Happy Birthday, Mamer!

My mother married at 17, right out of high school, and promptly became pregnant. It was me! Her age, many of the circumstances in her life, and that daughter were all challenges to which she rose valiantly. I wish I could be with her on her birthday, but she knows how much I love her.

In her relatively short life, she's suffered through divorce, widowhood, abandonment, but also reared two great children☺, started her life over again many times, and is now happily married, retired, and refurbishing her bathroom. Can't wait to see it.

Happy Birthday, Mom.

Influences

Any piece of rope or string was an exciting chance for my oldest son Brad to create a "trap" à la the movie Home Alone.

I wish I had taken a picture of one of his many contraptions. This movie also influenced my second son Jeff to repeat some of the less desirable phrases. (Which led to it being put away for a while)

I knew I was greatly influenced by the book Little Women, as have been many girls. But I realized it even more when I attended Little Women the Musical the other night. My friend won tickets and invited me along. It was very enjoyable with a few, but not too many, liberties taken from the original story.

I read the book when I was around 12 or 14, and I wanted to be Jo. I wanted to be a writer, I still do. I wanted to be original and not confined to the mores of the times. Still do. I wanted my family to stay close forever and love me as much as I treasured them. I still want that. I didn't want some things to change, yet longed to be bold and adventurous. That's still me. I have never been as bold as Jo, however.

She was such a great character. A good influence, I think.

If I think about it long enough, I'm sure I can come up some good influences from that movie the boys loved. Building traps, dodging criminals, thinking on your feet, cherishing your family...

Oh yeah, that's a good one.♥

Shhh! Don't Tell, and if You're Rachel Don't Look

Rachel's my only offspring that actually reads this blog, so I'm pretty safe in telling about a cool Christmas gift idea I heard about yesterday.

Take a box (perhaps a computer paper box) and glue a mirrored tile to the inside bottom. Wrap and gift tag it to Jesus. On Christmas morning ponder whose birthday we are celebrating and what gift would be acceptable/appropriate for Jesus. What could we possibly give Him?

One at a time, open the gift and look inside to see You, Me, Us! That's what Jesus wants.

What a great reminder.

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Or How We Get Away with Giving only Three Gifts

Beginning last year, our new tradition is to give each of the "kids" three presents, each corresponding to gifts of the Magi.

For instance, the gift of Gold was highly valued in that poor economic time. This gift probably helped finance this young couple. We try to wrap in gold paper or tie with gold ribbon a present that is highly valued by the giftee. It's the "big" present (or most expensive).

Frankincense was used for incense, a way of meeting with God. Wrapped in silver then, is a gift that helps our children in their meeting with God. A new Bible, devotional, or Christian C.D. fits along these lines.

Myrrh was used to anoint the body and is still used as a fragrance in many items. Lotions, fuzzy socks, pajama pants or anything else used in comfort for their precious bodies are wrapped in deep reds.

We like to talk about the significance of the gifts given to Jesus and how the gifts we give reflect the same. This article explains the idea more fully.

Let The Joy Begin

I went to sleep after a huge crying jag, woke up to puffy eyes and started again this morning. I told my dh that I don't want to be sad. He wanted to know what he could do, but I said I just needed to make the decision. Then I read this post. So simple, but so true. Count your blessings.

I got to spend time with all my children (and new daughter-in-love), my mom and her husband, my only brother and his wonderful wife, two of my nieces and one nephew, and laugh a lot. My mother-in-law was able to return home a couple of days ago (heart surgery). Dan has relented and is allowing Sassy in the house. God has answered some very specific prayer requests. Everyone is healthy! Kiersten invited Rachel and me to do some Christmas baking. Did I mention that my sister-in-law Julie is a treasure?

I still have a lot of growing to do. It's pretty painful, but God is merciful and loving, patient and kind. He gives me a lot of grace and so do a ton of other people. I'm still becoming all the things I wish to be, but it's two steps forward, one step back. Sometimes it feels harder than that. But He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it.

Knowing that, how can I be sad?

Crying Binge

Life got really crazy at the end of September. So that's partly my excuse for not blogging for two months. The other reason is I was too busy crying.

It was like a binge. A sudden urge would come over me to cry. I would cry over anything and everything I could get my mind on. I would cry in secret, but the urge became so overpowering, I didn't care who was watching. I had no self control.

The aftermath took its toll. A frightened husband and children. Kleenexes were hoarded. Contacts were probably ruined. Excedrin stock went up, while everything else plummeted.

The purging was a giant list of excuses and reasons. Some were intolerable. Like the two weeks I blamed the watching of the movie "Hitler, the Rise of Evil". None of it made the binging stop.

Then...

Two days of blogging. Two days of Bible reading. Two days of on the knees praying. Two days of watching my daughter find immense joy in the midst of intense suffering.

It may be safe for the Kleenexes to come out of hiding.

Party Meatballs

I've promised this recipe to several people, so I thought someone else might like it, too.

3 lb. ground beef
1 c. milk
2 c. oatmeal
2 eggs
minced onion
1/2 T. garlic
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt

Mix ground beef mixture well and form into small balls. Put onto a sheetcake pan. Bake at 350° while you make the sauce.

SAUCE

1 1/2 c. ketchup
1 c. water
2 c. brown sugar
1 T. liquid smoke
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Heat in saucepan and bring to a boil. Drain grease off of the meatballs, and pour the sauce over the meatballs. Total baking time will be 45 min. to 1 hour.