Resolutions and Changes - Beware This Is Longer Than Usual

I don't really take resolutions terribly seriously beyond Day 2, but thought I'd go ahead and do a few anyway. Because these are resolutions near and dear to me, so I MUST do them!

1) Show more kindness and compassion for my immediate family when they do something I don't like. And all the time.

2) This goes with #1, but it's on a playing field all on its own: aside from God, my family's needs need to come before all others in my life. I'm terrible at letting them down and I know I can do better.

3) Lose the dang muffin top! I went from mini muffin to an Otis Spunkmeyer muffin and I'm not okay with that. I've already begun the process, but I resolve to see it through this year.

4) Get outside much more than I do.

5) Think of others more than I do--it's not that I don't love my friends, I do. I'm terrible at saying 'how are you?' and 'Happy Birthday!' and all the other things normal people do. I feel I'm living in a fog most days and I just don't do what I need to do!

Okay that's good enough for now! I'd put read my One Year Bible because I'm on Day 3 and intend to finish it, but I've tried this three times now and failed. I could use a little prayer and support with this. Anyone?

This week has been very difficult for my family--we have lost our church home and I am torn up about it. It's a very long story, but things came to a head last week (we weren't even there, but we heard the 'sermon' online) and the church has had a little implosion from within. John and I are not able to resolve our differences in setting doctrine aside and reading books rather than the Bible. There is only one book we will find our hope from and The Shack among others is not one of them. So.....with great sadness, we have made our decision. Last night was our last Small Group Friday--and I felt like I left my family behind forever when we walked out the door. Many families have left along with us, but it doesn't give me much comfort. I will always be grateful for the fellowship I had at our church--they were family to me when I needed them.

Where will we go? Well...not sure. We will be attending the first service in a start-up church a dear friend from our church is having next Sunday evening. We will pray God's voice is clear to us and we will certainly be part of this church (where the Bible will be read each week) if that's where we are called. John and I are prayerful we can make this transition without any of the 'drama' that sometimes goes along with church divisions such as this.

I have to say, though, at risk of offending anyone from my church who might read this: research emergent churches--arm yourself with that knowledge. And take action if you find your church is moving that direction. This is very scary--we've been moving this way for quite awhile and I had no idea! Your church may even say that's not where they're going; but if you feel something is amiss, that may be God tugging at you. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a duck. A big yellow duck with mud all over his little wings.

What's In A Picture? Well Zoom Right On In And See!

My nephew and his beautiful wife went to Panama last week to serve in the missionary field for one year....and we attended a goodbye in their honor last week. Aaron (my neph) gave the sermon at his church, and of course I'm a bit biased, but I think God's using Aaron's abilities in just the right way. He and Jessica are expecting their first child this summer, so my SIL is just gonna have to go down there to do her first-time grand mothering! This is a lucky child, and will have grandparents that will bless his/her booties right off.

Following the service, we had a nice dessert reception. I didn't take nearly as many photos as I usually do. Niki wasn't there that night and my photo-taking has been kind of down with all the stress. I know I always enjoy seeing my blogfriends' lives on their blogs. I need to do better at introducing you to my family, and with John being one of seven, I have a lot of family. I call a great deal of wonderful, unique and loving people family through John.

This is John's mother on the right, his brother Jeff's wife (Dorie) and John's brother, Jeff. We're very close to them, we have boys the same age and spent many many nights in our leaner years playing cards and drinking coffee. Mom clearly has something on her mind here, and no matter how hard I tried to convince her, she still thinks I ate all the nuts in the nut bowl. Pshhh..I didn't eat all the nuts. Dorie did it! I ate all the little mints. I'm not sure what they decided to do about the 'situation' but from the looks of it, I might sleep with one eye open next Fourth of July trip to the lake.

This is Aaron's sister and my niece, Angela (Angie). She's married now to Dustin, Derwin, Derwood, Darwood, Darwin...he answers to them all. I like to think I'm her favorite aunt, but some of my SILs read this, so I won't proclaim it. (But I am, Ange, right? Ange?) Clearly she's a beauty.

John doubted my wisdom in posting this, but I don't' think he gives his sister Jeanne, my SIL, the credit she is due. Cody took this shot of us, and I don't see a THING wrong with it:

Ohhhhhh.......wait, let me....just...zoom in here. What?!! Oh, Cody Cody Cody, tsk tsk! Why'd you have to go take this shot...didn't you notice Aunt Jeanne was still eating? Jeanne, if I didn't think you loved me dearly and that I was amongst your favorite SIL's, I would nevah nevah show this. I feel, however, because it's obviously a teaching moment--when NOT to take a photo--that it's a learning opportunity for my friends. Besides, you're adorable anyway.
Just to show Jeanne good faith (and after Angie showed us how to zoom in on the camera screen) and after the laughter had subsided long enough to breath, we took another picture. We didn't laugh too hard and we put a kabash on it after the appropriate laughing time frame had come to an end. But still, I don't know. I think she looks slightly less than excited this time around.

But being the beautiful sister she is, she recovered nicely. Here's one of my favorites--her standing with my Nephew and his wife, who are safely deposited in Panama as I post this. And who, as I post this, can look to the North skyline and be sure there is an extraordinarily large family that way who loves them, who is excited for them, who is proud of them, and who prays continually for their safe return next year. I sure hope they get an apartment with a spare room, though, I'm thinking about it.

Throwback Thursday....Finally Doing It!

For the longest time I didn't think I had anything much to use for Throwback Thursday, then I realized this: the things the Pinks & Blues Girls think are throwback are kinda the things I do have, when MY kids were little. AWWWW! When did this happen?! So....until my mother finally gives in and allows me to have some photos (oh, get yourselves ready for eye candy marathon then!), I still have a few things that kinda 'throw' me! Oh...and before I go on, you should click the P&B link...contest-palooza time! (Gigi, counting on you). Okay:

This is Christmas 1993 at my late father's house, and judging by the paper-winged angel, it was still fashionable to spew blues and mauves on EVERYthing! We lined up the all his girls and all his guys! The first is my little sister Antoinette, Jamee, Me (love the do?), our daughter Niki and of course, Dad. He doesn't appear it in this photo, but this is where that 'whacked' humor comes from...he was a riot! Miss him miss him miss him.

Now guy time: Jamee's husband, Andy; Antoinette's husband Joe; my husband, John, our son Cody and of course, Dad (Gigi, are these your glasses?).

It's still a little bittersweet looking at these pics--those were good days. If you'd told me none of these people except John and the kids would be a major part of my life in eleven years, I'd have looked at you sideways! Still hear from Andy here and there, but he's remarried and they're busy now. I have come to terms with my 'place' and understand it completely, but I miss him, Sarah and Max quite a lot. Maybe I'll blog it later down the road, idk, but I was just telling my dear friend Susan there comes a time when I have to stop and let them be as close to me as they want to be; I just worry the kids will think I've abandoned them. I would jump 1000000 miles up and swing from 10,000 stars to get to them if they needed me.

Don't worry about me, I'm quite fine (see new pic below...brand new!--kids shouldn't leave the camera on the kitchen counter if they don't want mommy taking head shots. Period!), will be back blogging with abandonment soon....been conjuring up some blog rules, blog friend rules, etiquette, that sort of thing. We need this, someone has to say it, so may as well do it, lol.