Not Much Time

I really should be reading right now...but I keep thinking of things I wanted to blog about and if I keep putting it off I will start forgetting and it will all get too overwhelming...so let me throw it all up quickly before it flies out of my head.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family. We almost spent the night becuase it started snowing really heavily before we left to come home, but we made the decision to go home anyway. I got a call the next morning that my mom's car had caught on fire in the night and was totalled. It was a 2006 Envoy. What in the world. The craziest most awesome part? My dad is one of those guys who takes really good care of his wife...he NEVER leaves her car out in the elements...it is 99.5% of the time in the garage. Their garage is connected to the kitchen. This night, however, for some really odd reason...he decided to leave it outside and not only that, before he went to bed he moved it down the driveway...away from the garage. Why? He had no idea...just an inkling to do so. The car caught fire around 1 am...they are thinking sometihng electrical. If it had been in the garage...they most likely would have a totalled car and the house of my childhood would also, most likely, be gone. God's protection...MOST CERTAINLY! We have so much to be grateful for!

Friday we went to get our Christmas tree. Landon loved traipsing around the farm and Noah contentedly sat in his carseat (in a wagon). That evening Jonathan made chilli and we all decorated the tree and listened to Christmas music. It was like a scene from a Norman Rockewell painting . Lovely, lovely time.

Last week I had to read Boundaries in Marraige for my class. I have read MANY marraige books. I have read the original boundaries book...and the boundaries with children book. But this one was different...perhaps becuase of where I was in my life, but the book, which was intended for academic gain, hit me personally right between the eyes. It was just what I needed to get me off of my prideful, woe-is-me lazy butt and take some responsibility. I am responsible for my feelings. I am responsible TO Jonathan, but not FOR him. I am responsible FOR me. I think I was afraid of trying in some areas of our lives recently becuase I was afraid of failure (and hurt), but what I didn't realize was that by not trying I was ensuring failure...I was already failing. This book helped to move me out of complacency and into action. I HIGHLY recommend this book.

Now I am reading this book on bondage. This author believes that many psychological and emotional problems stem from satanic influence. He is a mainstream author...and somehow I had not heard of this theory before (aside from some fringe theorists). I don't really like it. I am only 50 pags into the book, but I don't like to think about demonic activity. Call me naive...but I just like not knowing about it becuase that stuff scares me. The illustrations this guy is using are haunting me...I can't get them out of my head and if it were up to me I would not finish this book...but I have to bc I have an exam and paper to write on it. I know we are called to live power and not fear. I know that Jesus name and power far outweighs anythign the evil one can do...and I think the author is right on a few of his points...but I just don't like to hear stories of possession. I dread my afternoon reading session.

Noah is just about crawling. He is up on all 4's moving back and forth...and I think by the end of the week he will be on the move. Makes my heart kind of sad...but boy is he cute. He gets this little proud face when he is up rocking back and forth. I watched this Fox Faith film last night based on a Janette Oke book. The family lost their baby girl (who was about Noah's age). I could hardly watch. I told Jonathan that I don't think I am strong enough to ever endure something like the loss of a child. He reminded me that God gives grace in the moment...but still...I would be walking around with a huge, gaping hole in my heart. I can't imagine how difficult that road must be to walk...

And lastly (for now anyway)...this morning when I was blow drying my hair, Landon decided he wanted to do his as well. So I gave him some water and gel and let him have at it. He did it all himself and he looked pretty darn cute by the time he was done. As we were walking out the door to the library I told him how handsome he looked to which he replied, " Yeah, I know mom...now all the girls at the library are going to want to marry me!" Glad to know I am raising such a humble kid