7 Quick Takes Friday

Click on over to Jennifer at Conversion Diary for my 7 Quick Takes inspiration ala Mr. Linky.

More appropriately, this may be a few whines and a few "takes."

One.
Jon from SCL is having a birthday December 19. His most annoying (as in loving, Christiany annoying) friend, Stupendous Stacy from Louisville is having a card party for him, so click here to get the address to send him any stupid card you can find. It doesn't even matter if you know him. I don't. Send him a card that says "who the heck are you and why am I sendin you a card???"

And a two.
There are some redeeming qualities in working 14 hour days in two different locations. You can wear the same clothes two days in a row and nobody notices. (Unless they ask you if you had spaghetti for lunch yesterday because they can see it on your sweater). And you have a good reason for looking very tired. And for not having any Christmas prep done.

And a three.
Yes, three. Three people I know and really care about lost their jobs this week. They say a recession is when other people lose their job; a depression is when you lose yours. I think whatever we are in, we need to recognize Who is in control, and lift our brothers and sisters up in prayer during these difficult times. We just never know when we are next. We must take care of each other.

And a four.
Say a prayer for my daughter this weekend as she goes skiing in Colorado with friends. There's a reason we didn't name her Grace. Or Picabo.

And a five.
Hats off to Shonn Green from Iowa for being the first Hawkeye to win the Doak Walker Award. Now I know nothing about football, Doak Walker, or what a running back even does (run, maybe?) but I have watched Shonn present himself as a very humble gentleman throughout this season.

And a six.
I was sad to hear that my puppy's sister Maddie had to go to the Rainbow Bridge a few months ago. They were from a litter whose mother was hit by a car when they were just a few weeks old. He will soon follow her. I don't like loss, grief, and death. I handle all of them poorly, and I pray I get better at it because it's not like it's going to go away. But it's hard to imagine being without a loyal friend who has been by your side for over 14 years.

And a seven.
This week, I was convicted by this post. Perhaps Jon should be sent a praise card. (See item One.)

Tea tonight: Green with lemongrass

Wordless Wordy Wednesday

My blog friend Elaine over at Matters of the Heart got me thinking I had the perfect picture for a Wordless Wednesday after her great post today. Be sure to check it out.

So here's mine. Not really wordless, because I must include a disclaimer for the 80's wallpaper and the clarification that this pondering child is now 28. But you all have such great posts of your kids, and I continue to wax nostalgia, thinking back to the days of film, my Kodak Instamatic, and my very first PC Junior.

Don'tcha wonder what's up with those toes?

Tea tonight: Green with pomegranate

Flashback to Christmas Past.

Ahh, the picture of innocence. Christmas card, circa 1982. It always took about 3 rolls of film to get just the right picture. And a bribe of several boxes of candy canes.

They are precious in His sight....

Tea tonight: Zhena's Gypsy White Cantaloupe

"Not me!" Monday

Shout out to MckMama for her "Not Me!" Monday party! She'll be asleep when I leave for work so I'll be late for Mr. Linky :(

I did not shudder when seeing the pictures of my son's crushed totaled Jeep. IN THE CAR WASH GARAGE. Apparently the car-drying dude felt it was necessary to rev the engine, then proceed to smash it into the concrete block wall. Sad, sad Jeep - PTL nobody was hurt, except for the guy who probably lost his job....and got an airbag in the face. My final thoughts on this incident: there are no accidents. Everything works together for a purpose. You listening, Ben????

I did not beautifully plate up a pot roast dinner, complete with carrots, potatoes, and gravy on one of my good plates for my terminally ill dog, then proceed to sit and have a picnic with him on the kitchen floor. It had been a bad day for both of us, Ron Burgundy was out of town, and comfort food was the order of the day.

Someday, I hope to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.

I did not finally get some Christmas decorations dug out of storage. I love the old sentimental ones, especially the ones the kids made in school. But I did not lament that some of them are from the 70's and 80's and my collection could use some repairing and updating.

Wait, it's not about the decorations. Never mind.

I did not become extremely nostalgic over this one. My mom had the kissing angels that topped our wedding cake (cute 35 years ago, but would be a Cake Wreck today) made into the first Christmas decoration we ever owned. Nifty little arrangement in a bell jar. I really love this one, mistletoe and all. The bell jar and the marriage have not survived all these years! And another one of my favorites is not this mini-nativity scene. Sure, the meaning is special but best of all, I can still hear and see the 3 year-old, tow-headed boy next to me say. "Mom, it's Mary, Joseph, and JC Penney!!!" And that does not make me cry, every single year.

And while we're on the subject of crying, I did not cry five (count 'em, five!) times in church Sunday. But I had good reason stimuli: beautiful solo of "Mary, Did You Know?," "A Story for All People," we sang the Lord's Prayer with the praise band instead of saying it (well, I lip synced), "Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)," and "May You Run and Not Be Weary." Needless to say I left with a terrific headache and the zero degree wind chill actually felt good. Why do I do that???

Tea today: Sencha

Then Sings My Soul Saturdays: The Peace Carol

I'm going retro with the only song that seems appropriate for my day: John Denver and the Muppets sing "The Peace Carol." (Sorry, no video embedding was available; scroll down to turn off my playlist). We had the album (yes, the vinyl kind) when the kids were little and my eldest son would cry whenever he heard this song, even as young as 2. And every year hence. I pray he gets his passion for the Lord back in his heart like he had back then. The kind that brings him to tears.

I'm still banking on the fact that this song would make him cry nearly 30 years later. I know it makes my tears flow.

Tea today: Organic green with citrus, Harney & Sons