Watch, reflect and you'll see what this has to do with water issues in a minute.
11/30/2008
11/29/2008
Facing the Trojans
I admit, I'm nervous about this Rose Bowl. But I'd rather face USC than demolish Oregan State...AGAIN. And if the Nittany Lions play as well as they have been playing this year, they will win and prove to everyone that the Big 10 is not just Ohio State who gets killed in the big games.
Now that Thanksgiving is past I can focus on the Christmas holiday stuff. Except that silly me volunteered to speak at my grandfather's Rotary Club meeting next week. So I have to stress about that first. And of course there's the big party. And all the decorating. And Christmas cards. And gift buying. And I'd like to do some more photo shoots.
Yeah so I'm hoping my job can just kinda coast this month. Unlikely.
Now that Thanksgiving is past I can focus on the Christmas holiday stuff. Except that silly me volunteered to speak at my grandfather's Rotary Club meeting next week. So I have to stress about that first. And of course there's the big party. And all the decorating. And Christmas cards. And gift buying. And I'd like to do some more photo shoots.
Yeah so I'm hoping my job can just kinda coast this month. Unlikely.
11/25/2008
Happy Thanksgiving
Busy weekend. Birthday dinners and date night and kid birthday parties and church lunches. Seems like a blur now. In the meantime we have sniffly noses and yucky coughs. Except Mike, he seems fine.
I have enjoyed being very domestic lately, cooking for family and decorating the house. I finally started sending out invitations to a holiday open house in a few weeks, so I guess that means we're committed. My lovely neighbors offered to bring stuff, which is cool. I'm seriously ready to dive headfirst into Christmas, and we really need an extension ladder to put up our Christmas lights this year. It seems the common thing where we live is to hire some Mexicans to do it for you. I suppose this is a good option, especially if we don't have a ladder.
I mentioned my conflict over baptism in an earlier post. Well we attended a meeting for people interested in joining our church, and we were told we would have to be rebaptised to join. This may not seem like a big deal to some people, but it's a big deal to me and now I'm seriously conflicted about it...to the point that it's keeping me awake at night. I've been devouring theological reading material from many sources in recent weeks and it is only making me more frustrated. It's just so rare to find a church we feel comfortable and challenged in, and I'm not ready to bail on it just yet.
I have enjoyed being very domestic lately, cooking for family and decorating the house. I finally started sending out invitations to a holiday open house in a few weeks, so I guess that means we're committed. My lovely neighbors offered to bring stuff, which is cool. I'm seriously ready to dive headfirst into Christmas, and we really need an extension ladder to put up our Christmas lights this year. It seems the common thing where we live is to hire some Mexicans to do it for you. I suppose this is a good option, especially if we don't have a ladder.
I mentioned my conflict over baptism in an earlier post. Well we attended a meeting for people interested in joining our church, and we were told we would have to be rebaptised to join. This may not seem like a big deal to some people, but it's a big deal to me and now I'm seriously conflicted about it...to the point that it's keeping me awake at night. I've been devouring theological reading material from many sources in recent weeks and it is only making me more frustrated. It's just so rare to find a church we feel comfortable and challenged in, and I'm not ready to bail on it just yet.
11/20/2008
Walmart
First I must state for the record that I hate Walmart. Can't stand it, the last few times I've been there for an emergency reason I vowed never to return. The closest Walmart to our old house was in Audobon, a nice area between Collegeville and Norristown. The stores around it are all pretty decent, with even some good restaurants in the same plaza and across the street. You'd think it would be a nice Walmart. NOPE, it was always filthy dirty, with merchandise strewn about and missing all over the place. There was never anyone to help you. The store was always filled with lower income families with obnoxious children. This was my experience with every Walmart I'd ever been to.
Until today. We live in a very nice, NEW, upper income suburb of Houston. They are building tons of new subdivisions around us, and the retail is following. So they just built a brand new Walmart down the road a couple miles from me. It's kind of out in the middle of nowhere, not yet even surrounded by houses. So since it's so new I thought I'd check it out. I was impressed by the grocery selection, much more than even my favorite SuperTarget. The prices were good too. I was even impressed by some of the ladies clothes and the associated prices. Mainly because the store was empty and all the clothes were displayed SO NICELY. So I think I will be back...at least for a little while till the rest of the world catches on.
Until today. We live in a very nice, NEW, upper income suburb of Houston. They are building tons of new subdivisions around us, and the retail is following. So they just built a brand new Walmart down the road a couple miles from me. It's kind of out in the middle of nowhere, not yet even surrounded by houses. So since it's so new I thought I'd check it out. I was impressed by the grocery selection, much more than even my favorite SuperTarget. The prices were good too. I was even impressed by some of the ladies clothes and the associated prices. Mainly because the store was empty and all the clothes were displayed SO NICELY. So I think I will be back...at least for a little while till the rest of the world catches on.
11/19/2008
Happy Humpday
This photo is a reminder for MY FAMILY who supposedly is reading and might be so inclined, although not obligated, to put a card in the mail so it gets to me by Saturday. Some people, including me, have a very hard time remembering birthday cards in time for the pathetic USPS to do their job.
An aside; I'm rather annoyed by the USPS here in Katy. We have NO post office anywhere near us. I still have not located the closest one. I scheduled a package pickup from my house and my carrier failed to pick it up, resulting in it getting soaked by rain. When I called to complain I was told I have to call my "local" annex, only between 8-5pm. This is why Fed Ex and UPS are taking over the world, and I am happy to pay them a little extra for their good service.
Last night I went to the ladies Bible study at the church we've been regularly attending. This study has been far better than the sex study. It's called Annointed, Transformed, Redeemed and it covers the life of David. First Pricilla Shirer talks about being annointed for two weeks, then Beth Moore talks about being Transformed for two weeks and then Kay Arthur talks about being Redeemed for two weeks. I must say I was kind of unimpressed with Kay Arthur who wrote the whole sex study, but I have been VERY impressed by the other two ladies. I should say blessed, I have been blessed by their words. I'm always a little skeptical and nervous when I listen to powerful preachers on TV, especially women, but these women have both spoken of the headship of their husbands and both have said things that are not in any way "gospel lite", which is what I see from so many TV preachers.
Also at study last night I ended up in a small group conversation with the ladies ministry leader, who apparently grew up Presbyterian and essentially switched to Baptist and is now a big proponant of "seeker-friendly" churches like ours. She did some Presbyterian bashing that made me wince, since I still consider myself most closely affiliated with that denomination. She also doesn't seem to realize that our church is still very different from most seeker-friendly churches I've been to...our pastors preach expositorily (is that a word?) and they don't water down the truth. But I do have some issue with things like only having baptisms and communion during our once monthly evening service. Which leaves me wondering still if this is the church for us.
An aside; I'm rather annoyed by the USPS here in Katy. We have NO post office anywhere near us. I still have not located the closest one. I scheduled a package pickup from my house and my carrier failed to pick it up, resulting in it getting soaked by rain. When I called to complain I was told I have to call my "local" annex, only between 8-5pm. This is why Fed Ex and UPS are taking over the world, and I am happy to pay them a little extra for their good service.
Last night I went to the ladies Bible study at the church we've been regularly attending. This study has been far better than the sex study. It's called Annointed, Transformed, Redeemed and it covers the life of David. First Pricilla Shirer talks about being annointed for two weeks, then Beth Moore talks about being Transformed for two weeks and then Kay Arthur talks about being Redeemed for two weeks. I must say I was kind of unimpressed with Kay Arthur who wrote the whole sex study, but I have been VERY impressed by the other two ladies. I should say blessed, I have been blessed by their words. I'm always a little skeptical and nervous when I listen to powerful preachers on TV, especially women, but these women have both spoken of the headship of their husbands and both have said things that are not in any way "gospel lite", which is what I see from so many TV preachers.
Also at study last night I ended up in a small group conversation with the ladies ministry leader, who apparently grew up Presbyterian and essentially switched to Baptist and is now a big proponant of "seeker-friendly" churches like ours. She did some Presbyterian bashing that made me wince, since I still consider myself most closely affiliated with that denomination. She also doesn't seem to realize that our church is still very different from most seeker-friendly churches I've been to...our pastors preach expositorily (is that a word?) and they don't water down the truth. But I do have some issue with things like only having baptisms and communion during our once monthly evening service. Which leaves me wondering still if this is the church for us.
11/17/2008
Family Time
My family is complaining I don't update my blog enough. What they don't realize is that by never leaving comments on my blog, they make me think no one is reading. So why would I update for THEM if I get no feedback? Ahem...please leave COMMENTS.
The weekend started out not so good when our babysitter got sick and cancelled for Friday night. Would've been our first date night in months. Oh well, my awesome neighbor has graciously offered to watch the kids this weekend to show her teenage son that changing diapers is no big deal. He wants to babysit but is a bit nervous.
Saturday morning I got up early and headed to another neighbor's house for a photoshoot of her family. I was very disappointed that it was so cold and windy outside we had to do most of the shots indoors, and her house was very dark so I had to use flash. Also the two year old was bouncy so the session was short. I spent some time proofing this weekend and she will have some decent, but not spectacular shots to choose from.
Penn State won again, so that was good. Then we went to a furniture store and Mike bought a pub table and stools for his game room. They are very fancy looking and were not super cheap. But I still could not find a coffee table I like. I am very picky, but Mike thinks we shouldn't spend a lot of money on a table that the kids will abuse. I say we have the money to spend now and I'm tired of cheap furniture.
I've mentally started planning a big holiday open house. Guess I'd better get some invitations out soon.
Church was good as usual, we got to tour the new building and we took magic markers and wrote on the gym floor the names of people we would like to have a powerful, meaningful, life changing personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This week they will lay the gym floor down over the names we wrote and we commit to praying for those people daily.
The weekend started out not so good when our babysitter got sick and cancelled for Friday night. Would've been our first date night in months. Oh well, my awesome neighbor has graciously offered to watch the kids this weekend to show her teenage son that changing diapers is no big deal. He wants to babysit but is a bit nervous.
Saturday morning I got up early and headed to another neighbor's house for a photoshoot of her family. I was very disappointed that it was so cold and windy outside we had to do most of the shots indoors, and her house was very dark so I had to use flash. Also the two year old was bouncy so the session was short. I spent some time proofing this weekend and she will have some decent, but not spectacular shots to choose from.
Penn State won again, so that was good. Then we went to a furniture store and Mike bought a pub table and stools for his game room. They are very fancy looking and were not super cheap. But I still could not find a coffee table I like. I am very picky, but Mike thinks we shouldn't spend a lot of money on a table that the kids will abuse. I say we have the money to spend now and I'm tired of cheap furniture.
I've mentally started planning a big holiday open house. Guess I'd better get some invitations out soon.
Church was good as usual, we got to tour the new building and we took magic markers and wrote on the gym floor the names of people we would like to have a powerful, meaningful, life changing personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This week they will lay the gym floor down over the names we wrote and we commit to praying for those people daily.
11/12/2008
Deep Thoughts
First I will take this opportunity to vent. I went to a new doctor this morning for my chronic sinus issues. She was cool and I got a prescription for an antibiotic and some fancy new antihistamine. Then she suckered me into getting a flu shot, something I've never done because I hate shots. Well, it may be the last one I get because OW!! It hurt going in and 12 hours later my arm is still throbbing. My arm distracted me from work today, it hurt so much. And of course the fancy new allergy drug is not covered, so I didn't get it after all.
Also I had my grandparents over for dinner again. I know it meant a lot to them, but cooking a big dinner and entertaining them with two needy kids just home from school and no spouse home yet is a PITA. But I know they are a big part of why God called us to move here. So I will do what I can.
And now some thoughts that many of my readers will just go...huh?
Ok so my old church hired a new pastor and he has a blog, which has led me to some really great theological and political reading material. I made a big discovery recently that not all Baptists are Arminiens, or "free-will" salvation believers. This particular pastor is some kind of Baptist, but claims to be of the reformed belief. I have also discovered John Piper (the guy in the video I posted about the election) who is also Baptist and reformed. This is important to me because I am a firm Calvinist in a land of Baptists. I am even pro- covenantal infant baptism, and this is a problem for me because all these churches I like are not, and I was baptised as an infant. I have had some doubts about my baptism position, but never any doubts on election, although I was willing to join a church that did not teach on election. So now I am probing much deeper into all these issues with my own personal reading, and I'm dying to ask the teaching pastor at my church what he believes.
Also? My new ladies Bible study was great last night, Priscilla Shirer, daughter of Dr. Tony Evans, is an awesome speaker. So motivating to live with a God-consciousness every minute of every day. Try it sometime, it changes things.
Also I had my grandparents over for dinner again. I know it meant a lot to them, but cooking a big dinner and entertaining them with two needy kids just home from school and no spouse home yet is a PITA. But I know they are a big part of why God called us to move here. So I will do what I can.
And now some thoughts that many of my readers will just go...huh?
Ok so my old church hired a new pastor and he has a blog, which has led me to some really great theological and political reading material. I made a big discovery recently that not all Baptists are Arminiens, or "free-will" salvation believers. This particular pastor is some kind of Baptist, but claims to be of the reformed belief. I have also discovered John Piper (the guy in the video I posted about the election) who is also Baptist and reformed. This is important to me because I am a firm Calvinist in a land of Baptists. I am even pro- covenantal infant baptism, and this is a problem for me because all these churches I like are not, and I was baptised as an infant. I have had some doubts about my baptism position, but never any doubts on election, although I was willing to join a church that did not teach on election. So now I am probing much deeper into all these issues with my own personal reading, and I'm dying to ask the teaching pastor at my church what he believes.
Also? My new ladies Bible study was great last night, Priscilla Shirer, daughter of Dr. Tony Evans, is an awesome speaker. So motivating to live with a God-consciousness every minute of every day. Try it sometime, it changes things.
11/10/2008
Test Shots
Just when I say it never rains, it does. But that's ok, I'm actually praying for overcast skies next Saturday. I'm doing a photoshoot for a neighbor and she insists on mid-morning. So I have been looking all over for a shady spot with some nice background. I took these test shots of the boys on Saturday morning and the light was horrible. So I haven't found a good spot yet and I'm getting nervous. We have no trees on my end of town :)
So Penn State had a devestating loss on Saturday, dashing our National Championship dreams. So no Miami trip for Mike. Hopefully we'll still go to the Rose Bowl if we win our last two games. That's still pretty good.
We did a lot of furniture shopping on Saturday and came up empty-handed. I have an exact vision in my head for the kind of coffee table I want but I can not find it anywhere. It's big and square, with dark brown wood and a glass top, with drawers and/or shelves underneath, but not all the way to the floor so you can still slide your toes underneath. I can't even find a rectangular one that I really love. We also need a bed bench and a pub table for Mike's game room. Not to mention the custom drapes for my great room windows. Guess it would help to have someone come in and measure for them :)
So Penn State had a devestating loss on Saturday, dashing our National Championship dreams. So no Miami trip for Mike. Hopefully we'll still go to the Rose Bowl if we win our last two games. That's still pretty good.
We did a lot of furniture shopping on Saturday and came up empty-handed. I have an exact vision in my head for the kind of coffee table I want but I can not find it anywhere. It's big and square, with dark brown wood and a glass top, with drawers and/or shelves underneath, but not all the way to the floor so you can still slide your toes underneath. I can't even find a rectangular one that I really love. We also need a bed bench and a pub table for Mike's game room. Not to mention the custom drapes for my great room windows. Guess it would help to have someone come in and measure for them :)
11/07/2008
Hooray for Fridays and Houston Weather
Can I just say for the record how much I LOVE Houston weather? I know it's not good for the water situation but it seems to NEVER rain here. Well not consistantly for days on end like it does in Philly. There seems to always be a smattering of little clouds that simply add texture to a gorgeous BLUE sky. I thank God every day for the sunshine, it really lifts my spirit.
And I love Fridays, because I love weekends and the chance to spend more time with my family. Unfortunately I still have lingering sinus pain issues, despite all sorts of drugs and using my neti pot regularly. The neti pot helps me be able to breathe clearly but it is not taking away the painful headache and earache.
So I broke down and asked some friends for a doctor recommendation. I got several glowing reviews for one nearby female family doctor, so I made an appointment...unfortunately they can't see me till next Wed. In the meantime I googled her and as it turns out she is the same doctor I read about in the news a few months ago when her husband tried to have her murdered. So I had mixed feelings about seeing such a "celebrity", but I figured if no one went to her because of her terrible situation that would be awful.
And I love Fridays, because I love weekends and the chance to spend more time with my family. Unfortunately I still have lingering sinus pain issues, despite all sorts of drugs and using my neti pot regularly. The neti pot helps me be able to breathe clearly but it is not taking away the painful headache and earache.
So I broke down and asked some friends for a doctor recommendation. I got several glowing reviews for one nearby female family doctor, so I made an appointment...unfortunately they can't see me till next Wed. In the meantime I googled her and as it turns out she is the same doctor I read about in the news a few months ago when her husband tried to have her murdered. So I had mixed feelings about seeing such a "celebrity", but I figured if no one went to her because of her terrible situation that would be awful.
11/05/2008
Why I Am Not Sad This Morning
I think these words from John Piper pretty much sum up exactly why I am not devestated that Barack Obama was elected our President. (Except for the Sarah Palin bit.) I AM overjoyed that in this country we have come so far past racism that we elected a black man into the highest office in our nation. It really does say to me that our personal opportunities are boundless. Racism is a great evil, and I know it is not dead, but hope and equality are speaking louder today. But I do not agree with Obama's policies or positions, on the economy, on healthcare, on the war, and mostly on abortion. So why am I so at peace? Because GOD is sovereign in this world! He holds the globe in his hand and as long as He is my King, I have nothing to fear.
11/03/2008
A Happy Halloween
The good news is Alex was healthy enough to participate in Halloween activities, except we didn't keep him up late to trick-or-treat. He wore his costume to school and to the neighborhood block party. The party was a great time, with a huge turnout. I made cornbread to go with the chili. We had all kinds of good munchies.
Nathan had a great time trick-or-treating, and I was worn out trying to keep up with him. We went with some of the neighbors, which was really nice. The number of kids out in our 'hood was staggering, there were pedestrian traffic jams, and people didn't bother going back inside their houses between groups of kids.
Saturday we took a family trip to the mall, and then I drove down to League City for a cooking party at Mike's cousin Vicki's place. That was fun.
Sunday at church they were promoting Life Groups, which we had talked about joining. We interviewed several but still don't know who to join. I want to do Sunday nights and Mike doesn't, because of Nascar. Then we had my grandparents over for a birthday dinner for my grandmom. She was delighted and Nathan was much friendlier with them this time.
The bad news is I have a nasty cold now. Thanks, Alex.
Nathan had a great time trick-or-treating, and I was worn out trying to keep up with him. We went with some of the neighbors, which was really nice. The number of kids out in our 'hood was staggering, there were pedestrian traffic jams, and people didn't bother going back inside their houses between groups of kids.
Saturday we took a family trip to the mall, and then I drove down to League City for a cooking party at Mike's cousin Vicki's place. That was fun.
Sunday at church they were promoting Life Groups, which we had talked about joining. We interviewed several but still don't know who to join. I want to do Sunday nights and Mike doesn't, because of Nascar. Then we had my grandparents over for a birthday dinner for my grandmom. She was delighted and Nathan was much friendlier with them this time.
The bad news is I have a nasty cold now. Thanks, Alex.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
