God has a plan

Do you believe God has a plan for you? He tells you he does.
God's word: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
Do you believe what God says?

Think about this: Not only does God have plans for you he has plans for the person beside you, too. Yes, the person sitting next to you. Did you think they were a part of God's plan for you, or God's plan for them?
God is wildly enthusiastic about each one of us and has a plan for every individual.
I'm so glad. I'm really glad we aren't going on my plan. I'd sure mess it up. But isn't that how I act sometimes--mad when I don't get my way? How about God's way?
 
I'm sure that verse is quoted a lot. It came to my mind when I had a fleeting thought about letting go of some bitterness. The person beside me is under God's control, not mine. I can't control their actions, so why should I be bitter that they didn't act as I wished they would? It's really hard to let go of bitterness even when you can't put your finger on all those crappy things over years and years. I'm glad I learned that bitterness steals peace. It makes me want to let it go. After all, I want that peace bad. It's worth getting, so it's worth letting go. Let it go and don't pick it back up!

Essie, my Biggie

I thought it would be nice to write some about my grandmother, Essie.
Last weekend, we went to visit my mom and Poppa came over as well.
He recounted several interesting things about his family history and
some things about the town and he also spoke about my grandmother's
last days.
At first I was surprised he was talking about it and then saddened,
but came away glad with refreshed memories of the happy times. I made
sure to mention a few of my memories with him as a "thank-you" for
what he had shared.
I remember Biggie was a great cook. I mean great. She cooked all the
traditional foods and lots of recipes from books. She even let me cook
things. She was so generous to me. She smelled good and gave great
hugs. She'd sing "I love you, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the
neck." I heard the song for real a short while back and I didn't
remember ever hearing it before, but I remember Biggie singing it to
me. She'd let me put on one of her nightgowns (to me they looked like
ballgowns) and I'd walk down the stairs with Biggie and Poppa would
sing "Here she comes, it's Miss America." I remember watching the
pageant with Biggie and Poppa. Poppa would make popcorn and put it in
a paper grocery bag with the top folded down like a cuff. He'd cook
bacon-wrapped filet minon and grill it on a tiny grill on the side
porch. Poppa would sometimes sit in the kitchen and read his paper and
listen to the scanner. He'd eat instant oatmeal for breakfast. I think
he would drink coffee. I am pretty sure Biggie drank coffee. I really
can't remember the coffee.
I do remember stuff sitting on the countertop. I remember
Sweet-and-Low sweetener and bifocal glasses. I remember downy fabric
softener and that pink blanket and the flowered blanket. They'd get
all staticy in the dark when you rubbed your feet around under the
cover.
Well, there are some random--really not at all organized--thoughts
about Biggie. I hope this is the first of many things I write about
her.
I know she had a big, full life, and my memories are limited to just
one part of her life and one facet of her character. This is my part
of the picture.

Our Garden

Jason and I started seeds in pete moss cups this year. Here's our garden growing!

An evening with the kids

Joanna thought it'd be cute to sit on him, I guess. While I don't want to condone the behavior, I could not resist snapping a picture.

And check out the cleaned couches and carpet in the photo, would you?

Jason steam cleaned our couches and carpets. He also steam cleaned a potential replacement couch, but we decided to keep our current couches in the end.

My hubby had to work late. It happens sometimes. I enjoyed a simple evening with the kids. Tomorrow will be busy enough. Dinner was simple, fish, peas and rice--leftovers happily eaten. Milk for some. Joanna had her late night snack of chicken nuggets. She asked for them like this: "Can I have some chicken nuggets, not cut up? But, like snakes?" I'll explain. Snakes meant long. She's referring to how we make play-dough snakes, I think. The chicken nuggets in question are actually "chicken strips" which are actually just elongated chicken nuggets. Marketing is confusing for toddlers. Chicken is chicken. Well, sometimes fish is chicken. Shoot, sometimes even shrimp is chicken. I think beef might have been dubbed chicken at some point. No wonder people think kids like only chicken. I think somewhere in the jumble of things they learn all meat is called chicken. I'll even tell her what she's eating. "Here's some fish." Two minutes later, she'll say, "That chicken is really yummy."

Thomas is really getting mobile. He's trying to jump around in the bath tub! He's grabbing the sides of the tub and trying to get up and sloshes back down. I'm worried this kid's going to take a spill. I guess they all do. I sat him down in the bathroom floor as I got Joanna ready to go in the bath and he busied himself with the cabinet doors and took off after the big door, too. I'm most certainly keeping my eyes peeled and on him. He is really a busy boy.

I'm really not a blogger, am I?

So I have a blog. I would not consider myself a blogger though. However, reality being what it is brings me to admit it. I have a very minimal commitment to this thing, save the promise that I might enjoy looking back on this stuff later on. I will occasionally come write down items of note or ramble on about a happy memory that comes to mind. The dilemma I have is whether or not to back-date memories so that the date reflects the event. It depends.

Movie not to watch

Sometimes when the credits roll, I wish for the two hours of my life
back.I really should invest two minutes in reading the review of a
movie before I sit down to watch it!

If I knew that Legion was a genre horror movie, I would have skipped
it. I just simply don't get into the cheezy horror flick. But, glutton
for punishment, I watched the first few minutes and got interested and
finished it. I'll say that the quality of the main character was fit for a
Thriller, but didn't come close to redeeming the horror movie.
The next day I leaned over to Jason and whispered, "That was a stupid movie."

Truth be told, It's the parts that make me jump that I don't like in a
horror film. I just hate being anxious in general and I really hate
when a movie surprises me.
Now, I know this is part of the charm of a horror movie for most
people. I used to "enjoy" them. I liked the Amytiville Horror,
Nightmare on Elm Street, etc. But not anymore. When you watch a movie,
the things you see become a part of your life in a way. It may seem
weird but it's true. Your brain sees the images and some of them stay
in your memory. I can see the some of the attack scenes and bloody
gore now in my mind.

There was another movie a while back that we rented and I just simply
turned it off, slipped it back in the case and sent it back. It had a
very stupid scene in it and I still remember it to this day! It makes
me just sick to think about it. It was a "Horror" too. I think I have
learned now I just need to skip the horror films from now on.

Thomas is crawling

Thomas is crawling now!

He saw me come in from work and got really excited. He sat there
pumping his arms and squealing with his big smile. He realized after a
few seconds that he could get to me if he wanted to.

Thomas even crawled in the bath tub. Today He was getting toys and
moving around in the tub. Inspired by an out-of-reach toy, he got on
his hands and knees and after he got the toy, rocked back to sitting.
He likes taking a bath! He gets excited in the tub. He likes taking a
bath with Joanna and she likes taking a bath with him.

Sometimes, Joanna gets carried away and splashes Thomas in the face
with water. I think she likes to get his reaction.
They also squeal at each other too, not just in the bath, but any
time. It's pretty cute. Joanna will squeal at him in the car to try to
wake him up when he's nodding off to sleep. He dozes off anyway.
Babies can't help it.

I Luze you, too.

Joanna says "I love you" but it sounds like "luze" and it's cute.