Cleanliness is next to...

I really want to get my Christmas decorations out and put them up. However, I have this evil punishment that I submit myself to in that I can't put decorations up until my house is clean. My house will not be clean until it grows some 700 square feet or so...or until pig's fly or until Jesus comes back.

I think my house and it's lack of cleanliness correlates directly to my life. More specifically to my checkbook. So, when my checkbook is cleaned up then maybe I'll clean up my house. It's not really that bad. There are a lot of shoes and peer-reviewed articles laying around. I also have a paper due this week and am going to take Thursday off to power-write.

Friday night is a fun evening at Mosaic with the ladies of my church. My friend has the cutest Christmas cards ready for us to make and take and I'm excited for a fun evening of coffee, cards and a few friends.

Other than that..not much happening this week. Maybe, just maybe, I'll clean my house and hang a few lights. I'm getting excited for the holidays!

I love my family

Spending a few days with your family you learn to appreciate them in new ways. Here are a few things I love about my family.

Dad: You are always supportive of your family. You love each of us wholeheartedly and are always willing to give up your seat, game, book, puzzles to any of us that ask. I love you and how you love us.

Mom: You are an amazing nurturer. You take care of each of us so well. You always see the good in each of your children and grandchildren and are not quiet about it. You always make sure we are taken care of first.

Hokey: Your humor and impressions always make me crack a smile. You're always willing to challenge me when I'm sassy and you are not intimidated at anything. Plus you're fun to be with!

Holly: I love your quick wit and your ability to laugh at yourself first. You also have a mind like a steel trap - and you love me anyway! I wish you didn't remember so much, but glad you've forgiven me. Thanks for loving me and putting up with me.

Phil: You crack me up daily and your football knowledge is amazing. You do not treat me like the ugly third wheel stepsister, but always like a friend. You add joy to my entire family and I love that you love my sister (and me) and show it in tangible ways.

Hillary: You are my gal pal when Phil is gone and I so appreciate that you're willing to hang out with me. Bike riding with you today, I was filled with pride and love for you and the wife and sister and daughter you have been. Thanks for loving me and never making me feel awkward or dumb.

Brent: I'm proud of you and how you give me a full kiss on the lips and are not embarrassed of your silly old aunt. I love you.

Ellie: You are fun to be with and I loved that you made my bed everyday. You are great at taking care of me and loving me-silly old aunt.

I'm so thankful for this weekend spent with people I love. I am blessed and grateful that you all love me for me and don't require that my hair be perfect or that I have money in the bank. Thanks for loving me family. I love you!

Thanksgiving Feast

Today was a great day. I've just awoken from a triptophan induced nap and am ready for round 2.

Seabrook is great - there's not a lot too it yet so if you're used to the Oregon coast, this is a little different. I think we'll go into Ocean Shores tomorrow for some holiday shopping. I wonder if any place is open at 5:00 am??

We are getting ready to watch '300' in a bit after the USC game. What a wonderful day to set aside and be thankful. It's a lot of work and we're all tired, but I think we are all happy to be together and remember those we love who are not with us.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope it was great!

Over the river....thru the woods

Leaving for the beach today. We are spending Thanksgiving in Seabrook, WA. Normally, we don't all go away as a family so this will be interesting and hopefully fun. We're a great family when we get together but then we all go to our own homes and our own comforts and it will be an interesting mix of who stays up late, who sleeps in all day and how we relate to one another 24 hours a day. Where's my flask??

Here is a picture of the house we're staying in - I think it will be fun!

Hoping you all are thankful to be where you're at and who you're with. Maybe I'll blog tomorrow about 112 things I'm thankful for. Leaving work now is one of them!!

If you love me...do what I say

Today is a hard Sunday for me. It's our Harvest Sunday at church in which we invite our community's homeless and needy for a hearty Thanksgiving meal, cooked and served by all the congregations at SFC. It's hard because it's long, smelly, somewhat mental, loud, and demanding. However, it is the Gospel.

Some of the toughest words from Jesus to us comes from Luke's Gospel. It is Jesus talking to thousands in one of his sermon series. He asks "Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46 NASB). OUCH! I do not ever want to call him my Savior and then turn my back on what he commands me to do (feed the poor, clothe the naked, among other things.)

Today - ONE day out of my year, I will do what he asks. I will put a behavior behind my professed love. I will probably complain, I will probably not be as cheerful as necessary but Jesus doesn't ask for that. He frankly could care less if it's easy or peaceful or if we're happy about it. There is no extra verse that says "do what I say only if it is convenient and you feel good about it." That is a very American view point and I would also suggest anti-Gospel.

So now I'm going to get ready and pick up my nephew, niece and her friend and go and put a behavior behind my love. I will also remember the One who made this possible and in whom I have my salvation and be thankful that I am not on the other side of the serving table. I will also be thankful that I attend a church that allows me to put the behavior of loving into action.

Do you love Jesus? The ONLY way to know is to do, do, do (BEHAVIOR) what he says. Period. Otherwise Matthew 7:21-22 (NASB) may be your fate.

Are we different?

"You are different. You are different because now you know that God exists, and [God] alone matters. It is an overwhelming, awesome thought.... You are different in the sense that now all people belong to you and are part of you, and you belong to all people. At the same time, you belong only to God, and you belong to [God] totally. There is a distinction between you and others, and at the same time, there is no distinction at all, but a blending of all into one. The demarcation that exists is a spiritual one, born of what you have lived and what you can never explain."

- Catherine de Hueck Doherty
Soul of My Soul

I really like this quote - on so many levels. I love that God alone matters. Nothing else. He is the reason for existence...not family, friends, bills, jobs, money, nothing...HE is the reason. I also like it for the responsibility it requires. We know God exists and now are among a set-aside or peculiar people to do his work. We belong to all people, not in some weird existential way that we can't explain - but in a way of responsibility. A way that has no excuse other than loving them. Period. Good, bad, ugly.

We are a marked people - I wonder if any of us really understands that or lives that? We know God...our lives should be different. Things no longer matter...where you live, work, eat, sleep or what you own doesn't matter.

Kind of deep for a Tuesday.

Ode to the mutha

I have not blogged this weekend due to my a) not having internet access and b) taking care of Lora all weekend. The not having internet access was bad - but the charge of motherhood was even harder!

As most faithful blog readers know, I do not have any children. It is only by the grace of God that I have a great neice and nephew and hopefully will have another nephew (Plaxico Hillhouse) soon. But, the Lord, in his infinite wisdom (discussion for another day) thought that I probably would make a better aunt then mother. He is so wise.

This weekend was really fun. Friday night I took my little pal with me to Hillary's. She kept asking when Phil (Hill's husband) was going to go to his house. It was cute. Then on Saturday morning, she had a coughing fit and threw up some mucus. I'm so glad my sister was there. She was calm and kind and Lora said "I think Heidi hates me" and Hillary said "no, she hates throwup." So true!! This night was spent with Lora's feet in my back for what seemed like all night.

Saturday was spent at Lora's - after a thrilling trip to Target for a new My Little Pony beauty salon and the newest Veggie Tale DVD, we were back at Lora's for some down time. I decided at this point, it would be a good idea to give her some medicine for a different problem...needless to say 45 minutes later she was soaking in a bath getting all the cracks and crevices clean. I got it from both ends this weekend!

Saturday night I asked her where she wanted to stay and she said "At Hillary's with that man." I'm assuming she meant Phil. But, Kat and Juicy were nice enough to come over for dinner and then Kat stayed with me for the night. She held Lora until she fell asleep and put her into her own bed. Lora stayed asleep (yes in her own bed!) until 4:30 am. She kind of fake cried and I went and got her. We slept until time for church. It was great.

I have so much respect for mothers and the shear effort it takes to attend to these little, helpless people. I am such a control freak that I wanted it all right all the time and it just isn't going to happen. Christa, you're an amazing mom. Thanks for giving me a taste and letting me spend the weekend with Lola. It was tiring, frustrating, overwhelming and I really realize that it does take a village!!

Going home...taking a nap!

'Tis the Season

Yesterday my sister requested our Christmas lists. This is always fun for me as I get to put down a list of things that I want with all of the hope and anticipation that I might actually get them! This year I put a lot of books - and of course college sweatshirts - one from Ga. Tech that is really cool. It's not a very robust list as I really just want stuff I won't buy myself - which(sadley) is almost nothing!

I was struck, as I was comprising my list, by the fact that there are only three more paychecks until Christmas. This hit me rather hard because I have everyone to buy for and only a few pennies. I wished that I could sew or bake or makes something out of Styrofoam that would immediately bring joy to those I gave to, but alas, I am not creative nor that patient to even stick with it that long. I am sure it will work out - it always does and it's always a fun time to be together.

My brother-in-law is coming home on Thursday and hopefully we'll celebrate his birthday as I was able to buy him a cool t-shirt (big surprise).

Confessions of a RLG

Confession #1 - I have not been to the gym all week. The last time I set foot into L.A. Fitness was on Saturday. I am sure that I had excellent excuses all week long but I certainly can tell a difference. I will go tomorrow for sure, and then do my best to fall back into a pattern of habitual gym lurking.

Confession #2 - I am currently drinking two coffees: an egg nog latte I got this morning (for free) and a caramel machiatto that my friend Michael brought me on his way to work. They are both tasty and I don't need to eat breakfast now.

Confession #3 - I miss my mom.

Confession #4 - I have to work at Mo tonight and I kind of don't want to. There's a concert (which will be fun) but I don't feel like working hard.

Confession #5 - I still have homework to do.

Confession #6 - I called my little sister last night and quoted one of the greatest bumper stickers of all time and then hung up: "Something Wiccan this way Comes." Classic.

Confession #7 - I am doing homework while I should be working.

Confession #8 - I cancelled my trip to L.A. over the holidays (to go to school) because I needed the money.

Confession #9 - I have some of the best friends and family the world has ever known.

Sorry my confessions are not that scandalous. My life is not that exciting.

Life is short..

I have always thought it would be fun to explore the city and find new places to go and hang out which basically means eat. Seattle is so full of fun little neighborhoods and each of these holds a plethera of establishments, some good & some not so good, but all open for exploration. I remember once when my friends, Kat & Juicy took me to a little neighborhood restaurant in Magnolia - it was so fun and really good Chicken Fried Steak (why did I capitalize that?).

So, my youngest sister also has this wanderlust and we decided that we would go and explore these city nooks each Saturday. Well, we had good intentions but we have yet to start. I was hoping for this Saturday - maybe go explore West Seattle - California Street. I think the only eating criteria is that we have not ever been there before (and it has to be reasonable, price wise). I'm excited for this adventure and hope that she & I make the time to be together and get out and explore.

Any recommendations from the blogesphere?