God... Let it be with me...just like you say!

Total obedience...

direction from the Lord

taken

without

fussing

arguing

deal making.

Life situations turned into a Judean roller coaster and thrown into irreversible change...

and there is

Mary

and

Joseph

taking direction,

without faltering.

Of course they are human and had the same questions we'd all have.

Questions and any fear didn't change their

obedience

to

the

Lord

God

Almighty.

"May it be to me as you have said!"

None of us will be having the Messiah...He has already come.

God puts life changing events in our lives...

for His glory

for our best good...

to bring His ends to pass...

"Let it be with me as God says!"

Hard changes.

Difficult circumstances.

I know my life has changed this year...

my first full year without my mother-in-law

Now I really feel like there is no woman

being my Aaron in the dessert...holding my hands up

but Lord...

"May it be to me as you have said!"

My husband and children are blessings

and struggles

sometimes simultaneously.

Lord...

"May it be to me as you have said."

My own walk with the Lord...

strong and steadfast at times...

weak and pathetic at others...

and myself and so many others are living

without less hours, less pay, and finding out God is still in control...

and it's OK!

but God is faithful...

and we MUST turn to Him in all situations...

good and bad.

Like Mary and Joseph...

not knowing what lies ahead for them...

Let Mary's reframe be on our lips...

God Let it be as you say!

Alleluia!

Cranky and sick has invaded our home...

Wow...this week is flying by

I was hoping the cold weather was going to last...

but it looks like it's going to be a typical

So

Cal

Christmas....

Got a sicky at home.

Right now I hear a faint...

"I want my Rice Krispies"...

but he didn't finish his eggs which is what he asked for...

and of course no milk with a cold...

so no Rice Krispies...

I'm digging in...

"Where is my Rice Krispies?..."

With a whine and twang that crawls under my skin.

"Stop screaming..." you're cranky and sick....I'm thinking...

"Where's my Rice Keespies" His cold is messing up his speech.

Why am I doing this again?

Oh yeah...I'm suppose to be teaching the responsibility of eating what you've been given or even asked for...

Lord...I'm tired and it's only 9 in the morning....

Lord...where are my Rice Krispy (treats)?

Taming the tongue Tuesday! and make that Wed. too!!

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

Honor one another above yourselves.

Romans 12:10

Wow! I forgot it was Tuesday.

so it must be time for

Taming our tongues...

The reason I'm posting late is I helped 2 kindergarten classes today make gingerbread houses.

The boys were throwing on their little decorations...

licorice,

gum drops

and candy canes.

The girls were carefully placing their

skittles,

sweet tarts

and pretzles.

Some were truly works of arts....

some were truly works for the garbage.

But you wouldn't know.

We encouraged and cheered on every

gooeeeyy....

sticky....

messy...

architect attempting to make their houses.

Brown, black and tan faces...

brimming with pride from frosting smeared faces.

Little toe headed boys...

smiling from the fruits of their labor.

Until the inevitable happened.

One little boy didn't behave just quite right...

and was put on the carpet square.

Now I was just happy it wasn't mine...

so I kind of ignored it.

Later on...

as we put pictures with their gingerbread creations.

I showed the picture of the little boy to my son's teacher.

"He's a little active...but J is so cute." Because ladies...this boy is soooo cute... you have to comment!

And the teacher turned and smuggly said...

"Yeah...cute with horns growing out of his head."!

It wouldn't have been so bad...if it was just us adults (although it was just so ugly 1999)

but he heard it.

And the other kids heard it too.

I wanted to scream...

Hey teacher...you're hear for them.

But I didn't have the guts...

I was just glad my son had made it through the activity.

Too busy thinking about my little one while there was a little wounded boy over in the corner.

This story isn't about the teacher with her unkind words

or about my son or his friend who ended up on the square.

It's about me...

and you...

when we choose not to devote ourselves to others...

'cause we're too busy just living our lives...

keeping our families going along...

sometimes there is a J in the corner...

even though they're doing wrong...

or life isn't going as planned...

the job didn't come...the child is still sick...

An encouraging instructing word is needed...when you are down!

Encouragements are free

We can devote ourselves to others

in brotherly love!

Weekend recap....

Well the Christmas session is among us and we've been going out like mad...

It all started last weekend when a bunch of us moms got together to wish ourselves "Happy Birthday" and say goodbye to a great mom (pictured in the back in stripes) Abbie.

I was her classmate in Community Bible Study just a few weeks...but she is such a great lady...(sorry I mean gal) we'll miss her. We laughed so hard...I think I lost all the calories communed that night...

Our church also had a Christmas musical the Friday night right after that...everyone looked so nice and festive...it really got me in the spirit...plus one of my favorite soloist...Caresse sang...(I tell ya...Whitney Houston/Mariah Carey/Taylor Swift all rolled in one...)

photo: hubby's iphone

Fast forward to this past Friday night and our youth hosted their first "progressive" dinner fast food style...This was a hit! We dragged kids from In and Out, Taco Bell, Pizza and McDonalds and ordered an item for them...then they had to eat it. No joke food...just stuff they like...fries, tacos, etc.

photo by my hubby's iphone

My boys are goofing off at Taco Bell. Note my "vegetarian" isn't eating....

photo stolen from Glenn B's facebook...just this once...

The next night...the kids stayed at the church and we attended a progressive dinner adult style.

Each house was so festive and pretty and the food of course was great!

photo stolen from Glenn B's facebook...ok maybe twice...

I love this photo of my pastor looking all "police like" and

so many folks God has put in my life I enjoy are in this photo...

photo from Glenn B's facebook again...this is the last one...I didn't bring my camera!

OK...of course I have to "ham" it up...I think my husband was saying..."No Lorrie, stop!"

My pastor and his wife know I'm a ham...but the poor guy in the red hasn't a clue how silly I am!

We also had missions Sunday...and I love hearing missionaries which always convicts me.

This weekend was fun and we'll be celebrating Christmas next weekend...

with a drive thru Nativity our church does...

time to drag out the gloves and coats...

Oh...I finally got my tree and will be working on it today! I'm so behind.

Well that was my weekend...fun, faith-filled and frantic!

Hope you had a great one too!

Jesus is Lord...of the nations!

Ouuuuuuu it's missions Sunday!

Time to bring out the map...

and pray for missionaries...

I love missions Sunday!

And since I LOOVVEEE Missions Sunday

I'm bringing the lesson in Sparks.

The kids will be learning a few words in Japanese, Swahili and maybe French.

and their snack is mission based too!

Ouuuu and I'm reading my rhyming mission books.

My middle one was like...

"Mom don't take those to church...you'll lose them."

I told him he could come back to Sparks to listen...

but he's so pre-teen!

Anyhoo....

you better get with some Lottie Moon!

and currently...

we have people DYING because of our faith In Somalia and throughout the world.

We need to put in our hearts to ask God to raise up a generation of children who will go and tell....

That JESUS is Lord to the nations!

Mark 16: 15-16

And then he told them,

"Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.

Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved...

But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned."

The Good News.... Jesus is Lord!

My Weight and God's glory.....

'cause I can't do it without some accountability.

Even though "Ms. Girlfriend" is in the house....

I'm still up 6 lbs....

of the 7 I had lost over the summer....

so I'm getting on the scale right now....

OK I'm back from off the scale....

make that up 7 lbs.

But I'm looking at the bright side....

I am still down from this time last year....

Well...it was easier when I was trying to teach my youngest to ride last spring...

but summer and school came...

and I got lazy and I wasn't losing for the right reasons anyway...

So several months of

No exercise.

No cutting back.

No anything.

So I'm back striving...

striving to do things for God's glory and not my own...

this time not focusing on myself...but on your Glory and for your glory!

Which is a hard thing to do....since I'm like Elmo....

I think it's "Lorrie's World..."

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
— Psalm 115:1

Friday Photo Flashback...A Jheri curl Christmas...

Of course the next few weeks will be

Friday Photo Flashback with a Christmas theme...

but I'll be featuring bloopers...

well unless I get sentimental...

I'll start in the 80s and go from there...

in my jheri curl glory...

I can't believe I'm posting this...

(please look at the link...hilarious)

Hair glistening in the sun...

greasy and dripping.

I asked my brother and sister could I show them with jheri curls...and they both said "NO!"

It's not like anyone they know reads this blog... I guess just the thought of it being out there is too much to handle.

So...I'm showing myself solo...I can't BELIEVE I had one...

and for a long time too! (I didn't want to give mine up!)

but it was 1986 and it was time...

my last Christmas with the jheri curl...

and my favorite Esprit sweater...

(living near the outlet helped...)

oh my goodness...opening YSL Paris cologne...

(I'm such a smell junky...but I'm trying to cut back..)

My first year of college and I had just come back home...

I love this living room photo...it's so 80s...

when more was more...

oh the gold tone carpet...

from plant holders...to the double cassette small boom box playing Christmas music...

the next year my mom's decor went Miami Vice...everything went white and sand colored...

(sorry a little fuzzy...I guess my 35 mm wasn't acting right)

For more Friday Photos and Flashback fun...

check out Alicia's at More than Words...

Rich folks, ,White folks and wronged people...

What I do...and don't like that I do it...

I do this...

maybe you do too?

I rank friends... (maybe rank is a strong word...)

there is a hierarchy...

But hey...Jesus did it too... (James, Peter, and John)...

but sometimes the hierarchy isn't on closeness...

which is should be...

(I can't believe I'm blogging this but....)

on economic status...

education...

potential fit with my "kids"

whether you have kids or not...

whether you've said my kids were "bay bay's kids"

and

should

I

say it....

color!

I shouldn't...

but sometimes I do.

(I can't believe I just typed that...)

Lord help me to accept people...

even if they're obviously comfortable.

I don't have a problem if you're poor...I have more of a problem if you're really rich.

I hate to say...I don't really let you in... and "rich" meaning you have NO monetary worries at any times during the month and you think of $10000 like I think of $100 or $10 (depending on the time of month...)

Lord, help me to accept people...

who are....WHITE!

I know!

What's that about!

Some of my best friends are white!

My dear mother-in-law was white!

My favorite cousin is white!

90% of my church family is white!

I know...but I tend to migrate (in a new crowd or setting) to blacks and filipinos.

My kids don't do that...and I noticed I did that last week at a party.

I wish I didn't do it...but I did...so here I am blogging about it.

Hey...I'm just being real!

And Lord...

help me to accept people who....

I feel have "wronged" me...

'cause I KNOW I avoid some folks

at my sons' schools and church...

and I HATE doing that!

Lord I want to be a walking testament...for your glory...

and I can't do that with all this baggage around me.

OK...the white one and money aren't so serious...

but folks who I feel have "wronged" me...can cause bitterness...

and I did have a friend call my kid a "bay bay" kid...and I haven't

gone anywhere with her since...

and that's probably me allowing evil to spring up a bitter root..

and

I don't want to be bitter!

Lord, let me live for you.

As your word says... Let me deny myself and take up your cross daily!

Lord...help me to get over MYSELF!

In Jesus name...

Amen!

Baby...it's cold outside...

birdcapemay.org

If we keep getting cold temps...

this will be us!

I know many of you are dealing with real cold temps...

but around here...

when we can see our breath in the morning.

We start freaking out.

But leave it to us Californians to not truly understand cold weather.

When it rains here... anything over a 1/2 is newsworthy!

I saw...

girls going to school with UGGs and shorts on...

boys with long pants and flip flops...

It's 34 degrees outside and some diehard still had a surf board on the back on his car...

go figure!

Baby...it's cold outside!

My kids don't really roam outside... tired of scheduled play!

(Play I staged in field near home...can you see my middle

one of the far left doesn't like the feel of plants and rocky ground?)

Well I've gone and done it!

I'm tired of seeing my boys come home from school

and head

straight to the computer!

They need more outside time!

More time to play

More time to roam

More time for freedom!

I'll have to admit...

my 11 year old does not have the permission to play on

other blocks in our neighborhood.

We live across the street from his school...and you'd think the parking lot would serve as

ONE BIG skateboarding opportunity.

I do see a few kids there.

But not mine.

What's wrong with me?...

I hate being gripped with fear!

I grew up in the 80s...

My boundaries was the main two lane street in our neighborhood... that's as far east as I could go...

As far north was the riverbed...

as far south was the strawberry fields (now a subdivision named Strawberry fields...)

and as far west was two eucalyptus groves over...

my boys are able to go...

in the backyard alone.

Here I am...sitting in a camp chair facebooking while they play in the field...just sad!

OK we live on 1/6 of an acre...

so free roaming isn't happening around here.

They aren't allowed to go in the front alone.

Not really even my 14 year old...

Although he just started walking home from school...less than a 1/2 a mile away!

(He might be the one stolen while 1000 other kids walk home....)

I'm not alone....check out this article here.

Statically they could die falling out of the bed more than they would by being abducted.

But I don't freak out and make them sleep on the floor.

Some changes are going to have to start!

But the change has to start with me!

I'm thinking they've got to get out more and be able to roam...but how can they do that when I don't let them go anywhere alone?

Dare I say...I don't think it's healthy to let a 11 year old and a 14 year old not go 600 feet to the school across the street? Oh...I'm not alone...my neighbor's kids don't do it either.

The creativity in kids is dying...and it's dying because of a lack of play.

When I engage kids to make art projects, paint or draw...they want to know the standard...

they don't have thoughts and inklings of their own...

God has not made us to live in fear...and we need to be sensible...

But the new sensible...I believe isn't God ordained...

and somehow I'm going to help change it...

at least around my block.

Blessings!