One Amazing Weekend

We spent weeks planning, days packing, and hours driving for an amazing weekend with my family that was full of…
4th of July…epic multi-generational hikes through the forests with mosquitoes as big as small planes.

…lots of creek wading, splashing and water fights – including one that ended when 2 of my nephews dumped a 2 gallon thermos of cold water on me.  Would you believe me if I said I didn’t start it? Yeah – I didn’t think so. ;)

Improv night…a side-splitting “Improv night”. Each family brought a bag with 10 random items in it, we each took a different bag and created a skit with the items inside. Let me just say – my family is crazy funny.

…a sweet rubber horse’s head. What? Don’t you go camping with a rubber horse mask?!

…way too much food.

…non-stop fun and laughter.

…and lots and lots of family.

Perfect.

A special thank you to Angel Girl and my niece Faith for the amazing pictures!

Freedom

Price of Freedom“We all bear the painful cost of freedom.

As we formally celebrate the commitment to break from England and to protect our natural rights, let’s hug to our breast our freedom – our most precious national treasure – knowing that it, like a child is imperfect and demanding but undeniably good.

Let’s keep our centuries old habit of protecting that child of America, that freedom.

She’s getting more rare and precious every day.”

James B. Stockdale

Memorial Day Thoughts

In the midst of your holiday celebrations – take time to remember that the freedom we celebrate today was not free.

“And I’m proud to be an American,

where at least I know I’m free,

And I won’t forget the men who died who gave that right to me…”

Lee Greenwood

 

Grace

“The work God wants you to do is this: Believe in the One he sent…” John 6:9
Grace

Only believe.

The cross was heavy,

the blood was real.

and the price was extravagant.

It would have bankrupted you or me,

so He paid it for us.

Call it simple.

Call it a gift.

But don’t call it easy.

Call it what it was.

Call it grace.”

Max Lucado

Photo by Juliux

 

Back to Reality

The party is over.

The tree is down. The decorations are put away.

The billfold is slim and the scale is bulging.

It’s time to get back to reality – back to school, to work, to normal sized portions and daily exercise.

I’m ready.

I’m ready for routine, for a schedule, for the normal routine of daily life, and yes – even for a day without Christmas goodies. <gulp>

I’m ready to make good on my New Year’s resolutions.

Seriously I am.

This year I resolve  not over spend my food budget and finally lose those last twenty pounds. (Hmmm… I wonder if those two are related?!)

And I’m ready to start right now.

Seriously I am.

Right after I have one last caramel hot chocolate…