Covenants

I have an obsession with books. Shocking, isn't it? I bet you didn't know that about me. :) Anyway, I recently got a hold of a copy of "Here for you- Creating a Mother-Daughter Bond that lasts a lifetime" by Susie Shellenberger. (Long title, great book) I am at the point in the book where it describes the importance of covenants in the Bible and how much "weight" they carried with God. I have to tell you, what I am learning makes me want to renew my covenant with Gregg....but that is a blog entry for another time. :)

I want to share some scripture with you that was highlighted in the book. It warmed my heart regarding this season of intense parenting we blessed to undertake. I hope it encourages you as well.

"Is not my house right with God?
Has He not made with me an everlasting covenant,
arranged and secured in every part?
Will He not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?"
2 Samuel 23:5 (The Davidic Covenant )

How I desire more than anything to have my house right with God!! Knowing you, I am sure that is the desire of your heart as well.

William Tell Overture for Moms

A dear friend shared this with me the other day, and I had tears in my eyes as I watched it. Both in laughter and in love for the awesome responsibility the Father has allowed me to be a part of as a mother. Enjoy and laugh with me!!!

There's a bathroom on the right

Need some laughter as you are approaching another week? Try these misquoted lyrics on for size. They made me laugh out loud.

Billy Joel: You May Be Right
The real lyrics were:
You may be right, I may be crazy. But it just may be a lunatic you're lookin for...
Misheard them as:
You made the rice, I made the gravy,But it just may be some tuna fish you're lookin for...

Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bad Moon Rising
The real lyrics were:
There's a bad moon on the rise
Misheard them as:
There's a bathroom on the right

The Band: Up On Cripple Creek
The real lyrics were:
Up on Cripple Creek...
Misheard them as:
Come on, crippled creep...

And the most difficult to understand.....

Elton John (countless ones to pick from for him!!)
Rocket Man
The real lyrics were:
Rocket man, burning out his fuse up here alone
Misheard them as:
Rocket man, turning up the strings where they belong.

Do you have any songs you have been singing wrong for years?

Gregg and Amy's High School Reunion (isn't that a movie or something?)

OK....you can stop laughing now!! Come on!! Get a hold of yourself!! You have a senior picture too, you know. You just aren't brave enough to put it on a blog page. :)

Gregg and I are headed to our 20th High School Reunion in a few weeks. My mom is coming down to watch the girls so we can go. I have to tell you I am pretty excited about this for some reason. I guess there is a point in your life where you couldn't care less how people perceive you and you are just happy with the person God has allowed you to become. (Not that I have already obtained all this.....Philippians 3:12)

There has been a website created solely for the reunion that has been fun to follow. You submit your own info, maybe an updated picture of yourself and family, etc. Some classmates have left little comments here and there on the site. When read between the lines, these comments give clues as to where they are in their lives and what they hold dear to their hearts. Some still care deeply about alcohol. Some are immensely enjoying family life. By level of achievements, some are absorbed into their work culture. However, it has been really cool to notice some have become Christ-followers. How do I know that? Well, some by their job descriptions, some by the scripture they quoted, etc. I am curious to know what kind of conversations God might bring my way while I am at the reunion. I would love to hear their God-stories and share some of mine along the way. Praying for the opportunity to do that.

What is it about 4 little years in one's life that warrants reunions created around them? I really don't know. Have no idea. But one thing's for sure, I am glad that my hair has "evolved" somewhat over the years. It's pretty bad when your oldest daughter, after looking at your senior pictures, says, "You and daddy had the same haircuts in high school." Now THAT is something I hope I am NOT remembered for!!!!

Lil' Book Nook

For those of you still blessed with K-2 graders at home, I thought you might enjoy knowing that Doreen Cronin's "Diary of a Fly" just came out recently. Doreen is great, because she is one of a few authors who always leaves a little humorous treat for the adults while they are reading her books to children. Her previous books, "Diary of a Worm" and "Diary of a Spider" are big hits amongst this age group as well. And I must be honest.....even though my girls are way too old for this book, we read it before bed the other night and laughed ourselves silly on one particular page with a frog on it. Very fun book!! Probably won't look at a fly the same way. If only I could attach a cute bow to the next annoying one I find flying through my house. Maybe then, I might not be searching for the fly swatter. :)

Book Nook

Ever find it challenging to find something "clean" for your kids to read when they're past the stage of early readers and picture books? (Wait a minute, I AM STILL in the stage of picture books! I love them!) Countless times, I have referred my girls back to books that I enjoyed as a kid. (Except, of course, for Judy Blume's "eye opener" Are you there God, it's me, Margaret? Remember that one?) A lot of books written today for kids are questionable to me, and I find it very difficult to find something that I am comfortable with and that they will enjoy.

This summer, however, I ran into a book by Jeanne Birdsall entitled "The Penderwicks" and I absolutely adored it, as did my girls. What a breath of fresh air!!! If I didn't look at the copyright, I would have "sworn" it was written 25 years ago, as it was THAT clean. Filled with quirky characters and interesting twists and turns, my girls couldn't help but embrace the book and have listened to it on CD as well. Friends that are homeschooling would welcome the book as something to do together, especially while summer is still fresh in our kids' minds.

Interestingly enough, this is Birdsall's first book. You will find it hard to believe as you read it. I was thrilled to discover that she has a sequel coming out to "The Penderwicks" next summer. CAN'T WAIT!!!!

More later from The Book Nook.......

Furniture Folly

OK...please don't think that I have nothing else to think about in my life besides furniture. You have known me long enough to know that I am not "one dimensional" but a very complex being. Right? Anyway, I just wanted to give you the final word on the furniture since you have been following it through my blog. Then, you have my "money back blog guarantee" that I won't bring it up again. :)

The furniture arrived last Thursday. I cannot tell you how excited I was to pull into the driveway with the big Macy's delivery truck in view. As I walked up the sidewalk, eyeing the new furniture on the front lawn from a distance, my eyes began playing tricks on me. Surely, there wasn't something wrong with our furniture. I just needed to get closer to it, for a better look. As the movers tore the plastic off, I noticed the piping on the couch and love seat looked like moths had allowed themselves to a feast of fabric....meaning it looked like there were little eraser size holes all over the piping of the two pieces. I shook my head (like they do in cartoons), hoping I was just seeing things. But I wasn't. The furniture manufacturers had taken the fabric of the pillows we ordered and applied it to the couch instead. Incidentally, we never did get the pillows we ordered as well.

So...after over 4 months of waiting...we still don't have the furniture we ordered. We talked with Macy's and they are going to reorder the furniture (due in December) and credit our account by $800. In the meantime, the "moths" stay with us.

I know God wouldn't stand for this kind of incompetancy when He is furnishing my mansion. :) Surely, I will be sitting on my treasures in Heaven where "moths and Macy's can't corrupt." See Matthew 6:19 (Hestertranslation)