Brrrr...It's winter, baby!!

We had an official snow day today and we have no school tomorrow.    moment of silence       Okey dokey, I for one am thanking the good Lord above for these two days.  Yes, I know we will have to make them up but I do not care people!!  What do I do on snow days???  Oh my goodness do I stay busy.  First of all I get up and wear my pajamas all day long.  Then I do not...do not I repeat...comb or even wash my hair.  Crazy..huh??  Then I proceed to set up at least three or four different spots in my house to do some kind of craft, project or some other thing that I never have any time for unless I have a snow day.  Do I actually do these crafty type projects???  Oh no..I just leave them sitting around until A:) someone is coming over, B:) I get the clean-up-my-house virus (this rarely happens) or C:) I actually do finish the project.  If the answer is C...well balloons and streamers come out and I feel super good about myself.  For the most part on these snow days I eat.  I eat like I am going into hibernation for 8 months with a clan of hungry grizzly bears.  What is it about snowy, cold days that make you want to eat everything in your house in a matter of three hours???  Then of course I do what is probably the most fun....I nap.  Lazy, long naps on the couch.  The kind where I wrap up in a snugly afghan and totally zonk out.  It is so cold outside and the roads are really yucky that I have no concerns or fears that I will have surprise company so I just laze around all day.  Do I feel guilty??/  Nope...not in the least.  It is not like I do this every single day.  Just occasionally.  And Praise Jesus....I get to do it again tomorrow.  Maybe I will venture out and take some pretty snow pictures.  It is a very pretty snow even if we did not get very much.  But consider we live in the south and there is a national "Bread and Milk Alert", I feel justified in my choices to do as little as possible.  I have bread and milk so I am good to go.  But seriously, our neighbors to the more southern states are in a real pickle.  Atlanta is just a mess and God bless all those teachers in Georgia and Alabama and the like who stayed all night with the kids at schools where their parents just could not go and get them due to the weather.  God Bless our Teachers!  They are real heroes for the most part. So for now I am going to sit back and watch tv with my hair all sticking up and wearing my yoga pants and t-shirt while eating my supper of pancakes with a big ole glass of milk.  Hibernation here I come cause it sure is wintertime, baby!

A good place to be

Right now in my own life I am at a good place.  I can truly say that most days are filled with laughter, good conversations and wonderful fellowship.  Sure, I have down times but they are so brief and fleeting that they really do not count.  God is good, people.  He doesn't do good...He is good.  He is unable to be or do anything else.  When I look all around me and see all the blessings that I am graced with...I could just tear up with gratefulness.  Life is not perfect mind you.  But life is peaceful right now.  Tomorrow may bring something else that may rock my world but you know what???  It is really okay.  I am learning that this ride we live on called life is a river that runs rapid and wild and has occasional slow sections.  At times it almost stalls into pools that just swirl with sameness.  Then all of a sudden here comes a waterfall that just douses you and catches you by surprise with its coldness and shock value.  Then it settles down into a more manageable and gentle wave.  You just coast along while the water guides you down the path it has created ahead of you.  You can fight against.  But you will get nowhere.  You will just wear yourself out and still end up at the same spot...tired, exhausted and more than likely...angry.  When you allow the water to just take you it is amazing what you can see as you look around and just soak up what is all over the place.  God is the river in our lives.  And as He takes you down your own personal waterway you can fight Him or go with Him and allow Him to carry you.  When you pick a rock up off the dry, dusty ground it is usually rough and sharp and harsh.  But river rocks are smooth and sleek.  The water washes all that roughness, grit and sharpness away.  I love music and so dearly wish I could sing really good but I can't.  But I can listen to music and I can sing my head off when I am by myself.  One of the new songs that I just love is called "Unraveling" by Shelly Moore.  It is just beautiful.  To be unraveled from your former tight and snug place by the hands of God is a scary thing.  But oh....is it ever a good place to be.

What is in a name?

I love picking out names.  I always look at a sweet pregnant little mommy to be and wonder...what is she going to name her baby??  The trend today for celebrities and the like are names that do not seem to make any sense.  At least to me.  What kind of name is Apple? North? And the endless stream of names that are to just draw some kind of attention.  Others spell names so differently that know one has any idea how to pronounce them.  Working in a school we see all kids of names and spellings.  Let me tell you...weird spelled names equals to preconceived notions of the child and the parents.  So if you name your child let's say, Jackson.  Spell it Jackson not Jaxun.  Not smart.  A precious young woman at my church is expecting baby number four and she is just glowing.  I asked her tonight if she was open to any suggestions and she smiled and said, "Always."  I adore her other childrens' names...Keenan, Ronan and Penelope.  Sweeties too..all of them.  So tonight I was digging up information on names and I thought I would look up meanings of names for my friends and how I thought their name fit them.  Names in the Bible were always attributed to the character of that person and seemed to always fit.

Kelley - lively aggressive warrior and defender.
 Let me tell you, back her in a corner and she will defend you like no other.

Angie - angel.
That she is...so loyal and prays for you like no other.

Sandra - helper of humanity.
This fits her so completely.  She is a true blue helper all the way around.

Sherry - beloved.
I have two friends who are Sherry's and they are both truly beloved by their families and friends.  Both have seen brutal hardships and still are so precious and sweet.

Ellen - light.
She is a breath of fresh air to me and brings an awareness to the darkest of places.

Brenda - sword and little raven.
This she is.  Sharp, smart, quick thinking and one you want at your side.

Tracy - brave.
Perfect for her.  She is one of the most honest, tough and bravest women I know.  Tender underneath but one that I would always want on my team.

My own name means...are you ready for this..."moon goddess".  Read into it what you will.  I couldn't tell you how this relates to me at all but we can't all be right on the mark!

My daughter's names mean;

Erica -  honorable ruler
This she is.  Quiet but so steadfast

Megan - soft and gentle.
This she is.  Her spirit is tender, wise

My sweet grand babies;

Piper Olivia - flute player and peace.
She is expressive, dramatic, gentle and loving.  So eager to please.

Savannah Lilly - open field and flower of innocence, purity and beauty
She is free and funny and so pretty but with a breathtaking air about her.

I often wonder what Megan and Thad will name their children and if Blake and Erica have any more what names they will choose.  Their really is depth and meaning to our names but all that really truly matters is that God knows my name.  In heaven I will get a new name that He will give me and you can bet your life it will not be "Moon Goddess."

My life is a run-on sentence.....

Well, I am finally putting something on this blog page after having nothing to say for a long time.  Oh, I always have stuff to say but sometimes I just don't have the energy or time or inclination to put it out there.  But never fear....my mind is turning and churning away. I am never home and I am so busy all the time but I couldn't tell you where I am or what I am really doing other than I am just "busy".  Currently I have been reading a great book that is over one thousand pages long and I am on page 576.  It is Ted Dekkers' "The Circle".  It is really good and one of those really involved epic books that I can really get lost in.  Last Sunday I read for like three or four hours.  It was awesome.  I have not been able to do that in forever.  I have also been putting stuff away and moving things around in my house.  I am getting ready to paint a couple of rooms and that takes lots of time for someone like me who mills and mulls over colors and stuff.  A couple of my dearest friends in the whole wide world have had some big issues in their lives and have needed some extra attention.  It is so nice to just have someone need you to just pray and not always be the one that needs to be prayed for!  Not that I do not need prayer....Lord knows I do.  Lots of it too!  We have started a new Bible study at church that looks to be so promising and so good.  It is on the book of Hosea.  I love, love, love the Old Testament so this is right up my alley.  A couple of things I am loving right now:  American Idol is back on and I am hooked.  I gave it up for a few years because of all the nonsense and the drama but when I heard that Harry Connick Jr. was a judge....well, Hello there Mr. Goodlookin'!  I love him and he was great last night and I am tuning in again tonight!  I am also super addicted to Pinterest as of late and spend tons of time just pinning away.  All I need is 45 cats and my life as a complete loser would be sealed!  Not really.  I might be a loser but I will never have 45 cats.  Then I would be a crazy cat lady loser.  Plus my dog Penny really hates kitty cats.  Really hates them.  I have found a new song that I am just crazy about too.  It is Sidewalk Prophets new release, "Keep Making Me."  This is a song that right now in my life I so identify with.  I am a little calloused and hard.  I don't want to be either.  Every time I hear this beautiful song I just cry.  It just really moves me.  I am also prayerfully seeking Gods' will in a particular area of my life. I am thinking and praying about an area that I need to change and give up.  I am seeking God's guidance in this area and praying He will open a door while He is closing a door.  Decisions like this are not to be made lightly.  No decision really is an easy one.  I was telling my friend Kelley today.  There are always consequences to every action we do.  One for each choice we make whether good or bad.  Well, I have rambled and rambled about a bunch of things and I am sure I haven't made a lot of sense.  Welcome to my life!!  Here is a video of this song I am crazy about:  Listen and drink in these precious words....

How to really see

Well school is back in session and life is back to normal routines.  The kids were wild these last two days and full of life and laughs and information.  As usual I asked most of the kids if they had a good Christmas and did they enjoy the time off and were they ready to get back to school.  Surprisingly most of the kids were glad to be back in school.  They like familiar and they like routines and knowing what each day holds for them..  One little girl who I really like and is one of seven children in a three bedroom trailer that is in a kind of rundown trailer park really broke my heart.  She and her two brothers that are in my school did not have a good Christmas.  The youngest one told me, "we didn't get nuthin".  I checked with the sister and it was true.  So sad.  I know they were not the only ones to get nothing for Christmas.  It is just sad when most of the children were telling each other I got this and I got that but it is heartbreaking when they say....I got nothing.  Our school does a great job at reaching out to families who are in need.  So does all our local churches.  My own church included.  We have a food pantry and we offer all kinds of help and outreach throughout the year.  Need doesn't just happen at Christmas.  But the parents of these children really need to let people know.  This particular family keeps their kids clean.  Clothes clean.  Hair trimmed and neat.  They wear the same three or four outfits over and over but they are always clean.  With seven children I am sure the mom is very busy.  But still everyone knows when Christmas, birthdays and just different events occur.  Since I work around young children I really do see different facets of the same events.  Life through kids eyes is way different than through grown up eyes.  Way different.  As a so called grown up, I see life as work, pay bills, clean stuff, wash clothes, go to bed, get up, eat food, bathe and on and on and on.  Same old routine....different day.  We incorporate other things in our lives like church, fellowship, family things, shopping etc...  But life through kid eyes is filtered by what trickles down from all of us grown ups.  Kids go where we go, live where we place them, go to school where the bus or car drops them off.  Listens to teachers, and other grown ups all day long tell them as groups what to do, where to go and how to act.  Many kids today go after school and some before to daycares where two or three grown-ups tell them to do homework, play as a group, eat your snack...now and other directions for a period of time.  At their homes I am unsure of what really goes on.  I am aware of statistics and how many are abused, neglected, hungry and other issues that are heartbreaking.  But through their eyes as I watch and listen at school I really mostly see and hear a flurry of conversations.  "I stayed up til 11:00 last night Miss Cindy watching scary movies and that's why I'm late."  "I didn't get no breakfast this morning and I' hungry!"  Often a child comes in crying off the bus or out of the car.  When they wander in the dining room for breakfast often it is because they are sick.  "Mama said I had to go to school....my belly hurts."  Next thing you know they have thrown up all over the floor, the table, your feet or the kid next to them.  Through their eyes they are looking for someone who cares.  Who will hug them.  Let them lay down.  Cover them with a blanket.  Put a cool rag on their head and rub their feverish little backs.  My question to mothers and fathers and grandmas and just people.  Where has all the caring gone??  When has it become more important to allow your child to stay up until 11:00 watching anything??  When has it become okay to let your five year old eat spaghettios out of a can in the car at 8:30 at night and call this dinner??  Yes, I sound harsh and cold towards grown ups.  Guess what???  I mean to.  As a community we need to care about each other and really show the hands and feet of Jesus.  Mentor young families.  Offer advice and suggestions to each other.  Take a surprise meal to a family who you know doesn't eat all that great.  I honestly do not have any answers.  Not really.  I just know that life through kid eyes is just different.  They just want to know who cares....about them.  What is important to them.  Not important to me, but to them.  The things that are important to my two grand daughters are really simple.  Reading to them, playing with them and eating with them.  Simple.  For children as they grow it is basically the same.  All they want is your time.  Devoted to them.  A safe place where they matter.  Yes that family with seven children did hurt my heart.  I let the ball drop and assumed someone was helping them out for the holiday season.  So I need to step up my own eyes and look deeper into the eyes around me and see.  Really see.