devil's beatitudes

A friend of mine cut these out of her church's bulletin and shared them with me..... food for thought.

The Devil's Beatitudes

• Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, or too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians - they are my best workers.
• Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked - I can use them.
• Blessed are the touchy who stop going to church - they are my missionaries.
• Blessed are the troublemakers - they shall be called my children.
• Blessed are the complainers - I'm all ears to them.
• Blessed are those who are bored with the minister's mannerisms and mistakes - for they get nothing out of his homily.
• Blessed is the church member who expects be be invited to his own church - for he is a part of the problem instead of the solution.
• Blessed are those who gossip - for they shall cause strife and divisions that please me.
• Blessed are those who are easily offended - for they will soon get angry and quit.
• Blessed are those who do not give their offering to carry on God's work - for they are my helpers.
• Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister - for he shall be with me forever.
• Blessed are you who, when you read this, think that it is about other people and not yourself - I've got you too!

a definition

Christmas

• In which I get (even more) addicted to chocolate
• why Lent has to happen

hope yours was, too

Our Christmas was just. plain. wonderful!

This year, more so than any other year, I saw a new beauty, a deeper character in my children on Christmas morn. They were actually more excited about what they gave than what they got!

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There were so many heartwarming or funny moments that it would be too hard to remember them all and record them all... so here are a few snippets.

The kids set their alarms (yes, my kids have to set an alarm for Christmas morning) for 7 a.m. We went downstairs and saw what Santa brought... my favorite thing was a note that said,

"Dear.... (kids)...

When you go to Mass this morning,

remember to thank the Lord for

the very best gift of all: the Christ child.

No one loves you more than He does...."

Then we ate breakfast, went to Mass, came home and opened one another's gifts. It was so nice to see the thoughtfulness and generous spirit in each of them.

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Another really nice moment was the day that King took the kids to the zoo and my mom (who spent Christmas with us) and I went to lunch, then shopping, then a movie (The Blind Side). We went to Atlanta Bread Company and they still had Christmas music piped in. How nice that it was 2 days after Christmas, a time when most retailers are looking to the next big holiday, and they still had all their decorations up and they were not only playing Christmas music, but it was the Christian form of Christmas music... y'know: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, We Three Kings, etc. And unless I was just there at the right time, there were no Santa songs, praise be! So, shout out to the A.B.Co!

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One of the things the kids received this year was a trampoline. Number 2 is having a BLAST on that thing. It doesn't matter to him that it is 34 degrees outside, he is out there jumping away. I want to try to get on it... yes, I am a bit fearful that I will either break it or end up in the E.R. (Redneck's last words: "Hey, yawl, wah'chiss!") Yeah, well. We'll see.

ps-

Because Christmas is officially 12 days long and BEGINS on the 25th, despite what we are told by the retailers, our cards will be mailed sometime before Epiphany, I promise.

peace

Nativity Silhouette

Our family has at long last slowed down to enjoy the last few days of Advent and to welcome the Christ child. Our prayer for all of our family and friends is that Christ's peace and love will fill each heart.

In all things and at all times, praise Him.

is it worth it?

When people you love, people who used to be close, no longer speak, no longer love or even like each other, continue to hold grudges against each other... it is beyond sad. You feel caught in the middle. You love each of the sides. But it tears you apart. It kills a part of you on the inside.

You want to be the peacemaker. You want to say just-the-right-thing to make them love again. However, it is impossible to be the peacemaker. This is something that they must do. All you can do is to pray.
Pray that one day, before dying, they will be able to reconcile. One day, before Christ makes them do it (because you KNOW He will... and talk about humiliating! That'd be worse than going to the Principal's office.)

We should all take the time to think about people we hold grudges against. Is whatever happened worth being kept out of Heaven? It is hard to tell someone that you are sorry. Especially when you think the other person is to blame. But, wouldn't this season be the perfect time to extend a generous spirit of peace... an olive branch even?

roundabout and roundabout and roundabout we go

Well, my kitchen is spotless all thanks to a wild boar.

Y'see, wha'ha happened wuz.... a friend of ours, a hunter, gave us a package of wild boar meat. Three packages of wild boar sausage and one package (6) chops. King used one of the packages of sausage at breakfast the other day. It was quite good, very lean. Not too gamey. I have never cooked pork chops, because I'm not a huge fan of pork. But our friend said it was easy, so I gave it a whirl.

The chops were beautiful. However, when they cooked.... my house took on a very very gamey + oily/fry smell. When I went upstairs to go to bed, the really really really gamey, oily/fry smell was up there, too. I could barely sleep. I don't do well with "stank" as I have quite the sensitive nose. (Put it this way, when I was pregnant with number 1, King and I were traveling to Florida and I told King that I smelled water.... half mile later we crossed over a creek.)

Ennyhoo.... long story short, this morning I awoke to find that the smell was still there. It started a cleaning spree... we washed cabinets, ceiling fans, floors, windows, stove top, counter tops. The kids vacuumed and mopped the whole downstairs.

King was planning on making a fruitcake this morning, but his plans were delayed just a wee bit. I just couldn't have him cooking in such a smelly kitchen, y'know?

Now it smells like fruitcake.

*sigh*

:/ Can't win for losing.

a very good gift

Ok, so I had these two moles on my back that were itching like crazy lately. Both of them were in spots which were hard to reach, so I'd either get someone else to scratch my back or I'd grab the nearest tool and scratch them myself.
Recently, the pair of sewing scissors sort of scratched the bigger of the two and I finally decided I was just "done" with messing with them and I went to get them checked out.
After much anxiety and loss of sleep, just knowing I had skin cancer... they turned out to be a type of wart ('scuse me, I just puked on my keyboard) that people get when they are older. Turns out that my bra was irritating them as well, hence the itching.
The doctor asked if I'd like to have them frozen off. I resisted to use the word "hell", but gave a resounding "YES!"
Zip! Zip! and it was all taken care of. In ONE visit. Whew, Merry Christmas to me!

no pictures, please

"Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat." Honk!

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Because Christmas is growing ever closer, whether or not I am ready for it, I picked today to do my shopping for family friends. I dropped the wee ones off at playschool and headed to Wal-Mart.
Because I am under the influence of hormones, and feeling rawther bad about my seemingly ever-expanding girth, I was just SURE that someone was lurking in the aisles of the retail giant ready to snap a photo and add me to their list of offenders on their website: The People of Wal Mart.
Thankfully, I think I got away before they saw me.

ps- Express Lane.... 20 items or less...... "Super Speedy Checkout". yeah. sure.

the goose is getting fat

If my gut gets any bigger, my cover will be blown.

(photo found at www.buycostumes.com)

it is finished

Closing my eyes to remember the memories I am most fond of
takes me to a place where there is a chill in the night air.
Pine trees all around, the smell of smoke from a raging camp fire.
I am wrapped in someone's loving arms, drowsily listening to the sounds of laughter.
Lanterns illuminate a card table with the merry Rook players.
You are there.

Next I am carried to the Innsbruck den where we have just played the Beatles "I Want to Hold Your Hand" 45 record for the millionth time. Giving our vocal cords a break, we stop long enough to drink down some world-famous chocolaty goodness.
You are there.

Sadly, I am transported to a memory that I am not so fond of.
My eyes are sore and swollen.
My whole world has been turned upside down.
I have just lost my father.
So many emotions.
I desperately need to be surrounded by people who can reassure me that everything will be ok.
You are there.

The happiest day of my life, I am marrying a man so wonderful that even my dreams could not have imagined anyone so good.
You are there.

Introducing my own children to my family. It is a proud moment to see your own children make people smile.
You are there.

There you are. You are part of my history. You knew me when I didn't know myself. You, along with the other laughing voices who played Rook by bright lanterns, the other people who helped comfort as we had to say goodbye to a loved one, the people who happily shared my wedding day, and the smiling faces of family watching my children play... all helped make up who I am. And who I will become.

Len, in these and so many ways, thank you for being there. Right there.

********

In loving memory of my uncle, Len, a devout Catholic, who passed away on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th, at 5:40 a.m. - the time when "Lin's coffee" was normally just finishing brewing.

cancelled!

I'm pretty sure we've decided NOT to have our annual Christmas party this year. Besides, the date I reserved is about a week away, so it'd be rude to send out invitations this late in the game.

I feel a bit guilty because we've had it so long now.... but I know that friends will understand. I mean, I'd understand if they were so covered over with stuff that they couldn't see the light of day and wanted to get out from underneath at least one responsibility......

I just hope I won't be changing my mind at the last minute like in the book Skipping Christmas (made into a movie called Christmas with the Kranks starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis).

no she ditten

Tonight we went to Mass to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. There was a sparse crowd despite the fact that it is a Holy Day of Obligation. The kids had all (those in school, anyway) gone this morning, and King and I decided that this would be a beautiful time to spend together by ourselves. So, #1 babysat while we scooted up the hill to church.

There is a certain group of people, the Irish Travelers, perhaps you've heard of them. They are notorious for traveling around the East coast scamming people by painting their houses or barns. Getting paid good money to paint with very watered down paint which washes away within a couple of months. To be fair, some are decent, honest folks. Some are not and give a bad name to all. Anyhoo, they usually show up en masse, dressed in their matching Tommy Hilfiger outfits or their Juicy Couture, hair is all the same (big, long, and straight for the younger ones)... and. their. phones.

Tonight, we had just gotten back from receiving communion, and the woman whose phone rang actually answered it!

Dang!!!

Bigger Name on the Other Line!

it's all in how ya look at it

Proof that every day is filled with sunny blue skies.

in need of an attitude change

I have a big trip to Dallas, TX coming up soon. Should be fun, huh? Why, then, every time it is mentioned do I roll my eyes and make a Marge Simpson-type growl? My friend, Who-Shall-Remain-Nameless-Lest-She-Trip-Down-the-Stairs asked me this yesterday.
It got me thinking. Why AM I dreading it? I am not afraid of flying. I don't even dread visiting a city I've never been to before (or state for that matter). After much consternation, eye-rolling and growling a la Marge, I think it is that I have so much to do here at home that I think that 4 days/3 nights away is going to set me back further.

Right now, for example, I have 3 baskets of laundry waiting to be folded, 10 items to embroider for the school's Christmas bazaar, 1 jacket to embroider for the daughter of a dear friend, a quilt and an outfit to make for the one-year old son of another friend, two scarves for a third friend, 3 quilts for my sister's girls, not to mention the quilts I want to either finish or make to either keep or sell. We won't even talk about the two big Christmas parties that we host each year which are barreling down the tracks (though I did win an auction for a maid for a day and am planning on cashing that bad boy in the week of the parties). Too many irons in the fire I suppose.

On the bright side, I did actually tell someone "no" yesterday. The guidance counselor at school called to see if we would like to host an exchange student again this year. We were lucky enough (read: spoiled) to have the same young lady two years in a row the past couple of years. Since she won't be returning this year (they have big exams in the 9th year of school) we decided to take the year off.

So back to the Dallas trip. According to my spastic friend who falls down stairs when I mention her name here (tee hee hee) I need to change my attitude or not go. The latter is not an option, so I must adjust the ol' outlook. Easier said than done, my friends. Easier said than done. I do think, however, that once I get on the airplane and no longer have control over whether or not my laundry is folded, I will be able to relax.