National Alzheimer's Disease Month

Oh, crap. I forgot what I was going to write.

November Reign

Over supper tonight, we were discussing the merits of blogging versus Facebook. Actually, Marjorie was droning on about how no one is any fun anymore and how no one blogs anymore because we have all turned to Facebook. And then we remembered that it was he that introduced us to the fabulous world of FB. And so that was the end of that conversation.

I also discovered that six children make a LOT of mess. Fortunately it was contained, for the most part, to the new playroom. Putting the toys upstairs was a stroke of genius on my part, I must admit. Nevertheless, it was a LOT of mess. Enough to convince me not to have four more children.

So...it's November. November is my least favourite month. It is cold and grey and depressing and sucktastic. A great month to get a prescription for anti-depressants. Or to move south. Hmmmm...

I really have nothing more to say...I just wanted to be able to say that I was the last person to blog. Sometimes its not about quality...just quantity...and timing...

The Inspirational Properties of Cow Feces

Well, it's been well over a year since I blogged. I have to admit, I fell prisoner to Facebook. And although it has it's merits, I feel something is missing. I discovered this whilst reading Nacho's "Ode to Cow Dung". I miss our freedom of meaningless (and sometimes meaningful) expression, our witty banter, our comraderie. You just don't get that on Facebook. Sure you get the "news", but you don't get the "who-ness" of people. I've discovered something else this week, too -- I think way too freakin' much.

So, I don't really have a topic yet...I'm just breaking the skin to start the blood flowing, so to speak.

Well, maybe I do have a topic, albeit a depressing one. It seems that all my friends have decided to embark on various adventures throughout the summer and leave me home alone. Boohoo, poor me. Laura & Dan are going to Europe and Newfoundland, Marjorie is going to camp in various parts of the country, Jerri has moved away...Okay, so maybe not all of my friends are gone...just most of the significant ones (don't be offended if you are significant and you're not leaving...I can't afford to lose any more friends at this point!). My only request is souveniers...Dave-Ramsey-style. Like a coaster from a real English pub, the pants you peed in at John Mayer (I just want proof, you can have your pants back...I might even wash them for you)...nothing expensive, just something special so I know you didn't forget about me. I'm really gonna miss you guys, but I hope you all have great vacations, make lots of memories, and find something you've been looking for.

Love you, guys!

Blessings

God is so awesome! If you have lived through this past week, with the 3 days of driving wind and rain, followed by 3 days of beautiful, hot sunshine, and have not stood amazed in His presence, well, I just don't even know how that could be possible... What awesome timing for a Saturday night service! Even though I had my moments this week, for the most part, my heart has been almost bursting with praise, awe, love for our Creator. Even though God is omnipresent, through both space and time, I love it when He just flaunts Himself, when He slaps us in the side of the head with his presence. Jevohah Shammah!

Speaking of God's awesome creations...

O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker...Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised...Psalm 95:6, 96:3-4.

To Hell With the Devil

I've come to realize something over the past couple of months. Satan SUCKS and I HATE HIM. But if I didn't hate him so much, I would actually feel sorry for him. It must be such a sad, miserable existance always striving to be God and never, ever matching up. Never even coming close. Continuous failure. We beat ourselves up for things that we do that we ought not to do, for our failures and shortcomings. And then we go to God, full of repentance, and He takes the crap and flings it into oblivion (...You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea...Micah 7:19), and He sees us as perfect, His holy vessels. I wonder what He sees when He looks at Satan.

I have always pegged Satan as being evil and awful and the antithesis of God. I have only just begun to realize, though, how much Satan wants to be like God. And how truly unoriginal he is. I've heard it said that Satan is smart...sometimes I think that we give him way too much credit. It seems to me that everything he does is just a perversion of something God has already done. Or that he takes what God gives and tries to twist and destroy it. For example, James tells us that "every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all that gives light... (James 1:17). Satan hates that. So he tries to ruin it however he can. In Daniel 7:25, we are told that the Antichrist (Satan's evil "son", so-to-speak) "...shall wear out the saints of the Most High..." And there are days, aren't there? Sometimes more and worse than others. But we have to try to keep this all in perspective. This is Satan's job. "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy..." (John 10:10a) BUT THANKS BE TO GOD (Can we ever conceivably give Him enough praise for this?!?), WHO GIVES US THE VICTORY, MAKING US CONQUERORS, THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (1 Corinthians 15:57). Our Lord Jesus Christ, that came that we "...may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance, to the full, till it overflows." (John 10:10b).

So, when we feel worn out, we need to summon the energy to praise God and remember:

• Satan sucks. He can try all he wants, but he is just a big loser wannabe. In the end, he will be the one who is worn out. Worn out by the very saints he is trying to run ragged. LO-O-O-SER.
• God rocks. He gives us great gifts, perfect gifts. They belong to us, and Satan can't have them. Because our side wins. By a freakin' landslide. We don't take ground quietly, we conquer it. Enjoying our life means consciously throwing that victory party every day we are given. WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS, MY FRIEND.

In You, O Lord, do I put my trust and confidently take refuge; let me never be put to shame or confusion! Deliver me in Your righteousness and cause me to escape; bow down Your ear to me and save me! Be to me a rock of refuge in which to dwell, and a sheltering stronghold to which I may continually resort, which You have appointed to save me, for You are my Rock and my Fortress. Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the grasp of the unrighteous and ruthless man. For You are my hope, O Lord God, You are my trust from my youth and the source of my confidence...My mouth shall be filled with Your praise and with Your honor all the day...I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteous acts and of Your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is more than I know. I will come in the strength and with the mighty acts of the Lord God; I will mention and praise your righteousness, even Yours alone...Yes, even when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not, but keep me alive until I have declared Your mighty strength to this generation, and Your might and power to all that are to come. Your righteousness also, O God, is very high, reaching to the heavens, You Who have done great things; O GOD, WHO IS LIKE YOU, OR WHO IS YOUR EQUAL? You have shown us all troubles great and sore will quicken us again and will bring us up again from the depths of the earth...My lips shall shout for joy when I sing praises to You, and my inner being, which You have redeemed. (from Psalm 71)

O God, this is my prayer...from my heart to Yours.

The Sap is Running

So I am now officially 32 years old. I still feel about 17, though. To see "32", I think, "Well, I guess it's time to grow up and be responsible now." I keep thinking that one day I will grow up on the inside and stop feeling overwhelmed by adulthood. It hasn't happened yet. I still feel like I'm playing house, and I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing...

I had a wonderful birthday. I took Buckley away to the vet Saturday morning and got to see a few old friends, so that was nice. And then, of course, Roger threw his annual "surprise" birthday party for me. I would have to rate this as the best one yet...and not just the best one Roger has organized, but the best one I can remember. Last year on my birthday, I was sitting on a curb outside a gas station in West Virginia, enjoying the warm sunshine, on my way to Alabama. I am so grateful to God for giving me that opportunity to be changed and stretched in so many ways. And if it wasn't for that trip, I wouldn't have had such a great birthday this year, because I wouldn't have had all the wonderful friends that I do now. Having lived most of my life feeling like I was on the outside, feeling like I finally belong is the best gift of all. So, thanks guys, I love you...you're the best.

I love puppies....XOXoxxOOxoX

Just a brief post to introduce the newest member of our family and also to remind anyone who cares (and you all should) that my birthday is rapidly approaching...three more days, guys. MARCH 3RD. Mark it down. After all, you do have that pathetic excuse of a celebration from last year to make up for...oh wait, there was no celebration...and no, the thought doesn't count...especially when you don't even follow through...you know who you are...

Buckley