Through a series of events that I now know were ordered by God, I gained the courage to at least try to be somebody...to find out who that person living in me was....it was determination that pushed me forward but it was God and God alone who gave me a successful career, a wonderful family, and the ability to forgive those whom I credited for that brief period of destruction...to forgive myself...and move on.

When it began to interfere with my relationship with Him...It was that same God who gave me the fortitude, the courage, the wisdom to walk away from a career which defined who I had become. I learned that where my passion is...was where I worshipped...and that the object of my passion, in my case, my career, was the object of my worship. I was not willing to let my life skid off its axis again...not now that I know WHO the center of my life should be. It was in this awareness, this revelation if you will, that I chose to retire early...to trust God with everything...my sense of well-being, my finances, my security.

Looking outwardly I have given up so much...but they are all material things. Looking inwardly, I have gained so much more. One of which is the simple gift of time...time to read my Bible and reflect on what it says...what it means...time to clean and cook and do laundry...time to relax...time to greet my husband when he walks in the door...without the rush of a welcome home kiss...then off to do a days worth of household duties before falling into bed exhausted for a fitful nights rest because there is so much to do, deadlines that have to be met, and customers to be satisfied.

It is that same God who has allowed me NOT to become fearful, regretful or resentful that I gave up a lucrative position just months before the economy tanked. It is that same God who allows me to be content at a time when the world seems in turmoil...so long as I love Him most and put Him first.

He still grants the desires of my heart...he gives me all I dream for. This time...the dream is a bit different. It is that true one-on-one, personal relationship with Him...deeper still...that I desire...that I long for...that I dream of...

I have found that I am indeed someone special, a child of the Most High, the One True God, the Great I am and I was made to love Him...made just for Him...made to adore Him...I was made to love and be loved by Him.

Luke 12:34 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." KJV

Deuteronomy 6:5 " And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." KJV

Psalms 40:16 "But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love your salvation always say, 'the Lord be exalted!'" NIV

Granna's BIG Adventure

Richard and Cheri celebrate their 9th wedding anniversary on December 17. I kept the boys all day for them to finish up Christmas shopping and to have a little time together. This is how our day went.

First, we ran to Wal-Mart to pick up a few items and the boys decided they wanted to get some words for thier bedroom walls and paint them. I thought...this aught to keep them busy for a couple of hours so why not! When we got home we dug out our trusty painting table cloth and began working.

We mixed blue and red until we came up with the perfect Lonoke Fighting Jackrabbit purple for Hunter's room.

He concentrated hard to ensure he got every single bit of white covered.

Being the Arkansas football fan that he is...Gage chose Razorback red for his room.

He caught me taking pictures...he is such a camera 'hog'

While the paint dried in the dining room the boys decided to play some games. Gage has instructed Hunter to go to the Disney website.

Hunter is scoring lots of points and Gage is clapping for him...but by the look on his face...I'm sure he is thinking it will never be his turn!

Next Hunter wrote a story about Christmas for his blog. Gage wanted his own blog but we told him he had to be in second grade first. Then he told me he didn't want a blog...when I asked why this was his response..."I can't write words, heck, I can't even read words yet!" problem solved

Next it was a good old game of Hands Down. Gage kept slapping down his hand when Hunter wasn't looking...

It didn't take Hunter long to wise up and eventually he won the game.

Since it was too dark to play outside the boys decided to play a little bit of baseball in the house. They used a paperwad just the right size. Gage was up first. This was very interesting to me as each boy had a team of imaginary players. The batter would throw the ball through the livingroom and hall into the dining room. Then he would run the bases while the fielding team...the other brother... would try to get the runner out. If the runner was safe the imaginary player would take over and the real boy would go up for his next at bat. It was the fielding brothers choice if he got the imaginary players out or not.

Sometimes Papa had to act as an umpire on the close calls and he would make the boys do an instant replay in SLOW motion.

The funniest part of the baseball game was that Bruno kept getting the ball before the boys and taking it to Jimmy. I guess he thought they were playing fetch.

We had a fantastic time. Richard and Cheri came to pick them up just a few mintues ago. Wow...the house seems so quite. It won't take but a little while to get everything back in order. Isabella has come out of her hiding place and is only shaking occassionally now. Wonder if it is too early to go to bed yet?

About the Music

You may not even be interested in this but I thought I would share a little bit with you....

I made some changes to my playlist. Originally, I thought I would play Christmas music through the first of the year. However, I like to have the background music go along with the subject of the post, too....

Now both the boys are very musically inclined...Richard plays the drums and the saxaphone, and both sing at church...Richard in the choir, Jake on the praise team. Jake sang in choir at school from the time he was in the fifth grade...he plays the tuba, the drums, and taught himself to play the guitar...both boys sing specials at church, individually and with a quartet and trio.

As I write this post...it is 6 days, 4 hours, 20 minutes, and 30 seconds until we pull into the parking spot at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri to pick Jake up for the holidays. What I have missed most about not having him around is the fact that he sings beautifully....and he sings all the time. I can hardly wait to hear him sing again! He sang Carol of the Bells over the telephone for me the weekend after Thanksgiving. He usually sang it during a Christmas Concert at school...and he knew I had to put the tree up by myself for the first time this year. He is such a good kid...good man, now, really.

Jake his senior year in high school. The top nine on my playlist are a tribute to Jake and his beautiful voice. I hope he sings the entire way back to Arkansas!

1) Home - The first time I ever heard this song...Jake was strolling across the stage in 10th grade during the spring concert. When he would call home the first month of basic so homesick...this song would play in the background of my mind...it is a beautiful song...and I will probably never hear it the same again.

2 & 3) Carol of the Bells and Good King Wenceslas - No Christmas season is complete without these two songs...they were always a part of the Christmas concert selections...especially as the concert choir would go carolling to various local businesses.

4) In The Garden - This is the first song Jake ever sang as a solo at church. He was in the fourth grade and his voice was so high and pretty...now he has a rich baritone voice and can reach deep bass lows...the people at our previous church refer to this as Jake's song. He sang it on a regular basis the entire time he was growing up.

5) Seasons of Love - This was the final song he sang his senior year in choir.

6) Trading My Sorrows - While he was a part of the praise and worship team...this was his favorite...you could see it written all over his face as he raised his hands, smiled, and praised the Lord.

7)Long Black Train - One of his favorites...he sang it when he was in the junior high youth...and I hope he plans to sing it while on leave...

8) Old Rugged Cross - This was the only song I knew when he was a newborn so it was the song I would sing as I rocked him...sometimes he would be almost asleep and he would start humming...as well as a baby could hum...problem was, I would get the giggles and wake him up.

9) I'll Be Home For Christmas - I just put that one there because he will be home for Christmas and we are all excited!

It amazes me how music can bring back so many memories.

I've never considered myself the clingie kind of mom. You know the live vicariously through your children, my kid can do no wrong kind of mom...Please don't take offense if you were. But this has been more difficult than I imagined. It could be that he is the baby and that he is in the Army.... I am just thankful that the Lord sure eases the worry and missing him. I can not begin to explain how much I am looking forward to seeing him and wrapping my arms around him again.

I know some of you have kids who live out of state...tell me this, does it get easier?

It's About the Timing...

Don't you just love it when you get a confirmation from God that you are moving in the right direction? That you made the right decision? Especially when you haven't asked for that confirmation? It is through these little affirmations that you know you are in sync with the Holy Spirit...that you are walking in His will and are about to receive a blessing beyond belief!

Last post I mentioned that I was going to start the Bible study, "He Chose The Nails." I have to admit here, I have heard of Max Lucado...I have read bits and pieces...quotes and devotions...and heard references attributed to him, but never really read anything he has written. The exception being "The Crippled Lamb." A children's story book I picked up in 1996 to read on Christmas eve of that year.

It's been quite some time since I've done a study like this, you know one that has a work book and everything... I thought I chose this particular study because it was convenient. As I was cleaning out the book cases in our bed room I found it shoved into one corner. It had been Jake's, left over from his 8Th grade youth days. Since the kids used notebooks it was almost like new.

I have gone through the first lesson and I would like to share with you a small excerpt which speaks volumes...

"We are at our best when we are giving... If we give gifts to show our love how much more does He? If we, speckled with foibles and greed, love to give gifts, how much more does God, pure and perfect God, enjoy giving gifts to us?

You see, every gift reveals God's love...but no gift reveals His love more than the gifts of the cross. They came not wrapped in paper, but in passion. Not placed around a tree, but a cross, not covered with ribbons, but sprinkled with blood."

Max Lucado: He Chose The Nails

Now that's some deep stuff to begin with and provides fodder for thought for days...but it holds even more excitement for me because it was within the first pages that I received the confirmation that this is the study for me...at this time.... I mean, this work book has just been haning out in the shelves in my bed room for almost five years...

I've been praying for some time about doing an indepth study and what are the odds that I would already have it on hand...run across it during a cleaning/organizing spree...two weeks before Christmas and in the first lesson the study relates the gift of salvation to the giving of gifts at Christmas? I mean really...I could have found this during my spring cleaning...but I didn't, did I?

I'm here to tell you that's nothing but God doing His thing in His time...answering my prayer... and letting me know loud and clear that He has something in store for me...I know it is. You tell me am I about to get my socks blessed off or what? I can hardly wait to get to Lesson Two! Don't you just love it when He reveals Himself in these kinds of ways?

You're not over looking affirmations of God's activity in your life by chalking it up to coincidence or convenience are you? May we always be able to clearly see His hand at work in our lives...

Totally in HIS grip,
Theresa

Surprise....Amy Lent Me a REAL Camera!

Amy & Justin's daughter, Sophie Grace...our beauty queen.

My nephews wife, Amy, who lives next door, felt sorry for me always taking pictures with my telephone and tonight stopped over and let me borrow her digital camera. How cool is that? She said she has a new one on her Christmas list... but she thought with Jake coming home I should use a 'real' camera. That girl has really been a blessing to me! So I am taking it for a test run.

Tonight, as soon as I finish with this post, I am going to start this Bible Study.

This is the book I just started reading....Have any of you done the study or read this book?

I know...several posts each day over the past couple of days. I promise I will slow down a bit and maybe post once a day. Maybe not... :-D God bless you all and hope you are all well and enjoying the cold snap. Except you Lorie...it never got cold when I was stationed in Hawaii...so you just think of us with our 29 degree weather and some are having snowfall!