Life Lately

I've been busy watching Christmas movies over here, so I haven't been up to blogging lately.  On Sunday night, Noah asked if I would watch Christmas movies with him the next day, and who am I to say no to that great idea?  It worked out well, because three out of the six people in our house don't feel great.  (Todd, Jonah, and Noah.)  On Monday, that was all we did.  The boys slept late, because except for two subjects, they're done for this semester.  And on Monday, we just decided not to do any work that day.  #homeschoolperks  The three of us watched Home Alone 2, had a hot lunch, and then afterward, they went upstairs.  For dinner that night, we had pizza, and it was glorious. 

Yesterday I had bible study, and then I needed to make a grocery store run (I currently hate Kroger again, for anyone who cares), and came home and ate lunch and watched Santa Clause with Noah.  My best friend Andrea and I had made plans to meet at a clothing shop nearby and eat afterward.  I helped her pick out a new shirt to wear to the Harry Connick Jr. concert tonight (I'm a little jealous because he is my favorite, but mostly excited for her), and then we went to "our" place for our favorite Mexican food.  We had Starbucks after that and enjoyed the chai tea latte. (I converted her!) 

Honestly, I wish I had gotten at least one picture, but Andrea and I never do that when we're together.  We are always so full of talking and catching up that it never even dawns on us, except for when I'm on the way back home.  I do love the fact that when we're together, we are fully invested in that moment.  I just love her and I thank God for the fact that He brought us together in a homeschool mom's bible study and classes for our kids.  My friend Denise put me in her small group, and then later on when I became a small group leader, I missed being in Andrea's group.  It's crazy to think it's been six years, but the instant we met one another, we had this immediate connection.  She has helped me through all of my homeschooling and college woes, and has given me advice and loaned me books over those years.  When I left that group three years ago, we promised to stay in touch, and we do a pretty good job of meeting up once a month.  Sometimes we go a couple of weeks over that, because life happens and people end up sick, but she is always a highlight of my month.  When it's been too long since I've seen her, I get antsy to meet up again, because I genuinely miss her. 

I thank God for the friends He has given me, and I promise you, I do not say just flippantly say that.  I struggled with friends all through my teenage years, and even into my young twenties.  I was desperate for friends that would just meet me and love me where I was when we became friends.  These are not people I have to perform for, or put my best foot forward for, and they are not people who are jealous of me having other friends, and they know I'm not jealous of them with their other friends.  God has put some really amazing women in my life, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have several best friends.  And I call them all that, because they are, I don't love any one of them more than another one of them.  One is ten years older than me, one is ten years younger than me, one is about five years younger than me, and another is about four years older than me.  They're all a lot alike, because I am drawn to the same type person.  My one requirement of a friend is that they love to talk about Jesus.  This is true of all my best friends.  He is my very favorite subject, and I love to talk about His goodness.

Well, about that life lately post, here are a few things I've been up to this week.

I never get tired of tree gazing!  It's the twinkle lights.  Everything is so cozy at Christmas, and I am starting to get sad at how fast the actual day of Christmas is approaching.  (Also, when January hits, time flies until what I call birthday season arrives.  Y'all.  My twins will be SIXTEEN YEARS OLD, and I am in denial.  I cannot even imagine the day when they drive away on their own.)  I was here in my spot watching a really cute Hallmark Christmas movie on Saturday night when the house was quiet.  I watched Homegrown Christmas, but my favorite one so far was A Shoe Addict's Christmas with Candace Cameron Bure. 

I've watched two movies with Noah, and later on today or early tomorrow we're going to watch Santa Clause 2, and then Christmas with the Kranks on Friday morning. 

Most of you know I'm in choir, but I also sing on a praise team about every other week, and I'm scheduled for December 16, but I'm going out of town this weekend, so I switched with my friend Wendy and sang this past Sunday.  Our church has kids in the service, that are in grades one through five, and every few weeks, our worship pastor gets them to sing with us in the choir and on the praise team.  This little girl is my friend Brittany's daughter, and she is adorable!  She stood close to where I was standing that day in the service, and I asked if I could take her picture to share with her mom.  I heard that she got really sick the next day with her asthma, so I'm glad she was well enough to sing with us on Sunday! 

I LOVE when our kids in the service help lead worship.  On this particular day, all the songs we sang had kids singing the solo parts.  I get really teary eyed when I hear a little voice singing Away In A Manger in the microphones.  I almost can't sing.  It was a really sweet day of worship that morning, and the sermon was AMAZING, as usual.  Our Pastor just knocks it out of the park each week with his preaching, and I thank God that I get to sit under the preaching of such a godly man. 

There is no perfect church, my friends, but if you can find one that is bible believing, has sound doctrine, and solid preaching, then you go there and be faithful in attendance.  Even if the perfect church DID exist, you'd mess it up by walking in the door, because we are ALL sinful beings.  The bible tells us that the heart is deceitful above all else (Jeremiah 17:9).  I say all the time that the only good in me is the Holy Spirit, and it's true.  I am so glad that the Lord loves me and sanctifies me every minute of every day.  He is continually leading me, molding me, guiding me into who He wants me to be.  He will continue to do this until the day He calls me to my forever home in Heaven.  So if you see me acting dumb, or in a bad mood, forgive me, I have my moments.  Know that the Lord is always at work on me, though.  As I read His word, His word transforms me (Romans 12:2). 

On a lighter note, this is my newest afternoon habit.

A couple of weeks ago, my sister Trish and I went to Trader Joe's, and I bought some black chai tea.  Y'all.  It tastes like Christmas in a cup.  I have found recently that coffee is no longer tasting as good to me as this hot tea.  If you've never tried it, you should!  It is delicious.  I doctor mine up with a little bit of sugar and milk.  Drew likes his plain, but we are the tea drinkers in the house. 

Well, I need to run!  I am spending part of today with my mom in love, and I am so excited!  I've been looking forward to this day for a while, because we don't get to do this very often.  Thanks for reading my blog, friends.  Love to all.