Gush

I love movies. I love to get lost in a story and try to feel the characters. Since having Hadyn (Hunter is an awesome movie-goer, Hadyn...not so much yet), I haven't gone out to a movie but we do enjoy renting or purchasing good flicks to watch at home. Recently, for Christmas, I was gifted the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie - At World's End. We also rented The Bourne Ultimatum. In both movies, the writers leave us with the unanswered questions about the romances - delayed or possible.

SPOILER ALERT - Skip this if you haven't seen and want to see these movies!!!


In The Bourne Ultimatum, aside from all the cool action and story, there was a suggestion of a possible romance or some kind of relationship between Jason Bourne and Nicky Parsons. Jason asks her why she was helping him and her response was, "It was very hard for me...with you...you really don't remember?" Then at the end of the movie when it was suggested on a newscast that he might have survived, she just smiled. What does that mean??? What does he not remember? See, my mind goes to all sorts of things and I start imagining. It would be nice to have another movie come along and wrap it up all nice and neat for me, but what if the writers don't follow my line of imagining, and all is ruined for me? No, I'll just keep to my own imagination.

Then, in Pirates of the Caribbean -At World's End, it could have been wrapped up so nice and neatly by Captain Jack Sparrow stabbing the heart of Davy Jones and taking his immortal place as captain of the Flying Dutchman, but that isn't quite what happened, is it? I had to ask myself, would I wait 10 years for one day with my love? Being the closet romantic that I am, I would like to believe that I would. Scott and I have been together for almost 15 years, so we would have only had one day so far and still be a little over 5 years from the next day together. Wow! What would you do? That would really tell you if you are with "the one" or not.

Anyway, food for thought from a hopeless romantic...or as Joan Wilder in "Romancing the Stone" said, "no, a hopeful romantic, hopeful."

Merry Christmas!! and Happy Holidays!

I had a tough conversation with my 6 year old son the other day. I told him that it is perfectly fine for him to wish someone a Merry Christmas, but that not all people celebrate Christmas and some people even get offended if you say it to them. I really hate having to explain this to such a small boy, but this is our world.

I saw a show on CNN the other day about "What Would Jesus Really Do?" and they had some good debates back and forth. I was very impressed with a lady that is Indian and does not celebrate Christmas, but certainly appreciates those that do and even appreciates the teaching of Jesus Christ. However, there was also a Jewish man who was so opposed to Christmas and the Christians wanting to have it publicly celebrated. When it was brought up that we, Christians, are not offended about him or others celebrating Hanukkah, he pointed out that he, and others, do not fight to shove it down our throats.

Wow! I was blown away! Yeah, how many emails have I gotten that insist I keep Christ in Christmas and fight for rights to have a Nativity in public places and so on and on. Okay, I WILL keep Christ in Christmas and I WILL teach my children the reason for the season, and I will invite others to come to my church for Christmas Eve services (and other services as well), but if someone does not want to celebrate like I do, then so be it. It is my Christian duty to spread the Word, but not to shove it down your throat, so enjoy your Winter Holiday of Choice and I will enjoy my Christmas!!

I told my son, we have freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion, so we can say Merry Christmas AND Happy Holidays to people and then let the person take whichever one fits his or her needs!! And then we can pray for everyone who needs it, including ourselves!

Praise God for Mercy and Forgiveness! And Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Money, money, money!

If time flies, what does money do? Drive? Take a Limo? Charter a Jet? What? I've seen cartoons of cash with wings and I'm convinced that it is true if you don't keep a good watch on it. It wants to be spent. I watch Spongebob Squarepants with Hunter, my 6 year old son, and there is an episode where stingy Mr. Krabs wishes for his money to be able to speak with him. When his wish comes true, all is money wants is to be spent, not held in a safe or wallet. Ain't it the truth!!

Almost single-handedly, I drove my family into debt this past year as a result of my post-partum depression. I spent money because I "needed" to. I "had" to buy groceries, then I didn't feel like cooking those groceries, so we "had" to go out to eat. And it goes on and on. Praise to God that I'm out of that now and am on the road to debt recovery.

I made a commitment to not use my credit cards for anything. If there is some emergency, Scott and I can discuss it together, pray over it and then determine what we need to do or use. But for everything else, no cards.

Today I had a big break-through. I went to Kohl's to do some Christmas shopping. I was told at the checkout that if I used my Kohls card I could get up to 30% off my purchase. EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! UP TO 30% OFF!!! WOW!!! SAVING MONEY BY SPENDING SOME!!!!! EEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! I SO wanted to use my Kohls card, but I resisted the temptation and kept to my other payment option - cash. Yeah, I could've used my card and then used my cash to pay off the card, but would I have done that? Perhaps, but why put myself in that kind of position, plus I made a commitment NOT to use any cards.

So, I did not get a discount, but I feel good that I did not add to my debt.

But I would still like to know who gave my money a fast car to drive away in!!!

Being Well

I'm amazed how many people I talk to (or read their blogs) that have gotten sick this season with "the crud". I'm assuming "the crud" encompasses many various forms of illnesses from icky coughs to topsy-turvy-tummies. I'm bound and determined to Be Well this holiday season!!

Scott got "the crud" last week and this past weekend I thought it had caught me as well, but we think it wasn't the passed around illness, but a relapse of my pancreatic episode that started during my pregnancy with Hadyn. I had my gallbladder removed after I had her, but if I overdo my poor eating - junk and fatty foods, pain can still flare up. And I over-did it with all my Christmas candy and cookie making recently. Oh, I didn't overdo the MAKING of the goodies....no, I over-did the TASTE testing of the goodies. I'm better now!!

It is my belief that we should all practice positive speech. I caught myself during the past weekend starting to say things like, "I'm sick" or "honey, go get such-n-such for Mommy, 'cause I don't feel well," and so on. And wouldn't you know it...I did not feel well and I was convinced I was sick. So it is time to go back to the positive speaking and say "I AM WELL". Never say that s-i-c-k word out loud or it just might catch you, just speak the other four letter word W-E-L-L!!

Just imagine what would happen if we all started speaking positive words over our lives and over others. I saw Deborah Norville on Rachel Ray's show (yeah, I like to watch RR) and she was talking about her book, "Thank You Power". She had her son come up with 3 good things each day that happened at school, no matter how trivial they may have seemed, and soon he started enjoying school more and doing better. Something so simple as speaking words.

God has blessed us with a potentially tremendous gift - words. Use them for good. Be Well this season, Be Well all year, May your families and friends Be Well.

Letting Go

How can I fix it if you won't let me have it?

This was a question I asked my 13 month old daughter when her pretty little hair clip came out of her hair and broke. She loves pretties in her hair and when this one broke, she walked around with it in her hand fretting over it. I kept telling her to give it to me and I will fix it. She kept walking around with it in her hand babbling her baby talk about it. No matter how much I tried to talk her into it, she wouldn't hand it over. Just kept walking, distraught that her pretty wasn't in her hair anymore.

It is funny how over the past 6 years of children that I see God's work played out before my eyes. As if He is saying to me, "See, this is what I've been telling YOU all this time." How many times do we keep tight hold on our problems, our worries, our concerns, and not let God take them and FIX them? Funny how when you see it - and recognize it - right before your eyes, you realize how silly you have been acting all along.

Hadyn finally brought her pretty-pretty to me and I glued it back together and while that one was drying, put another pretty one in her hair. She was happy. And so was I.

Forgive me, Lord, for not letting go when I should and thank you for fixing or working on things that I have let go of.