Five Words...

We Are Going To STATE!!!

I'm so proud 

A Big exciting week lies in front of us.

Buckle up!!

There's a road trip a comin'

Proud and Nervous Mama

This is the weekend of Cheer Sectionals.  

IF we make the top 5, THEN we go to State next weekend.

We had to write letters of encouragement to our girls.

Here is what I wrote to my daughter (she will get it today at the team breakfast)

Dear Caitlyn,

Today is an exciting day for you and for your teammates.  We just wanted to let you know how proud we are of you and how confident we are in your abilities.  Each and every day you inspire us and make us proud.  You have grown into such an amazing young woman.  You have gone from being our wild monkey to a precious princess to our shining star.  You truly are an All-American Girl.  With a pure heart and a never quit attitude you make us proud to be your parents every single day.  You don’t just cheer, you inspire.  You inspire everyone who comes in contact with you.  You work hard, you never ever give up.  You truly are awesome.

As you begin this exciting day, please remember...

If you can dream it, you can do it.

What you believe, you can achieve.

The spirit to win and the will to succeed are measured one stunt at a time.

You CAN do this.

A little poem for you and your squad to encourage you on this day...

The time has come once again

To show what we can do

To work together as a team

Not just one or two.

Together we can do anything our hearts desire.

You know we have done it even though we are tired.

So let's look to one another for comfort and cheer

Let's lean on each other as we cry our tears.

Because together we have a goal that we have all set

And that's to be the best team the judges have seen yet.

So let's go out on that floor as a winning team

Let's do what we do best and make that crowd scream.

Because together we can do it.

Together we can.

Together we can be the best team in the land."

Love,

Mom & Dad

Now go and have fun, do your best, and look good doing it!!

Through The Eyes of a 10 Year Old

My son had to write a story for school, the theme was "I Have A Dream" ~ This is what he wrote...

I have a dream that kids won't always be treated poorly by bullies and be abused by parents or family.  I feel that parents are letting their children do whatever they want and the parents aren't realizing what horrible thing they're doing to kids all around the world.  Bullies all across the world are making some people commit suicide because of the despicable things they're doing.  Parents around the globe are abusing their children and if they keep it up, one day if they have kids they might do the same you were doing.  You'll say to yourself, "What have I done?" and "I wish I had a do over!".  But you're never going to get one so if you care about your child's future, and you're abusing your child or children stop immediately.  Talk to your child and if you can tell they are bullying.  If they keep on doing this ground them until they learn their lesson and good.  Help me/us to save the children.


(and if you're wondering, yes, my son has been bullied)

Ahhhhhhh Sunday...

I'm exhausted and I'm soooo happy that tomorrow is Sunday.

Church.

A quick trip to the grocery store.

A big exciting football game (here in Chicago - it's CRAZY huge).

Chili for dinner.

Ahhhhhhh Sunday

Had To Share...

Today while driving, I heard this read on the radio 

(I listen to K-Love) 

and I had to share it.  

I'm blown away by it.  Perhaps you will be too...

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller

• The Christian position is that our biggest problem is sin.
  • Yet to the postmodern mind, the concept is ludicrous or offensive to many.
  • Sin is seen as a bleak and pessimistic perspective on humanity.
• But on the contrary, the diagnosis of sin represents hope.
  • If sin is placing something ahead of God, then there is a solution. Put God first!
    • Keller quotes Simone Weil that ÒAll sins are attempts to fill voids.Ó because we cannot stand the God-shaped hole inside or us and we try stuffing it full of all sorts of things, but only God may fill it.
• If sin is the problem, letÕs define it a bit more deeply.
  • The refusal to find your deepest identity in your relationship and service to God.
  • Seeking to become oneself, to get an identify apart from Him.
• In doing this we will ÒdeifyÓ whatever we elect to give us our identity.
  • Every person must find some way to Òjustify their existenceÓ .
    • [see Kierkegaard - footnote 8]
  • If you center your life:
    • On your partner or spouse, you will be dependent, jealous and controlling. The otherÕs problem will be overwhelming for you.
    • On your family and children, you will live your life through them until they resent you or have no self of their own.
    • On your work and career you may become driven and a workaholic Ð a shallow and boring person. You may lose family and friends. If the career goes badly, you may be depressed.
    • On money and possessions, youÕll be eaten by jealousy about money and may do unethical things to maintain lifestyle.
    • On pleasure gratification and comfort and you will find yourself addicted to something.
    • On relationships and approval and you will be constantly overly hurt by criticism and losing friends. You will fear confronting others and therefore be a useless friend.
    • On a Ònoble causeÓ (global warming) and you will divide the world into ÒgoodÓ and ÒbadÓ and demonize your opponents. Without them, you have no purpose.
    • On religion and morality and, if you are living up to your standard, be proud and self-righteous. If you are not, your guilt will be devastating.
• Identity apart from God is inherently unstable.
  • Identity not based on God leads to addiction because we turn what might be good things into ultimate things.
    • We may, of course, turn bad things into ultimate things Ð even worse!
    • We are then controlled by our God-substitutes.
• With God, you can venture anything and face anything.
  • Again, Simone Weil:
    • ÒOne has only the choice between God and idolatry. If one denies God . . . one is worshiping some things of this world in the belief that one sees them only as such, but in fact, though unknown to oneself imagining the attributes of Divinity in themÓ
• Building our life on something besides God not only hurts us if we donÕt get the desires of our heart, but also if we do!
• Thoughts from two very different but perceptive observers
  • Dorothy Sayers claimed (in 1947 in the U.K.) that despair about the direction of human society among the intellectual classes stemmed from their loss of belief in the doctrine of Òoriginal sin.Ó
    • They believe, she says, in the civilizing influence of progress and enlightenment and are disappointed.
  • Jonathan Edwards claimed that human society is deeply fragmented when anything but God is our highest love.
    • When we care about God, weÕll care about all of his creation.
    • Because if we, for example, get out identity from our political position, then politics is no longer really about politics, but about us.
• The real culture wars are taking place inside our own disordered hearts Ð
  • Wracked by inordinate desires for things that control us.
  • For things that lead us to feel superior or inferior.
  • For things that cause us to exclude those without them.
  • And that fail to satisfy us even when we get them.
    • Think of any culture war issue and see if this analysis doesnÕt hold true of one or perhaps even both sides.
• Cosmically, of course, sin changed the fabric of the world.
  • It disrupted GodÕs shalom .
    • The joyful, flourishing life that come from harmonious interdependence among all creation.
• At some point in most lives, we are confronted with the fact that we are not the person we know we should be.
  • Our response is to Òturn over a new leafÓ and try harder to live our principles.
  • Our ordinary idea is that once we satisfy the demands of morality and society, we can finally live for ourselves.
• But Christianity is different Ð both harder and easier.
  • Christ wants ALL of us. Not our things. US! And HE will give us a new self.
  • Sin is not simply doing bad things, it is putting good things in the place of God
  • So the only solutions is not simply to change our behavior, but to reorient and center the entire heart and life on God.
• If Jesus is the center of your life, and you fail Him, He will forgive you.
  • Anything else you base your life on you will have to live up to.
  • But there is NO OTHER center for your life which died for you!
• Everybody has to live for something.
  • Whatever that something is becomes ÒLord of your life,Ó whether you think of it that way or not.
  • Jesus is the only Lord who, if you receive him, will fulfill you completely, and, if you fail him, will forgive you eternally.

What a difference a day makes...

Today has been an AMAZING day.

I am thankful for coffee with God this morning.

I am thankful for the amazing friends in my life who ARE my family.

I am thankful to God for answered prayers and a new car that is dependable!!

I am thankful for my husband who is trying to step outside his box to make our family better.

I am thankful for continuing to keep trying to work-out and lose weight

 even when things are looking bleak

I am thankful for the kindness in a dear old friend who spoke to a few people

and my daughter got a phone call today to interview for her dream job

I'm taking things one day at a time

I'm turning my can'ts into cans

And turning my dreams into plans

Seriously Starting Over

Boy have I been grumpy.  

I have been Debbie Downer.

I have been acting like Wendy Whiner.

I'm ashamed.

I'm changing my thoughts to be positive!!!

Happy Monday everyone.

My January So Far...

1.  Daughter's car broke down, got it fixed.

2.  Van #2 broke down and got a flat tire (bad) got it to run and got the tire fixed - it's not looking good

3.  Van #1 "Service Engine" light is now illuminated - must have problem detected

4.  #1 Son has made ZERO improvements

5.  Daughter has had multiple meltdowns due to...Cheerleading, class choices for senior year, career choices for her future, and several other issues that effect teen girls

6.  Daughter's car broke down AGAIN, got it fixed AGAIN

7.  Fighting some icky and strange physical symptoms that come and go (I say stress related)

8.  got some necessary home improvements started

9.  started planning MORE home improvements

10.  have not accomplished all that I have set out to do

11.  have attempted to come up with a way to redecorate son #2's  bedroom that is good for a 10 year old and it's something that he will like when he's say 13 too.  HE wants a red room.  (so if you have any ideas - PLEASE feel free to offer / share / suggest)

12.  my bible study started up again (yipee!!!)

13.  We started searching for a church closer to home (double yippee!!)

14.  Helped #2 son work through HIS meltdowns about test scores, leadership committee, gifted testing, guitar lessons, and what would look good on a college application (and he's ONLY 10)

15.  I've laughed, I've cried, I've prayed a LOT

16.  I met a funny dog named Max who likes to watch television, snuggle, but hates Russian hats (and no, I'm not joking)

2011, so far you are not filling my days with joy.  Can we fix that??