tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73679156961060597132024-03-05T06:09:12.293-05:00{Consume me} Consume me from the inside out...Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.comBlogger251125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-29512319917230971232014-07-26T08:53:00.003-04:002014-07-26T08:53:45.304-04:00Thoughts from the side of the ocean...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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OCNJ 2014</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Everything is doing what it was created to do</span></div>
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When I turn my back on the boardwalk and the early morning distractions of people and stuff--the reoccurring thought this week has been that everything in front of me-nature- Gods created things (other than humans) are all doing what they were created to do. </div>
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The ocean stays in it's boundaries. The waves crash; over and over. The fish swim. The birds fly and forage. The dolphins raise up and blow water to breathe. The sun rises, shines and warms. The wind blows and a new day always begins. New, and yet always the same. </div>
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We mess all that up with our need for change and our need to do things our own way. We try to change the order of things-try to change the way things work. But nature hasn't changed its ways...it still works the same way that it has for centuries. It is still good...just like when God decreed that it was. </div>
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We have messed things up for Him with our arrogance and our insistence on knowing a better way than His way. </div>
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But if what He made was good-and all of creation (except for man) still does things His way...then who are we to think that we should change the order of things to suit our own desires? He's pretty kind to let us continue in our ways. Ways that change us and draw us farther from Him. He leaves us to destroy and rearrange what He made...hoping we'll recognize that we're changing what was once good and turn our attention back towards Him. But mostly, we don't. </div>
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We continue to twist what is right and wrong, we kill unborn babies for our own convenience and hail it as "choice", we twist the natural order of things because it is "our right", we waste what was once in abundance, we treat each other with contempt and we take pride in redefining what was once sacred and holy. And we're proud of the results, proclaiming that we are setting up a better nation. </div>
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But out here-sitting on the beach, with my back towards all that we've messed up, I still see glimpses of the original. I remember how things were meant to be and I'm trying to force myself to turn back around- because I'd rather stay right here...where things do what they're created to do. </div>
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I want to stay where things are right and enjoy communion with the One who made it all. We got it all wrong and have created a mess. </div>
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No wonder He calls us here-to the wide open space of the ocean. We all feel it- this need to be out here, to stare at the massiveness of the ocean. Maybe we come because we need to be reminded that we can't change everything. Some things will always do what they were created to do. They are whispers of a holy reverence that cannot be changed. </div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="text Ps-148-1-Ps-148-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">Praise him, sun and moon,</span></b></div>
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<b><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-148-1-Ps-148-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">praise him, you morning stars;</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="text Ps-148-1-Ps-148-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">Praise him, high heaven,</span></b></div>
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<b><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-148-1-Ps-148-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">praise him, heavenly rain clouds;</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="text Ps-148-1-Ps-148-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">Praise, oh let them praise the name of <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>—</span></b></div>
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<b><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-148-1-Ps-148-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">he spoke the word, and there they were!</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><span class="text Ps-148-6" id="en-MSG-6828" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 12px; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><b><span class="text Ps-148-6" id="en-MSG-6828" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">He set them in place</span></b></b></span></div>
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<b><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-148-6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">from all time to eternity;</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="text Ps-148-6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">He gave his orders,</span></b></div>
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<b><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-148-6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and that’s it!</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-148-6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">{Psalm 148}</span></span></b></span></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-44204506509333976722014-04-15T15:16:00.004-04:002014-04-15T15:16:52.061-04:00Because I need to remember...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sometimes you read something that just resinates with you </div>
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and you just have to figure out where to write it down so that you don't forget...</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Today it is this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Never walk away from someone who deserves help;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">your hand is God's hand for that person."</span></div>
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{Proverbs 3:27}</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Your lives are a letter...This "letter" is written not with pen and ink,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but with the Spirit of the Living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but on human hearts."</span></div>
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{II Corinthians 3:2 & 3}</div>
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In the busyness of living it sure is easy to forget </div>
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that my hands and my heart are booklet that tell the story of God....</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">or not. </span></div>
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />I'm just mulling over these words today...wondering where they apply to my life- </div>
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and where I keep them from applying. </div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-11122057468989744262014-03-21T06:53:00.000-04:002014-03-21T06:53:52.119-04:00This...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This morning, these words spur me on.<br />To get out of bed and face the day ready.</div>
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To hear the truth and say NO to the lies.</div>
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Hear the truth- don't get distracted by the presentation...</div>
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then press on through your day, friend.</div>
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Press on..</div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-55838227394805990702014-03-15T11:22:00.002-04:002014-03-15T11:24:17.788-04:00Spring...it's inevitable.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I wish I was more faithful at having something worthwhile to say and write here...but alas, I do not, so let's be happy with a once a month post, shall we?<br />
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Since it was quiet at my house this morning, I treated myself to a morning of reading the latest issue of<br />
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<a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEg8y-pfFGT8QyqqVBCcnLlRLQqDuD0Ph6tvby_9usnqKi5Zw2O9v64RKE20anVsMCNbOHpEuaUc3tAUAgmXdvzlQah6LvyXSXZqlIdn9VBwG9aBMiImsm_WN24gQyqUF5Z5jY_-M9as/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-15+at+10.43.33+AM.png" height="320" width="268" /></a></div>
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I never like to be rushed through my monthly issue, so a cup of coffee must always be brewed and in hand before sitting down to read. {Truth be told, this morning I crawled back in bed with the coffee and spent the next few hours chasing every link in every article. That's a lot of links and a lot of staying in bed. But who cares?}</div>
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Maybe it's my Spring Fever, but I needed a little inspiration to get me through these last dreary, endless days of winter. Here's a recap of my morning, as dictated to my other Neighborlies friends this morning. You'll have to read for yourself, but here's my takeaway...<br />
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"I have just spent the last hour (+) sitting in my bed with a cup of coffee and the Neighborlies. This issue had far more outside links that had me traveling ALL OVER the place on the www. I discovered some awesome little nooks that I had never visited before! Seriously...I'm being modest by saying I've been here for an hour. I dropped Emma off at school at 7:30 for a lax tournament and I've been tucked back in my bed since then. This issue was my favorite, I think. Each month<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"> feels more legit than the last...like we've put together some kind of real magazine or something!<a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/escape-artist.html" target="_blank"> <span style="color: #3b5998;"><span style="cursor: pointer;">Michelle Bailey Walls</span></span></a>, the photos and the placement of them were perfect.<br /><br />The things I learned this morning: <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/heart-of-beauty.html" target="_blank">purchase a better foundation,</a> <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/" target="_blank">check Target for Baby Lips</a>, <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/still-standing.html" target="_blank">stop wishing for something I don't have and enjoy what I do</a>, <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/something-borrowed.html" target="_blank">find some branches that need to be forced to bloom by my bed</a>, <a href="http://www.aimeeweaverdesigns.com/" target="_blank">purchase one of Aimee's lovely paintings for my home</a>, <a href="http://www.newhollandcoffee.com/page/page/8251690.htm" target="_blank">have coffee in New Holland </a>and <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/guest-contributor.html" target="_blank">remember that the hard days are being redeemed </a>(OR <a href="http://www.thebluehouseblog.com/p/about-us.html" target="_blank">check the local listings for a hunky husband named Michael Taylor---or one who looks and acts eerily similar to him. </a>) <span style="line-height: 1.38;">So much to do..."</span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="line-height: 1.38;">My quiet morning is over. Time to get on with living this day out. The sun is occasionally shining and at least it's not cold enough to snow, so there's that. Not quite excited to spend the day on the sidelines of a lacrosse game to watch my baby sit on the bench....but again, it's not snowing..so there's that. </span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="line-height: 1.38;">Just a few more weeks and maybe we get the OKAY from the doctor to play on the field. It's been a long recovery from that darned ACL surgery for the poor girl. But the end is in sight, girlie, and it's going to happen soon! </span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="line-height: 1.38;">In the meantime, let's be happy to see the sun show itself on occasion and look forward to the break of a new season.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Here's to </span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Spring</span><span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and it's badly anticipated arrival this year...</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Countdown to 5 MORE DAYS!</i></span></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-78426949627311884452014-02-15T20:34:00.002-05:002014-02-15T20:34:55.659-05:00Winter whine...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I'm not going to be one of those bloggers who posts about how much she hates winter right about now. I'm not going to drone on and on about how much snow we've had dumped on us in the last week and a half. And I'm not even going to mention that the temperatures have only popped above 39 degrees once in the last month. </div>
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I'll spare you the whine and even the pictures.</div>
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In my spare-snowed-in-time, I've been writing an article over <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/life-unexpected.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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If you haven't sat down with an issue of <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/" target="_blank">Neighborlies</a> before, </div>
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now is a good time to introduce you. </div>
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{It's not like you haven't already watched a hundred movies, checked your facebook, tweeted till you're dizzy and pinned for hours while you've been stuck inside...}</div>
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Just pour yourself ANOTHER cup of hot cocoa and check it out. </div>
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You don't have anything better to do at this point, </div>
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Do you?</div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-74287519859214318422014-01-21T16:04:00.002-05:002014-01-21T20:23:39.604-05:00Shelter...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We've had more snow this year than I can remember ever having in one season. </div>
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I'm not complaining, I do love it...especially when it means a day spent at home-</div>
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in pajamas all day, by the fire. </div>
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I'm not passing that up any time soon.</div>
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At this point in the season, I'm burning the reject-wood in the fireplace.</div>
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It requires more effort since it's old and burns twice as fast, </div>
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but I'm not complaining...</div>
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I'm obsessed with fires </div>
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and being warm.</div>
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But all throughout the day I can't help thinking about some people I know who are not as fortunate as we are to have a place to call their own. A place that has healthy food in the kitchen...</div>
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running water in the sinks...and a warm fire in the living room. </div>
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They're living in a shelter.</div>
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Warm and dry, probably...</div>
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but certainly not what anyone would call <i>home</i>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9Grg8YJas6owCdhJKb7zaLBw80um5t6FpDQ_Hdm2Jt-etfVvW_bCDdeKn6afgq5G3yAp9RgqFMhBpBcyNzOUav0ucJjDaK2hY7MD4Ugxqro0K7V6PLh6npzf5L7ctMyRktyy8vTUc4g/s1600/joy+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9Grg8YJas6owCdhJKb7zaLBw80um5t6FpDQ_Hdm2Jt-etfVvW_bCDdeKn6afgq5G3yAp9RgqFMhBpBcyNzOUav0ucJjDaK2hY7MD4Ugxqro0K7V6PLh6npzf5L7ctMyRktyy8vTUc4g/s1600/joy+pic.jpg" height="285" width="320" /></a></div>
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Most days they wander from morning until night, just biding their time from free church meal to free church meal, until the time comes to return to their place in the shelter at night.</div>
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And what happens when there's a snow storm </div>
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and the public library you rely on for warmth during the day</div>
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is<i> closed</i>...</div>
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It's a terrible existence for anyone to have to live through...</div>
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add on the fact that they are pregnant- </div>
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and as a mom, it is almost unbearable for me to see.</div>
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We do what we can to help and support, </div>
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but it never seems like enough...</div>
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I can only hope that someone has allowed them to take shelter during the storm today...</div>
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I'm praying they know Comfort far deeper than their circumstances dictate.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwX5E9ehMFbZwVAlk9dpxNq88E4Vo_jO1PaiG5d5La5fl7f51lnYd62qqikQFm7YxQhP6rptDCuNdc3ikCRV0-S74OXaZOQG1S2nWaKDAzEaPbypTgZNGGdTGtVWXFUE2vgi3MyLoJZY/s1600/love+god.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwX5E9ehMFbZwVAlk9dpxNq88E4Vo_jO1PaiG5d5La5fl7f51lnYd62qqikQFm7YxQhP6rptDCuNdc3ikCRV0-S74OXaZOQG1S2nWaKDAzEaPbypTgZNGGdTGtVWXFUE2vgi3MyLoJZY/s1600/love+god.jpg" height="260" width="320" /></a></div>
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Still trying to figure out exactly how that looks...</div>
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because sometimes love just never really seems like enough...</div>
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Grateful today for a day off of work</div>
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in my house</div>
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by my fire</div>
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with my daughter</div>
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......</div>
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And reminding myself that, but for </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">{GRACE}</span></div>
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that could be me...</div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-64925411878995514692013-12-28T11:04:00.002-05:002013-12-28T12:18:45.211-05:00Year in review...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's been a long time since I've felt the freedom to just sit and type here. That sounds so dramatic- even as I type it, that's what I hear. But it's the truth...or at least my perception of it. There's been times I've felt I had something to say, and then found myself mute when my fingers touched the keyboard. So like a good girl, I've taken my mom's advice and not said anything at all since I had nothing good to say.</div>
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But these last days, as the New Year approaches, I've been reflecting on the months and weeks behind me- their fullness, their struggle, their joy and their mystery. I've looked back on the block of twelve months that is taking its' last bow and I've been remembering the word that I'd taken at its first start, the word that was God-whispered even while I had no idea why. The word written down in my home, as a reminder, because I knew I would surely need it. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Praise</b></span></div>
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That's the word. One word, one syllable, but huge in its' expectation. It loomed large last January as I wondered why this word, why not another? I knew there would be a reason I would need to remember it throughout the 365 days that were ahead. And it was the knowing that scared me. Because if I was to remember to Praise, then there was sure to be a reason/s that I might be tempted to forget...</div>
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And of course, God knew. He knew He had better plant roots of Praise deep if they were going to blossom when needed. He always knows what I need before I do...and I like knowing that He's got my back- that He sees before and behind me before I even open my eyes to what's around me. </div>
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<span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;">Spread for me a banquet of praise,</span></div>
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<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;">serve High God a feast of kept promises,</span></div>
<span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px;">And call for help when you’re in trouble—</span></span></div>
<span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;">
</span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"></span>
<br />
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;">I’ll help you, and you’ll honor me.</span></span></div>
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;">
</span>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;">It’s the praising life that honors me.</span></div>
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;">As soon as you set your foot on the Way,</span></span></div>
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;">
<span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"></span></span>
<br />
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px;">I’ll show you my salvation.”</span></span></span></div>
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;">
</span></span>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;">Psalm 50</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There have been days this year that I've passed this word and this scripture, penned in a prominent place- and I've quieted, knowing that He had it all planned out. He'd given warning that I would need to remember. He had it all under control. And what He asked of me was the repetition of Praise.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Even in the moments of </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">fear of what the future holds</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">a son taking up a new life as a husband</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">another son taking to new work on a Marine base</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and a house empty of boys </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">in a young lady finding her bearings</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">in her eyes being opened to boys {{shudder}}</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">in her injury on a lacrosse field</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and subsequent surgery</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and months </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and months</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and months of physical therapy</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">in a job that I love-but takes more than what I have in me some days</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">in the struggle of trying to do all things well</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">in my need for quiet, but finding none</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">in a house with a sink hole</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and a month lived with the parents</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23" style="font-size: 15.555556297302246px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">in the Insurance Co. who said, "NO"</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">and in the men who raised up to help us</span></div>
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in a dog out of control</div>
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and the finding of a new home for her</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.555556297302246px;">in the yard and house that wait constant attention</span></div>
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in the leak of the sink</div>
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the dishwasher that fails at its job</div>
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in the lonely moments</div>
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and in moments of no answers</div>
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In all of these things that have surfaced this year- and the others that silently go unmentioned- He asked me to remember Praise. Because He knew they were coming and tried to get me ready. He knew I'd need to avert my attention to something Higher than me. </div>
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He knew I would need to know that above all </div>
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He is still God</div>
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Above all of the ache, inconvenience, misunderstanding, fear, frustration, loneliness and struggle</div>
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was Him</div>
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And my Praise- </div>
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even the pathetic attempt at it</div>
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was the looking glass that magnified His presence in our lives. </div>
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I don't think it's coincidence that He picked Praise for my yearly word- </div>
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He knew I'd need it to settle down and let Him be Him. </div>
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As a new year looms, He's already planted His new word for me. I have yet to understand why this word, but I guess it's not for me to know yet. The word keeps popping up in my view, almost too much, really. As if to say- "Did you notice me again- don't miss it." Like last year, I'm just going with it -even though I am not quite sure what to do with it. It's a little more vague than last year's word. And I'm still trying to get a vision for what He means by it. I'll wait to post it until the New Year...and maybe have a better idea of how to see its' value in my life this coming year.</div>
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To 2013, </div>
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thanks for all you've taught me</div>
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for the good and the bad</div>
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for the laughter and the tears</div>
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and for knowing when it's time to gracefully bow out.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Until next year....<br />
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-67479182788152504752013-10-19T10:53:00.000-04:002013-12-28T12:05:47.329-05:00Week in review from the lens of my iphone...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I'm currently wrapped in a blanket, sitting by my parent's fireplace, reflecting on the events of the last 7 days. They are the kind of days that you just want to ignore...</div>
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and maybe I have done my fair share of that this week.<br />
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The week went like this:</div>
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Last Friday {Emma's 17th birthday} upon returning home from a movie with my family, I discovered a sink hole in the front of my house. </div>
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It had rained for two days straight and apparently something that had been building up for some time finally caved. Literally. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuDMKHaQ441gYngmP0prJE_C-LlaVmNnEP0_ObmoMLiasyfe4_jddAfqlTNFWq_2MJEX4hv9SiHmi7m-kZ063fPTZ9KAgfWIAGqH3hdNH_e1tOME7-vhJG8by98OcM64uS-8NlPrUvzA/s1600/Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuDMKHaQ441gYngmP0prJE_C-LlaVmNnEP0_ObmoMLiasyfe4_jddAfqlTNFWq_2MJEX4hv9SiHmi7m-kZ063fPTZ9KAgfWIAGqH3hdNH_e1tOME7-vhJG8by98OcM64uS-8NlPrUvzA/s320/Image.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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{That is the OUTside you see from the basement wall}</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxuo-nINdISbN2G_T8UF60Om72WEXUXZ3RaIVOkB99HT2S2dShMZAk132eKOx6p53GwugeokexYo1Zp79zwBVifcLDSAWKctRX8HPDsLTAh2sxTuhv4EfYJUTcW-X9FnrCX2yVKi8FEs/s1600/IMG_0636.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxuo-nINdISbN2G_T8UF60Om72WEXUXZ3RaIVOkB99HT2S2dShMZAk132eKOx6p53GwugeokexYo1Zp79zwBVifcLDSAWKctRX8HPDsLTAh2sxTuhv4EfYJUTcW-X9FnrCX2yVKi8FEs/s320/IMG_0636.JPG.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9PpaPgk2FPumx5ESCr__VDlrJYVF95GQpatjFxTeOUjRstvmMfvxHEtEVJexAzwmtZgEpWMkMvltXTTzHN5Pg302Trmfcb-a04bUZOgFO5eOa5Ql_ZKXXmcZoUA1wGZi4BDkdREaiBQ/s1600/IMG_0637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9PpaPgk2FPumx5ESCr__VDlrJYVF95GQpatjFxTeOUjRstvmMfvxHEtEVJexAzwmtZgEpWMkMvltXTTzHN5Pg302Trmfcb-a04bUZOgFO5eOa5Ql_ZKXXmcZoUA1wGZi4BDkdREaiBQ/s320/IMG_0637.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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{It's like a little terrarium down there}</div>
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And so, after calling the insurance company, we packed up and headed </div>
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to the parent's house for the week. {two weeks? month?} </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKClZb77twF_2nKeWR5MBE_xlY9P4XvQTMg4zxjj2NdIxd5FrkyDs_kbLaZgR7MDBdsvu1p5wDu1KaNmmS6cwk74MTFxeZ22gYMB_3nZXRTp7TmJ6stf6LWsURjE-pnTNnxR3mW6L3mA0/s1600/IMG_0599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKClZb77twF_2nKeWR5MBE_xlY9P4XvQTMg4zxjj2NdIxd5FrkyDs_kbLaZgR7MDBdsvu1p5wDu1KaNmmS6cwk74MTFxeZ22gYMB_3nZXRTp7TmJ6stf6LWsURjE-pnTNnxR3mW6L3mA0/s320/IMG_0599.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Because my dad is awesome, he helped me work through whatever foreign language the Insurance Company used to write out my policy. We {STILL} await word from the company as to whether or not the damage will be covered.<br />
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The parents had a week's vacation planned, which we all agreed they needed. And so while they're away, we are "vacationing" too...at their house.<br />
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Besides the obvious inconveniences, there was one more large issue in the form of a four-legged dog.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Scarlett...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHxmEdpzgQLE8P6eYWLAg4a2XLqVlBSW6hOwJCIHVKmuj5q5x7r4bu1r5dnOl0chxhFCmSYr0MqXBwMokIxspXzhXyvp27ZNEMY6fGnvkwg4wg5minkATc0Bsl7K6idfQ32f9DwoNfUc/s1600/_MG_4011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHxmEdpzgQLE8P6eYWLAg4a2XLqVlBSW6hOwJCIHVKmuj5q5x7r4bu1r5dnOl0chxhFCmSYr0MqXBwMokIxspXzhXyvp27ZNEMY6fGnvkwg4wg5minkATc0Bsl7K6idfQ32f9DwoNfUc/s320/_MG_4011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS18Asq03FbWFPZ6rOIo_Ritkivr3Feia_nO-I6_s-t6pIxBxjm8yEWT9461TTcLTUIBgwK78Iqec7y4pl9QBIdy6Il5be8C8OdoUUYy2K_YnWVwttLn6zSIgEf5me0uwgDjpzNa-fGs8/s1600/IMG_0376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS18Asq03FbWFPZ6rOIo_Ritkivr3Feia_nO-I6_s-t6pIxBxjm8yEWT9461TTcLTUIBgwK78Iqec7y4pl9QBIdy6Il5be8C8OdoUUYy2K_YnWVwttLn6zSIgEf5me0uwgDjpzNa-fGs8/s320/IMG_0376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As a family we have been struggling over what to do with Scarlett now that the boys have left and Emma and I don't have enough time to give to her. She has a nervous habit of chewing when she is left alone for too long and I have made the mistake of not crating her every time we leave.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pBa83iWGRgzvXBBfrzLxXuu939tKwPsywL7Y6ipKxD8X-FbnsijExYQrKTiTvxBAismDE1QSicU6lFQ2klzi4u-lhnZ4KgZklICtMaGlnMMKR19rJQl2fGYHVq0A_yq-lMZ-Ud86j20/s1600/IMG_0617.JPG.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pBa83iWGRgzvXBBfrzLxXuu939tKwPsywL7Y6ipKxD8X-FbnsijExYQrKTiTvxBAismDE1QSicU6lFQ2klzi4u-lhnZ4KgZklICtMaGlnMMKR19rJQl2fGYHVq0A_yq-lMZ-Ud86j20/s320/IMG_0617.JPG.jpeg" width="239" /></a></div>
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It has been a very long two years with her. We all love her, but she has been tough. </div>
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We were almost to the point of being ready to find a new home for her </div>
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{for all of our sanity's sakes}when the basement caved in. </div>
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I suppose it is a blessing, how it all worked out in the end. There was no way she could stay in the house and ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NO WAY she was going to be able to come to my parent's house with us. So, we did what we have known for a while we needed to do...and found a new place for her. I'm not going to lie...that, in itself was a bigger deal than I'm going to go into. Suffice it to say, a friend of a friend so kindly offered to "foster" her with the possibility of permanent adoption. Although this family did not work out, finally, as of yesterday afternoon, Scarlett is on an "adoption list", in a safe place..awaiting her new family's arrival. </div>
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And I have peace...and am guilt-free. </div>
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On Monday, Nick texted from the Base...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMggvdSnMca67gYv1L7Ps5BqGCCQBTX8sy2-qrom_X8S83mBbH8Ol4l12oU7FeFa57KGnIqAUCnsWNp1Nkk6m7pbGj4avRT0_-yfYjyWiAxYTnV4IzNzkkI0c8Mb9VrzGn0_2vKCjGTg/s1600/IMG_0615.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMggvdSnMca67gYv1L7Ps5BqGCCQBTX8sy2-qrom_X8S83mBbH8Ol4l12oU7FeFa57KGnIqAUCnsWNp1Nkk6m7pbGj4avRT0_-yfYjyWiAxYTnV4IzNzkkI0c8Mb9VrzGn0_2vKCjGTg/s320/IMG_0615.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
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He spent a couple of days here with us...which is always a treat. Whenever he is home, the newlyweds join us. There's nothing like all five of us being in the same place at the same time. It doesn't matter that there's a house too unstable for us to stay in- all my kids are together...that matters.</div>
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The house currently looks like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7cQdRsYAvLRgZ-RuaBo0JGG86CaGYSVU6H5xcaoJh01WB-48_MU5t09TJ1jEoxQQMlXRfX_WO0LGX6fzZ2yFacSp_H8Kmb-Nl4fEVwDmlj_N2X8PkBA3rtB6ku2AMc5j7oaoxeYaIZE/s1600/IMG_0601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7cQdRsYAvLRgZ-RuaBo0JGG86CaGYSVU6H5xcaoJh01WB-48_MU5t09TJ1jEoxQQMlXRfX_WO0LGX6fzZ2yFacSp_H8Kmb-Nl4fEVwDmlj_N2X8PkBA3rtB6ku2AMc5j7oaoxeYaIZE/s320/IMG_0601.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And the multiple fans {running at very high speeds} to dry the basement are hiking up my electric bill with each passing day. My phone is by my side, awaiting a call from the Insurance with the "Go ahead" to start reconstructing the foundation. They've been quiet all week. Perhaps they are also vacationing and forgot that we are still waiting...</div>
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I'm pretty ready to get this thing moving. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-sGmyfIW2eSYaJ1jBSFPKNLjzZbtc71hh2OwPwGswpcQiV9m5htbYPBjX9G45yLWMwk7JshQgs_0PJP0cJW03OkPvxLvOtmDUcTxIYlUMHyuegs4iEcd5hJva7NhGtCDwD12e7u4DSI/s1600/IMG_0625.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-sGmyfIW2eSYaJ1jBSFPKNLjzZbtc71hh2OwPwGswpcQiV9m5htbYPBjX9G45yLWMwk7JshQgs_0PJP0cJW03OkPvxLvOtmDUcTxIYlUMHyuegs4iEcd5hJva7NhGtCDwD12e7u4DSI/s320/IMG_0625.JPG.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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But, I'm not going to complain. </div>
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We have a place to stay, we're not out on the streets,</div>
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but I'm ready to get this over with </div>
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and be back home. </div>
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In the meantime, life goes on. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJI8sWDGJNc6E0E4BcUj2H1RU4ji2cawlvxSfjTbPOqoTL9NVzKs0xdWDHfAey6J2Na-B661_BU6Le0oHCE6X8FLLqOwNYwT_31Eh-0Ww5foGbnkYJ2E6MbzhNY8Iwiwr6hGJFkJbUJg/s1600/IMG_0623.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJI8sWDGJNc6E0E4BcUj2H1RU4ji2cawlvxSfjTbPOqoTL9NVzKs0xdWDHfAey6J2Na-B661_BU6Le0oHCE6X8FLLqOwNYwT_31Eh-0Ww5foGbnkYJ2E6MbzhNY8Iwiwr6hGJFkJbUJg/s320/IMG_0623.JPG.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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The drive to school has offered some pretty awesome sunrises this week.</div>
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We're still trekking to the <a href="http://www.procarephysical.com/locations/strasburg-procare" target="_blank">Physical Therapist</a> 3 times a week</div>
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as she recovers from her ACL surgery...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekpvr7YhErJSUDq4cfGIBgplTVJpgjskJPm_I-m8timAyZym1UXQF99R_laK65Xgb3HHmHXfCTe0ldY9Z7RbB0Z0B8Dx7SZ6LhS06TIHj8s76zTjkgv_nGN1fF_U2IkDOM2vYsUBeOSc/s1600/IMG_0644.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekpvr7YhErJSUDq4cfGIBgplTVJpgjskJPm_I-m8timAyZym1UXQF99R_laK65Xgb3HHmHXfCTe0ldY9Z7RbB0Z0B8Dx7SZ6LhS06TIHj8s76zTjkgv_nGN1fF_U2IkDOM2vYsUBeOSc/s320/IMG_0644.JPG.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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And we still enjoyed our traditional Friday-<span style="font-size: large;">Cupcake Day</span>. </div>
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{Yes, there are 5 cupcakes in there...don't judge. One was free....but only if I purchased 4}</div>
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And we are healthy and happy. </div>
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You can't really ask for more than that.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #232323; font-family: georgia, serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Life is like a highway, no matter what they say, the construction is never finished. There's always gonna be bumps in the road and detours every now and then."</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFe51JJonb4aPDTaM5XezszXMB4K-58FjV_F19F-Ab1vEu6eUKG7HNLgv74Ma64KC5f85HUglUUwSIBjnY-_nTJyEUl-idY9csXdq91xcl1wNbbeV6-Ew_c338JFPApbh2yBBPa-yKeKk/s1600/cdd99116466a5d9a46cc754c1b4718ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFe51JJonb4aPDTaM5XezszXMB4K-58FjV_F19F-Ab1vEu6eUKG7HNLgv74Ma64KC5f85HUglUUwSIBjnY-_nTJyEUl-idY9csXdq91xcl1wNbbeV6-Ew_c338JFPApbh2yBBPa-yKeKk/s320/cdd99116466a5d9a46cc754c1b4718ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-20334384146705739202013-09-21T11:02:00.003-04:002013-09-21T11:02:36.171-04:00A giveaway...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's been so long since I've been here but I just couldn't help but share a little <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/over-coffee.html" target="_blank">giveaway</a></span> that you could be a part of. Follow this <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/over-coffee.html" target="_blank">LINK</a> for a chance to win a pretty swell collection of gifts from the <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/index.html" target="_blank">Neighborlies</a></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">.</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQ-0QkG-W7e5tz1ZGQggbDR9PS0NSpEGjKdSCoTV-FJkFVFSwr9yimFAguM19qjbTy5-sczCed9qLCRFOYo8n5NYlqeeZdvHiFiHsemqGczUUCFdSzGfqQt_VAgm3DPiTfmTrkH6ooCQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-09-21+at+10.55.10+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQ-0QkG-W7e5tz1ZGQggbDR9PS0NSpEGjKdSCoTV-FJkFVFSwr9yimFAguM19qjbTy5-sczCed9qLCRFOYo8n5NYlqeeZdvHiFiHsemqGczUUCFdSzGfqQt_VAgm3DPiTfmTrkH6ooCQ/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-09-21+at+10.55.10+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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And if you haven't read this <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/index.html" target="_blank">online magazine</a> before, you might just enjoy pouring a cup of coffee and settling in for a good read. You'll probably laugh and you just might cry...but when you're done you'll probably be glad you stopped by. {I did not mean that to rhyme, it just happened like that. Sounded like a sappy middle school poem!!! I'm leaving it anyway...don't judge me.}</div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-68543277097309170402013-05-26T09:55:00.001-04:002013-05-26T09:56:40.853-04:00Memorial Day...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My heart and my house are full this weekend. </div>
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All of my children are under the same roof...</div>
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I think Mothers must have internal clocks that keep time differently...</div>
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separations of mere months can feel like years</div>
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And short hours of sweet reunions,</div>
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while never EVER enough time,</div>
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can feel like an eternity's worth of moments collected together...</div>
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But I know all too soon, it will feel like we have been separated for years again.</div>
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Breathing deep in a house that is full, if only for a few days</div>
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full of laughter</div>
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and love</div>
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and just us</div>
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again.</div>
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We will celebrate Memorial Day together tomorrow...</div>
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and for me, </div>
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it has a deeper meaning this year</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">John 15:13</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html" target="_blank">Memorial Day...</a></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-11828351844529539022013-05-07T09:18:00.001-04:002013-05-07T09:18:21.809-04:00Facing Reality...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The last week and a half has had my emotions on a crazy manic loop. As with every parent of young adults and teenagers, the realization that my kids have passed that "point of no return" continues to catch me off guard at short notice.</div>
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About 10 days ago Emma tested and passed her driver's test. And although I knew it would mean an adjustment for me, I wasn't prepared to feel so sentimental and emotional. I am a slow learner. </div>
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This is the third child to cross over towards independence...but the third is the last, </div>
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and I think that's why it shook me so deeply. </div>
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I'm back on track </div>
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{<i>AGAIN</i>} </div>
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I finally got a grip and found my perspective.</div>
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I've written about it for my next article in <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Neighborlies</span></a> this weekend. <br />
I was a little reluctant to submit this one because it was written right in the middle of my emotional mommy-breakdown. Emma took that momentous first trip alone...and I LOST IT. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLd2nnZejDaLvCTmb4cbjrAmv0QPrTDkRvuZbgo0noWMKrlel02zMczY7N3Pmo_u7eBgxjcRgcmvvAS_1OU5u65vEGrWU9gzDNTjyAHI5586PGwY1CjkkML-KY5fVvBM3AysK12gRG4vc/s1600/_MG_4082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLd2nnZejDaLvCTmb4cbjrAmv0QPrTDkRvuZbgo0noWMKrlel02zMczY7N3Pmo_u7eBgxjcRgcmvvAS_1OU5u65vEGrWU9gzDNTjyAHI5586PGwY1CjkkML-KY5fVvBM3AysK12gRG4vc/s320/_MG_4082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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She had no idea how affected I was by watching her back out of the driveway alone. But she'll get it in about 30 years. Because I remember <i>my mom</i> standing in this same place- watching <i>ME</i> drive away for the first time. I thought she was weird, just staring as I backed away. But now I get it....and I'm sorry that I didn't understand it back then. I was <i>HER</i> youngest child. And I get it now. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9u-1gR5frg5hoEzoYsHaB8QEZU-x0WfhFj9mvJhJh8FzYKqvovCPSxAo4bUl7BsSWgNLEYPtbCmZwrHYeCZ2Ac9DOVcJwob-2kc13TNsHZHWpvx1xzcPC8WMHvdbfR5HUylVNrNE14Jk/s1600/_MG_4078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9u-1gR5frg5hoEzoYsHaB8QEZU-x0WfhFj9mvJhJh8FzYKqvovCPSxAo4bUl7BsSWgNLEYPtbCmZwrHYeCZ2Ac9DOVcJwob-2kc13TNsHZHWpvx1xzcPC8WMHvdbfR5HUylVNrNE14Jk/s320/_MG_4078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A week later, on her SECOND trip alone </div>
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she arrived back home bearing gifts for both of us...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RJhl-QWLyMiKbLDttizi_1XlSs9c9Jdke9uFBOHV4M6NwO4WjSa0HiWTdaGnYqzUMHOlKuVh2_PESwtBio6yTYI2fONlFvRHMaekW29zrfNug3mdlv2AyODXYPAWUINOuPpsAiSyyFY/s1600/IMG_5080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RJhl-QWLyMiKbLDttizi_1XlSs9c9Jdke9uFBOHV4M6NwO4WjSa0HiWTdaGnYqzUMHOlKuVh2_PESwtBio6yTYI2fONlFvRHMaekW29zrfNug3mdlv2AyODXYPAWUINOuPpsAiSyyFY/s320/IMG_5080.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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...and I've decided that maybe it's not all bad after all.</div>
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In other family news...I have figured out the trick to <strike>luring</strike> bringing my children back home. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Feed them.</span></div>
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</div>
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I don't even have to beg. I just use the right words {that include beef}</div>
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and just like that...they come.</div>
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I'm not too proud to use this tactic as many times as possible.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rkT5GYy4hW825T1qHHLWxLAJU450hWQfucSbgyziZMh_F83XIh1ZpJEmpw0ubVYmGRH0g-5Ccob6OiLdwh_xlu_80lyyYzH0xdYcGe_Duxidf9iYVqLPGIoIbldZcbuVkGhCutZo99s/s1600/IMG_5023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rkT5GYy4hW825T1qHHLWxLAJU450hWQfucSbgyziZMh_F83XIh1ZpJEmpw0ubVYmGRH0g-5Ccob6OiLdwh_xlu_80lyyYzH0xdYcGe_Duxidf9iYVqLPGIoIbldZcbuVkGhCutZo99s/s320/IMG_5023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">{If you feed them, they will come}</span></div>
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The most exciting news of the week involves the Marine and this ticket.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXZswwveevKttlbAgt2Jo1j_x6xRv-RMZMOlduZfZnTHOZEipzuygEGGeFrtpITHZLwBcC1jgP-8ng9Yqr8JxgEKRunz8uolbB8Tc9V9xUtQV8GQJcWjXWFPyZAQBha3Cqe2-iq-Jcik/s1600/IMG_5078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXZswwveevKttlbAgt2Jo1j_x6xRv-RMZMOlduZfZnTHOZEipzuygEGGeFrtpITHZLwBcC1jgP-8ng9Yqr8JxgEKRunz8uolbB8Tc9V9xUtQV8GQJcWjXWFPyZAQBha3Cqe2-iq-Jcik/s320/IMG_5078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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He has a 96 hour leave...and he's spending it with US! </div>
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So excited..</div>
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And the four-legged <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>beast</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuak5REVE-JsGQ9hmhshGbtpsC2WqaiOfKTiOEV8O0YCSvPfxvUFS5_7eHD3ifKJegrb-SGG9ljWUNrQQj0aQuItTOHOH1B5lDKb5djm8Fg9ncIq17Qp8mIhLPOWp1nE39OQZHs2oakog/s1600/_MG_4011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuak5REVE-JsGQ9hmhshGbtpsC2WqaiOfKTiOEV8O0YCSvPfxvUFS5_7eHD3ifKJegrb-SGG9ljWUNrQQj0aQuItTOHOH1B5lDKb5djm8Fg9ncIq17Qp8mIhLPOWp1nE39OQZHs2oakog/s320/_MG_4011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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while she continues to be cute...</div>
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she keeps us in a constant state of <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">alert</span>.</div>
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She loves two things in life</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">food</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">chewing</span></div>
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While her favorite thing to chew is her food,</div>
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she's been known to chew just about anything-</div>
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she is not picky.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Some days she nibbles on her ROOM.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Evidence of this is in the form of large chunks out of the baseboard and door frames.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
She will be the death of me-</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
or at least to this house. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><i>SIGH....</i></span></div>
</div>
Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-64988485295865462062013-04-21T17:22:00.000-04:002013-04-21T17:22:38.691-04:00About face...run after God...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sometimes, when I look around me- both near and far- there's not much that looks very good.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We have become a people who make our own rules and live by whichever ones suit us best.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2_QWuY7QCOpxKZlDF2YwXHy1yDOrrJkgNp9KbCvtGcWtIfR3fJY1VadP5VuDsGJh-jNF8gMnaJ377PkeuZ7TQankqF4PqRjx0viZhLdA_-bafVW8m_1v1jh6lo3e8RZ71utzKIr7Uqs/s1600/huge-crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2_QWuY7QCOpxKZlDF2YwXHy1yDOrrJkgNp9KbCvtGcWtIfR3fJY1VadP5VuDsGJh-jNF8gMnaJ377PkeuZ7TQankqF4PqRjx0viZhLdA_-bafVW8m_1v1jh6lo3e8RZ71utzKIr7Uqs/s320/huge-crowd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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I see it in our complacent youth</div>
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and I see it in our irreverent adults</div>
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sometimes I see it staring back in my own mirror...</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I, in no way can remove myself from this observation..</div>
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for I, too, fail daily. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I take matters into my own hands, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
see things from the perspective I want to.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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But I wonder...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
why do we think we can get away with making up our own moral code?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Why, when we did not create the universe, or anything in it,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
do we think we have the upper hand and the right to decide what is right and wrong?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Why do we think we can determine how much good is good enough</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
or how much bad makes us worthless?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Just because it is popular, doesn't mean it is right</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
just because we want to change with the times doesn't mean the change is right</div>
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<br /></div>
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How arrogant of us to think it was ever ours to decide...</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In light of last week's events</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
of people who think they have a right to destroy life and livelihood</div>
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In light of what is so front and center in our daily </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>news</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>politics</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>lifestyles</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in light of all of this and more</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
it's a wonder to me that we are given even one more day HERE.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It's a wonder that HE still looks at us with LOVE gleaming in His eyes...</div>
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not because He likes the crooked paths we take ourselves on </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
not because He approves of our arrogant self imposed moral codes...</div>
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but because SOMEhow He still sees us as <i>created in His own image</i></div>
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and He is giving<i> us time to decide</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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But there comes a time when you wonder when it will be enough for Him...</div>
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when the whole of us have gone just too far...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
when we have grieved His parental heart just too much.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The day is coming...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
when we must stand and look into His eyes and give a personal account...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>{shudder}</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Some of us just have absolutely no excuse</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>BECAUSE WE KNOW BETTER</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and yet we still guide ourselves and live by our own code</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And we forget <i>GRACE</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and we forget to share it</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
because we're so busy squandering our time </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And we have bought into the lie that it doesn't really matter</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>HE </i>doesn't really matter...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Church...wake up...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Let's stop pretending we don't know what to do...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We know</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We just turn </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>a blind eye</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>a deaf ear</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>and are afraid to speak up for Truth...</i></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKkQy6sfdMv6O_47dvIIU6tI18544E3i35nwa9l_dUcT1aUA4XkgPA1EwjOrPBRO-5nxQm6HfWera1glnr9049h6YoiJoDVlynuG1K5uK-PsUhI3FxvIdAN95YhBv1WWlqfXssrSpvSg/s1600/dictionary-series-philosophy-truth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKkQy6sfdMv6O_47dvIIU6tI18544E3i35nwa9l_dUcT1aUA4XkgPA1EwjOrPBRO-5nxQm6HfWera1glnr9049h6YoiJoDVlynuG1K5uK-PsUhI3FxvIdAN95YhBv1WWlqfXssrSpvSg/s320/dictionary-series-philosophy-truth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="text Rev-3-2-Rev-3-3" id="en-MSG-12983">“Up on your feet! Take a deep breath! Maybe there’s life in you {<i>ME</i>} yet. But I wouldn’t know it by looking at your busywork; nothing of <i>God’s</i> work has been completed. Your condition is desperate. Think of the gift you once had in your hands, the Message you heard with your ears—grasp it again and turn back to God. </span>If you pull the covers back over your head and sleep on, oblivious to God, I’ll return when you least expect it, break into your life like a thief in the night...</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span class="text Rev-3-18" id="en-MSG-12996"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, <i>really</i> see.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span class="text Rev-3-18"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span class="text Rev-3-19" id="en-MSG-12997"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span class="text Rev-3-19"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span class="text Rev-3-20-Rev-3-21" id="en-MSG-12998"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span class="text Rev-3-20-Rev-3-21"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span class="text Rev-3-22" id="en-MSG-12999"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span class="text Rev-3-22"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span class="text Rev-3-22"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Revelation 3 {The Message}</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">
<span class="text Rev-3-22"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Rev-3-22"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-11062388952374275822013-03-30T12:07:00.001-04:002013-03-30T12:13:13.165-04:00Still mocking...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I had a little free time this morning and found myself catching up on my facebook newsfeed, some blog reading and a little Pinterest searching. <br />
<br />
I don't even know how I got there, but as often happens on the world wide web, I got twisted and turned from place to place, until the place I end up was no where NEAR where I started out. <br />
<br />
I guess that's how I started with reading some soul-nourishing words about Easter, then stumbled on a recipe for peanut butter eggs, then clicked onto a photographer's rendering of a newborn baby with bunny ears and eventually clicked somewhere very, very shocking and offensive. <br />
<br />
Somehow one click off the beaten path brought me to a site memorializing a certain contest that actually takes place in the real world. And my stomach turned in revolt of how far we have come from appreciating the Great Grace bestowed upon us that Easter so long ago. We are subjected to this new take on Easter- the one created by the toy stores and candy makers who stand to profit from our stumble. And we all have to make peace with what part we will partake in it...how far is okay and how far is just plain sacrilegious. I place no judgement on what others choose...I've chosen the baskets, the bunnies and the egg hunts, too. And only just this year I am in an <i>unintentional boycott </i>of them all. It doesn't come from anywhere but that I'm kind of tired of it and have no gumption to make it happen. Poor Emma...no fun for her. I'm not a complete scrooge...I suppose I'll manage to find some leftover plastic grass from last year and a jelly bean or two. If I have to. <br />
<br />
But I've gotten away from the intent of this post....This site, the one that has my blood boiling- included pictures from a contest that was held last Easter. For all I know, it may be held every year- I couldn't force myself to find out, I was so disgusted. The contest is called the "Hunky Jesus Contest". It didn't take me long to realize it is put on by a group of "alternative lifestyles". And I'm not even going to go there. The point is; they were taking the sacred Gift of the cross and all that it stands for and making a mockery of Jesus and His sacrifice. I know, ironic. He was mocked once and will be until the time He returns and every unknowing knee will bow. I know this...but I am deeply offended.<br />
<br />
I'd like to say that if you don't want to accept the reality of the Cross, that is your choice. I'm sorry that you don't know...that you don't believe. Every terrible thing I have done, or thought of, or wished for was wiped clean at the foot of that Cross. Not because I'm better or because I'm delusional. But because the Son of God took upon Himself my sin and instead of slapping me with the penalty, handed me a "Get out of jail free" card. <br />
<br />
<i>That's</i> JESUS.<br />
<br />
Not the one you portray with your sexually explicit costumes, or Mickey Mouse ears. That's not my Jesus. That's not His cross you have mockingly dressed up. He isn't who you say He is. <br />
<br />
Do your thing- whatever it is you're doing. But leave Him out of it. And stop using His name to win your contests. You've mocked Him and beaten Him up enough...and I'm not really sure why. Why mock something you don't think exists or make light of what you say isn't true? Why do you take delight in making everything sexual and explicit? I just don't get it. <br />
<br />
SO...just because I need you to know....none of that is really Jesus. But I'll leave you with this...because this IS Jesus. And I think you should know....<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yzqTFNfeDnE" width="560"></iframe></div>
Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-13557498540965723392013-03-14T10:11:00.001-04:002013-03-14T10:11:32.620-04:00You go before me and follow me...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
There's this young man-</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and he calls me mom.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He is somewhere out there...way West of where I am.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He used to be here in the morning when I got up to start my day.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
His presence was evident by the piles that he left and the hobbies that spread out all over the house.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Now his room is clean and untouched. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
There's a layer of dust beginning to form over each surface.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He has a new room now...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One that I've never seen-</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that he shares with people that I do not know.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It's been 9 weeks since I've seen his face</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
but it seems like much, much longer.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Though we have the occasional text or call</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
it's not the same.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He still calls me mom</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and I still call him son-</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But he's a Marine now</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and someone else gets to tell him what to do.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He pledged his allegiance to a new set of "<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">house rules</span>"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and he has new brothers...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnpuLWCWz_xX1JKycdz5ulyoa4Tzqr21kuCqgVc80LQcjAYSy1qXMA-TVc4NZK2KQ8VoFLKC0bTBNuGWhgT1IfLCFrh9xVJmCO0UGzNatkbTaz2tpouAA5IEyQ02Rh80BXnSPB575PHk/s1600/134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnpuLWCWz_xX1JKycdz5ulyoa4Tzqr21kuCqgVc80LQcjAYSy1qXMA-TVc4NZK2KQ8VoFLKC0bTBNuGWhgT1IfLCFrh9xVJmCO0UGzNatkbTaz2tpouAA5IEyQ02Rh80BXnSPB575PHk/s320/134.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
His family stands behind him</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
encouraging and praying him through</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozbpSAtFDZ1XTYRdCBCMu1ZFBSAE2ofLztOGcbTVJgY_G2vL_EWEhPC-IzqnAorhJu7pXSQo1Rh8fmG18VgyusObjXHRAtLL8ZZ4JNUA9ZSTrFZn48lNDbPuQ0KzTPRf94em8uwrKpOk/s1600/142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozbpSAtFDZ1XTYRdCBCMu1ZFBSAE2ofLztOGcbTVJgY_G2vL_EWEhPC-IzqnAorhJu7pXSQo1Rh8fmG18VgyusObjXHRAtLL8ZZ4JNUA9ZSTrFZn48lNDbPuQ0KzTPRf94em8uwrKpOk/s320/142.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But that doesn't mean we don't miss him like <span style="font-size: large;">crazy</span></div>
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or long to have him home.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHk2Ik7f-HGL5HtUbK4vcCNmN-nqUFu5p56VGWpoakq5cjmKAHCIMCmVreEHDk62ljpxXYq6YPE3aFXFXwRZT7Py20U0o5S1bMAiWsEeu9-cRu0ZkaiqMTiId5-xametnJlDkDPCsYuo/s1600/141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHk2Ik7f-HGL5HtUbK4vcCNmN-nqUFu5p56VGWpoakq5cjmKAHCIMCmVreEHDk62ljpxXYq6YPE3aFXFXwRZT7Py20U0o5S1bMAiWsEeu9-cRu0ZkaiqMTiId5-xametnJlDkDPCsYuo/s320/141.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He still belongs to us</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and yet at the same time, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">he belongs to you too.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He stands at attention for hours at a time</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and awaits a day when he would be called to be ready...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">fight </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">serve </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">defend</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
for me</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
for his family</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and for you.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNP6QYxVyLkj8VTW3Nmhp1pEwTeKv4c1xhsUzpdrczSMI0B8opV00PzIf7woRvE6J9mLBKQVGhq94e1AucKxxCfSZHwcsnRLaBm-_azdKSBh7SJsbhUG3Q1KOBtB-kXggnYVjaWRa7WXQ/s1600/128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNP6QYxVyLkj8VTW3Nmhp1pEwTeKv4c1xhsUzpdrczSMI0B8opV00PzIf7woRvE6J9mLBKQVGhq94e1AucKxxCfSZHwcsnRLaBm-_azdKSBh7SJsbhUG3Q1KOBtB-kXggnYVjaWRa7WXQ/s320/128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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He and his brothers are being prepared to stand between us</div>
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and whomever would threaten our safety-</div>
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But let's not forget that <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">while our Nation slowly takes away the benefits they were lured in</span> with</div>
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they are <span style="font-size: large;">still </span>standing in our stead</div>
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still willing to serve with</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">honor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">courage</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">commitment</span></div>
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If I'd had the choice to choose for him</div>
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I would have chosen differently</div>
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I would have chosen less separation</div>
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less <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">unknowns</span></div>
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I would have chosen for him to be home for birthdays and holidays and family movie nights</div>
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I would have chosen to know what he is doing from one day to the next</div>
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and to have this house warm with his presence.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But he chose service</div>
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and I choose to stand behind him as he does.</div>
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And today,</div>
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when missing his presence is so strong</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTlkfD2dPD1KxD4ZoAZ-_B7xuXsFFN6X9_H6c1VEEIrRtu2p294_ueZ8lOoyvlaI_Vj3DJkiiuDH589zSJqjYAYJXoaEEOMROry9fBPFl7p6n07NvaWGrAc31eXqMBVywJ_LpyXo_ftU/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTlkfD2dPD1KxD4ZoAZ-_B7xuXsFFN6X9_H6c1VEEIrRtu2p294_ueZ8lOoyvlaI_Vj3DJkiiuDH589zSJqjYAYJXoaEEOMROry9fBPFl7p6n07NvaWGrAc31eXqMBVywJ_LpyXo_ftU/s320/photo+(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I remind myself that while he serves, </div>
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He is not Forgotten-</div>
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his name is written on the heart of God</div>
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and He <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>is</i></span></div>
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where I cannot be...</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>"You go before me and follow me. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>You place your hand of blessing on my head."</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Psalm 139:5</b></span></span></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-42725867730987413402013-02-28T21:25:00.000-05:002013-02-28T21:25:30.554-05:00Thursdays...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Thursdays are my late days at work. And while it's not really late in comparison to other people's schedules...knowing that my girlie is home from school waiting for me- anytime after 3pm is late. My mom so generously has given her Thursday afternoon/evenings up to spend time with Emma. Not because she needs a babysitter, but because they just have fun hanging out together. </div>
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Emma's happy because she has someone else to reminisce over her day with...</div>
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someone else to sing like crazy to...</div>
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and someone else to slather love on her.</div>
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It's a <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">win win</span> for me because I can finish up at work and not worry about the fact that my last client has taken longer than expected and is making me late for my nightly date with my daughter.</div>
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{I have one client who literally tries to block the door when I tell her I need to go home to my daughter. No kidding...I love the poor thing, but I'd beat her down to get out the door at the end of the night!}</div>
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I have the added bonus of sitting around my parent's table for dinner on Thursday nights. As if hanging out with Emma wasn't enough, she and mom make dinner and have it served up on the table when I walk in the door. I can't explain why this blesses me so much. But, after a long, sometimes emotionally draining day....being served just feels good. </div>
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So, a little hearty THANK YOU goes out to my mom....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNi1Gh4sv68dC8OSOvfLyzSga3_TUJxESrqn8jjYryrZD7RRGCE3XfFYmvQ7IiU7xzw9UivAXMQDlmdkSW2Z4VqBRJpLmp-_YgD3IMa81Nz6pBrqFdFFa2j1Ia1uy40QrXvBUPIxQryI/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNi1Gh4sv68dC8OSOvfLyzSga3_TUJxESrqn8jjYryrZD7RRGCE3XfFYmvQ7IiU7xzw9UivAXMQDlmdkSW2Z4VqBRJpLmp-_YgD3IMa81Nz6pBrqFdFFa2j1Ia1uy40QrXvBUPIxQryI/s320/007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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For being available to <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>my</i></span> girl</div>
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and for blessing the heart of <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>her</i></span> girl.</div>
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<span class="bqQuoteLink" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;">"<a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/ermabombec133153.html" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="view quote">It is not until you become a mother that your judgment slowly turns to compassion and understanding.</a>"</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span class="bodybold" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Erma Bombeck</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-83868358783145969022013-02-25T20:54:00.001-05:002013-02-25T23:03:17.997-05:00My life in pictures...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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These days most of my life can be summed up in the pictures that are stored up in my iphone. </div>
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I remember days when I had lots of extra time to sit and write thoughts and memories in my journal </div>
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but right now my time is eaten up doing other things, </div>
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so I'm reduced to capture it through the lens of my phone.</div>
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The last few weeks have been chronicled like this...</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Breakfast with these two</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVDvZDjnydFrhdLN1kXkoiEgq6rHTwuHvW_28vpjYYI4YrpF1aHlIChPLL2kQrguq5encp6OCDYQp9ED3yFk2hbgOI1Q33zYOqRi8njXVHD81lmc7-MpiGftfbfm63GqVQSITvltm2zI/s1600/image+(5).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVDvZDjnydFrhdLN1kXkoiEgq6rHTwuHvW_28vpjYYI4YrpF1aHlIChPLL2kQrguq5encp6OCDYQp9ED3yFk2hbgOI1Q33zYOqRi8njXVHD81lmc7-MpiGftfbfm63GqVQSITvltm2zI/s320/image+(5).jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> Lunch with all three of them</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIMQvmNbHH0tyHHVHw0gimpU1WP-a3irskVpA8nobhyphenhyphenBdNF7JjLlcnpHa-n1080sCkMgJ-QEe4vVVJiHQDqXBDoAwwbk9bbWc_Ztb7-kFoiQZ0cnvx1noUclJSpDtctyJ5Sm_C9wWO48/s1600/image+(15).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIMQvmNbHH0tyHHVHw0gimpU1WP-a3irskVpA8nobhyphenhyphenBdNF7JjLlcnpHa-n1080sCkMgJ-QEe4vVVJiHQDqXBDoAwwbk9bbWc_Ztb7-kFoiQZ0cnvx1noUclJSpDtctyJ5Sm_C9wWO48/s320/image+(15).jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Short phone calls from my favorite Marine</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxMbP5p9zqJazObdiOcbqGa2HmxvImF2yJ8yrsBs5Q2p6fCzJJ3FWad9twV1koKMWq-02KnVT_I0SeJK6kwHXbyYBMnb2X6H6ia5xUproMhPeL5VWNbr0qzyIqaXurYjQn2FeX6DY_w8/s1600/image+(8).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxMbP5p9zqJazObdiOcbqGa2HmxvImF2yJ8yrsBs5Q2p6fCzJJ3FWad9twV1koKMWq-02KnVT_I0SeJK6kwHXbyYBMnb2X6H6ia5xUproMhPeL5VWNbr0qzyIqaXurYjQn2FeX6DY_w8/s320/image+(8).jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and pics from his phone, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">showing us his homesick face...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIUmD5d0zjcJGRTNf9b8S6TLDPNPfcaDqYAHRJ7eNqvbYVOoyczuqsv-97mUYvS2qbCBx2MXQaj7Yi9hQacTh91wfok9CjSLu0otqBh4iLE0x3HCHzcZnm8nJzn1gp7qZHmzzCQzwZ-E/s1600/image+(2).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIUmD5d0zjcJGRTNf9b8S6TLDPNPfcaDqYAHRJ7eNqvbYVOoyczuqsv-97mUYvS2qbCBx2MXQaj7Yi9hQacTh91wfok9CjSLu0otqBh4iLE0x3HCHzcZnm8nJzn1gp7qZHmzzCQzwZ-E/s320/image+(2).jpeg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A <i>bad-girl</i> who likes to taunt us</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-l_ryp3sPXi8d7E8jwN1T2sckGrZofWwTV27uqstLsVszBUOHuSg2e3zkdLeExQOkreUFeSbbNxTkefPKfvEQcD9Uxpfge28EVj349XzGjK4oxjlJS23LiT4v-3CrlS087WRZRTyeB6w/s1600/image+(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-l_ryp3sPXi8d7E8jwN1T2sckGrZofWwTV27uqstLsVszBUOHuSg2e3zkdLeExQOkreUFeSbbNxTkefPKfvEQcD9Uxpfge28EVj349XzGjK4oxjlJS23LiT4v-3CrlS087WRZRTyeB6w/s200/image+(1).jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwS5LUq8XpKHQWPUl_1MfF2MZ3SFx99DFBoW-oAxGsMMEQfhJ_VJPgfP_4RZpbq1Y5ipAPsJPjPzRfGzUfLNsUhUskYhtgdhSkI0297l2E-4NsC_mwHw-rzMMnuNFEemAUv8uPmaFi4Lk/s1600/image+(9).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwS5LUq8XpKHQWPUl_1MfF2MZ3SFx99DFBoW-oAxGsMMEQfhJ_VJPgfP_4RZpbq1Y5ipAPsJPjPzRfGzUfLNsUhUskYhtgdhSkI0297l2E-4NsC_mwHw-rzMMnuNFEemAUv8uPmaFi4Lk/s320/image+(9).jpeg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">proof that he is turning into quite the husband </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjinazPChIorktuxq217RNfaZdyOsqutsvgWfDkhBsrU5_vw89pE6cb5fGbNBJkHQfzxkLinuJdujErKq5V8FdGWKTALaBLaby1y7Fx9yd8ZUWgttYhJL8Km4_Cc4YLl0I21a-2G1DlEY/s1600/photo+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjinazPChIorktuxq217RNfaZdyOsqutsvgWfDkhBsrU5_vw89pE6cb5fGbNBJkHQfzxkLinuJdujErKq5V8FdGWKTALaBLaby1y7Fx9yd8ZUWgttYhJL8Km4_Cc4YLl0I21a-2G1DlEY/s320/photo+%25289%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">fun with her</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65vUGPcAdGQ2gJaAHbGM-a4PbG8yuif7Sr0N7DIqKAojjSwPPSmAzEo7MLynaTAr9w4CvUiy-Rv63QFdMoqVzkw8PpPC6GcOb56LLC8ZOrQGlY21ZBjU_gzgsARU-QWfRZdqAn1fZJz8/s1600/photo+(13).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65vUGPcAdGQ2gJaAHbGM-a4PbG8yuif7Sr0N7DIqKAojjSwPPSmAzEo7MLynaTAr9w4CvUiy-Rv63QFdMoqVzkw8PpPC6GcOb56LLC8ZOrQGlY21ZBjU_gzgsARU-QWfRZdqAn1fZJz8/s320/photo+(13).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">a daily dose of these...</span></div>
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{this is what I see every morning on the way back from taking Emma to school}</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_AGcvDjzK8x7ocN2bNkn1DHDuks4HqfnEDW5t3Q-Z3ffl3KLdInYUDA4waFchTwUwpOJ5fROnHiZHQi3PDp08-VX9atEI_kd3LzBmFDdtNpoEJoStOF2HTo2UzyPilyofHK9cTu1tnI/s1600/frametastic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_AGcvDjzK8x7ocN2bNkn1DHDuks4HqfnEDW5t3Q-Z3ffl3KLdInYUDA4waFchTwUwpOJ5fROnHiZHQi3PDp08-VX9atEI_kd3LzBmFDdtNpoEJoStOF2HTo2UzyPilyofHK9cTu1tnI/s320/frametastic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And just this weekend, this...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YnhCTw75Emuz5GosHwSBYpuhIN3oMFK0vRRpv-ACUCINp3pKcmJ8GSwc2Vzck3Dr1sR5LFF28utbqHnJBeSms3e439ea12Yw3tgHx7rcjiGaYZjaU79hM0ZBKgRa_dnS6Gnk9S2QhhQ/s1600/image+(12).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YnhCTw75Emuz5GosHwSBYpuhIN3oMFK0vRRpv-ACUCINp3pKcmJ8GSwc2Vzck3Dr1sR5LFF28utbqHnJBeSms3e439ea12Yw3tgHx7rcjiGaYZjaU79hM0ZBKgRa_dnS6Gnk9S2QhhQ/s320/image+(12).jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">dressing up this gorgeous space</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcXUL3onlqF7IhLRAA5eEMTOUjdz5YLvXwA7flsh_LppAHJ0P1zzM5VAUTmWlLdrY4z0hIGiKAuapbyAX7YNtnqDpABTNxhM7YKqBm_hEBfw0FLZZVcl4NVouN6IvDuLLGrFI6UnLsHY/s1600/image+%252811%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcXUL3onlqF7IhLRAA5eEMTOUjdz5YLvXwA7flsh_LppAHJ0P1zzM5VAUTmWlLdrY4z0hIGiKAuapbyAX7YNtnqDpABTNxhM7YKqBm_hEBfw0FLZZVcl4NVouN6IvDuLLGrFI6UnLsHY/s320/image+%252811%2529.jpeg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">to celebrate the unveiling of</span> <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/" target="_blank">this</a>...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUAZjDblfNB8BLNvIpRSeDKjqDZOdzumuj6bcjFUbpN2-Kj9QfpFF6VxAZppAbaBwTLTdKe3nj_gqGyF8Er6sEJixBr__H-m6r5gyMt5CtcgHcq85FrFuK19Ho6YaTb0UahPD-pLkkHU/s1600/image+%252813%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUAZjDblfNB8BLNvIpRSeDKjqDZOdzumuj6bcjFUbpN2-Kj9QfpFF6VxAZppAbaBwTLTdKe3nj_gqGyF8Er6sEJixBr__H-m6r5gyMt5CtcgHcq85FrFuK19Ho6YaTb0UahPD-pLkkHU/s320/image+%252813%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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the <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/" target="_blank">Neighborlies</a>...</div>
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a new little neighborhood gathering together online.</div>
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<br /></div>
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My life is <i>full</i> and sometimes </div>
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<i>plain</i></div>
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and <i>simple</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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But it's mine and I'm happy to embrace it as it is. </div>
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Thank goodness my phone goes with me everywhere.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">moments in time, preserved forever..</span></i></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-29379869704433838662013-02-12T14:11:00.004-05:002013-02-12T14:13:43.249-05:00Unproductive Tuesdays...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Tuesdays are my days off. I look forward to them and often plan to do nothing but stay in my quiet house. </div>
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I often have grand illusions of writing and reading and catching up with the parts of my home that get neglected while I'm working. But most of the time I don't even get halfway through my mental list and I'm not really sure why time doesn't stand still when I am at home like it does when I am <i>not</i> at home. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><i>There is never enough time here!</i></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> My computer was in the ER recently. Literally wouldn't wake up, so a friend's husband did a little electrical CPR and she is back with us, but still doing some funky things. {for instance, since I've been typing, the cursor has re-positioned itself randomly and made a jumbled mess of words twice!} Weird...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm trying to focus my thoughts to catch up with some writing I need to catch up on for a new project my friend, <a href="http://thecoffeecottage.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jeane</a>, has invited me {and 8 other women} to join her in. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_-7xFt3Jrsn-OOheV25uzDT70rgEX4nSr8CR9YyHtxx9lYsb6gMfCW1fMwpO7ZVoeXngw4zBEOS6TbIg_fjb28u__cUL5Fnqj9MGpFc5p8oEdHT74Lbvyh9MxfMcDj7-iCn3VmHF_IQ/s1600/photo+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_-7xFt3Jrsn-OOheV25uzDT70rgEX4nSr8CR9YyHtxx9lYsb6gMfCW1fMwpO7ZVoeXngw4zBEOS6TbIg_fjb28u__cUL5Fnqj9MGpFc5p8oEdHT74Lbvyh9MxfMcDj7-iCn3VmHF_IQ/s320/photo+(6).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's called "<a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/" target="_blank">Neighborlies</a>", and it is an online magazine that will have its debut in just a few weeks. </span></div>
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You can read Jeane's words about <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/" target="_blank">Neighborlies</a> over at the <a href="http://thecoffeecottage.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-new-thing.html" target="_blank">Coffee Cottage</a>...</div>
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<br /></div>
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We're working through all of the background, preliminary stuff right now, and we all agree it can be tedious and overwhelming. But we have a web designer amongst us and I don't mind admitting that </div>
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the look and feel of the website is awesome!</div>
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Now that my computer is back in working order I have no more excuses but to complete the assignments given to me....except that I have serious writer's block and nothing good to say today. Figures.</div>
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Stay tuned here for more information forthcoming about the <a href="http://www.neighborlies.com/" target="_blank">website</a>..</div>
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or "like" us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Neighborlies/382608428490694?fref=ts" target="_blank">facebook</a> for the latest updates.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"People have discovered that they can fool the devil; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">but they can't fool the neighbors" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Francis Bacon</span></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-63648697629913175492013-01-22T12:15:00.003-05:002013-01-22T22:41:57.251-05:00The decline of a nation that claims it stands for justice...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I couldn't help but notice some of the words that President Obama effortlessly </div>
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spoke during his Inaugural speech yesterday...</div>
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things like:</div>
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"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune. "</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">AND</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">{btw...that little girl is only free AFTER she is born. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">She is not free..or equal..or an American while in her mother's womb. Not to mention the part -"in the eyes of God but ALSO IN OUR OWN".}</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">AND</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">{DO we? Really?}</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">AND</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm. "</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">{This does not include unborn children, either}</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">He spoke of </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">"human dignity and justice"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">And he ended with</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Thank you, God Bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">In light of today's Anniversary of Roe v. Wade I can't help but wonder if that very same God</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">may, in fact, take offense to having his name brought up in this speech</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">when He so obviously has not been included in some pretty important decisions our country has made.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">How dare we ask Him to bless what we have so selfishly taken upon our own to decide...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">when we have killed what He has created- </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">do we really have a right to ask Him to </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">BLESS US FOREVER?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are a lot of things that politicians and the media speak of that I do not feel qualified to speak up on </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">but this one thing I know...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">the continual legalization and slaughter of innocent babies is not okay. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I sit with young women weekly who regret their choice to end the life of their unborn babies.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">They mourn what could have been...what should have been.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">They have nightmares</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">and guilt</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">and depression</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">and contemplate suicide</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">They want to turn back time and have a do-over.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This country that "promotes" human dignity and justice</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">has failed these young women by giving them the choice of abortion...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and then leaving them to pick up the pieces of regret for years.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't often rant about current issues here...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but this one hits close to my heart. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't believe the lies that abortion doesn't hurt anyone.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't believe that once it is done, it is over.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today...on an Anniversary that should be anything but celebrated,</span></span></div>
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let's not ask God to bless us,</div>
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but rather ask Him to show us a way out of the mess we've gotten ourselves into.</div>
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<br /></div>
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It's never too late to do the right thing...</div>
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but let's stop trying to cover over it by asking to be blessed forever instead.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Interesting reading <a href="http://www.lifenews.com/2013/01/22/40-years-of-roe-vs-wade-abortions-war-on-possibility/" target="_blank">here</a></span><br />
and <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/we-know-they-are-killing-children-all-of-us-know" target="_blank">here</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://networkedblogs.com/Hpx41" target="_blank">THIS</a> is what happens when a Nation turns their back..</div>
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It's time to stop celebrating our freedoms and rights</div>
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and start standing up for what IS right</div>
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It's time to stop turning a blind eye to the reality </div>
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and get real and honest.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It's time to stop...</span></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-73768089106854563872013-01-15T09:43:00.001-05:002013-01-15T09:43:23.153-05:00Holding me steady...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I re-read Psalm 63...searching for the phrase that holds me</div>
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the words that push me to be what I'm not</div>
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Steady</div>
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And the thing is, before I can be steady-</div>
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there are those other words...</div>
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"I hold on to You for dear life"</div>
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<br /></div>
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And even when I think I am holding on for dear life,</div>
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obviously, I'm not...</div>
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because some days I feel anything but steady.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Some days when I lean too heavy into the unknowns of the future</div>
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when I feel a burden to say too much to someone who doesn't want to hear</div>
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when I carry deep a feeling that <i>all is not right</i> with those I love....</div>
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on <i>those</i> days</div>
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days like today...</div>
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I need a reminder to let go of what I'm carrying in my hands</div>
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and hold on to You for dear life...</div>
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<br /></div>
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And sometimes I have to repeat the words</div>
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even when I don't <i>feel</i> the words</div>
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Because I want to live the words </div>
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and sometimes living just takes mental practice...</div>
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<br /></div>
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And so I repeat...</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"God—you’re my God!</span></div>
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<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-63-1" style="position: relative;">I can’t get enough of you!</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-63-1" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">I've</span> worked up such hunger and thirst for God,</div>
</span><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-63-1" style="position: relative;">traveling across dry and weary deserts.</span></div>
</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="indent-1"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-63-2-Ps-63-4" style="position: relative;">drinking in your strength and glory.</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-63-2-Ps-63-4" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
In your generous love I am really living at last!</div>
</span><span class="indent-1"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-63-2-Ps-63-4" style="position: relative;">My lips brim praises like fountains.</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-63-2-Ps-63-4" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
I bless you every time I take a breath;</div>
</span><span class="indent-1"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-63-2-Ps-63-4" style="position: relative;">My arms wave like banners of praise to you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I eat my fill of prime rib and gravy;</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-63-5-Ps-63-8" style="position: relative;">I smack my lips. It’s time to shout praises!</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-63-5-Ps-63-8" style="font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
If I’m sleepless at midnight,</div>
</span><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-63-5-Ps-63-8" style="position: relative;">I spend the hours in grateful reflection.</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-63-5-Ps-63-8" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Because you've always stood up for me,</div>
</span><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-63-5-Ps-63-8" style="position: relative;">I’m free to run and play.</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-63-5-Ps-63-8" style="font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>I hold on to you for dear life,</i></b></div>
</span></span><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> </span></span><span _idv_element_hash="9675120" class="text Ps-63-5-Ps-63-8" style="position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and you hold me steady as a pos</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">t...'</span></span></i></b></div>
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<span _idv_element_hash="9675120" class="text Ps-63-5-Ps-63-8" style="position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Psalm 63</span></span></div>
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<span _idv_element_hash="9675120" class="text Ps-63-5-Ps-63-8" style="position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-16848755774933600422013-01-02T00:12:00.000-05:002013-01-02T00:19:22.234-05:00New Year Praise...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><em><strong>2013</strong></em></span></div>
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For the last few years I've started the New Year asking for a word to focus on...</div>
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what I hear is usually something that I have either been </div>
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working on</div>
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or </div>
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NEED to be working on.</div>
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</div>
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2011 was the year of </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><strong>JOY</strong></span></div>
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<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ma5wLwiaVP9vQiDYYNLlDnVIZ-p8oVlLermZOVhOmv_bM1DL_MK1zPHukBsmgI98jESi_TNevFjahNdPHEwmDk3hPTLyev8uDZ6ErrXpH9MHQemqelTk62enJUCIezczEd90tVHCCqU/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></div>
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And throughout the year there were many times that I was reminded to <em>choose joy,</em></div>
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rather than</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">complain</span> </div>
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or <span style="font-size: large;">despair </span></div>
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or<span style="font-size: large;"> worry</span></div>
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Not that I always chose JOY...</div>
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but I knew it was the response GOD wanted me to make into a habit.</div>
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2012 was the year of </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>TRUST</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGv_9GZxWmKOX1hQ3hbgtWewGJRGwIbMP9twif5c5RNV6sUx-AHZxTp4igKmE1rntv_Vr4EJb3ypf3qvUYNwvazn-nbSYioY-dflCIu0fi54YxK-wRQrijhyphenhyphenFt8P6L28EFrhW3f7VLjg/s1600/Picnik+collage-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGv_9GZxWmKOX1hQ3hbgtWewGJRGwIbMP9twif5c5RNV6sUx-AHZxTp4igKmE1rntv_Vr4EJb3ypf3qvUYNwvazn-nbSYioY-dflCIu0fi54YxK-wRQrijhyphenhyphenFt8P6L28EFrhW3f7VLjg/s320/Picnik+collage-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
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and as I look back now and can see the whole year from the other side,</div>
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I realize that God was preparing me, way back in January, for many changes and unknowns.</div>
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There were many times that I had to reread the scripture above in Proverbs..</div>
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I especially came to like how The Message worded these verses.</div>
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</div>
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"Trust <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> from the bottom of your heart;</div>
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">don’t try to figure out everything on your own.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">Listen for <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">he’s the one who will keep you on track.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">Don’t assume that you know it all.</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">Run to <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>!"</span></span><br />
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12"></span></span> </div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">Many a day I needed to remember that, while things felt out of control to me,</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">God had not turned His eyes away from me or my family...</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">and I could TRUST Him to handle all of the unknowns.</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12"></span></span> </div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">When <a href="http://consumemefromtheinsideout.blogspot.com/2012/01/tomorrowwhen-time-comes.html" target="_blank">Nick announced he wanted to be a Marine</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGO23Vh_4gdR-kZb_YqK2zIrk_5TlLQjp0I-vgNdw_zbEoR4nhpGu5Fl1XxJcCyJFsWGlgxxKSJC95JmsNdoJI-qbmkbh-TRNtCqnd5XTCWpF_R8Mv9aP4ySoaZdjg8LJ1DZK65Gv8sQg/s1600/parris+island+27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGO23Vh_4gdR-kZb_YqK2zIrk_5TlLQjp0I-vgNdw_zbEoR4nhpGu5Fl1XxJcCyJFsWGlgxxKSJC95JmsNdoJI-qbmkbh-TRNtCqnd5XTCWpF_R8Mv9aP4ySoaZdjg8LJ1DZK65Gv8sQg/s320/parris+island+27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12"></span></span> </div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">and when</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">Alex announced he would wed his love during Nick's 10 day leave</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12"></span></span> </div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">or Emma sat behind the wheel of my car for the first time</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnldryC76sgNvIitoLaxPZrNXVXMJtmavfJqmB6siRJhgpyQOhN0-6i7jqa_2lwbjEvP3g0VD9uO0je5WRspPUIc_0u8LVSNquycrVXRZUq_SelnTTEtNYZeITz_BfDX1jLVRMKHmc5Bo/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnldryC76sgNvIitoLaxPZrNXVXMJtmavfJqmB6siRJhgpyQOhN0-6i7jqa_2lwbjEvP3g0VD9uO0je5WRspPUIc_0u8LVSNquycrVXRZUq_SelnTTEtNYZeITz_BfDX1jLVRMKHmc5Bo/s320/002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then...and many, many more times throughout the year</div>
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I needed to remember to TRUST God's hand and His heart for us.</div>
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</div>
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So this year it was time to ask for a new word..</div>
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and the word that kept coming to me was</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">PRAISE</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
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One never knows how many changes one year can bring...</div>
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I suppose if I really thought about it I'd find a lot of reasons to be</div>
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anxious or worry or question...</div>
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But since it helps nothing to borrow from what </div>
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I don't yet need to deal with, I won't.</div>
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</div>
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Today is enough</div>
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and today I choose to PRAISE</div>
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And I'll do my best to choose it again </div>
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tomorrow </div>
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and throughout the coming year</div>
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</div>
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Even when things don't make sense</div>
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when I am surprised by new changes</div>
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or shocked </div>
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or afraid</div>
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or concerned</div>
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or unsure</div>
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or lonely...</div>
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I'll choose to PRAISE the One who orchestrates all of life</div>
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and all that comes with it</div>
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I already know there will be days I won't want to Praise...</div>
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and I know that there may very well be good reason why </div>
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this year's word is PRAISE..</div>
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because, chances are, there will come a day when </div>
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something unexpected will force me </div>
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to have to trust that God sees something I can not..</div>
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and it will only be because I've made a decision to PRAISE, </div>
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that I'll be able to...</div>
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for all of these reasons,</div>
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and ones I've yet to know...</div>
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</div>
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2012 had some pretty hard things to swallow for our family...</div>
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but there were great days </div>
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and moments that we will share together in our memories</div>
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We learned to be flexible </div>
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to breathe deep in the moment</div>
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and we learned a little bit more about what it means to</div>
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TRUST</div>
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</div>
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But now...</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"I hereby declare the year 2013 to be </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the Hershey house's year of </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong>PRAISE</strong>"</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
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"Are you listening, dear people? </div>
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I’m getting ready to speak;</div>
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<span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15">This is God, your God,</span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15">speaking to you...</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15"><strong>Spread for me a banquet of praise,</strong></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15">serve High God a feast of kept promises,</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15">And call for help when you’re in trouble—</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15">I’ll help you, and you’ll honor me.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15">Time’s up for playing fast and<br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23">loose with me.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23">I’m ready to pass sentence,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23">and there’s no help in sight!</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23"><strong>It’s the praising life that honors me.</strong></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23">As soon as you set your foot on the Way,</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23">I’ll show you my salvation.”</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-50-7-Ps-50-15"><span class="text Ps-50-22-Ps-50-23">Psalm 50</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-22264857109039373672012-12-08T09:08:00.001-05:002012-12-08T09:08:50.215-05:00All is sacred..."And what God had cleaned, she could not call common again — her there in a sacred mess of grace"<br />
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Words of wisdom from AnnV this morning...thank you. <br />
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http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/12/the-best-way-to-do-christmas-cleaningTerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-885064860839851332012-12-06T10:55:00.000-05:002012-12-06T10:55:27.272-05:00The Crucible<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today marks the beginning of the end of Nick's 3 month Boot Camp sequestering. I'm not sure that's even a word...but that's how it feels on this end. He has been separate from family and friends and, but for 15 letters, has been silent to us. We've all had it up to <span style="font-size: large;">HERE</span>...</div>
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and so today could not come quick enough for us.</div>
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Today starts the dreaded 54 hour <a href="https://www.mcrdpi.usmc.mil/SitePages/crucible.aspx" target="_blank">Crucible</a>. </div>
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{Crucible- "noun- a vessel made of material that does not melt easily"}</div>
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His last letters have admitted some anxiety over the unknown and the fear of injury or illness</div>
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that would cause Graduation Day to change. </div>
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When all I can do is offer <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+28%3A7&version=NIV" target="_blank">words of encouragement</a></div>
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I resolve my thoughts that</div>
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it is enough.</div>
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My mom-heart aches with the knowledge that my child is in pain and is </div>
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homesick and just wants to feel freedom...</div>
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But signing up meant</div>
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signing over...</div>
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for both of us.</div>
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And when I lay in bed and cannot recall having had caffeine for hours</div>
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and cannot for the life of me figure out why I am still awake....</div>
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and then awake again...</div>
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I realize that when something is a part of you-</div>
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even when that something is a grown 19 year old young man-</div>
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You cannot shake their pain,</div>
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because it's grafted in.</div>
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Their pain is your pain.</div>
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Their anxiety is by default, yours.</div>
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And so I acknowledge that the pounding heart is not coffee-induced</div>
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it is my reminder </div>
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my ever present reminder</div>
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I'm a mom...</div>
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and I must again take every thought captive</div>
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and breathe deep...</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">deeper</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<sup class="versenum" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; text-align: start; vertical-align: top;"> "</sup><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Philippians 4:7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
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So even when I have reminded myself of this hour upon hour through the night</div>
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and even when I wake with <i>still</i>, that pounding heart of unintentional anxiety...</div>
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there are these words that breathe peace through my frame.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Trusting Him to "<i>settle me down</i>" all throughout the next 2 1/2 days</div>
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because apparently my mind and my body are not in sync.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoytxIkzgja7jD8b-6EO1TmzW8WyxaBgYHAVeNsyLq0Ej0mcDCzgbj1CbZGoYhkIYsu9u0imxJ7NWkm6IqsuwwsDlcpwmdAL05typPeH-_SmMOZyWnCUg_ZcvXk2iTavMGndf7h-heaTE/s1600/And-she-loved-a-little-boy-very-very-much-even-more-than-she-loved-herself.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoytxIkzgja7jD8b-6EO1TmzW8WyxaBgYHAVeNsyLq0Ej0mcDCzgbj1CbZGoYhkIYsu9u0imxJ7NWkm6IqsuwwsDlcpwmdAL05typPeH-_SmMOZyWnCUg_ZcvXk2iTavMGndf7h-heaTE/s320/And-she-loved-a-little-boy-very-very-much-even-more-than-she-loved-herself.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-18688088135910627202012-11-29T09:25:00.001-05:002012-11-29T09:25:41.541-05:00Trying to see...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Inevitably, it happens to almost all of us</div>
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and it happened to me, too...</div>
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the words on a page used to be so easy to see</div>
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and now suddenly, not.</div>
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I am not sure how one can have 20/20 vision and still need these...</div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ5qnlszWTDDuFkwIRoxZrCu1YZdQCVjInNOclgz0Tucqrnrk0_l4PZZVdr9jqjY359SkODPkPQortokvkFcMTj6uyVHlfFpK0lJwSFUzRaeU4UL6KRhSaJD30Lpdna8cV3weP4cJdJAk/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ5qnlszWTDDuFkwIRoxZrCu1YZdQCVjInNOclgz0Tucqrnrk0_l4PZZVdr9jqjY359SkODPkPQortokvkFcMTj6uyVHlfFpK0lJwSFUzRaeU4UL6KRhSaJD30Lpdna8cV3weP4cJdJAk/s200/009.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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but, it happens...</div>
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And it's funny how a little reading glass with a 1.0 prescription can make a difference</div>
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Who knew? </div>
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I fought it for months, </div>
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feigning perfect vision</div>
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Now, </div>
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when I read or stare at the screen</div>
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the words are brighter and I see more clearly...</div>
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Because of the pace of life right now</div>
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I'm trying to see other things more clearly, too.</div>
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You'd think with less kids in the house there'd be more time </div>
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but with more working hours</div>
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and a full sports schedule</div>
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and just day to day life-</div>
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it seems like there's never enough hours in the day to just </div>
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<i>SEE</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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Every morning, on the way home from the school drop-off,</div>
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I pass this field</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGS7YtaaOeUQx1zdnG_v9nSVsR7jj9hejDfx9q9GoEBhNpY3D9NXENm-ha3h0l7XOkLy8wDLhyphenhyphenO7hQrrxAJTMhgmEk8cjOXfR-UsBK8hZBEgd_bDJdpY-mGi24O6J9MB_XTr2bJJpeKo4/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGS7YtaaOeUQx1zdnG_v9nSVsR7jj9hejDfx9q9GoEBhNpY3D9NXENm-ha3h0l7XOkLy8wDLhyphenhyphenO7hQrrxAJTMhgmEk8cjOXfR-UsBK8hZBEgd_bDJdpY-mGi24O6J9MB_XTr2bJJpeKo4/s320/001.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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And because it's wide open and over my left shoulder</div>
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I cannot help but be reminded that</div>
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<i>as the sun rises again</i></div>
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I have a new chance to breathe in all that a day holds</div>
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with eyes that really <i>see </i>what is<i> </i>around me</div>
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Before a day is spent behind closed doors </div>
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in an office with no windows</div>
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there is this sunrise...</div>
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this slowing down panoramic picture</div>
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that reminds me that I am still one of the little people</div>
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in a great big world</div>
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and I need to remember my place..</div>
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and slow down my pace</div>
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and see His Almighty hand </div>
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right there</div>
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in front of me.</div>
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In the harried busyness is where I lose myself...</div>
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I am found</div>
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<i>HE</i> is found </div>
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in the slow, open-eyed gaze </div>
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of a life that stops to notice.</div>
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It doesn't come naturally to me in this schedule that I am still trying to get used to...</div>
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I <i>see</i> only when I slow to listen..</div>
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He beckons,</div>
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but so often I miss Him..</div>
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so busy just trying to keep things steady.</div>
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Trying to do it alone and well..</div>
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Trying to parent well,</div>
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work well,</div>
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keep a home well,</div>
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encourage well...</div>
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"Only in the slowing, the sitting down at the table, when His hands held the bread and the thanks fell from His tongue, do the open-eyed, the wide-eyed, see the Face they face {Luke 24:13-36} The FAST have spiritually SLOW hearts...and I don't reach forward and I don't reach back and I weigh the moment down with full attention here...<i>I want to slow down and taste life, give thanks, and see God</i>..." Ann Voskamp</div>
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Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-47969546915939336812012-11-13T11:36:00.003-05:002012-11-13T11:36:38.743-05:00All things {NEW}...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was pretty excited to see the rain this morning. </div>
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Thought it would be pretty great to spend my day off burrowed inside, </div>
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wrapped up in a warm blanket with coffee and a good book...</div>
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Until I remembered that today's the day that my house gets invaded by a bunch of stranger-men.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I dream of the day some man walks in my house and asks if he can stay...</div>
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but these are not THAT kind of man. </div>
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These are here to blow insulation into my attic, </div>
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which I am finding out is a huge production and apparently with all the extra work they have found, </div>
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could take a couple of DAYS...</div>
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which can only mean that I will have to share ANOTHER day off with these fine gentlemen.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">{Insert grateful, yet disappointed attitude, here.}</span></div>
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So, since I can't use either bathroom or walk down any hallway without bumping into a stranger,</div>
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I'm holding myself hostage in the back room with my computer and my favorite warm blanket.</div>
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There's only so much I can do back here, but since sitting at my computer makes me look busy, </div>
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I'll do this.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I think it's time to give the blog a makeover...it looks too cheery and cutesy.</div>
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So I thought I would change it up and give it a cleaner look...</div>
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except the link to change the background has completely disappeared and </div>
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I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get rid of what you are presently looking at.</div>
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And while trying to figure that out, I somehow messed up the title font and that can't seem to</div>
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change back either. </div>
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So I'm 0 for 2.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I'll try something else.</div>
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I've been doing a lot of reminiscing lately. </div>
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I'm working on a project with a group of ladies that has me doing a lot of thinking about my past.</div>
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I don't like to think about the ugly details, so I don't very often,</div>
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but the reality of over a decade of singleness can't be ignored...</div>
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it is just part of my life story.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And while I don't like to dwell on what caused my single life, </div>
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ignoring it can cause me to forget God's faithfulness throughout the </div>
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journey of pain, rejection and healing...</div>
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So I've been remembering the good stuff that came out of the pain</div>
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and sometimes remembering is good</div>
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and soul-feeding. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">{When life as we knew it changed}</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0SjHpkL8HZfcEWLfTB7CDXwmENI6BBfkp51Df_rcBe7eBJDZE8KMYHgnXg_ubyjxZ-7yUmnGK51PgiwKyLr9cWlNLtmFrN5Bkl3tN2BXa974QPUvwcL2Zm4d-UVipN0VmzaIxVIaBqE/s1600/182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0SjHpkL8HZfcEWLfTB7CDXwmENI6BBfkp51Df_rcBe7eBJDZE8KMYHgnXg_ubyjxZ-7yUmnGK51PgiwKyLr9cWlNLtmFrN5Bkl3tN2BXa974QPUvwcL2Zm4d-UVipN0VmzaIxVIaBqE/s320/182.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">{Today}</span></div>
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Sometimes it is what you need so that you can <i>remember</i> that </div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">you never want to go back</span></div>
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to the way things were before.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But not wanting to go back doesn't mean that you don't long for some of the same.</div>
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I long for some of the same..</div>
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but in a more healthy, LIFE-producing way.</div>
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Something Sacred that includes </div>
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commitment </div>
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and honor </div>
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and promises kept.</div>
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And I won't settle for less </div>
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or compromise because I'm tired of doing life alone.</div>
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Reminiscing always brings me back to these same thoughts..</div>
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and if I dwell on them too long</div>
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it's not good for me.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But if I stay just long enough, it keeps me on track and </div>
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reminds me that God is still in the business of creating </div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">all things new</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">and I'm good with that because I could use </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">a little something new some days.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367915696106059713.post-50948355548934774412012-10-09T12:29:00.002-04:002012-10-09T12:29:31.021-04:00Quiet, no laundry and counting...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's quieter around our house these days...</div>
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and there's less laundry in the hamper.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I like quiet</div>
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and I hate laundry.</div>
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And even though the reasons behind the realities are far from my favorite...</div>
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It's a good day</div>
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I just decided this right now.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Look at me,</div>
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being all serendipitous!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bhzpu_rrcToUhgdMIWTEsw1hnjsMQYDDcl0AK3ren5yT1ZzTN9pI9M3ygJfSPX9xBOc107CBoM8xnB58i4w-JDL5Gy0UHOpWwadRlanJgH6xPCw-W5trskpDK1s4BAzVhwv6paT1LW8/s1600/146296687864926348_7lcjP9KE_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bhzpu_rrcToUhgdMIWTEsw1hnjsMQYDDcl0AK3ren5yT1ZzTN9pI9M3ygJfSPX9xBOc107CBoM8xnB58i4w-JDL5Gy0UHOpWwadRlanJgH6xPCw-W5trskpDK1s4BAzVhwv6paT1LW8/s320/146296687864926348_7lcjP9KE_c.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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In other news...</div>
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Someone is having a sixteenth birthday this week</div>
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I know this because every time I turn on my phone I am reminded...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQYYdj6NCYUFkYmBmoGsIrYbCvuprd4qlIxcbGtAPSq0rH5Q7HpJmA9VH_uYij9weQWrF1Nqik3XPpsvwIfuEKc4e4NVpr8j4gqQouVBJ2FidouW1BiOtfRdh-lWQ_ZuAE9J0qn62jrA/s1600/photo.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQYYdj6NCYUFkYmBmoGsIrYbCvuprd4qlIxcbGtAPSq0rH5Q7HpJmA9VH_uYij9weQWrF1Nqik3XPpsvwIfuEKc4e4NVpr8j4gqQouVBJ2FidouW1BiOtfRdh-lWQ_ZuAE9J0qn62jrA/s320/photo.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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1 day, 19 hours, 52 minutes and 22 seconds from now</div>
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I will officially have another eligible driver in my house....sigh.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Driver's Ed rates right up there with potty training, as far as I'm concerned.</div>
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<br /></div>
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This is also being counted down...</div>
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<br /></div>
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As is this...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfTeEmpE7GECoa84i4ZZHZqzXl5Xg_-AuSqVC2AqHTZhDSvSISzgafZann1DMBy594t8TgWsBbSJWuTUmjz3rXKshbGAZnBq_p63dwZBf0hjsffAwVoxV3zksWNqP4w6DYZKH1zh_ceg/s1600/photo+%25281%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfTeEmpE7GECoa84i4ZZHZqzXl5Xg_-AuSqVC2AqHTZhDSvSISzgafZann1DMBy594t8TgWsBbSJWuTUmjz3rXKshbGAZnBq_p63dwZBf0hjsffAwVoxV3zksWNqP4w6DYZKH1zh_ceg/s320/photo+%25281%2529.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
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There's a lot of counting going on around here...</div>
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But I'm trying to consider today and count it in, too.</div>
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I'm trying.</div>
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It's not easy with the pace we sometimes keep...</div>
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But I'm trying to </div>
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"consider it ALL joy"</div>
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even today.</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728658850056680038noreply@blogger.com2