Blogging Chicks Carnival #6

It's Week #6 of Carnival of the Blogging Chicks! This week we had a theme...Dreams! GO RIGHT NOW and check some of these chicks out. We have all kinds of dreamers...some of eternity, some are day-dreamers, some think their dreams make a great movie, others dream of the future of their family.

Hurry! These chicks don't stay in one place for long...

Till next week....

Preview: Next week's theme is Summer!

In Him-

Karen

Tags: Blogging Chicks

Thursday Thirteen #9

Graphic courtest of Kelly, Diary of the Nello

Thirteen Things about the Number 13!

In honor of it being July 13th, 2006

1...Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13. I had no idea there was even such a thing!

2...The number of loaves in a Baker's Dozen.

3...The number of cards in a single suit of a standard deck of playing cards.

4...The number of original colonies that the United States was founded from.

5...The number of stripes on the United States flag - six white ones, seven red ones.

6...The Great Seal of the United States has 13 stars above the eagle, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 olives on the olive branch, 13 arrows held by the eagle and 13 bars on the shield...and that's just the beginning.

7...The number in the title of some great movies, such as Apollo 13 starring Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon; 13 going on 30 starting Jennifer Garner; and let's not forget, Friday the 13th!!!

8...The number of people sitting at the Last Supper - Jesus and 12 apostles.

9...NBA star Wilt Chamberlain wore the number and he considered it very lucky for him and very unlucky for his opponents.

10...NFL star, and my mom's favorite football player, Dan Marino also wore the number and passed for more yards than any other quarterback in NFL history.

11...Due to the fear of the number, most buildings do not have a 13th floor.

12...The number is the atomic number of Aluminium.

13...This number was always my dad's softball jersey number and not coincidentally, it's his birthday TODAY! Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Most stats were provided from Wikipedia.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!thursday thirteen
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Beautiful Feet

I enjoyed some "me" time the other night (see post below on how important that is)...this time, in the tub. I love a good hot bath occasionally and I felt this one deserved since I wasn't feeling all that well. I lit the candles, got all settled in the tub, full of bubbles, and ahhh...relaxed. I put my feet up out of the water and noticed them, with some intrigue. Now, my feet aren't really anything to be noticing. I actually think they aren't that great, in fact, I think they are kind of fat. Aside from all that, I noticed how pretty they looked. Isn't that odd, since I just explained how un-pretty they were? :) The candlelight shown at the perfect place and I actually thought for a second I had cute feet. :) hee hee. It immediately reminded me of the scripture from Isaiah and also repeated in Romans.

"How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Isaiah 52:7

"How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!" Romans 10:15

I had a friend of mine from a small group who loved that verse and she most definately had cute beautiful feet...both beautiful in the sense of tan, nails painted, long, cute feet and then in the sense of scripture and bringing good news!
The picture depicted in Isaiah is breathtaking. Imagine running to tell people good news, peace, salvation...how to often am I not running, but only walking or waiting for them to come to me. It was an incredible reminder of what I am to be using my beautiful feet for.
Thank you Lord for the reminder of what you gave us feet for. May my feet travel the length you have determined telling others about You. May they be quick when you say RUN! May they ponder each step when you say SLOW DOWN! May they be still when you say WAIT!

In Christ-
Karen

Tags: Christian, Devotionals, Scripture, Writing

In "Other" Words

Christian Women Online has found another way to encourage and inspire! Each Friday, a quote will be posted and we can write about what the quote says to us. It's a way to jot down thoughts and examine our lives a little more. Join me as we dive into In "Other" Words.

"Once in a while you have to take a break and visit yourself." - Audrey Giorgi

Ms. Audrey must of had children...ya think? I didn't nearly need to visit myself as much when I was married with no kids, but now I feel it's an absolute necessity at times. I feel that many thoughts could arise out of this statement, but the few that rise out for me are this...

I like being alone sometimes; not often, but there are needed times of re-grouping myself. I am not refering to quiet times with the Lord...although I may appear to be alone in a room when I am having a quiet time, that is not the case...the Lord is there! He is there when I am re-grouping too, but in a different sense.

In other words...we are never alone or apart from Him. I couldn't run fast enough or far enough out of his view, even if I tried. And, oh how I have tried sometimes! :) When I am "visiting myself" I am normally doing something. That might be contradictory to what Ms. Audrey was speaking about, but that is the case for me. I love scrapbooking, but I normally do it in waves. That's a time of visiting myself. I reminisce over the pictures, I think of the day it happened, the event, the people and it's normally fairly quiet. I visit myself when I am reading. I visit myself when I am cooking. I visit myself when I am working out. All of these things I am doing something that I enjoy doing, and that's how I visit myself.

I also think it's important to connect with other women. I have posted before about having good girl friends...you know, the ones you call when you are up to your eyeballs in formula and diapers and don't know how to get out of it. When I am spending time with my girlfriends, I find I am refreshed and renewed by enjoying their company, their stories, their attitudes on life. My husband and my son notice when I have had some good girl time; the same way they notice my time with the Lord.

In Him-

Karen

Tags: Writing, Christian

Blogging Chicks Carnival #5

If you haven't checked out the Carnival of the Blogging Chicks, yet, it's a must see. What are you waiting for? A personal invitation? This is it...please GO HERE now. NOW! NOW! You are missing out on some cool chicks...

Next week it's a theme that we is waiting to be determined by vote! OOOOOhhh...I know you are so curious now, that you will go HERE.

Have a great Monday!
Karen

Tags: Blogging Chicks, Carnival

Superman Returns!

I totally meant to do this last Monday, but somehow forgot! How could I forget Superman? Jeremy and I got to go to the movies...I say got to go, since if you have little ones, then you will know what I mean when I say that...it's not often you get to go to the movies, unless it's for a Disney movie. ha! We went and saw Superman Returns and it was so fabulous! I didn't fall in love with him as a little girl, but was curious enough this time to want to check him out. The guy who played Superman/Clark Kent (oh, gosh, I hope I didn't spoil that for anyone...hee hee), Brandon Routh, is incredible and looks much like Christopher Reeves did playing Superman years ago. Kate Bosworth rocked as Lois Lane and Kevin Spacey was perfect as Lex Luther. It gave lots of backstory, so if you need a refresher course on Superman, you will most likely be satisfied with what you get in the movie. The ending was open, so obviously, we will see him again...

A must see movie for this year!

Have a great day!
Karen

Tags: Movies, Superman Returns

Happy Birthday Jonathan!

I am writing a Birthday tribute to a sweet little boy named Jonathan. He turned one on Wednesday and he is the joyous blessing of our friends Kaci and Clay. We met Kaci and Clay at Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, while we were attending seminary there. Kaci worked at the seminary. Neither of us had children then, and Jeremy and I couldn't have found better friends there than these two people. Kaci and Clay were strong Christians, who had been married about a year longer than us and were wise in their ways. When we left Texas, we must have chatted for days about them...we missed them deeply. As the months passed, we got to see them again when Jeremy graduated and we made the trip back to Fort Worth for the big event. We could only have dinner with them, since they were headed out of town, but it was so good to hug their necks and see them...if only for a brief time.
We have not seen them since then, but they are fondly in our hearts, and with the technology of the Internet and Vonage, I can communicate with Kaci all I want! :)
When I got pregnant with David, I knew Kaci and Clay had been trying a while for a baby. I wrote this post back in May about what the Lord called me and Jeremy to do while we were pregnant and Kaci and Clay were one of the first couples we prayed for. Kaci is also the only girl I know who took a pregnancy test and the day of or a day later called to tell me she was expecting. I knew she was...only because she never calls me!!! :) So, when I heard her voice on the answering machine, I just knew it had to be that. I was touched that she thought about calling, honestly.
It has been a pure delight to watch her grow as a mommy this past year. She is very good at it, and I know I am not there to view all her meltdowns, or Jonathan's meltdowns, but I know Kaci and she is a woman with a pure heart. She keeps me challenged.
Clay, Kaci and Jonathan - WE LOVE YOU! Happy First Birthday Big Boy! May the next year of learning be incredible.

In Christ-
Karen

Tags: Children,Christian, Friends

Pushing Daddy's Buttons

My mom called last night and Jeremy and David got to talk to her, since I was working out. While David was on the phone with his grandma, she asked him what he was doing. He said watching TV and pushing Daddy's buttons. (This is where you laugh out loud...for serious.)
My mom didn't get it, since she was consumed with why she was calling...something about a house burning down (no, not hers), but acutally David was pressing the buttons on Jeremy's shirt. Sweet David doesn't actually realize yet that "Pressing someone's buttons" is a phrase we use when we are making people mad or upset and we know just the way to do that...like, for instance, nope, wait...better not share that. Whew...good thing my filter kicked in at the right time.

Karen

Tags: Children, Daddy, Parenting

Thursday Thirteen #8

Graphic courtesy of Emily

Thirteen Things I thought about before 7:30 AM...

1...6:00 AM - It's time to get up again? Didn't I just do this a few hours ago? Oh, it's Thursday! Ugh...it's only Thursday?

2...6:02 AM - I think I hear David. Hubby briefly knocks on the bathroom door; I suggest he get him and bring him in our bed, maybe he will rest. (Yeah, fat chance)

3...6:03 AM - Oh! But wait! It's Thursday Thirteen! I didn't play last week (too much going on=lousy excuse) and I would love to play this week. I missed everyone last week! I REALLY DID! :)

4...6:15 AM - Time to make the donuts. Oh. Wait. Wrong thought. Time to do my hair! Oh yeah, that's it. I posted a devotional on my mirror last night...I need to be reminded of it often, so I think I will stand here a minute and reflect on having a pure heart.

5...6:19 AM - Well, hello David! David, sleeping in mommy's spot in the bed, "Morning Mommy! I missed you" Awwwww!!!!

6...6:20 AM - Find something to wear Karen...it's work, just work. Nobody all that important, since they are all on vacation. Pick something!!!!!!!!

7...6:25 AM - My five year anniversary is in 22 days. I wonder if he is buying me something...I think we are going for fondue and grandma is keeping him overnight at her house! If it all works out, it will be sweet.

8...6:40 AM - Time to pack it up...have I done everything - got dressed, matching shoes, taken vitamin, drank a cup of water, got the boy and all his stuff, moochie the daddy...yep, that's everything!

9...7:00 AM - Oh yeah....we are bookin' it today. I love it when everyone else is on vacation. It makes my drive a breeze and I might actually have a few minutes to spare at work (for TT!), barring David doesn't put up a fight at school.

10...7:15 AM - He put up a small bit of clingi-ness, but I still bet I can make it to work early. David got an invite to this little girls birthday party...we'll probably go, since she is so cutie patootie, and David and her, well, there might be something there. :)

11...7:20 AM - Setting a record pace to work. I wonder if I should get the man anything for the anniversary. No? Yes? Maybe?

12...7:22 AM - Has it really been five years? What was I doing five years ago this time? I was working at MTW then...by far, one of the greatest places I have ever worked. I am sure I was up to my eyeballs in last minute prep, but I am fairly certain that I was enjoying it. I thought about the girl who took my place at my job. Misty. Her husband worked for FBA too...they now serve in KY. I miss her. I should email her and see how things are going.

13...7:25 AM - I am here! Writing my TT! It's Thursday! Only one more day of work this week. It was a three day week, do I really have anything to complain about? nope.

Hope you all had a great Fourth!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!



The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
thursday thirteen

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Church Celebration

The Fourth of July celebrations always get to me. We sing all the great songs about America, see the pictures of our forefathers, of men fighting war for our freedom, and I think to myself that everyday should be Independence Day! I get goose bumps when I hear the song...you know the one...Proud to be an American. As I sat in church today, I thought of the men on our stage who served in our military...good, upstanding men in our church and in our community. I haven't had the chance to meet all of them yet, but I pray that I will. I thought about the word freedom and how we all take it for granted. Freedom is two fold for me...I am thankful for the freedom our country has in many aspects, but I am the most grateful for the freedom I have accepted in Jesus Christ.
Like I said...everyday should be Independence Day!

I pray everyone has a great Fourth of July!

In Christ-
Karen

Tags: Independence Day, Freedom, Christian