Did you guess this?

You Are Midnight

You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits. Whether you're a nightowl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle. Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it. You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.

What Time Of Day Are You?

I got this from Barb at A Chelsea Morning and thought I'd join the fun. How about you?

All the News from Lake Woebegone

Wow, I didn't realize how long it has been since I blogged last. And WOO HOO, I have 10 subscribers out there. DOUBLE DIGITS! SHWEET!

I'll have to type fast 'cause I'm on lunch. Great Thanksgiving - 4 1/2 days with my hubby! And kids! And the Greatest Dog in the World! The weather was perfect, though my dressing didn't taste quite right. Zach caught his first fish.

Sunday I got to go to the home church for a wonderful service with Kent Henry. Probably the MOST ADD worship leader ever. Still, an anointed man. Who called MY SON up to pray for him and to pass on that anointing to him. He even sat and listened to the songs my 14 yr. old has been writing. SO HONORED! Truly a day to remember. Didn't get to see Erica or the new baby - GRRRR! She was off at the IN-LAWS! You owe me, Chica!

Just for fun I decided to get a RAGING Sinus Infection! Maybe NOT such a good idea.

I have to say that "Good-byeing" doesn't get any easier with practice. One child decided to start a big fight just to ease the sadness. Not such a good idea either. Doug drove me back to Tulsa, and went for a possible interview. PPLBBLTTT! They offered him $8/hr. Right. My big ol' macho husband nearly cried on my shoulder last night. I'm pretty sure he did as he was driving back to Texas. When you're praying - include us. We're really tired of the separation. And the no money. And the sinus infection. WHINE!

One piece of good news. My cousin, who pastors a church about an hour from here, has asked me to do some counseling for his congregation, and so we're working on a day of the week that I can come out and fulfill part of God's calling on my life. I'm really excited about it and the opportunity to support his ministry.

I'd best go now. I have read each of your posts, I just haven't commented. I know, shame on me. I'll try to get that caught up tonite.

I Think I'll Try It

I got this from Barb - http://anewchelseamorning.blogspot.com and thought I'd jump right in. If you read further, you'll find that fits with my assessment.

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have high extroversion.You are outgoing and engaging, with both strangers and friends.You truly enjoy being with people and bring energy into any situation.Enthusiastic and fun, you're the first to say "let's go!" Conscientiousness: You have medium conscientiousness.You're generally good at balancing work and play.When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done.But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it. Agreeableness: You have high agreeableness.You are easy to get along with, and you value harmony highly.Helpful and generous, you are willing to compromise with almost anyone.You give people the benefit of the doubt and don't mind giving someone a second chance. Neuroticism: You have low neuroticism.You are very emotionally stable and mentally together.Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly.Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is high.In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas.You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits.A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

The'>http://www.blogthings.com/thefivefactorpersonalitytest/">The Five Factor Personality Test

Enough's enough!

I have to say that independence is overrated. I always thought of myself as an independent person. Appears I was woefully mislead. Since moving to OK over two months ago, I am not more self-confident, nor am I more interesting. I am not more patient, nor am I more trusting of God. I'd say this little experiment is a resounding failure.

I do, however, appreciate my family, my dog, and my washer and dryer a great deal more. Also the simple act of touch. Nobody touches me out here on my own. Did you know your skin can ache from the absence of touch? As much as I may declare that I have personal space issues, this is not what I was looking for. I miss having someone to sit by in church, leading worship, or the opportunity to sing a "special" from time to time.

I need my family and I need God to open up a job for my husband. I don't like crying every day. It hurts and it messes up my sinuses something awful.

p.s. My daughter needs some readers for her blog if you don't mind stopping by http://dastardlystar.blogspot.com I know she'd appreciate a shout out.

Works for me Wednesday

I know I should link or something for this WFMW, but I don't know how. If you can help, please email or comment with the info.

Meal Planning

I took the time about 5 years ago to plan out a menu. I enjoy cooking, but I hate to decide what's for dinner. I also like a lot of variety. I found, however, that I was making the same old thing and throwing away perfectly decent food gone bad then running to the store for two more ingredients. EVERY. DAY.

This involves some serious investment of time, but it will last forever. I am one of the pickiest eaters you will find, so I think if you put your mind to it, you'll do even better than me. The primary purpose of this is to plan meals, but it will help greatly with your shopping list and grocery budget.

I got out my recipes and cookbooks, and a spiral notebook and scissors. I made a list of all the entrees I like and will actually make. Then I made a list of all the vegetables/side dishes I like and will actually make (MUCH shorter list). I then cut out each item for moving around. I decided I would plan for 6 nights a week, to accomodate date night.

Here is where the work comes in. You'll have to set your priorities. I planned to have chicken at least twice a week, red sauce no more than once a week, pasta no more than twice a week, and no particular meat two days in a row. You may want to have vegetarian, or fish a certain number of times a week. Just won't fly at my house. I also planned for stew after roast, and dishes requiring boned chicken after preparing a roasted chicken or turkey. Once I got all those ducks in a row I had TWO WHOLE MONTHS of 6 nights/wk, no entree doubled! This was a joy, because having something once every two months is not too often. Plus, as I find new recipes I can either replace something I'm tired of, or add to the end and work up to THREE MONTHS!

Next I matched the veggies/side dishes, first of all the things that MUST go together like fried chicken and mashed potatoes. This involves more moving of pieces of paper, as I didn't want potatoes too often, or cheese every day. (o.k., I LIKE cheese everyday, but it doesn't like me!) I made sure I had a green veggie or salad every meal and increased our intake of these items DRASTICALLY.

Next, I make the shopping list, making sure that I check for EVERY ingredient in my recipes. I may buy meat on sale and freeze it, or canned goods on special, but no more buying fresh produce that isn't in the plan and then throwing away not-so-fresh produce that I neglected to cook. I really save SO MUCH MONEY this way. Now you may be thinking, "GEE, she's so ORGANIZED!" To which I reply, "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" I just LOVE me a plan. I am NOT so organized, which is why this was so necessary. Organized people do this innately. I had to work on it. Now just sit back and let the plan work for you.

This plan shops every other week, so the flexibility lies in that you can eat any of the meals within that two weeks, because you already have all the ingredients for each meal. It can also get backed up because of unexpected events, so your plan will probably last longer than you originally think.

The very best, serendipitous (is that even a word?) part of this plan is what has happened with my kids. I have taught all three of them - ages then: boy 12, girls 15 and 18 - how to cook ALL of these entrees. "WHAT?!?" It's true! As I was finishing up my M.Ed., all my classes were at night and my husband was less than involved in food preparation. I offered to pay them $5 per meal (only one person per meal) to make dinner according to the plan. They had to defrost, if necessary, and begin preparation in time for dinner to be at a decent hour. This was much less expensive than them eating fast food and so much better for them. Our finances had been so low for so long that they had forgotten the meaning of the word allowance. I actually had them arguing over who got to cook, and I came home from class to a plate, left warming for me in the oven or microwave. What's not to love? They learned how to follow a recipe, planning ahead, and the mystery of getting all the parts of a dinner to come out at the same time. They tried more things because they cooked them. From time to time we go off the plan, but we always come back to it eagerly.

click to see here

This is a page of my plan (it's like the velveteen meal plan!). If you run into any problems, just ask me. I LOVE a plan!

Sunday Seventeen?

Seventeen things you might not know about me

Ok, I know this was a Thursday Thirteen, but I couldn't blast my daughter's behind away from the computer before now. So here goes.

1. If I could have any gift/skill in the world...the ability to dance. I watch all dance movies - awful acting and all- and dream that I can actually put the lower half of my body into some kind of synchronization with the top half.

2. I actually took a hip hop dance class a couple of years ago. If you've ever seen me in person, please tone the guffaws down to a mild chortle. It was me and 3 girls from a high school drill team and a girl in junior high. Wow. With mirrors everywhere.
3. I think I'm thinner and more attractive than I really am. This is why photographs are so unwelcome and so shocking. Unfortunately, when I was MUCH thinner and more attractive, I didn't have a clue.

4. I was plagued by nightmares as a child and couldn't watch any t.v. show or movie that was even slightly scary. This includes "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" with Don Knotts. Ok, stop guffawing, I can hear you. When I got older I learned to change my dreams when they started to turn dark and now I almost never have any trouble at all. Even after watching really dark, psychological movies. I still don't do the whole Freddy Krueger, Halloween, SawIII thing, though.

5. As outgoing as I am - I can literally carry on a balanced, two-way conversation with virtually anyone - I often agonize over my own foolishness and/or foot-in-mouth disease on my way home.

6. I don't consider myself maternal in the slightest. I always wanted children, but the actual raising of them has been quite a challenge. It's not their fault, just how it is. I actually do better with teenagers, even in jr. high, than with toddlers through elementary. I know. Weird, huh?

7. I have an uncanny memory for faces, and I'm pretty good with names, too. If I tell you your face is familiar, I will eventually figure out where I met you before. In another state. 22 years ago.

8. I have a nearly all-consuming desire to be on stage. Except I don't do skits. They're not cool.

9. I have a minister's license and I am third generation in the ministry. I don't preach, but I do teach, counsel, sing, and write.

10. My most difficult birthday was my 30th, because I had not finished my degree and I was disappointed in myself. By 40 I had my B.A. and was working on my M.Ed. Much better.

11. I still feel that the bigness of my life is ahead of me. I hope I'm not wrong about this because I believe there is bigness in me. At this point there is definitely bigness to me.

12. I took an English horseback riding class in college and it was one of the most fun things I have ever done. One of these days I'm getting a horse and I don't care if it harelips the Devil! What exactly does that phrase mean?

13. I don't think I am creative. I'm really good at following a pattern, and that is not the same thing.

14. Did I mention that I'm weird. Oh, you already knew that. What I didn't realize growing up and trying desperately to hide my weirdness, was that it was like trying to hide a fart. Particularly if one is lactose intolerant. I have found, however, that weirdness seems to be "in" these days and I enjoy a certain degree of coolness to my own bewilderment.

15. I carry Play-Doh with me at all times, because when I get stressed out I like to smell it. Please refer to the above item.

16. When I was in college, different school, I slid down the bannister of the music bldg. in a dress. Unfortunately, the young man at the bottom neglected to catch me and I broke my foot.

17. I had a black belt in dating before I married 23 years ago. I did mention that I was much thinner and more attractive then, didn't I?

O.k. that's certainly more than anyone really needed to know. I'm going to bed now. Feel free to spread the love.

Sweet, sweet connection

I'm cookin' with gas, now!

Actually, I'm not cooking at all, my sweet daughter is. I'm merely sitting on the floor of my new apartment...BLOGGING! Yes friends, I finally have internet. No couch, no desk, no table, no box springs, no bedframe, no lamps. I do have a small t.v., a computer with INTERNET!, an air mattress for Andrea and a queen mattress for me. Oh, find of finds - we happened upon a not-so-gently used chair and coffee table at the DUMPSTER! Now we can have High Tea with the Queen! She gets the chair of course.

I spent my Saturday partaking of various forms of chocolate. Dicey business for a diabetic, but I persevered. Actually my boss' women's group put together a Chocolate Boutique women's day and she invited Andrea and me. It was a treat, not just because of the chocolate (MMMMM!), but because a day on the floor watching our 4 t.v. stations didn't hold much appeal. Now this wasn't just about eating, but also about how God's love is extravagant, and necessary, just like chocolate. You can get the details of how to do your own C.B. at www.group.com and enjoy!

I hardly know what to blog about since I've been so out of touch. I want you to know you may tag me for any meme you'd like and I'll be sure to respond. No word yet on a job for Doug.

I'm doing pretty well, considering... Considering my van started smoking last Wednesday and he had to make a mad dash up here to replace a hose that went to the coolant, pump, valve thingy. I know it may not seem cost effective to drive that round trip, but imagine the cost of limping one's van into an unknown repair shop and saying, "Um, I think it's broke. Can you fix it?"

I snickered feverishly at In the Midst of It's post today. Dangerous in an office setting. I'm sure you all did, too, because I think the only ones who read my blog are related to her. OOH! If you'll notice, I just created my very first link or two. You may gaze in wonder. You may also notice (please concur) that I've gotten my funny back on. Apparently it was attached to personal internet service. Who'da thunk it? It's a good thing, too, because all that whining was gettin' on my last nerve. I must say, however, that Monday is the saddest day of the week because my MomTime buddies are playing without me. You know who you are!

I'll sign off before this officially becomes the longest post evah. I'll be back. Soon.

The rest of the story

O.k. well I'm at home for just a couple of days and I finally got through to blogger. I didn't even know it posted my last entry because it erased me twice. Come to find out it cut some off, so I'll finish that up.

The house we are looking to lease/purchase will not be available until the first of January. The couple that owns it is moving to Africa to train pastors and won't be leaving until then. So we need a place for 2-3 months until that works out.

The update is, I got a call yesterday afternoon from the owner of the house I'm in. She decided that she needed to work on the house without occupants. I have until next weekend to find a place. I spent most of the ride home trying not to throw up from the stress. Any ideas folks? You'd think I'd have my sea legs by now wouldn't you?

The rollercoaster this week also included this event. After I got my first paycheck and my husband paid bills, we had like $20 to make it the next two weeks. That meant I would not make it home for my son's 14th birthday. When he found this out he called me sobbing! Another weepy day at work. I was finally able to get some of the email addresses from the folks back home and shared just a bit of what was going on with one of my friends.

He called that evening and said that everyone deserves a good birthday, and he and his wife were paying for my gas to come home! So here I am, trying to figure out what to take back with me and where I'm going to put it anyway. Enjoying my family and praying like crazy.

I appreciate your comments and prayers. This adventure doesn't feel very fun yet.

Weeping may last for the night...but joy comes in the morning

I find myself at my desk weeping. My family has just left to go back home, and though I will be headed there in 4 days, I'm having a hard time. This is the difficult part of walking out God's provision. Doug felt like both interviews went well and we are praying that the job that is NOT 55 hrs/wk. is the one that will work out at a good pay and quick start date. (Cross your fingers and toes for relocation package!)

Let me tell you about the housing God has provided. I spent the first week with my MIL who lives 1/2 mile from my office. She has a 1 bedroom condo and I stayed on the couch. Thought I might stay there until my first paycheck arrived so I could get an apartment. When she found out that would be at the end of three weeks...well, let's just say she was unprepared.

So I called a couple of friends in town. The next day I moved to the pastor's home 25 miles away - they have a MIL's suite that had a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen/living room with its own entrance. She stocked the frig for me and made dinner in the evening! I can't tell you how much I appreciate this family. Talk about instant in season and out.

I was there for nearly two weeks until I moved to the vacant, but furnished home of a friend's daughter. It was also 25 miles away, but in the other direction. The joy of Tulsa is that at each place it only takes 30 minutes to go those 25 miles in rush hour! This home is awfully cute and is such a blessing. After the stress of the MIL's house, I certainly didn't want to overstay my welcome anywhere. There is room for my older daughter, who is here and looking for a job, and myself. God bless this family as well!

Oh, while at the pastor's home I learned of a house that he was buying that is about 5 miles from my job. He wanted to know if we would be interested in renting or lease/puchase -ing it from him! It is beautiful, much nicer than any home I have lived in since I married. It is also well within our price range. Three blessings for me!

Here's the hitch: The house in which I am currently staying is on the market and is getting a lot of realtor attention. Even if it sold right awa

Long Time No Blog

Let the praises ring out - I'm Bloggin' Again!

I can't catch everything up today, but I'm gonna start sumpin'. I only have 30 minutes for lunch and I don't have a computer at home, yet.

It's kinda cold and rainy here in the CityPlex Towers (aka The City of Faith) in beautiful South Tulsa. I have been on the job almost 3 weeks, and didn't have a computer at all for the first 2 1/2! Then I had to catch up on everyone's posts since I had been away before I could even think of posting. It was so good to read y'all! I've missed you more than you know.

Speaking of missing, I haven't seen my family since I left and that's mighty hard. They are coming up this weekend because...drumroll please...Doug has 2, yes 2, interviews! And they are bringing the greatest dog in the world with them! My cup runneth over!

About the job - I am a writer in the Editorial Department of Oral Roberts Ministries. I get to read testimonies of God's faithfulness all day. And of course edit them. That's what they pay me for. I have my own office, which is very exciting for me. Payday is tomorrow which is even more exciting because we've all been livin' on fumes since I left. You'd think I'd be thinner by now.

I'll try to blog again tomorrow and let y'all know how the housing situation has progressed. I still can't get my email from home so I'm depending, nay waiting with bated breath, on your posts and comments.

It's good to be back!

Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?

It's 1:31 am on the day that I am leaving and I'm up finishing the laundry so I can take clean clothes to my MIL's house. Feelin' kinda ponderful (yes, that's what I meant to type) so I thought I'd share.

I've had only a few big moves in my life. My first memory is moving to my big house the week before my 3rd birthday. Big excitement and I must have talked a blue streak that day. A couple of house changes within the same town before the next big move - to the dorm at ORU. It was all excitement because I was about to take the world by storm. Only a little sadness to leave friends because I knew I'd be back to visit. Often. The song that I felt was written for me was "I'm Gonna Fly" by Amy Grant. College would be the place where people would finally "get" me. And they did. I felt such a freedom there to be all of me, not just the parts that were acceptible to the particular group or guy I was with. It was o.k. to be smart and I could show that and still date - my favorite pasttime.

The next move was when I got married a couple of years later (comin' up on 23 next month!). Yet again, a happy adventure. My quest for "the man" was over and I could commence with the rest of my goals. I had made friends in Tulsa, home of my first married apartment, and wasn't concerned about leaving home at all. What could go wrong? I had full confidence in the future.

About a year and a half later, we headed back to Texas and it didn't seem like such a big move because I was coming home. We had some adjustment issues like any young couple, but life was still good. I was still ready to conquer the world. During the next 6 mos. during which I had my first child, my husband's fledging faith in the Lord began to unravel. I was too naive to know what was going on and tied up with new baby and postpartum.

The bad move. Work took us off to Oregon for a "temporary" contract job. I. DID. NOT. WANT. TO. GO. At this point I knew things were not all right and the sense of foreboding was tangible. I couldn't get anyone to listen to me. I was trapped. We put our stuff in storage and I packed up my baby and my postpartum and went to the land of no sun, with no transportation of my own. Because this was just "temporary" - 6 weeks at the most - it wasn't necessary to make new friends or a find a church that I would only have to say good-bye to right away. Only, if you'll remember, my motto is everything is better with a buddy or cheese. I don't operate this way. So began the downward spiral of this little family of three into the pits of long term depression. Six weeks turned into, by excruciating slowness of multiple delays, 11 MONTHS! So much damage was done to us, by us, and through us, that it has taken YEARS to recover what was lost in Banana Slugland. We returned to Texas beaten, damaged, wounded. Lost was the innocence of youth and the unquestioning belief that God would lay the path out before us, smooth and clear. We were forever changed by that move and my personal jury is still out on whether the good things that happened through that time (and it took me a long time to even see any good) outweigh the damage.

We have changed homes a few times since then, but have stayed in the same area for the last 19 years. We've done a lot of healing and I can truly say that God is my Redeemer. However, I find myself on the brink of this move - knowing it is what I want and what God wants for me - apprehensive, fearful, confused. Afraid that there lurks in the shadows a Devourer like before. I want to have that 100% confidence that all will be smooth sailing, but I'm not 23 years old and unscarred anymore. My wounds have healed, but the scars remain. There is an aching in times of stress like the aching in my foot (that I broke in college) when it's going to rain. I am excited and sad. Wishing I could just be excited. This total dependence on God messes with my need to control my life. To say that I will never be without an escape again. Having to trust Him when I would rather trust me.

Ultimately I believe this move is about my Redeemer. I believe He wants to redeem my trust in Him and He can only do that through this step of faith that I am taking. I feel like Indiana Jones in the movie where he must step out onto nothingness to save his dad. I am leaving friends and church behind and stepping out into an entirely new season of my life. No net. It's up to the Lord to catch me. I know He is my Redeemer; I'm just a little frightened.

And they're off!

Well, technically it's just me, and I'm actually leaving Sunday, but I don't know if I will get a chance to blog between now and then.

I have just a wee bit of anxiety about this move. I know it is exactly what God has planned, but that doesn't mean it will be easy. I have only lived outside of Dallas/Ft. Worth 3 years of my 43. I've been attending the same church for 21 years with my brother as pastor. I haven't worked full time, except for a couple of temp jobs, in 21 years either. So I have alot of adjusting to do. Not to mention starting off without the DH and DKs, and the best dog in the universe.

My DH has agreed to let me take the van (unairconditioned) so that I will not be completely at the mercy of my MIL. Please pray for rain all the way from DFW to Tulsa on Sunday so that I will survive the trip! I will be spending the first week with my MIL so that might take some prayer as well. After that, I may be getting the first apartment by myself of my entire life. I might finally be a real grownup, or GRUP as we say around here.

I think it will be fun after 2 years of living with 5 other people, packed to the rafters. However, since my motto is "Everything's better with a buddy, or cheese, or both" I'm not sure how I'll function on my own. Oh, did I mention - I won't have a computer, except at work! Guess where I'll be spending my lunch! So, I'll do a little freelance writing and a lot of reading.

We're still believing for financial provision, as we have about $40 to get us to next Friday - not this Friday - all of us. I know God will provide, it's His penchant for waiting till the last minute that is so unsettling. I choose to believe in Him and I will make myself rest in that belief. Help my unbelief!

I have a small shindig/big weepfest scheduled for tomorrow evening with a few friends. I have managed to keep the tears to a minimum, but there's no way I can hold out there. Sunday morning I will say good-bye to a few more, though I will be traveling back about every two weeks until DH finds a job and we sell the house. Then it's off to Tulsa. Thank Heavens for email and cell phones.

Wish me well sweet bloggy friends.

A Different Book MeMe

Got this from Barb over at A Chelsea Morning:

Here's how it works:
Grab the book closest to you.
Open it to page 123.
Scroll down to the 5th sentence.
Post the text of the next 3 sentences, the name of the book and the author.I'm changing rule #1 a bit. I'm changing #1 to "grab the book you're currently reading."This is the book I'm reading right now. It is "The Cat-nappers" by P.G. Wodehouse.On page 123, sentences 6, 7 and 8 are: "Compared with other items on the list of my troubles it was perhaps a minor cause for melancholy that the old ancestor should be trying to get me on the telephone. Nevertheless, it added one more thing to worry about. It could only mean, I felt, that she had come out of the amiable mood she had been in when last heard from and had thought of a lot more to make on the subject of my failure to reach the standard which she considered adequate in a nephew." This book, like all Wodehouse books, is British humor at its finest. I know not everyone revels in it, but those of us who do laugh out loud at the adventures of Jeeves and Bertie. You'll only find these at the library or used bookstore. But they are well worth it, and appropriate for any reader. Pass it on.

Drumroll Please

Allrighty! Everyone pick a partner and line up to do the Happy Dance with me! Yes, the year of waiting on God has finally come to an end and I got the job with Oral Roberts Ministries! I start in a week, so I hope God has all the other details worked out and was not caught by surprise. There has been a great deal of hootin' and hollerin' here at the Taylor homestead, right after I accepted the position from the lofty perch of my bathwater. Pretty difficult not to splash when you are shaking all over. Though my voice? Like buttah. I can hardly contain my excitement and it will be a challenge to sleep tonite. So many plans, so few finances. But God is faithful - all the time.

I'll post more after the shaking subsides.

How About A Game of Catch (up)?

OOH! So much to say...so late at night. O.K. I'll try to catch up on some info and relate some heartfelt musings.

1. I've discovered one of the many reasons why my family thinks I am a raving lunatic. I have found that by the time I have answered "What's for dinner?" individually for each and every member of the family (with at least one "I don't like that.") if you are the last person to ask, it sucks to be you because I will have forgotten that you haven't asked the other 5 times and I will probably yell at you. This also goes for requests for purchases or money. Can't all you family members take a meeting, decide on the questions and ask them just once? I mean really.

2. If it were possible I believe that I would be bald, entirely, by now from the stress of waiting for God's timing. I know, I know. I shouldn't worry, shouldn't stress, should have more faith, lean to the left and hold my tongue just right. Forgive me. I'm absolutely doing my level best.

3. What's the deal with school supplies? Why do I need to supply extras to turn in to the teacher every year? What are they doing with all those protractors? On whose authority does my son's teacher give him a daily grade of 40 because payday and subsequent supply shopping didn't come until after the first two weeks of school? Do I care that said teacher may be offended by the letter he received from me after hearing about said daily grade? I do not. I. Am. Moving. Not sure when, but this is my mantra of faith and I will not be shaken. I have it on good authority (my brother, the pastor) that this is what is meant by "having done all to stand, stand therefore." Besides, wasn't all that revenue from the Texas Lottery supposed to have all of our children up to their hoo-hahs in markers and laptops? Who's spending that money and how can I get my hands on a couple of protractors to wield on behalf of all broke parents?

4. Pardon me a moment while I return my soapbox to its locked and upright position... there now, where was I?

5. My son is a sheep dog. Not as in shaggy, but as in obliged to control by nudging. He has always been this way and is not likely to change. The problem is, I resist nudging. Wait, make that "the hair stands up on the back of my neck" when this happens. So you see my dilemma. Put that together with the fact that he is the youngest and figure in #1 of this post and you will get a clear picture of a great many of our interactions. Were he not also the most affectionate, devoted, giving, God-loving almost-14-year-old alive, he might no longer be alive. Tonight he got up after he had been in bed about a half hour and said he felt like God wanted him to pray for us (hubby and I) about stress, jobs, finances, etc. He did and trotted happily off to bed. And did I mention he had to settle for a cheap imitation of the shoes he really wanted and worked to earn because we just couldn't swing the name brand? Just yesterday? Color me abashed and appreciative.

6. Oh, you say you'd like to know how my trip to Tulsa went. Well...because our VW Harlequin Golf has no clutch, our Chevy Venture has no air, and my husband and oldest daughter both have jobs that require the use of the shock and strut-less Cutlass Ciera, I rented a car to get there. It was nice driving a car on which everything worked and got decent gas mileage. Once again I spent the night with my dear friend from long ago and stayed up much too late talking. It was so humid when I got up that the hairspray turned immediately to cow slobber on my hair. For those of you not raised in the South, that would be the beads that turn up on the merangue of your favorite pie. I know, icky term. Not so great on the hair either. I arrived at the HR building with 3 minutes to spare and began to make my way across the lawn and around the back of the building to the correct entrance. However I was wearing my oldest daughter's lovely lime green pumps, specifically designed for sitting. I could only move about 4 inches at a time, but now would not have time to inchworm my way back to the car to find my backup shoes and make it into the office. First interview, outlining the job description and requirements, references, recommendations, pay and benefits went very well. On to the second interview - back to the car, four inches at a time - change shoes and drive across the street to meet the managing editor and copy editor. This interview ended with the words "front runner" and "kindred spirits" - that's good, right? They said they had one more interview that they "probably ought to do" but that they would be making the decision right away and how soon would I be available. So I did the happy dance - not in the office, silly! Now I just have to hope and pray and wait for Tuesday or word that the other candidate has moved to Albania to take up underwater basket weaving. Do you see any hair falling out? So, once again, I will let you know as soon as I hear anything.

7. Given that the job is a done deal, all that remains is that I find a place to stay, a car to drive (my middle child threw up in the only intact car after a trip to Six Flags yesterday), my husband gets a job in Tulsa and we sell our home. No big woop. I must say there's nothing like driving to church in Texas, in the summer, in the Vomitmobile. Good Times.

I'll sign off now. I have MomTime in the morning. YAY! and I can't wait to spell the socks off my dear friends after watching "Akeela and the Bee" and eating pizza. Thanks for the prayers.

Livin' on Tulsa Time

It's been a lurkin' good week here and I am amazed at how you people blog once or twice A DAY! I haven't blogged because the whole of my consciousness is consumed with, "I. NEED. A. JOB." and "How long can I survive on NO. MONEY."

I actually missed my MomTime group this week (BOO HOO!!!) because of a poorly scheduled orthodontist appointment. This was a real hardship. I'll be back on Monday, ready to kick some spelling booty, as that is the game for next week.

Oh, by the way... I HAVE AN INTERVIEW! A REAL LIFE, FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW! ON FRIDAY! So brush off your pray-er and remember me at 10 am Central on Friday. This just might be the one.

Now I am really sleepy and I have to drive up to good old Tulsa tomorrow morning. Thanks for all your prayers.

Books, Books, Books!

I'm jumping onto this meme from A Chelsea Morning, though it's taken several days for me to get to it. Let's see if it inspires anyone else.

1. Books that changed your life: Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend - helped me take back the me I had lost along the way and restored my husband's respect for me in the process. Speaking of Love by Fred and Anna Kendall - helped me to understand that my husband was not just trying to rain on my parade 24/7 and that my son's desire to lead (control, sheepdog, etc.) me was not also not meant to drive me insane. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - just because. The Bible - it continually changes my life.

2. Books that you've read more than once: The Chronicles of Narnia - I think at least 8 times through all of them at last count, Boundaries - I need updating regularly. The Bible - I'm on my second time through it entirely, though I was raised on it and have read many of the books multitudinous times.

3. Book you'd want on a desert island: the Bible, of course because it always has a fresh word for me, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis - I'd need uninterrupted time to take it all in and begin to understand it.

4. Book that made you laugh: My dad had a copy of The in Blue by P.G. Wodehouse - very dry, very British humor that I appreciated at a very early age. I would laugh till I cried and those around me thought I had lost my mind.

5. Book that made you cry: wow, so many, the script for Shadowlands by C.S. Lewis - I literally sobbed. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom - two boxes of Kleenex, anything by Nicholas Sparks.

6. Book that you wish had been written: Don't lose yourself in your marriage: the young wives' guide to sustained respect and happiness.

7. Books you don't enjoy: self-righteous "Do it my way - the right way - and you won't have any problems" types, anything that implies there is only one right way, excessively frilly "women's" books, in other words, books that aren't REAL, also textbooks, manuals, Nathaniel Hawthorn, Ernest Hemingway, and Walden Pond.

8. Book you are currently reading: I just finished Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich and I'm supposed to be reading The Search for Significance, Growing Up Divorced, and a book about raising gifted adolescents. I keep starting, but can't seem to plow through any of these. I need another Wodehouse book to get me through.

9. Book you've been meaning to read: Mere Christianity - I think I'm going to need a discussion group for this one.

10. Book you remember as a real page turner: This Present Darkness - it was tough getting started, but then I couldn't put it down. The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Nighttime - written from the perspective of an autistic young man.

11. Nonfiction books you have enjoyed: Lisa Whelchel's books - all of them, Wild at Heart, and other aforementioned books.

12. Children's books your family has loved: Big Max, Where the Wild Things Are, Fox In Socks, The Pokey Little Puppy, Charlotte's Web, The Chronicles of Narnia, And to Think That It Happened On Mulberry Street.

My lifelong love of reading makes a comprehensive list impossible. Perhaps these few mentions will strike a chord with you.

Some Catching Up To Do

I find I am a much more faithful skulker when it comes to blogs than I am a writer of them. Though now my family is after me, "You need to blog again!" So here we go. I thought I'd take a page from Sarah's book and since I don't know how to post links I'll just say her blog is "In the Midst of it" and it is amazing. I want to be just like her when I grow up. Never mind that she is at least 15 years younger than me. And by the way, "Snaps for Addison" for coming home and making new sounds. We're so proud of this tiny trooper. Anyhoo (is that a Midwesterner's saying?), "What I Learned on My Summer Vacation"

I think I shall call this the "Summer of Stretching," but not in the exercise-y meaning of the word. I think I have stretch marks on my soul and they itch, too. I have learned that I can wait on God, even when I don't wanna! (Picture me stomping my foot) I can love Him even when I don't get my way and I can say, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo (Abedniboo? Abenibob? Benny?) "I believe my God will deliver me, but even if He doesn't, I will still serve Him." He loves me too much to let me get away with behavior that is unacceptible, but He gives me lots of opportunities to make it right. One time at ORU a preacher from some African country spoke on Jonah and taught us a song, "He will not compel us to go, Oh no, He'll just make us willing to go!" The breakdown of the air conditioner in my car has been my own personal "belly of the whale." UNCLE!

I've learned that my family is quite fond of me (Go figure!) even though I am snappish when under this much stress for this long. And will deny being snappish up to the point where I box their ears! "I'm not angry!" I've learned that my kids are turning into some really amazing people and will make very good friends when others are in need. My husband is a saint. He faithfully rubs my diabetic feet every night, without me asking. He remains married to this slave driving shrew who expresses her frustration by finding work for others. (I don't like that part of me!) He can fix ANYTHING. What a man!

I've learned that pizza holds no allure for me in the summer months - too heavy, too cheesy, too hot. Hot brownies and chocolate chip cookies, however, are always welcome. I like ice cream with the aforementioned items, as well as with cobbler or shortcake, but I never really crave it by itself. I love fresh iced tea and I consume massive quantities of it, but have sent back bad iced tea at restaurants more times than I can count. BLEH! Steak is my most favoritest food ever, but I don't care for beef dishes in general. I don't much trust a casserole. My husband went to a business thingy at the Viking Test Kitchens and later said, "I don't even know what some of the things I ate were." This is a phrase you will NEVER hear me utter. (shudders!)

I've learned that while stress may turn me grey, apparently my hair will not turn loose. THANK GOD! We've all learned to be a lot more flexible. Sometimes I feel like Yum-Yum, the contortionist roommate of my friend, Mary, who used to be in the Ringling Brothers' Circus. Or was that Purple Peggy, her other contortionist roommate? At any rate, I'm still here, still trusting God, still believing for the dream.

Bloggity Tour of Homes - Tardy Style

I've been in a bit of a blogging slump, though life is cruising along pretty well. For those 2 or 3 of you who will see this, here is my lovely home.

Alas, this is a terrible picture of our room of "packing in faith", I can only say it's fuzzy because the stress of "packing in faith" has made us all a bit wobbly. Still waiting to hear on jobs in Tulsa and waging spiritual warfare on the Enemy who is in the business of discouragement and delay.
This is my son's room. I have to say that by the time we got it finished with the cute paint and border (which you can't see, but has cars and trucks on it) he was 12 and had outgrown it. Perhaps the next owners will love it. Or paint over it.
Apparently we're much calmer outside. Yes, the yard is bereft of grass. It's a drought. The plant pots are from the garden that didn't happen this year. BooMama said to print it the way we live. We actually threw away the pots yesterday, but we aren't sodding the yard until this heat breaks. In general the front door is open, even as late as midnight. Or later if I'm not paying attention. We're all night owls here and obviously oblivious to intruder danger.
Yes, that's him. Clicker in hand. But you can't have him, he's taken. By the owner of the Diet Coke from Whataburger. The perennial laundry basket peeks out from the coveted chair-and-a-half perched beneath the holy ceiling fan. The walls are a yummy Bit-O-Honey color that I just love.
Welcome to Sunday dinner. A little Pork Chop Casserole, salad, sweet tea, and cobbler for dessert - prepared by my 17 yr. old daughter. Determined just a few months ago to pre-make (as much as possible) my Sunday dinner so I could actually enjoy the Sabbath. What a welcome home from church! God bless Time Bake and Crock-Pots!

We just painted the kitchen and I love it so much I think I'll do it all over again in my new kitchen. The top half is a Ralph Lauren River Rock Texture in SwampWillow. The bottom half is a Ralph Lauren semi-gloss in Mediterranean. You can't see the stained glass window, but it really looks nice with this. The master just got a new coat of paint this week - Waterwheel by Behr, which is really boring, but good for resale. It does look nicer, I just prefer real color.

My children took the pictures, uploaded them, and linked it all together. I'm afraid I'm woefully inept at this sort of thing. I will assure you that though our home may be a bit (or a lot) untidy and in the process of remodeling and packing, you are welcome at anytime. Except maybe early morning. We will stop what we are doing, TiVo what we were watching, and serve you something yummy to eat. All 6 of us cook - my 13 yr. old son made cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuits, and gravy for me this morning. And most of all we will laugh with those who laugh and weep with those who mourn. Because we love you.

Epiphany

In my continuing quest to be more like Jesus, I have discovered a dilemma. You see, I hate surprise parties. Not just an "I don't prefer them," but a true hatred. All the anxiety about secretive planning, last minute SNAFUs, etc. Maybe it's because I'm a control freak. (Ya think?)

The dilemma is, I think God loves a surprise party. He loves to wait till the last minute when you think He's not going to come through. He is not inclined to tell you why, or even why He won't tell you why. This is a problem for me. I think I must have been the most annoying 4 yr. old ever, because I'm always trying to figure out why.

I know, I know. It's about faith, releasing control, trusting God. I know that control comes from fear. I know that He's never let me down before and He's not likely to start now. But, darn it (foot stomping here), I don't like surprises! I suppose I've had enough nasty surprises from the world that I am a little shell-shocked.

So, once again, I need to speak the truth. Jeremiah 29:11-14 (truly my "holding on for dear" life verse) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

Glory Hallelujah! It's a promise and I'm holding to it. But please, don't plan a surprise party for my birthday next week!