A is for Apropos

Because we write better when we write about what we know I jumped right on what my good friend, Becky, suggested would be an excellent idea for this month "kid products that I like", I'm taking it a step further and writing about my life with a toddler, yes...toddlers and preschoolers and crafts and books and products and marriage.  Now, if you'd told me 10 years ago that I'd have 26 things to say about this subject and its sub-topics I would have said "Phooey", but here we are.

Hopefully, I don't bore myself or others!

Because, it's Sunday I thought I'd talk about toddlers in church and growing in faith.

I'll premise this with a blog post about going to church (found here) and one about trusting God with our kids (found here). These, of course, you don't have to read to go on...just thought you might like to see were I'm coming from and would like to know that we have struggles and have definite faith without the frills, so to speak.

I love that Lila Jane goes to a preschool that is Bible based, it's cool that she knows her ABCs and "Jesus Loves Me" and it's wonderful that out of nowhere she says things like "God loves me just the way that I am and he loves you too".

There are little, but powerful, things that we do at home to keep our tiny person focused on good Christian living and, in turn, those things have made us better parents and better people. Could we be better? Sure. One of those areas is going to church and I can tell you, we find it hard to get all of us ready to go to church and to go to Sunday School. But, here's were we've started...

1. We keep the cussing to a minimum. This is harder for one of us than the other, but we are getting better about it.
2. We don't watch inappropriate (for her age level) movies or shows, play video games or listen to inappropriate music while she is at home with us. This usually means that we watch those things while she's asleep or not at home, I mean we grown-ups-ish. It also means we do those things minimally, as she is usually with us. What has happened is that Christopher really has curbed all of his game playing, we've gotten to know EVERY episode of Dora the Explorer and we watch way less TV, as a whole family, that doesn't have some sort of moral lesson or isn't made for the family. Trust me, that's a good thing.
3. We do things as a family. At least once a month we go somewhere as a family or we do something at home as a family, just the three of us.
4. We read The Bible. OK, we don't actually read The Bible, that bores most adults, most teenagers and I'm sure most 2 year olds, we actually read Bible stories, not every night, but we like to read Bible stories to Lila Jane. My favorite story to read to her is the story of Ruth.

We're not perfect, but we're working on it together as a family.

Great Places to Look for Inspirational Activities with your toddler
Bible Lessons for Kids
How to Teach Your Child About the Greatness of God
Sunday School Crafts
The Here and Now (a lovely post about the joy the tiny people bring)

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“A year from now you will wish you had started today.” -Karen Lamb

So, let's get on with it already...

Isaiah 43.2

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A Little Sunday Love

An adorable (I hope he doesn't mind that I use the word 'adorable' to describe it) interview with author Jeremy Tarr...you can read what I think of the book...here or here.

 

A boy...er...man my sister graduated with, a man who I have known, in some capacity, forever has released a CD of lovely Opera recordings...check it out:

Click on the image to be taken to a place where you can sample or buy.

Last Week in a Nutshell #3

One] Last week was my friends' birthday. Another friend of ours hosted a party for her and, with Lila as the floor show how could anyone there not have a good time? We watched "Bolt", watched Lila carry around two dumb bells that each weighed 10 lbs. (she's less than two years old, so that's like 1/3 of her body weight), we watched her 'colorings', ate chocolate ganache covered chocolate cake and my friend opened up tons of lovely presents...wine, Stove Top (her favorite), books and lots and lots and lots of Mountain Dew...and, she says she's trying to quit!

Two] I don't need to tell all of you that this is Lila's first obsessive movie...I think it's a little strange, but shouldn't have expected anything less as Chris loves (I mean loves!) this movie and many years ago we scoured the country side looking for it (only to have it burn in a fire) and then Wal-Mart started carrying it. I'm afraid that since this movie encompasses elements of Christmas and Halloween I'll be watching it way past its expiration date. However, it was soooo cute last evening when Jack was singing his lament and she was singing most of the words and doing some of the actions. I'm pretty sure her daddy was beaming...his eyes may have even been a little misty.

Three] My mother loves, loves, loves Johnny Mathis. I think that he, along with a handful of Westerns, is what she took with her from her childhood. It seemed that everytime he was in Branson she was somewhere else, doing something else, but not this year! My sister that she lives with and I have conspired to bring her here to watch Johnny Mathis in concert at The Mansion in November. This has got to be the first concert my mother's been to since Johnny Rivers (what's with the Johnnys, Mother?) was at Dog Patch USA. Woot!

Four] Audrey's Spot for Recipe Tips and Hints is a pretty delicious (every pun intended!) blog where she talks about food and recipes. She makes tasty treats that you can actually serve to your family and probably already have most of the ingredients for in your pantry. She is brave enough to post pictures, that she claims are sub par, of the food she makes and tells you who in her family liked what foods and why. She talks about what recipes work and don't work for her, she post lots of non-dairy ones like this Spinach Broccoli Casserole and she is kind enough to post lovely comments to my blog!

The Apostle's Creed

Last Week in a Nutshell #2

One] It was the first full week of school and, golly, I'm still exhausted. I am enjoying my new students. I'm not sure that I'm enjoying this new schedule yet. I got the dates wrong on one of my calendars, thought Friday was a Black Day (thank goodness I prepare ahead and, well...NEVER leave my room otherwise I would've been lost!) and I'm just sooooo tired. The new schedule goes like this: all my classes Monday, Tuesday and Friday, Blocks 1, 2, 5, 6 on Wednesday and Blocks 3, 4, 7, 8 on Thursday (this is to help accommodate the Tech school)...it just leaves me confused. I hate change.

Two] I finally got to talk to my friend who moved to Nashville, I called her during school on my planning period. Just incase you were wondering...I called mostly to gossip and catch-up and, yes, I used my planning period to do that! Now, if only I could find sometime to finish our conversation! You know you don't really realize how much you miss talking to someone until you actually get to talk to them!

Three] Christopher took the family out to dinner on Friday. The tiny person was mostly on good behavior. Hanging out without a plan was really nice and Haruno's is always a good time, especially if you like sushi. Family time is also always a good time, especially when your husband let's you eat and plays with the kid by making paper airplanes and coloring with the crayons in your purse.

Four] I've been reading this blog Ricochet for a little bit. I enjoy reading this blog because it's nice to see that other teachers have the same problems with parents, kids, administrators that I do. If only I'd thought of being anonymous and writing a blog about school...how theraputic!

An Old Hymn

OK, when I was little this was one of my favorite songs! And, because I was raised in a small town in Southern Baptist Convention country, I probably liked this version best!

Something to remember in these Dog Days of Summer...

So, I'll be in Colorado with the tiny tot, without technology, so to speak, for a week. I've written post in advance (one post a day for the year, you know!), but won't be doing much else...I'm going through withdrawls just thinking about it!

Just Incase You Were Wondering...

...how God feels about all of us and how we should treat one another regardless of race, color, creed, nationality, religion or sexual orientation. It's pretty simple.

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The last week in a nutshell

One] Home Town Nazareth Where Jesus Was A Kid was the theme for Vacation Bible School. My friend Kate and I had a lot of fun hanging out with a bunch of 3rd and 4th graders. It's nice because they're about 1/2 our height, they are intimated by us just because, they laugh at our corny jokes and love playing outside and learning about Jesus as a kiddo. Dinner with them was loads of fun and getting to know them was even more fun.

Two] Last night we hung out at La Mexican Kitchen, not my favorite restaurant in the world even if they do have margaritas for a $1.50. Kay was smart enough to reserve their banquet room and we just ate and let the kiddos run wild. Up there I'm reading "Sally the Seahorse" to Miss Lila.

Three] Summer School started and, as usual, it's been rewarding but tiring (never do VBS, have an almost 2 year old and start Summer School all in the same week, boy, oh boy!). The students know that summer is their last chance to get credit and they are always so fun to talk to and teach. Summer school always revives me and after the year I've had it's nice to hang out with them in shorts, in air conditioning, without worrying about test scores, without contact from 'helicopter parents' and administrators lurking about handing out demerits.

Four] I found an awesome blog on Wordpress (and started following it...yes, I've a Wordpress blog, no it is not active)...seriously, read it now you will not be disappointed. Anyway, it's called Rosiesays and is about everything wonderful and feminine and feminist and on point and irreverent. It is my new obsession!

My Experiences in Joplin

Mother and son taking a break to
pose in front of the water before
finishing the work in the
hot, hot sun.

Yesterday my friends and I spent the whole day (left at 6.30a got home at 9.30p) helping the tornado victims in Joplin, Missouri. We worked with the Joplin Family Worship Center and more volunteers from all over the nation (literally as far away as Pennsylvania and as close as Webb City) unloading trucks, picking up debris, sorting supplies and getting to know our neighbors.

Things I learned in Joplin
(in list form for easy reading and skimming)

1] Sometimes what people want is for you to take the time to listen to them and their stories. We weren't supposed to be working outside I can't (never have been able to) take the heat, but when we got there things were in chaos because of a wedding (see #2) and we were sent to work clearing a yard of debris. I helped, but rested often and talked with the owner of the house, who was an older lady. She was grateful that her husband and children and two dogs were safe, however, they were going to be selling their house, as their neighbors were all moving and they had no reason to stay. My friend, Kate, called this spirtual counseling. Later in the day, we also talked to several victims as we checked them in for aid and a church member turned volunteer who lost her car, but not her husband, when Home Depot was hit. He worked two jobs the other was at St. John's hospital, which was also hit. She said that he was going to take the severence and become a truck driver. And, although it was their only means of transportation, God had already given them another car, money for the trucking school and a family who was safe and well.
2] Even in the face of immense suffering people will still find joy. While we were there the church people were preparing for a wedding that was taking place in the sanctuary later that day. It was so interesting to come in sweaty and smelly to see people dressed beautifully for the wedding, some of which signed up to volunteering later. The church members also wanted them to continue with the celebration.
3] Even in the face of immense suffering people will still lie, cheat and steal to get what they want. While I was checking people in (a job my friends thought was my calling as I am a social butterfly and a people person) I was told to tell people how much aid they would be receiving and to ask were they lived

In the cooler sorting the frozen food.

because there were people who were from surrounding areas claiming to be tornado victims who just loaded up on supplies (like taking whole pallets of items) that they didn't deserve. When I commented as such, the church member in charge said that we couldn't stop them and if they needed the items he hoped that they were blessed, but that we rationed to make sure that everyone got something. While my friends were unloading we realized that people will 'donate' anything including things that didn't sell at their own personal garage sale (stickers still on), items like home decor, an organ and broken things. They will also donate mostly used bottles of shampoo and soap...seriously...used hygiene items...not cool.

4] People should help others, do it because you're supposed to, not because it makes you feel good. I like that my friend Kate said something to the effect of that she wasn't necessarily getting a feel good feeling from helping, she was just doing what she was told. I agree. I love helping others not because I get some sort of adrenaline rush from helping, but because it's what I, as a child of God, should do!

5] Children are great stewards. When I came in and asked to do another job because it was really hot outside, my friends and I got the job of working in a frozen truck trailer arranging the food in 20 degrees, it stopped my headache. In the midst of all of this was my friend Liz's 7 year old son. He helped sort items on the pallet, worked in the yard clearing debris, never complained about the heat, wore his mask like he was asked and checked in people with me. There were several other children there as well helping, it was refreshing.

At the JFWC checking people in, some people only wanted to come in to shower.

I hope we go again and help some more.

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6.2

Cheater, Cheater Pumpkin Eater

          So, I was reading up on my fashion (which I do on occassion...ie. when I'm bored out of my ever lovin' mind, which happened yesterday while the kidlet was napping) and read an interesting article about Urban Outfitter stealing one independent designers' idea, read more about it here. Long story short, for those of you who don't want to click or clicked realized the story was too long and came back hoping I'd recap, a designer made a necklace, she says that Urban copied it and tells the whole Twitter world, immediately gets a lot of anti-Urban responses, including some from Miley Cyrus, so much so that Urban has to respond some how, check it out here. Recap: Urban says that they didn't do it, but if they did than she did too (although they didn't come out and say that instead they said the opposite and let the evidence speak for itself), since that particular necklace design was used before her original Etsy post and after her original post, if you read the whole article at Regretsy you'll even see where someone has shown how the necklace designer plagarized one of her own designs from someone in Germany.
         And, all I could and still think, as I surf the Net for more and more information on the subject, is: "No wonder why there is a prevalence of students who copy essays off the internet or magazines and have no problem letting their parents/siblings/significant others write their papers...there is no longer a fine line of what constitutes the word cheating and there is no longer a 'true' definition of plagarism in the media, why should there be for 16 year olds?"
         The definitions for both plagiarism and cheat are really quite simple, and yet, it seems the whole world has a problem with both. If you use somebody's product without giving credit to that somebody you are, in fact, plagarizing. If you use dishonesty to get answers for a test or homework assignment (examples include: copying answers from someone with or without their knowledge or willing let someone copy answers, as you are then culpable to the crime), if you use fraud to gain something valuable (ie. using someone else's necklace design to boost sells or letting someone else write your paper or do your homework) you are, in fact, cheating. And, although you may not be caught by the law or your teacher, that doesn't mean that either doesn't know...just because it can't be 'proven' that doesn't make what you are doing any less wrong in the eyes of  your teacher, the police or God.
          Hmmm...since it is Sunday let's look at that for a minute, shall we? Again, the answer is simple...The Bible says that stealing is wrong (Lev. 6:1-2, 6-7; however here's a whole article on the matter) it also says that lying is wrong (here's a pretty clear cut one Proverbs 12:22, but for a whole slew of scripture, check here and here) you are doing both when you plagiarize and cheat.
   
Now, to make sure that we each go away with ways to not plagiarize and cheat, here are some simple rules to follow:

1] If you are using an item for your blog cite your source, if you are trying to make money off the item, though, you must get permission or don't use it at all. Find more on fair use here.
2] If you are using the internet (which by the way I did in its infancy) to get ideas, but not to copy and paste ideas as your own that's OK, however, if you use anything from the website you get ideas from you must cite your source properly. As a teacher, it's really easy for me to Google a phrase from your paper and find the original source...I'm just saying.
3] If you are letting someone else do your homework that's a bad idea, if you are letting someone else use your homework that's a bad idea, however, working together to attain answers and than putting those answers into your own words is a good idea...I like to call that learning and there are some of us out there who learn better in groups.
4] Most importantly, however, if it feels wrong in your heart of hearts it is wrong...don't do it!

And, finally, gee-wiz if you are going to post your ideas for all to see people are going to pilfer your ideas, it cannot be helped, I would say that some even do it unintentionally. Watch what you personally put out on the interwebs, people...pretty please, especially if you are going to yell "Foul!" everytime you see what might be something similar to an idea you once had or something...

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A Simple Sunday Fact



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The New Mom’s Prayer Bible

If you are like me, you are not the kind of person who buys Bible after Bible. The Bible I use (I say use, now that I’ve got both the NIV and KJV on my Nook, I may be using that a bit more) is the same one I bought in college. Its gold flake is all but gone and it is full of notes and old church bulletins and sidebar scribbles. The notes are notes from my whole life, as I transcribed notes from my previous two Bibles into it, and if I bought a new Bible I would take the time to transfer the notes et cetera to it. I do not take Bibles or Bible purchasing lightly.

On NetGalley, you can preview The New Mom’s Prayer Bible. I wanted to have a look at it, not because I needed to review The Bible (this Bible is a NIV version by the way), but because I wanted to see what lovely features this edition had and I wanted to see if I wanted to buy my own copy as a way of being able to fit a little more God Time into my everyday life; an everyday life that has gotten a little more hectic than I would have ever thought.

This is the perfect Bible for a new mother, or a harried working mother in her 2nd year of parenting. It addresses the changes in her life through thoughtful devotionals called “Thought Starters”.

Here’s what the Introduction says:

“Throughout this Bible you’ll find fifty-two Thought Starters (on colored pages) by letting you recharge by dipping into God’s word for a minute. These devotional thoughts cover 13 different topics and subtopics relative to new moms.”

These “Thought Starters” discuss such pertinent topics as marriage, family and walking in faith. They can be broken down by how much time you have. Each topic starts out as a minute scripture reading, if you have 5 minutes you can add on a reflective prayer time, if you have 10 minutes you can add on a more in-depth study of the focus scripture. I’ve only read a few and they have helped calm me down in the past week and helped me to see what I should really be focusing on, which is my family, not my job and its expectations.

This Bible also comes with a Weights and Measurements page, a lovely Table of Contents and easily accessible and readable maps.

If I would have known about this Bible during my pregnancy it would have definitely been on all my wish list. I know that I will be asking for it for my birthday which is coming up pretty quick (just incase any of my family is reading this!).

Truly Passionate People Are Crazy

          Yes, this is what I'm thinking about this Sunday morning. This mind-wander started innocently enough with a...well, I'll just tell the story chronologically.

          When I was a senior in high school I read the play Equus and maybe I was a little too young to be doing that as it has colored my view of art (for what is art?) and artist (writers, painters, sculptors, dancers, actors, doctors, teachers, athletes, those people who fix up cars for car shows and races ...you know people who have a drive to create out of nothing something grandiose and magical, something mesmerizing and spectacular). I always view the great ones, the passionate ones as being a little or a lot mad.

The story of Equus is simple and disturbing.
From Wikipedia:
     Equus is a play by Peter Shaffer written in 1973, telling the story of a psychiatrist who attempts to treat a young man who has a pathological religious/sexual fascination with horses.
    Shaffer was inspired to write Equus when he heard of a crime involving a 17-year-old who blinded six horses in a small town near London. He set out to construct a fictional account of what might have caused the incident, without knowing any of the details of the crime. The play's action is something of a detective story, involving the attempts of the child psychiatrist, Dr. Martin Dysart, to understand the cause of the boy's actions while wrestling with his own sense of purpose.

However, all that has stuck with me through the whole of this is the fact that the doctor knows that he can cure Alan (the boy), he knows he can make him whole again and make him like the other boys, but in doing so he will be killing his passion, his driving force, the essense that is him. In some ways I have always felt that the doctor was a little envious of Alan because he still had the abillity to be something greater, envious that there is something in his soul that hasn't died, some sort of passion that can still create and believe when all the doctor can do is deem one normal and destroy.
          And then I think of all the truly passionate people that I admire in someway or another, several famous people come to mind immediately:

JMW Turner: artist, laughing-stock through most of his life because his 'art' didn't look like 'art', a recluse
Edgar Allan Poe: wrote stories that were ahead of his time, died a penniless alcoholic
Vincent Van Gogh: perhaps schizophrenic, committed suicide
Virginia Woolf: novels, stories, essays vindicating women, committed suicide by putting heavy rocks in her pockets and floating down river (might I add)

and Frank Lloyd Wright. Frank Lloyd Wright is on the brain because of that blasted book, that I'm having a hard time finishing as it has, obviously, set my brain to wonder about such matters of love, and honesty, and passion. Curse, you Nancy Horan, curse you! *fist in air*
           Anyway, while the kiddo played on the floor, a friend of mine, my husband and I watched the PBS documentary Frank Lloyd Wright and all I could think about as they showcased his early life and denoucement of his father, his inability to have a meaningful relationship with his children, his first wife, his second wife, his inability to grieve over Mamah in an 'appropriate' manner, his interviews on television in his 80s...all I could think about was his art (after all architecture is art), all I could think about was the fact that no wonder he sometimes designed whole lifestyles for his houses, no wonder his stainglass is so breath-taking, no wonder Fallingwaters leaves me at a loss for words, this man was crazy in the most wonderful sense, this man, great, wonderful and misunderstood at times, was full of passion in the Equus sense. I'm not sure how I didn't see it before, the only thing that I can think is that I was too mesmerized by his barrel chairs and windows and lights to notice.
          The question I always find myself asking is if I count myself amongst the crazies and I must admit that there are times when I don't--when I pretend to be normal and go to church and go grocery shopping et cetera, there are times that I do and am ashamed of the fact that I give myself a little too much 'head' time, and there are times when I do gladly, arms wide open. You see, it takes a little bit of insane to do what I do and it takes a lot more crazy to do it with passion. I am glad that at the core of me is one mad, mad, mad gal.

Palm Sunday 2011

          Ever since I was a little Southern Baptist girl I have had this deep interest in the major stories of the Bible, but none more so than Palm Sunday. My reason is simple: I have never understood (other than knowing that it was God's will) how one group of people could shower a person with accolades (I mean they let Jesus' donkey walk all over their garments while, in my mind, fanning him with palm leaves) and then another group of people (or is it the same group of people? I guess people are still discussing this) allow themselves to be manipulated into crucifying that same person less than a week later.
          Palm Sunday exist lest we (lest I) forget how fickle humans are (just watch one 30 minute segment of news to see how easy it is for us to love a celebrity/politican/professional athlete and then allow ourselves to be swayed into modern day crucifictions of said celebrity/politican/professional athlete), how easily we can be swayed and manipulated, and, in contrast, how patient, kind and forgiving the Lord is to all of us all of the time.

The Story of Psalm Sunday can be found here
"Different Words, Same Message" an interesting sermon about Palm Sunday
Devotional for Palm Sunday

"Hosanna!"

Two Poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins

From Poets.org about Hopkins style In addition to developing new rhythmic effects, Hopkins was also very interested in ways of rejuvenating poetic language. He regularly placed familiar words into new and surprising contexts. He also often employed compound and unusual word combinations. As he wrote to in a letter to Burns, "No doubt, my poetry errs on the side of oddness…" Twentieth century poets such as W.H. Auden, Dylan Thomas, and Charles Wright have enthusiastically turned to his work for its inventiveness and rich aural patterning.

God’s Grandeur

THE WORLD is charged with the grandeur of God.   It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;   It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;         5   And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;   And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod. And for all this, nature is never spent;   There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;         10 And though the last lights off the black West went   Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs— Because the Holy Ghost over the bent   World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

Pied Beauty

GLORY be to God for dappled things—   For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;     For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim; Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;   Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough;         5     And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim. All things counter, original, spare, strange;   Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)     With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim; He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:         10                   Praise him.

Do It With All Your Heart

Sure, I'd like to have "faith like a child", I'd also like to have perseverance like a child. I am amazed at how hard the tiny tot works, and she works everyday learning how to climb stairs, climb desk, understand words and eat using a utensil and she does it with all of her heart. Although I watch her struggle at it and sometimes fall or get frustrated because she can't get it, she doesn't stop until she does, and then she gives herself a little hand clap and a Lila Jane sized, "Yea!" and goes on to the next task.

A Well Oiled Machine of Righteousness

right·eous [rahy-chus]

–adjective

1. characterized by uprightness or morality: a righteous observance of the law.

2. morally right or justifiable: righteous indignation.

3. acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous: a righteous and godly person.

4. Slang . absolutely genuine or wonderful: some righteous playing by a jazz great. –noun

5. the righteous, (used with a plural verb) righteous persons collectively.

          A couple of Sundays ago, Lila Jane and I were still in DC, so we went to church to with my sister and her family. This church is called Church of the Redeemer, and as I said to her when we left, it is a well-oiled machine of righteousness. We went to the 1pm service and so did about 1200 other people (there are 5 services total--2 on Saturday and 3 on Sunday) and we dropped our tiny tots off in the Promiseland Nursery and Preschool. The lady at the desk asked for our names, our tiny tot's name, her age and then printed off stickers, one she gave to me, one she stuck on the back of Lila Jane and we proceeded to find her room (we learned after the service that Lila sang songs, ate a snack and danced to her own little tiny person sermon). We were ushered to seats in the balcony, we were late...but nobody seemed to mind. On both of the stickers was a number and we when got to the big people sermon, my sister told me to watch for the numbers on this red numbered ticker at the side of the pulpit as it indicated that my child needed to be picked up from the nursery for some reason. It was easy to glance at this ticker while following along with the sermon on the big screen and at the pulpit below.

         The sermon was good. I heard the second part of The Pathway to Miracles--Acts 3:1-10 (you can listen to or watch it here or listen/watch other past sermons here), you can even get the notes to fill in as you listen and/or watch. We must ask, believe and then receive miracles in order to have miracles. I like that the Pastor (who has a blog) put an emphasis on the fact that it's OK to ask for miracles and it's even more important that we aren't afraid to receive the miracle...sometimes people don't receive the miracles that God has rightly given to them.

          After the service, while waiting to present my ticket to retrieve the tiny person, several people talked to us, I don't think any of them knew I was new, I don't think any of them knew my sister and her family had been there before. That's when I realized that churches like this allow you to be anonymous...I'm not sure how I feel about that? Unless, of course, I'm feeling like being anonymous...but, then again should I be allowed to do so?

         What type of church feeds you spiritually? How do you get involved in a church that allows you to be anonymous?

         Well, off to get ready for church...Happy Sunday!