Bam Humbug on the Blog-O-Sphere!

Well, to my faithful blog readers out there, I just wanted to tell you that I got word today from the tech powers-that-be. Some of my former blogs were on the Google Cache and I was able to retrieve them. (as far back as July) The rest of my blogs are gone. The Home School Blogger site is not sure how my entries got lost, but sure enough they ARE lost. It is very frustrating to me. I feel like I've lost a year long diary. I'm putting it in perspective though. There are a lot worse situations in life. It is frustrating, true, but life will go on.....and I will continue to blog....and THIS TIME I will save everything!!!! Lesson learned.

70X7

Forgiveness. It is a difficult word and an even more difficult thing to accomplish. Jesus knew this. He expects me to forgive...even when it is hard. Even when I've been the one wronged. Even when what happened is not my fault and the other person is not really deserving of my forgiveness. Sometimes forgiveness hurts. It can be painful, because it dredges up stuff that I'd rather not think about. Jesus knows this about me. Sometimes forgiving makes me mad...because I don't want to forgive like I should. Forgiveness is not easy. Forgiveness is not a passive act. Forgiveness is hard work. Jesus knew this. I've been a Christian for 28 years. One would think that this whole learning how to forgive thing would become easier as time goes on. But it doesn't seem so, at least not for me. It is still a struggle. I still need to be humbled. Jesus knew I would.

Sometimes I cry and scream inside, "but it's not fair! I didn't do anything wrong! My feelings are legitimate! It's their fault, not mine. I'm hurt. I'm frustrated. I'm mad. Why do I have to be the one to forgive? The forgiveness is not deserved!!" And God is His infinite wisdom speaks to my hardened heart.... "You are right Dawn forgiveness is not usually deserved. Forgiveness is a choice. It is what I ask of you. You can choose to forgive even when it hurts....." Jesus knew this.....as He hung on the cross and humbly cried out, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

How many times has the Lord had to forgive me? I am so undeserving, and yet His love never fails.

Honey, did you shrink my shirt?

A funny story for the day.....

My husband and I were getting ready for church this morning when he looked over at me and said, "uh, honey... I think my shirt has shrunk." (Hmm....it did look a bit small.....) He had it on and couldn't get the neck of the shirt buttoned...it was tight, and the sleeves were too short. " I looked at him and said, " sweetheart, I know I did not shrink your shirt. I don't know what happened. This is really strange." We look at each other for a minute. Then it dawns on us that Scott has attempted to wear our son, Bradley's shirt! No wonder it didn't fit! How funny:) Shew!! I'm glad it was the wrong shirt instead of my laundry skills being in question.

Friday!

Friday October 19, 2007

It is around 9 am and we just started the school day. I’m not feeling all that great today. Not sick or anything like that, just blah. Maybe a little writing will get me in a better mood:) By the way, the tech support person emailed me late last night. She is having someone else look into my blog disappearance...I’m keeping my fingers crossed that all my entries will be found and I can save them. I know in the big scheme of things my blogs are not really all that important, but it is just really frustrating because it is sort of like a story about how my life has been over the past year and I didn’t want to lose that.

I saw on FOX news this morning the tornadoes and storms that passed through the south east yesterday. Good thing for us that east Tennessee didn’t really get hit by any big storms. (mostly west and middle Tn. got it.) That is always a little scary because around here some of the worst storms hit in the Fall. I must say that I’ve noticed Discovery channel has a new show about storm chasers. It comes on Wednesday nights at 10pm. I think it looks interesting, and might be something I would enjoy watching. For the most part (besides FOX news) I don’t watch a whole lot of TV. In my opinion TV has become boring or stupid or both. This is not to mention the slew of commercials that one is bombarded with every few minutes. Good grief!
Besides my regular “duties” around the house I do a lot of writing, and reading instead of TV watching. I also have “projects” that I’m currently working on. I’m not one who enjoys just sitting around. (though my husband tells me I should do a little more of that....it’s called relaxing. haha!)
Speaking of reading and books, the other day I received some of my new cook books in the mail. (I belong to a book club) One of them was entitled A CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS. Okay, so maybe the title gives it away. It’s all about chocolate desserts and the holidays. All I can say is YUM! Truth be known I could probably eat my way through the book and be quite happy. Of course, I’d weigh 900 lbs., but boy would I have a smile on my face!! (hehehe) Breanna and I sat at the kitchen table and ohhh’ed and ahhh’ed over the pictures. I could probably never make my desserts look that beautiful, but I would definitely have fun trying! Mentioning Christmas, can you believe it is only a couple of months away? I need to get on the ball. It will be here before I know it!
Well, I think that is all for now. Duty calls....in other words I have to go get the laundry out of the dryer.

What happened????

Thursday October 18, 2007

Well, for all the people who read my blog (and I’ve come to realize today that there are many!) my blog at Home School Blogger disappeared today. I had been working on a great entry this morning. I spent a lot of time on it....really thought about what I wanted to communicate about education, and BLAM!! it was gone. Just like that. I’m not sure if it was the site or something I mistakenly did. (which with my luck could possibly be true) I was so upset. All my entries from the past year, gone. Scott helped me compose a message to the tech staff to see if they could retrieve my 140 blog entries from the blog-o-sphere. Some where out there.....We haven’t heard back from them yet. This site at Word Press is what I used before Home School Blogger. I will be using this site, at least for now. Maybe permanently. I’ll have to see what happens. ARRGGHHH!!! You ever just have one of those days??

Merry Christmas

Christmas morning is always so much fun. Family. A husband who loves me. My children's laughter. The smells of breakfast and peppermint coffee coming from the kitchen..... I've always loved the whole Christmas season. No matter what is going on in the outside world....in here it is perfect. At least for a little while.

Thank you Lord for the greatest gift of all. The gift of Your son. That is the best gift of all.

Saturday Morning

Where do the weeks go? It really does seem that the older I get the faster time moves. Why is that anyway? This year I'm really going to make a New Years resolution to slow down and make sure I keep things in perspective. I spend way too much time running around trying to fit everything in....and many times failing at the attempt. I need to slow down and enjoy the time I have. Who am I trying to impress anyway? My children need me now--soon enough they will be grown up and on their own. My husband needs me by his side not just as his wife, but as his friend. I'm sure people will think I'm nuts if I tell them I'm jumping off the wheel and slowing the pace and attempting to live a more simple, slower paced life. Not boring by any means, just more focused on the things in my life that truly matter.

My first husband died right after his 34th birthday from a terminal heart condition. One day we are living a normal life the next day we get his diagnosis. Life changed at that moment. Thirty-four is too young to die.  We had only been married for 8 years. We had a 5 year old son to raise. When he was dying he wasn't thinking of all those years he had worked...he was thinking of relationships and how important they are. That is what I want to remember from him.