the me I am

The following statements are coincidental in timing - they are not resolutions:

I am a woman who will be defined by her passion for Christ.
I am a wife who is truly committed to her husband and treats him with respect.
I am a step-mom who calls Luke on a regular basis.
I am a daughter who is there for her parents when they call.
I am defined by my commitment to maintaining my friendships.
My business is run in my order of priorities. God and family come first.
I am a businesswoman with talent and dedication to excellence.
My body will not place last in my order of priorities.
I am a woman who strives to put health on the top shelf.
I am a mother who reads and gains wisdom from other great parents.
I am a leader who reads and gains wisdom from other great leaders.
I read my Bible daily.
Gossip is not something I am known to be involved in.
I am known for taking a stance, when the ground is worth standing on.
I arrive 5 minutes before I am expected.
I sleep-in, by going to bed earlier.
I am a morning person.
I am a giving and generous person.
I give credit to God for all of my blessings.
I know when to say "no."
I am truly greatful for my life and understand that it is not my own.

Take a look. That is who I strive to be - every day. If it's true that you don't get what you want, you get what you think about - then this is the list I need to think about every day. I call on God to change my heart so that this list will become a reality.

the claw

I feel sorry for the kid who wins this prize - courtesy of "the claw."

feliz navidad

Merry Christmas to all... And to all a goodnight.
(Yes, that is our tree.)

ho ho ho

Our tree is up, the first round of Christmas parties have come and gone and it's down right frosty outside. It feels like Christmastime. So, the Christmas spirit has officially hit me. So has the winter flu. Good timing.

I would like to announce to everyone, "I AM DONE!!!" No more shopping, just a lot of wrapping for me. I hope to take care of some of it tonight. Before I head off to dilly-dally with the paper and bows, one quick story straight from the grocery store:

I walked up to the section where they sell the eggs, there was an older woman standing there as I approached. There was one kind of egg on sale and it looked like there was just one carton left. It appeared as though we were both contemplating what to do about the last carton of "sale" eggs. Then I spotted the crate next to it - full of the same kind of eggs, but not marked as a sale item. As I was grabbing the carton and checking for specimens, she asked me "Are those on sale, as well?"

I looked up at her. She had really kind eyes, but a daring sparkle winked at me from behind her long, blue-gray bangs. "I think so. They're the same kind of egg... Oh well, I hope so!"

She sighed and returned her study to the eggs, but said "Oh good, I thought I was going to have to fight you for the last one."

"I would have let you have it." I smiled.

"The gray hair helps, huh?"

"No, you were here first." She laughed as I walked away. A few steps away I cheerfully turned back and shouted "Merry Christmas!"

just hear those sleigh bells ring-a-ling...

Holidays. I love them as much as I dread them. I haven’t mustered-up the courage to hit the streets in my own holiday bustle. I wish I had the time to be extra crafty, because then I would make stuff for the people I love. I know two Jennifers that knit and I can’t get past step one - you know, the buying the yarn and needles part. So, if I changed my name perhaps I could learn to knit fast enough to hang some of my own stockings with care.

The world tells us that we aren’t good people if don’t give gifts. Scratch that - if we don’t BUY gifts. Apparently, it’s not even an option for those of us over the age of 12. And I guess my husband doesn’t love me if there isn’t a Lexus with a big red bow in our driveway. Who the heck are these people? And why do they get to dictate to me how my holiday should be spent.

So in the spirit of Christmas, here is my very own wish list - sans the Coach hobo I’ve been coveting: a day where I can sleep until 9:00 AM without guilt; coffee in bed from my husband; a day where we focus on the birth of our Savior, for real, not just as a gesture; a day where family doesn’t compete for who’s giving the best gift; a day where dishes do not default to me; and a day where I can snuggle down deep into the love I can feel radiating from those I hold dearest. The best part? It’s free - unless you count the beans for the coffee. Free, yet priceless. The same could be said of salvation, I guess.

Good luck out there. Don’t feel pressure to buy, buy, buy. That’s not what it’s about. Really. I’m serious.