Nocturnal thoughts - ish.

Do you think it is odd that it is 1:24 in the morning and here I sit? Do you also think it is odd my precious daughter has been waking up every night since she was 7 months old to nurse in the night - and she is now sleeping through the night - yet I am still awake? For the past week she has slept soundly through the night and I have been up at some point every single night. Lovely. Tonight I have wrapped 10 Christmas gifts. I would have continued wrapping, but my work was getting sloppy (possibly because I'm exhausted?!) yet here I sit. I just can't make myself go to sleep. At which point shall I consider myself nocturnal?

Sigh.

I just read the most beautiful post from MckMama about marriage. I wholeheartedly agreed with everything she said. Just in case you don't know, I absolutely love and adore my husband. Our marriage is in no way perfect, but through Him, we are being made perfect.

What a process.

For any gal, I would so highly recommend Created to be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl. Love it.

Not Me Monday

Ok... this is a little game I like to play on Mondays. Except I don't really play - I just read everyone elses Not Me Monday. What is it? Being brutally honest and living to tell about it! You can check MckMama out if you want to - the amazing sista' who thought it up that I happen to blogstalk.

I did not just give my daughter a cut up waffle with butter and syrup to eat in the living room while I type this blog. I would never do that - what a mess it will could make.

My dear husband did not catch our daughter with a certain item from the bathroom trash can. We also did not find that her sleeves were wet from playing in the toilet. No way, jose. We most definitely keep better tabs on our children so they do not do such things.

I did not just mop my kitchen floor for the first time in a month. Nope. Not me.

I did not overhear the following conversation in Sunday School yesterday:

(a pregnant gal) it seems like I've been pregnant forever... only 3 months to go...
(another gal) no girl it seems like it's gone so quick...
(pregnant gal) oh not for me... it's gone so slow

and then I did not chime in:

oh, the quick part was the first part!

I would never say such a thing. Not in Sunday School, either. Nope, not me.

Confession is good for the soul, my friends. Great therapy...

Fun...

A friend of mine posted this... I thought it would be a nice change of pace :)

A fun husband game...

1. Where did you meet?
At UNA. I was apparent going for the Mrs. degree.

2. How long did you date?
Not long :) We started "talking" in August, made it "exclusive" in October, engaged in February, married in July.

3. How long have you been married?
almost 4.5 years.

4. What does he say that surprises you?
Seemingly random compliments.

5. What is your favorite feature of his?
His eyes... I come from all browns, so it's a nice break to stare into his baby blues.

6. What is your favorite quality of his?
He loves me no matter what! What more could I ask for?

7. Does he have a nickname for you? Sometimes I'll get a "Shell" outta' him.

8. What is his favorite color? Brown.

9. What is his favorite food? Pizza. Hands down!

10. What is his favorite sport?
To play, golf.

11. When and where did you first kiss?
On May 22, 2004 @ my house in Florence.

12. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?
Watch movies.

13. Do you have any children?
Obviously :) 2 gifts from heaven.

14. Does he have a hidden talent?
He can sing and play guitar beautifully - but rarely does outside of our home.

15. How old is he? 26

16. Who said "I love you" first?
He did - on the dock at Joe Wheeler (where he proposed months later) after we read the Christmas story together.

17. What is his favorite type of music?
Dude loves everything!

18. What do you admire most about him?
His patience with me :)

19. Do you think he will read this?
I'm doubting it ;)

A little bit of this... and that.

A little bit of this: I finished reading The Shack this weekend. I absolutely loved it. It's a wonderful story of God's love through one of his servants. Some people told me repeatedly "You have to remind yourself it's just fiction, you have to remind yourself it's just fiction" and guess what - I in fact did not have to remind myself that it was just fiction. That part came easily. What was harder for me to deal with were the feelings it provoked in me (as I said in my last post).

Back in 2005, we went on our second mission trip to Portland, Oregon. There were some soldiers on that last plane ride with us, and as we were walking to baggage claim the soldiers were right in front of us. As we rounded the corner to the security gate, their families awaited - cheering, crying, celebrating their return. Then, as if on cue, one of the soldiers began running to his father, and his rather to him.

As our group passed this exchange of love, we all fell to our knees, weeping. I'm not talking about a tear here or there but from a deep place in our heart tears were flowing.

Where am I going with this? God used that moment in my life. He has used many things that seemed unconventional (to me) to draw me to a closer place with Him. Although The Shack is most certainly a work of fiction, I applaud the author's work - for provoking people to draw closer to the Lord.

A little bit of that...

We had a great discussion yesterday in Sunday School about the Christmas season. Isn't it amazing how children ask questions that you don't feel qualified to answer? Maybe it's just me. I'm praying for creativity and honesty as my T-Pup begins to search out the truth. I don't want to blow off his questions or give him some flippant answer. This is what our lives are about! Celebrating our King! I'm praying the Lord will help me to instill these foundational truths in our son (+daughter when the time comes!).

W's first semester of grad school is coming to a close. His finals are this week. Please pray for him if you think about it!

Also, I am absolutely looking forward to dreading Christmas shopping. I am going tomorrow while W is in one of his finals, so I'll have a good few hours to traipse around Nashville and shop. I'm trying to be excited... trying... trying...

The Shack

Oh my goodness. Never have I read a book like this before. I know it's fiction, but it has struck a place that is deep in my heart. A few weeks ago I wrote about fear. To be absolutely honest, reading this book is making me face my fears. I stayed up last night after my family went to sleep, and in the quiet I read and wept - for hours. I'm supposed to stay on a schedule to read it, but there is no way - I can't put it down. I know people who have read it and said "it's strictly fiction, nothing can be gained from it" but in my case I have to disagree - because it has provoked me to go to a deeper place with the Lord. Obviously Young's words are not the infallible word of God, but it's when I put the book down and started crying out to the Lord that took me to that place.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Hebrews 10:24