Not Unlike Sophie's Choice

When given the choice between a clean mommy and 2 clean kids, I took the road most traveled and chose the clean kids.

Now I think I despise them for their cleanliness paraded around me in underwear and pull ups.

The White Noise of a Four and a Half Year Old

In all honesty, my son has been talking for 30 solid minutes.

It doesn't matter that I have been carrying on full conversations with my daughter while he has been talking.

It doesn't matter that I told him I needed to read something and couldn't listen.

He is still talking.

And if you asked me what he was talking about, I couldn't tell you.
But I think it involves guns. And cars. And launching something at someone.

And the sound effects are amazing.

Auditions, The Church and Ruffled Feathers

A writer I admire very much (and not just because he wrote King George and the Ducky" possibly the funniest of all the Veggie Tales although it really does carry some weight around my house) has been writing a series on auditions and the church.

His church is much larger than mine but still holds many of the same personalities. The kind being discussed here is those of the thinking that just because they want to/like to act or sing, they should be allowed to do so in a public forum such as Worship Team or a role in a play.

Sean Gaffney has been arguing that point. No, I don't like arguing as the word here. Instead I will say he has been providing backup and Biblical Foundations to show that not only is the audition process the only way that we can be sure that The Best is given to God when worshipping Him through acting and song but also that it was a Biblical example demonstrated by Jesus Himself.

It is powerful stuff. Moving and challenging to this drama team director who can be very picky but also has a soft heart for those who might enjoy the acting craft but don't necessarily have the talent to follow it up.

I suggest that even if you aren't into "The Arts" that you still read it. It is an amazing reminder about how we are supposed to offer God our "First Fruits," the VERY BEST of what we have to give. Whether it be our acting and singing or our ability to work with children or even just make coffee and set out donuts with a great love and efficiency.

We, as a church, are truly One Body. We must refuse to let the political correctness of "everyone who wants to play can play" invade that very example that was given to us by the Lord. Instead, we are meant to seek out and discover the gifts and talents we each have and help our church family do the same so that we can be the most effective Body of Christ possible.

I will list each day's entry here in order so you only have to click on the link. Please take the time to read them. Allow your mind to open up to a new way of thinking and be challenged to check yourself in your giving of your First Fruits. Should you feel inspired and moved, speak up and share your thoughts with Sean. Or, if you want to instead, sing him some lyrics... "Because I love my duck!"

Picky, Picky, Picky (Part One)

Auditions Part Two

Auditions Part Three

Auditions and the J-Man (Part Four)

And let me know what you think too.

A Story for Amy…

So I am driving home and while turning onto Twin Peaks Road, I see a REALLY COOL license plate!
I think to myself, “Wow! That’s cool! I bet Amy would think it was cool too!”
I continue driving.
I think about how when you SEE a really cool license plate, it is fun to tell people about it but it is waaaay cooler to be able to SHOW it to people.
I am still on the same route as this driver so I grab the camera phone.
I can’t get close enough.
I try zooming in.
It just isn’t working.
Hmmmmm.
Well, maybe she isn’t driving much past where I am driving….I could, um, follow her for a little bit.
So I follow her.
And follow her.
I am now 5 miles out of my way and I have 2 kids in my car wondering why we are not going home.
Well into the 6th mile, I realize that my camera phone just isn’t going to cut it in capturing this shot.
I glance into the front seat of my car.
Ohh! The Rebel XTI-my NEW camera is right there!
Isn’t it handy how the on/off switch is right where your thumb goes when you hold the camera?
I get to a stoplight.
I grab my camera.
I wonder if I am crazy.
FINALLY, the shutterbug/stalker gods smile on me and I am right behind the car whose license plate I want to show Amy!
I raise my camera.
And I realize I am driving WHILE LOOKING THROUGH MY CAMERA VIEWFINDER. I have now become one of those insane woman drivers you see on the 6 o’clock news.

BUT

I got the shot.



Well, I couldn't REALLY post the picture could I?
The crazy train honestly doesn't go to the end of the tracks.



UPDATE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO YELLED AT ME:
The anticlimactic end of the story is that the plate basically said she was a 3 Day Walker-as in Breast Cancer 3 Day. It was cool. But sometimes the journey is more fun than the destination.

14 Week Report...And it’s All Truth. Really.

I have had so many people asking me how I have been feeling lately. Many of them know this pregnancy has been harder on me than the last two and they are so kind and concerned.

However, I have never been much of a complainer.
                                                       (Honest. I'm not. SERIOUSLY, you guys!)
So I do will not recite to you a laundry list of problems I have been having (that are so very NOT unusual OR interesting to anyone except maybe my Mom.)

Let's instead say that pregnancy is a beautiful, wonderful and blessed event. Once I found I was pregnant, my children became well behaved and spend all day in harmony playing quiet board games at my feet whilst I read "What to Expect When You Are Expecting." My husband hired a chef so I will put only whole, organic and healthy foods into my blossoming belly and a maid to tidy up after the children. (Although I don't know why, they are already so very tidy on their own!) I retire to bed early, feeling peaceful that my house is in order and I arise with the late morning sun fully rested and content.

I recommend pregnancy to EVERYONE!

Isn't that nicer than hearing how many times a day I get to puke...even at Price Club? :)

 

Yep.

Beginning the Day on a Positive Note

Alternately Titled
How I Began My Day Today

I was awoken with the following phrase delivered by my Sweet Sweetness Nate the Great:

"*Gasp!* Mommy! Your armpit hair is almost as long as Daddy's!"

I know you all are jealous.

Edit: It was not ANYWHERE near that long.
I just have a dramatic kid.

Friday...Saturday...Sunday

Weekend Talking Points...discuss amoungst yourselves how amazing my life is.
(Hang on, I am laughing too hard to type.)

-I was asked to leave by the manager of Mimi's. I didn't put up a fight since they had closed about 45 minutes ago and were removing cushions from the booths and vacuuming the carpet.

-Took full advantage of the lack of Child Labor Laws in our home and had the kids clean the car with us. They bagged all their toys up and then we put them to work scrubbing the floor mats. After the mats were clean, they cleaned all their outside toys and got soaking wet in the process. We laid towels out on the front lawn and sunbathed and ate lunch picnic style. And then we took a loooong bath. It was one of those days that you never want to end.

-Took two wound up, clean and wiggly kids to the outlet mall in Carlsbad (along with two of our favorite twin 17 year olds) and went shoe shopping for David. Best part? When I lost Lucy in the shoe store and found her heading out the front door. Who had the brilliant idea to not bring the stroller?

-Laughed at the situation Sunday morning during band rehearsal as a hummbingbird flew around the Worship Center for over an hour. He mysteriously disappeared right before church started and I was waiting in anticipation for the bird to drop dead on someone's lap in the middle of the sermon.

-Watched Lucy Joy slide down a really big water slide and splash down in a pool of water. She REALLY didn't like it at first but after about 10 minutes, she was telling everyone what a big girl she was!

-Ahhh, a nice long nap.

-Said goodbye to a fish-Wando the plecostamous was in full rigor by the time we discovered him. Technically he is Wando Number Two since when the last one died we told NAthan that we took him to the pet store doctor to get all better. This time I told him the truth. He is handling it pretty well but gets a little sad now and then.

-Met a black widow. I opened the garage, began to walk out the garage to circle around to the drivers side when I almost ran into the decending spider WITH. MY. FACE. Alyssa jumped INside the car as quickly as possible and I called David to come rescue me. He squashed it with a hammer.

After that excitement, I went and....

-Watched meteors! Alyssa told us about the metor shower and after we discovered that there are just too many lights around my house, we went for a drive. It was amazing. We didn't see a TON but we saw two really big ones with tails that streched across the sky long after they were gone. It was simply breathtaking. The inside of the car had too much light too so we had to get creative to cover up the thermostat and clock. (Yeah, that's a diaper.)

Measuring the Levels of Wrongness

How wrong is it that after a really amazing sermon on evangelism (just the right amount of encouragement, conviction from The Spirit and practical tools) my pastor got to the last point:

Live Life With Flare (spelling intentional)

...and all I could think about was this:

"I don't like to talk about my flair."

And then, how wrong is it that my mind took the pieces of flair idea and ran down the street wondering what Christian Pieces of Flair might look like?

And that the only thing that brought me out of my "Office Space" Haze was the fact that I had to go to the stage and sing?

Oh Look, Something Shiny!

Anyone else, after painting their nails a beautiful pale shiny color, find themselves acting like a hand model while pouring their nighttime cereal snack in their kitchen with all the lights?











Oh yeah, um me neither. Noway.

Hey! Who left the Kix out overnight?