Snow days!

Hello!

Been a while again since I've been on here.  I can't believe that January is half-over already!  I always thought that January was the slowest month of the year, but it's moving fast.  Before I know it, the Superbowl will be upon us, and I will be enjoying the antics of the Puppy Bowl :).  I can't help it; I enjoy watching the Superbowl for the commercials, as my husband will attest, but I get bored with the game.  Not to mention that the half-time shows have been incredibly bad ever since the Janet Jackson incident, what has it been now, seven or eight years ago?  Seems like they only want bands who have had recent hip-replacement surgeries that will ensure no "wardrobe malfunctions".  But, it is still fun to "watch" with hubby and we usually have some fun foods to go along with the game.  Too bad the Colts won't be playing this year!

Christmas Is Officially Over

Well, we finally went to see my in-laws for Christmas.  We were also there to help my husband's brother move into his new house, and we got to spend time with all of the nieces and nephews.  We had a good time, but unfortunately, it led to me catching the stomach flu bug from them, and I spent the first half of this past week in the bathroom.  Thankfully, though, my husband hasn't caught it, and his parents and brother and sister never caught it, which makes me think that they had it sometime in the past and don't have to worry about catching it again.  Nevertheless, I've been sanitizing everything I can think of in my house, just in case I'm wrong.  Seems like everyone I know has either had it or knows someone (besides me) who has this year, so it must be very contagious.  Just a warning: wash your hands and use lots of hand sanitizer!!

Some Sad News

I have some sad news to share: my sister informed me last weekend that her dog has lung cancer.  She had it before they adopted her.  She loves her dog, and I have had a photo or two and mention of Ninja the dog on here back when my sister and brother-in-law first adopted her (see November 1).  I would like to ask that you might keep them in your prayers, because this will be hard for them.  They can't afford to, nor do they think it would be right, to pump the dog full of medicines to prolong her life, so they will eventually need to put her to sleep.  It's too bad, because she is the sweetest dog I've met in a long time.  They don't know how long they will have, so just keep them in your prayers occasionally.  I would be grateful.

Serious Case of the Winter Blahs

I think it's true.  I have the mid-winter blahs now.  I'm itching to go on vacation somewhere, but it's not an option!  I usually start to get cabin fever about this time of year, since there is not really anything to look forward to for the rest of the season.  We seem to be getting a lot of snow right now, and the temps are forecasted to be bitter cold by the end of next week, which makes me want to stay home and sleep all day.  Don't get me wrong--I like winter.  But I think that I would be fine with snow in December and January, and then it can be spring from February through June :).  It's really almost time to start thinking ahead to my garden for this summer.  I need to figure out what I'll grow this year, at least...probably more green beans, onions, tomatoes, my row of asparagus, and lettuce.  It's so great to have fresh produce right in your back yard!  Perhaps in another year we can think about adding more garden beds. 

Prayer is an important part of any Christian life.  Without it, we are not doing much in the way of communicating with God, nor are we helping our relationship with Him grow!  He wants us to talk to Him, even though He already knows what we want, need, think, say, etc.  Luke 18:1-10 is the parable of prayer: "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care what people think, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come and attack me!' " And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"  Pray without ceasing, because God hears His children, and He loves us in the way only a parent can love a child.  He will always be there for us!

Happy New Year!

Come and Gone
Hello everyone!  I hope that you all had a great and relaxing holiday!

The holidays are over for another year.  I can't believe how fast it seemed to go by!  The decorations are put away, the tree has been taken down and is now awaiting its final trip to the tree recycling drop-off center, and I'm pining (no pun intended) for next Christmas already.  Is that wrong?  I look forward to Christmas all year long, and now I think I've crashed and am now a little bit blue.  January always seems so dull, since the only holiday is New Year's Day, which is at the very beginning of the month.  There's nothing to look forward to now until Valentine's Day!  I was given the Monday and Tuesday after Christmas off though, and I was very grateful for the extra days I was given off for the Christmas holiday.  (I didn't ask for them off!)  It made the trip to see my family in Michigan seem much less rushed.  We were even able to meet with some friends, who were also up in the same area, before we left.  It was nice, because we haven't seen them in quite a while.  How funny that we have to meet up in a state in which none of us live!  We do still have to have Christmas with my in-laws yet.  That will likely be coming up in the next few weekends.  Regardless, I am looking forward to a quiet rest of the winter, in which time perhaps I will be able to accomplish a few projects of my own, finally!

Auld Lang Syne/New Year's Resolutions?

We spent a quiet New Year's Eve here.  Hubby and I stayed at home and did absolutely nothing all day on Saturday, and it was great!  I do believe that I put my pajamas back on after I took a shower; I was that motivated.  It was nice!  We made a few foods that we don't normally make, to celebrate, and we watched the ball drop with Dick Clark.  Some far-away people shot off fireworks, so we enjoyed the brief display before heading to bed for the night.  All around, a well-needed weekend without something to do, and I feel much refreshed now.  We should have a quiet (and hopefully uneventful) beginning of a new year ahead of us.  So, how many people have made resolutions?  I don't do New Year's resolutions, generally.  I'm sure that there have been times when I have made them; however, they must not have been seen through, otherwise I think I would have remembered!  It's too easy for me to make promises to myself at the beginning of a new year, and even easier to forget them altogether by February 1.  For this reason, I restrain from making resolutions.  I hope that those who do vow to change something this year have great success, though.  Have a wonderful 2011!

For a great version of "Auld Lang Syne" by Barenaked Ladies, click below...special thanks to my sis for playing this album for me last Christmas!

Download this mp3 from Beemp3.com

The current topic of many conversations is the new year, and all that will be new in the coming months. Did you know that it is also a common topic in the Bible?  In the Book of Revelation, God has promised to make all things new (Rev. 21:5, KJV).  He has also promised to make a new Heaven and a new Earth in the coming end times: " Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth.  The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind" (Isa.65:17).  I am looking forward to this new Kingdom!  It will be like nothing we have ever seen before.  Most importantly, though, we will be able to spend eternity in the very presence of the One who created us.  However, without Christ's forgiveness and intercession, that will not be the case for those who don't know Him.  With this start of the new year, if you don't know Jesus Christ, I urge you to consider starting a relationship with Him.  The Bible promises that this world will not last forever, and we certainly know that life is finite, so I encourage you to ask Jesus into your life and heart and make you new!  You will never regret it!