Stung by the Spelling Bee

I am so proud of Stephen. He won his class spelling bee yesterday. He called me as soon as he got off the bus to let me know. I guess it must run in the family. When I was in elementary school, I too won my class spelling bee. Next he advances to the third grade bee, where he will compete against the other other third graders in his school. That was as far as I got when I won. I still remember the word I misspelled - believe. He was really nervous last night after he looked over the words in the study book he was given. I told him not to worry - I can't spell any of those words either. And after all, it doesn't matter if he misspells the very first word he is given, we are very proud of him.

Thank goodness for spellcheck - when I ran it on this post there were four misspelled words - but that has more to do with my lack of typing skills than my lack of spelling skills.

Christmas Toys

So when you get yourself a new toy for Christmas, do you put it under the tree and make yourself wait until Christmas to enjoy it? Usually I would answer that question, "Yes." But this year it seems the answer is no. After five years of arm twisting, Brian finally talked me into getting a laptop. It was delivered today, and yes we are now using it. I haven't formed an opinion on it yet, but I figure I will grow to love it.

On another note, the weather has turned frightful, and I don't like it. Yesterday it was near 70 degrees and today we had sleet and freezing rain. The roads were covered in slush as we headed home from work early. The kids are going to be thrilled to find out in the morning that they don't have to go to school though. As for work, Brian's employer has announced they will begin work at 10, so we will at least get a late start to the day if nothing else.

My Christmas Wish for You

I pray that your Christmas be filled with the joy and peace of knowing Christ as your saviour.

Cancelled

How Poor are You?

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, 'How was the trip?'

'It was great, Dad.'

'Did you see how poor people live?' the father asked.

'Oh yeah,' said the son.
'So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?' asked the father.

The son answered:
'I saw that we have one dog and they had four.
We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.
We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.
Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.
We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.
We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.
We buy our food, but they grow theirs.
We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.'

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, 'Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.'

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends!

I Love My Sis

My sister and me on Thanksgiving. And I even remembered to smile.

Best Thanksgiving Quote

"You looked better when you were fat." And no she wasn't commenting on the turkey.

No Favorites...

Come on. Don't any of my faithful readers have a Thanksgiving favorite you want to share. I know you have been here reading, so why is it no one wants to share. I never get any comments, even when I beg. There have been over 10 of you visit here since my last post...some several times and no one wants to share? Give me something to work with here...I am running out of steam on this blog and could use a little help. How about you there in Kilgore, Texas. Don't you have a favorite Thanksgiving treat? What about my visitor from Conway? It's time my readers come out of the woodwork and at least say hello... :-)

Mmmmm - Thanksgiving

So, Thanksgiving is only a week away, and already my mouth is watering thinking about all of the holiday favorites that will be adorning my grandma's table. Of course, one of my all time favorites is the dressing. I love my mom's dressing - it is always so moist. I have never been good at making it myself but I am considering trying a recipe I have found for Crock Pot Cornbread dressing. If it turns out good, I will share it.

I am going to be taking deviled eggs - Skylar's all-time favorite - and sweet potato casserole. I love sweet potatoes. I may also whip up a crustless pumpkin pie since that is Stephen's favorite. Oh my poor waistline. It is already expanding just thinking about all of the food.

So, what are your favorite can't have Thanksgiving without it foods? Feel free to share in the comments section.

The Election

As this is not a political blog by any stretch, I have not expressed my political opinions here. That is mostly due to the fact that I really have a hard time expressing what I really feel. However, now that the election is over, I can only say that I will continue to pray for this country and it's leaders. America has chosen change over God, but it doesn't have to be that way. We can pray that God will be the one that does the changing. He changes hearts each and everyday and has been forever. And there is one thing that will never change, and that is God. The Bible tells us that He is unchanging. While I am not thrilled with the election results, I will not wallow in disappointment. This country CAN still change for the better. I really like what Lisa has to say about it all in her blog The Preacher's Wife. She expresses what I would like to say in much better terms. So, I will leave the politics up to the politicians, but I will bear my cross and pray daily for those that have been chosen to lead our country. I ask that you join me and pray the following scripture daily for our soon to be president...

Open Barack Obama’s eyes and turn him from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that he may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus. Acts 26:18

Sensational Sunset

Sunset @ Mt. Magazine State Park

One Quick Photo

Our trip to Mt. Magazine was wonderful. The views were spectacular and needless to say, I took lots of pictures. Here is the view from our balcony. You could see for miles and miles. We enjoyed it so much that we went ahead and reserved a cabin for our anniversary next year.

Public Service Announcement

I am a big supporter of the flu vaccine. Due to my lack of a spleen (that's another story in itself), my doctor says that it is very important that I have the vaccine every year. As flu season approaches, it's time to get vaccinated. For those of you in Arkansas, here is a link to the Arkansas Department of Health schedule for flu shot clinics. This is a great program that allows you to get your flu vaccination for FREE. Can't beat that price. So there is really no excuse not to get yours.

At the Fair

Here is a picture of Skylar at the fair. They had a petting zoo this year which she really enjoyed.

Race for the Cure - Pictures

Saturday was the annual Race for the Cure. A couple of friends from church, the kids, Brian and I donned our pink in support of finding a cure for breast cancer. Oh and there were about 50,000 other people there too. We had a great time. The kids really enjoyed it. They even walked the last mile with me. It's not too late to make a donation. If you're interested click here to show your support.

Fall Flowers

Yesterday my mom emailed me a picture she had taken of the fall flowers that have sprung up on their field. She encouraged me to bring my camera over and take a few photos too. Here is a sample of what I got...

I hope you enjoy these. I can't wait for all the fall foliage to start appearing. It is truly a wonder of God. Check out my mom's butterfly photo.

Try Again...

Brian and I are in desperate need of a getaway. We had planned to go to Mt. Magazine State Park last Friday night, but we ended up cancelling our reservations due to Stephen being sick and Skylar's recent school meltdown. But we haven't given up. We have rescheduled for later in October. Hopefully by then the leaves will be changing, making for an even more spectacular trip. If we actually get to go this time, I will post pictures.

Also, after much prayer Skylar seems to be moving past her problems with school. She still has reservations about going, and definitely isn't as excited about it as she once was, but at least the tears and wailing seem to have subsided for now. We still don't know what got into her. Maybe she was just testing the waters to see how far she could push us? I am continuing to pray for her that she will once again love going to school, but for now I will accept the answered prayer of her not throwing a conniption fit every morning.

Seen on a Church Sign

Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

Thought provoking, isn't it? If you can't forgive me, you end up bitter, and I go on with my life...

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. Mark 11:25-26

Fireproof

It's not often that I want to go see a movie, but I really do want to see Fireproof. It opens today. If you haven't heard of it, I ask that you check out the trailer. It is from the same people that made Flywheel and Facing the Giants, and I expect it to be just as good.

Change of Heart

Skylar has had a change of heart about school. She absolutely loved it at first. She couldn't wait to get there each day. Now all of a sudden she doesn't want to go. She cries every morning as soon as she gets up. She cries when she gets dropped off. She even cries during the day in class. We can't get her to give us a reason for this change of heart, and it has me worried. We have sat down and talked to her. Her teacher has talked to her. The principal has talked to her. We now have asked that the school counselor talk to her. I pray that we get to the bottom of this very soon, and it is nothing serious. There is nothing as heart wrenching for a mother as to have to walk away from her child who is crying for her to stay.

Race for the Cure

It's about that time again. Just a few more weeks until I hit the streets of Little Rock for the Susan G Koman Race for the Cure. Once again Brian will be joining me as a participant of the Three Miles of Men. This is such a worthy cause, and I know that each of us has been touched by this dreadful disease in one way or another. So if you have been touched and would like to help work toward a cure, please consider making a donation here.

Wanna Buy a House?

It is official - our house is listed and ready to show. If you know anyone looking pass along this link.

Keep on Keeping On

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9 - Just a reminder if we keep doing what we know is right, we will receive our reward...never give up!

Never Give Up on the Seed You Plant

“One day I decided to quit.... I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality..... I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God. "God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?" His answer surprised me...

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo," He said.

"In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit," He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."

He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare yourself to others . The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern, yet, they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come," God said to me. " You will rise high!"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned.

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

Never regret a day in your life. Good days give you Happiness. Bad days give you Experiences. Both are essential to life. Happiness keeps you Sweet, Trials keep you Strong, Sorrows keep you Human, Failures keep you Humble, Success keeps You Glowing, But Only God keeps You Going! Have a great day! The Son is shining!!

The Hair Cut

Update on the House

Well an update on the house. We made another offer last week and he accepted. So our house is now for sale. If we can sell it we will be moving. It's really kind of exciting and scary all at the same time. We are in the process of moving some of our stuff to storage just to make our house show better. I am also trying to finish up the bathroom painting project I started 3 weeks ago.

I am trying not to be anxious about it. We have prayed that God would direct us in each step of this process. We have also prayed that if this wasn't His will, that He would close the door completely. The door hasn't been closed, in fact it is open wider than before - our offer has been accepted even though our first offer was "too low to even counter" and we didn't raise our offer much. Interest rates are dropping right now, which will make this move even more affordable. The most convenient mini-storage facility had an immediate opening. These are all blessings to me. It also goes to show that God's timing is so much better than ours. Had he countered our first offer we would probably settled on a higher price than we got this time. We would also have had a much higher interest rate than is now available. I am now just praying that God has a family picked out for which our house will be perfect. I know if it's His will, that buyer will be directed right to our listing.

On a totally different note, Skylar got her hair cut last night. It's now about 5-6 inches shorter. I think it looks really cute. It hits right at her shoulders. I will try to post a picture next week sometime. This is the first real haircut she has had. We have always just kept the ends trimmed, but we were all tired of her hair dragging through her food, getting tangled, and always looking stringy just minutes after it had been brushed. It should be much easier to care for now.

Wordless Wednesday - Eager Anticipation

Skylar anxiously awaits her turn to get out of the car on the first day of kindergarten.

First Day

Well it's the first day of school for my kiddos. Can you see how excited Skylar was? There was not even a hint of hesitation for her this morning. In fact, as we waited in the drop off line, she kept asking if she could get out now. Stephen was more excited today than he was last week, but it was all old hat for him. I can't wait to pick them up this evening and hear all about their first day.

Job's Miracle - Revisited

You may or may not remember that back in February I posted about a local boy named Job who has been through a very rough few years and the local community was trying to get him and his family a new home through the television show Extreme Makeover - Home Edition. Well it was officially announced today that he will indeed be getting a new home. Check it out... it is indeed a miracle for him and his family.

Big Lessons from a Little Girl

The kids are at my in-laws' today. Brian just called to tell me what Skylar had done. Usually that means a story that results in me burying my head in my hands and saying oh dear. But today I am holding my head high and saying what a smart girl.

Stephen and papaw had gone for a walk, leaving Skylar and mamaw at the house. Mamaw told Skylar she had a headache. Skylar informed her she should go lay down and sleep and it would go away like the last time. Of course mamaw told her she couldn't just leave her alone while she slept. That's when Skylar looked at her and said "Mamaw, I have Jesus in my heart, so I am never alone!" Wow - what else can I say but what a smart girl.

Awesome

Disappointment

So the house deal didn't work out like we had hoped. I am trying not to be disappointed, but I have to admit that I am. I know God has a plan here. It may be that He has another house planned for us, or He may just want us to wait a little longer on this house - I haven't given up on this particular house yet. Only time will tell what His plan is.

Still Waiting Patiently

Well we have not heard a thing yet on the offer we made. It's been hard to not get my hopes up but I am doing ok. Of course there has been a good amount of daydreaming about what we will do if we get the house. There is a growing list of things that we need to do to our house to get it ready to sell. The first thing is to rent a storage locker and move some of the stuff out - just to make it look bigger and not so cramped. With that there will be a lot of decluttering - at least I hope. We have so much stuff that we just don't need and don't use. There are also all the little fix-ups that need to be done. Which gets me to thinking - why is it that we do all these things if we think it will make our house more desirable to someone else, yet we don't do them for ourselves. After all, some of the things we are talking about doing we have been living with for years. Oh well, hopefully we will hear something soon.

Oh, another thing I have learned, I have more patience than Brian does. Several times he has wanted to call our realtor to see if she has heard anything. I told him that I am quite sure that if she had she would let us know. I really can't imagine why she wouldn't. And hounding her isn't going to make things go any faster.

Avoiding Disappointment

First, I should tell you that we made an offer on a new house yesterday. You would think that I would be overflowing with excitement and anticipation, right? Well, I am not. As much as I would love to sit and dream about this new house being ours, I will not let myself. I have realized that I have some weird defense mechanism that I won't allow myself to get excited about something like this because I don't want to feel disappointed later. I do have to say that I don't feel as nervous about making this offer as I have in the past when we have made such huge financial decisions. As much as I want this to work out so that we get the house, I have put it all in God's hands. If He wants us to have this house, He will make a way. It will be Him who decides whether the owner accepts our offer. It will be Him who decides whether our current house will sell. Or it will be Him who decides this isn't the right move for us to make and He will close the doors on it. In the meantime, I am sitting here trying not to get my hopes up too high because I don't want to be too disappointed.

VBS Time

It's that time of year once again where our church is transformed into something unrecognizable. This year's theme is Power Lab - the Power of Jesus. Pretty cool looking isn't it?

Fire the Canons

While on vacation we visited the Pea Ridge National Military Park. While I don't call myself a history buff by any means, for some reason the civil war era is quite interesting to me. This is the second battle field that we have visited. Last year we went to Shiloh in Tennessee. There were not nearly as many monuments at Pea Ridge, but the film they showed was much better. There were also a lot fewer people there so we were better able to enjoy ourselves. Stephen really enjoyed it, though Skylar was more than ready to leave soon after we arrived.

Christmas in July

Well we made it back from vacation - whether we wanted to or not. We had a very enjoyable time. We saw lots of interesting things, rested, swam, shopped and did all the things you are supposed to do on vacation. I am ready to go again.

We visited the Daisy Airgun Museum while in Rogers. It was a neat little place telling the story of the B-B Gun. If you know Brian at all you know that one of his all time favorite movies is A Christmas Story. And if you have ever seen the movie, you know it revolves around a little boy who badly wants an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle. Well we saw the official rifle made especially for the movie as well as a replica of possible one of the most famous lamps in the history of movies...see for yourself.

Now that - if you didn't know is one major award!!!

Happy 4th of July

Happy birthday USA. And happy 14th anniversary to the love of my life.

A Little Time Off

Well it's vacation time again. And I am sooooooo ready. This year we decided to stick close to home. We are going to be spending a few days in Northwest Arkansas. We will only be about 2.5 hours from home, but at least we will be somewhere. We don't really have anything scheduled to do. We are just going to play it by ear. I know there will be swimming as Skylar's only requirement was that the hotel have an indoor pool. In fact she just wanted to go back to the same place we went last year. So of course, I obliged her by finding an indoor pool. We really just plan on relaxing. Maybe seeing a movie - there is still a drive-in movie theater up in that area. Of course, I am sure there will be some shopping. Stephen was even excited to hear there were some Civil War battlegrounds near there. He really must have enjoyed that last year. Anyway, I am sure we will find plenty to keep us busy, and I will try to give a full report - or at least some pictures - when we return.

We Are the Champions

Way back in May (gee I am behind) Stephen's school held a kickball tournament. All of the second grade classes played against each other and Stephen's class came out on top. His teacher commented that this was the first time her class had ever won the tournament. Brian helped out with the coaching, while Skylar and I cheered from the sidelines.

Sprinkler Fun

Nothing says summer like running through the sprinkler. A few Friday's ago, I promised the kids if they were especially good for the morning and helped with all of the housework they could play in the sprinkler that afternoon. Believe it or not they managed to be good and got their reward.

Build a Bear Bug Workshop

My mother has generously offered to take my kids and my nephew to the local library's summer reading program. They meet once a week and see a program and then come home with all kinds of activities to do. Well this weeks activity was to build a bug - since the theme of the program this summer is "Catch the Reading Bug." My nephew spent the night with us Thursday night, so I decided Friday morning would be a great time for the three of them to build their bugs.

I sat them all down at the kitchen table with a box of scrap paper, scissors, glue and other various craft items. They spent nearly an hour creating their masterpieces. Skylar chose to create a butterfly, Stephen made a ladybug, and JD picked of all things a mosquito. Here are some pictures of them working and their works of art.

Getting Through the Day

For any of you that know me personally, you probably know that we have been having a rough time at my workplace for a while now. There have been changes over the last few months. And even though most of the changes are for the good, any change can be difficult at times. With recent personnel changes, training, and attitudes on top of the regular everyday challenges of any job, it's enough to make me want to throw up my hands and just quit some days. However, if you can say anything about me, it's that I am not a quitter. Even if I was independently wealthy and didn't need this job, I would never just quit. So, what have I done to deal with all of this? Well I went to the only instruction manual any of us really need - the Bible.

Actually, God kind of just revealed some scripture to me. I was flipping through one Sunday evening at church, trying to find the scripture the pastor was referencing when one of the headings in my Bible just jumped off the page at me. It simply said "On the Job."

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Ephesians 6:5-7

As soon as I read those words, I realized that it is my duty to do my job to the best of my ability, to follow the instructions given to me, and to do my job as though I am working for Christ himself, and not just when the boss is looking. While that may seem elementary, how many of us actually treat our bosses as we would treat Christ if He was signing our paycheck?

So how has this changed anything? Well, that very night I committed that scripture to memory. When things get tough at work, I recall it and say it to myself. I have even used it as a prayer, inserting my name and asking God to help me be the employee he wishes me to be. Has it made everything smooth sailing? No, but I don't expect it to. But it does serve as a reminder of who I am really working for and that He will get me through it all.

Oh My Neglected Blog...

I just can't seem to get back in the swing of things. I have lots to write about but can't seem to make myself do it. It's strange how easy it is to break a good habit but the bad ones just hang on forever.

So in an effort to jump start my blogging, here is a list of upcoming topics most of which have long since passed but I never got around to blogging about them when they were current:

1. Skylar's birthday party
2. Stephen's birthday party
3. Books I am reading
4. Summer vacation
5. Weighty issues
6. Treadmill progress
7. Pictures for your viewing pleasure
8. Friendships - old acquaintances renewed
9. Stephen's kickball tournament
10. Skylar's last day of preschool

I am sure there will of course be other topics that come up but I hope to start marking things off this list soon.

One of Those Moments

Do you ever have one of those "make you feel old moments?" I had one recently when we received a graduation announcement in the mail. The daughter of our former pastor is graduating from high school this Friday night. I am not quite sure how that can be. After all it was just a mere fifteen years ago in January that I first went to church with Brian and met the wonderful Williams family. I had not even been a high school graduate a year when I first watched that little girl take the microphone and sing to the Lord in front of our small congregation. I watched that little girl grow up over the next few years, doing the penny march each Sunday, singing with her family, and growing spiritually until the Lord called her father to a new church and eventually led us to a new church home as well. While I haven't had the pleasure of watching her mature through her teen years, each time I do see her it is easy to recognize Christ in her life. I know the Lord has great things planned for her, and I pray that she will always follow His lead. I just wish her growing up didn't make me feel so old...

Something a Little Different

We recently started a new prayer group at our church. It is a Moms in Touch group and we meet once a week to pray for our children and our schools for one hour. We had our first meeting on May 5th and I decided to go just to see what it was all about. After listening, I knew it was something that I needed to do. All was good until it was actually time to go to the first real meeting. We were supposed to start at 6. I got back to town after work at 5:30. This gave me 30 minutes to talk myself in and out of going - I actually felt like those cartoons where there is a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. While I knew I was supposed to go and that God wanted me to go, the devil kept tempting me not to go. You see I am one of those people that rarely prays out loud, and that is one of the key elements of this group. So the devil kept popping excuses in my head, reasons not to go. But in the end I went, and I really got a blessing from it. It wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined, and I know I will grow spiritually from it, not to mention my kids and our schools need all the prayer they can get.

Can you believe...

School will be out in just two weeks. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was taking Skylar for her very first day of preschool? Now she is registered for kindergarten and we go next week for her evaluation at school. And Stephen is almost a third grader. How did that happen? Where did the time go? I know they are looking forward to being out of school - my mother on the other hand would probably prefer year round school for them since she will have them at her house most of the summer. I do have plans to be off most Friday's while they are out. Maybe we can plan some fun stuff to do. I would love to take them swimming some, and of course there are our trips to the library. I am so glad my kids like the library. Go ahead and call us nerds - we don't care.

As for summer vacation plans, so far we have none. We don't want to get too far from home - gas is too high to travel to far off - but we would like a short getaway. Skylar says we have to go back to Tennessee this year and stay at the same place because she really liked the pool. While I don't foresee us going back there this year, we will have to be sure to find a place that lives up to her swimming expectations. I am sure we will think of something - if you have any suggestions please feel free to comment.

A Day Off

Yesterday I took the day off to go on a field trip with Stephen and his class. Let me tell you, there's nothing quite like sitting on a bus with 40 second graders to make you very appreciative of their teachers. Not only that, I am more thankful for my job today than I was on Tuesday - at least we only act like 8 year old kids on occasion around here.

It wasn't a bad trip at all really. They spent the morning at the park playing before having a picnic lunch. After that we went to the IMAX theater to see a movie. While the actual movie left a little to be desired, I would like to go see something interesting at the IMAX now. Luckily the movie - The Living Sea - was only about 45 minutes long. I really don't think it would have held their interest much longer. After that we headed back to school and I checked Stephen out early. I treated him and Skylar to snow cones then we went to the library. So how is that for an exciting vacation day...

Here We Go Again

You may remember back on February 5 that tornados blew through our part of the state. Well last Friday, May 2, we had yet another stormy day. This time it was in the morning. At about 9 am, I got a call from Brian that Conway County was under a warning and that a tornado had been confirmed to touch down. Of course my first thoughts were of my kids. They were at school, and here I was 25 miles away. All I could do was pray that they were ok. I spent the rest of my morning checking up on people and watching the local news on the internet. The kids were safe, but I soon found that several people I knew had lost their homes, including one of the little girls in Skylar's preschool class. The last I heard, there were eight deaths caused by the storms, so while losing a home is devastating, it could have been worse.

When I picked Skylar up from school, I quizzed her about her morning. She said when the sirens started going off they went to their safe room and Mrs. Cindy started praying over them. I once again feel so blessed that she is in a preschool where there is such a strong Christian foundation. She didn't know what had happened to her friend's home, and I struggled to explain it to her in a way that wouldn't scare her or upset her too badly. She was very concerned for her friend and all of her toys. I told her the toys could all be replaced and that we should be thankful her family was alright. She accepted that and then suggested we buy her something to replace her lost toys. We will be making a trip to the store very soon, and I won't be surprised if she and her friend end up with new matching outfits and something fun too.

New Goal

For my birthday, Brian got me exactly what I wanted, a treadmill. I have done really good at using it ever since. I started keeping a log of my distances and times on the second night. That night I walked 2.4 miles in 46 minutes. I have been increasing my distance ever since, but walking a minimum of 45 minutes each session at least 5 nights a week. On Tuesday I went 3 miles in 45 minutes. I even managed to jog one mile of that, which led me to set a new goal for myself. As you may remember, each October I participate in the Race for the Cure. By this October I want to be able to run the entire 5K - that's just slightly over 3 miles. While that may not seem like much, for a couch potato like me, it might as well be a marathon. So - I will keep you all updated on my progress and let you know when I finally reach my goal.

As far as the weight loss goals I have, I am still holding steady. I haven't been able to shake those 5 pounds I put on during the Christmas season, but I haven't added any more. I am hoping the new walking/jogging routine will whittle them away. I can already see a difference in the way some of my clothes fit. Even though the scale hasn't shown a loss, some of the fat has at least shifted around, so I have to consider that a non-scale victory.

Bon Jovi Concert

Well last Thursday night was the big Bon Jovi concert that Kathy and I have been looking forward to since November. It was definitely worth the wait and the six hour drive to Nashville. We had no travel problems at all, found everything without getting lost, and even managed to get in some shopping on a Tennessee sales tax free weekend (why cant we have those in Arkansas???)

The opening act was Daughtry - of American Idol fame. They did a great job, though I should have listened to their CD a few times before going just to brush up on the lyrics some. It's hard to sing along when you can't remember the words.

Our seats were really good - so Kathy may live down the fact that we didn't get to see them a couple of years ago because she kept waiting for better seats. We probably couldn't have picked a better venue to see them in considering this was their first (and last) attempt at a country sound. Since we were in Nashville, there were a couple of surprise guests - both Big & Rich and Leann Rimes showed up to sing the songs they collaborated on. The best part of the evening was when Jon came out on the second stage they had set up - it was a mere 12 rows in front of us. I was irritated that my batteries were getting weak in my camera so when he finally turned to face us my camera was out of commission. Oh well - this is a pretty good shot...

All in all, I was not disappointed at all. They put on a great, non-stop 2.5 hour show - not bad for a 46 year old guy. Brian asked if I would do it again and I said without a doubt yes. Most of the concerts I have seen lately have been a let down in one way or another and I left saying that I wouldn't have to see them again, but you can bet the next time Bon Jovi comes close, I will be there.

Wordless Wednesday - Skylar

Check out more wordless wednesday at 5 Minutes for Moms and Wordless Wednesday.

And Now...

...back to your regular scheduled programming.

As promised, I am back. I have got to find my blogging groove, but tax season is over and I survived. All in all, it wasn't too bad. I worked a lot of hours, but was blessed not to have to work EVERY Saturday. I managed to make it through without killing anyone, or even biting off any heads. It was touch and go a few times but no one was seriously injured. We had some good part-time help this year and it made all the difference in the world.

I have had my patience tried on several occasions, and even now God is showing me that sometimes I have to wait for His timing. I know He has a plan all worked out, but as usual I want it now. And while I don't even know the detail of His plan, His word tells me in Jeremiah 29:11 -

"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."

So it's got to be all good, right? He was even speaking to me through the Sunday School lesson I taught just last Sunday. Even when David knew he would be king, he had to wait for God's timing. On more than one occasion, he could have killed King Saul, but God had to prepare David first. David was patient and his patience was rewarded when God's plan was played out in His time. So for now I am trying to be patient and wait for God's plan to be played out before me, because He is God and He doesn't need my help...

Patience...

"The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it."- Arnold H. Glasgow

A Little Complaining

Ok so I know I have neglected my blog...but only 20 more days till this madness ends. Hopefully before then I will at least get my Easter pictures off my camera so you can see how cute my kids looked.

Since there is little else on my mind these days other than work, I'll let you in on a few secrets of the accounting world:

• Your accountant/tax preparer loves it when you use little yellow sticky notes attached to each bit of information you bring in for your taxes. After all we are not aware of what a W-2 looks like.
• Please feel free to include vague and obscure information that may or may not be relevent to your taxes with no explanation whatsoever.
• Whatever you do - DO NOT leave a current phone number where you can be reached. We enjoy tracking clients down not only to explain the above mentioned vague information but it gives us great pleasure to spend half a day trying to get in touch with you to let you know your return is ready.
• Please use as many staples as you possibly can to attach each piece of paper together. We thoroughly enjoy pulling them each out one by one, and then stepping on them later because they flew across the room since no one has yet thought to make staple pullers magnetic.
• And last but not least - don't bother bringing everything in that is needed to prepare your taxes on your first visit. It is much more convenient to wait until you come in to pick up your tax return for you to tell us that you had thirty-seven pages of deductions that we didn't include. Because after all - we have nothing better to do than to do your tax return twice...

Enough complaining for now - however I do reserve the right to add to this list at any given time.

Wordless Wednesday

Hold My Spot

I haven't abandoned my blog I promise. I have been working nearly 50 hours a week (oh the joys of tax season) and I have had to prioritize. So I am still around and will have lots to update when I get my life back....

Wordless Wednesday - I CAN Smile

Grab a Tissue

I'm usually not one to share videos but Jenny had this link on her blog and after watching it, I couldn't help but share it with you. It's a little long but well worth the time if you have high-speed internet.

A Pastor's Story

Some years ago, I walked into my office after a Sunday morning service
to find a sandwich bag on my desk containing three chocolate brownies.
Some thoughtful and anonymous person who knew my love for chocolate had
placed them there, along with a piece of paper that had a short story
written on it I immediately sat down and began eating the first brownie
as I read the following story:

Two teenagers asked their father if they could go the theater to watch a
movie that all their friends had seen. After reading some reviews about
the movie on the Internet, he denied their request.

"Aw dad, why not?" they complained. "It's rated PG-13, and we're both
older than thirteen!"

Dad replied: "Because that movie contains nudity and portrays
immorality as being normal and acceptable behavior.

"But dad, those are just very small parts of the movie! That's what our
friends who've seen it have told us. The movie is two hours long and
those scenes are just a few minutes of the total film! It's based on a
true story and good triumphs over evil, and there are other redeeming
themes like courage and self-sacrifice. Even the movie review websites
say that!"

"My answer is 'no,' and that is my final answer. You are welcome to stay
home tonight, invite some of your friends over, and watch one of the
good videos we have in our home collection. But you will not go and
watch that film. End of discussion."

The two teenagers walked dejectedly into the family room and slumped
down on the couch. As they sulked, they were surprised to hear the
sounds of their father preparing something in the kitchen. They soon
recognized the wonderful aroma of brownies baking in the oven, and one
of the teenagers said to the other, "Dad must be feeling guilty, and now
he's going to try to make it up to us with some fresh brownies. Maybe we
can soften him with lots of praise when he brings them out to us and
persuade him to let us go to that movie after all."

About that time I began eating the second brownie from the sandwich bag
and wondered if there was some connection to the brownies I was eating
and the brownies in the story.. I kept reading...

The teens were not disappointed. Soon their father appeared with a plate
of warm brownies which he offered to his kids. They each took one. Then
their father said, "Before you eat, I want to tell you something: I love
you both so much. "The teenagers smiled at each other with knowing
glances. Dad was softening.

"That is why I've made these brownies with the very best ingredients.
I've made them from scratch. Most of the ingredients are even organic.
The best organic flour. The best free-range eggs. The best organic
sugar. Premium vanilla and chocolate."

The brownies looked mouth-watering, and the teens began to become a
little impatient with their dad's long speech.

"But I want to be perfectly honest with you. There is one ingredient I
added that is not usually found in brownies. I got that ingredient from
our own back yard. But you needn't worry, because I only added the
tiniest bit of that ingredient to your brownies. The amount of the
portion is practically insignificant. So go ahead, take a bite and let
me know what you think."

"Dad, would you mind telling us what that mystery ingredient is before
we eat?"

"Why? The portion I added was so small, just a teaspoonful. You won't
even taste it."

"Come on, dad; just tell us what that ingredient is."
"Don't worry! It is organic, just like the other ingredients."
"Dad!"
"Well, OK, if you insist. That secret ingredient is organic...dog poop."

I immediately stopped chewing that second brownie and I spit it out into
the waste basket by my desk. I continued reading, now fearful of the
paragraphs that still remained.

Both teens instantly dropped their brownies back on the plate and began
inspecting their fingers with horror.

"DAD! Why did you do that? You've tortured us by making us smell those
brownies cooking for the last half hour, and now you tell us that you
added dog poop! We can't eat these brownies!"

"Why not? The amount of dog poop is very small compared to the rest of
the ingredients. It won't hurt you. It's been cooked right along with
the other ingredients. You won't even taste it. It has the same
consistency as the brownies. Go ahead and eat!"

"No, Dad...NEVER!"

"And that is the same reason I won't allow you to go watch that movie.
You won't tolerate a little dog poop in your brownies, so why should you
tolerate a little immorality in your movies? We pray that God will not
lead us unto temptation, so how can we in good conscience entertain
ourselves with something that will imprint a sinful image in our minds
that will lead us into temptation long after we first see it?

I discarded what remained of the second brownie as well as the entire
untouched third brownie. What had been irresistible a minute go had
become detestable. And only because of the very slim chance that what I
was eating was slightly polluted. (Surely it wasn't...but I couldn't
convince myself.)

What a good lesson about purity! Why do we tolerate any sin? On the day
of the Passover, the Israelites were commanded to remove every bit of
leaven from their homes. Sin is like leaven - a little bit leavens the
whole lump (1Corinthians 5:6, 7), faith and sin, don't mix.

Wordless Wednesday

Just for Kicks

53 words

Psalm 23 - For Work

Psalm 23
(For the Work Place)

The Lord is my real boss, and I shall not want.
He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.
He gently reminds me to pray and do all things without
murmuring and complaining.

He reminds me that He is my source and not my job.
He restores my sanity every day and guides my decisions
that I might honor Him in all that I do.

Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, system
crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks, gossiping
co-workers , discriminating supervisors and an aging body
that doesn't cooperate every morning, I still will not stop---
for He is with me! His presence, His peace, and His power
will see me through.

He raises me up, even when they fail to promote me.
He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens
to let me go. His Faithfulness and love is better than any bonus check.

His retirement plan beats any 401k there is!
When it's all said and done, I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer
and for that, I BLESS HIS NAME!!!!!!

Job's Miracle

I will be leaving this post at the top until February 22 - so scroll down for new posts.

Job McCully lives in Bigelow, Arkansas. He received a double lung transplant on December 11, 2007. My church family, as well as countless others across the country, has been supporting Job and his family in prayer for several years. Now I am asking for a little support from you. As the time finally approaches for Job to get to come home, his house is in need of many repairs before he can live there. An application has been made to ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition, and with support from people like you, it could inspire them to makeover the McCully home.

All you have to do is send a postcard between February 11 & February 22 to:
Lock & Key Productions
c/o Family Casting
PO Box 38670
Los Angeles, CA 90038

A brief message written on the postcard in support of the McCully application is all that is needed. If you would like to learn more about Job and his miracle check out his web page at www.caringbridge.org/ar/job

Wordless Wednesday - Cousins

Skylar, JD and Stephen at JD's 5th birthday party.

Check out more Wordless Wednesday @ http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/

Valentine's Day

There were no cut flowers, no chocolates, no balloons, no teddy bears - no none of the traditional gifts most people expect to get on Valentine's day. Brian has always been good at coming up with the most original gifts. I received this cute t-shirt with the Chinese symbol for love on it - personalized with our names and anniversary. He also gave me a personalized coffee cup with the symbol for eternity on it. The kids each gave me a miniture rose bush that hopefully I can keep alive long enough for spring to arrive so I can plant them outside.

I gave Brian the shelf you see behind me in the photo. My mom and dad built it to hold ALL of the cd's and dvd's that we have. The sad thing is that after loading everything in it there is only one empty shelf left. Luckily the shelves are adjustable and I have already requested a few more. The funny thing is that it has been sitting in my parents' living room where Brian has seen it almost daily as they worked on it. He never once suspected that it was for him. In fact, earlier this week he asked my mom if they could build a shelf to go on top of our entertainment center to hold our dvd's. She found that quit amusing and told him it would have to wait until they finished some other projects.

So there you have it - our Valentine's day in a nutshell. Now if I could just remember to smile when I am having my picture taken.

Wordless Wednesday - EZ Bake

Skylar recently received her replacement Easy Bake oven - the other one was recalled - so she was eager to bake an Oreo cake for her cousin JD's birthday.

Thankful Thursday

As my prayers continue to go up for the people who have suffered in the storms this week - some just 20 miles from my home - I am most thankful for God's hand of protection on my family and friends. As I said in yesterday's post, I have family and friends living in Atkins who were not even touched by the storms. I am also thankful for everyone who is making an effort to help those in need. I am touched by the outpouring of donations of money, time and supplies by so many people especially my good friends at the Clinton Sonic. It's sad that it takes a disaster to bring people together, but I am so glad that we do come together when something like this happens.

For more Thankful Thursday check out Sting My Heart.

A Long Night

Last night storms passed through our area. We were blessed that they weren't close to our house, but they did go through a small town where we have loved ones. The town of Atkins was hard hit by a tornado. At least four people in that community lost their lives. We spent most of the evening trying to get word about people we know that live there. While all of them made it through alright, I know they still need our prayers today as the community begins to see the real extent of the damage.

From Atkins the storms moved northeast through the northern part of our county. A tornado touched down in the Cleveland area. That is where my mother grew up. While I don't know anybody in that area anymore, my prayers are still with them as they struggle with their losses.

Next the tornado moved to the town of Clinton. And while I don't personally know anybody there, one of our clients owns a store there. As they talked about the damage, I couldn't help but think that of the forty or so employees of that store, surely one was effected in one way or another. I haven't heard yet this morning if there was any damage to the store, but I am praying that all is well.

The storms continued to move through the state, killing eleven before it was over. It made for a long night, as we watched tv in awe of everything that was happening. I am still praying for all of the families who are dealing with the devastation this morning.

Tornados amaze me with their seeming randomness. While one house is demolished, the one next door is left with no damage at all. It reminds me of the scripture in Matthew 24 where it talks about the coming of Christ.

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall
be taken, and the other left. Two [women shall be] grinding at the mill;
the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know
not what hour your Lord doth come. Matthew 24:39-42

And while we can prepare for tornados, watching their paths unfold through the amazing technology of radar and dopler, we can't know exactly where they will land. The same goes for the coming of Christ. While we can watch for the signs as given by the Bible, we can't know the exact hour he will come for us. It may be today for me, tomorrow for you, or next week for the entire world. However we can be prepared by knowing Him and having Him in our hearts, so that when that day comes, we will know exactly where we will spend eternity.

Thankful

• I am thankful that we made it through another January.
• I am thankful that we had no damage from the wind storms that blew through on Tuesday.
• I am thankful for good friends that showed up to help Brian repair the roof damage at the church.
• I am thankful that Stephen's bought with the stomach bug was short-lived.
• I am thankful for the weather man being wrong about the weather yesterday. I really don't like sleet and ice.
• I am thankful for electricity, running water, a warm dry house, and a million other things that I take for granted on a daily basis.

Check out more at Sting My Heart.

Christian Ways to Destress

I don't really have anything original for you today, but I did get this great email this morning. I know I need to work on a few of these myself.

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns . If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety . If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19 Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33 Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.
"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
(Romans 8:31)

Thankful Thursday

The theme this week over at Sting My Heart is hope. I am truly thankful for the hope we have in Christ. Without Him all hope is lost.

I am thankful for my health as well as that of my family. We often take our health for granted, complaining about minor aches and pains, but there are many others much worse off than we are. I have several people on my personal prayer list right now who are struggling with health issues - some severe. It is hard to know how to pray sometimes. Of course we always have hope they they will be healed, but the truth is if they know Christ we know they will be healed. We may not see that healing here, but even if they pass on from this life, they will be healed and free from all ailments when they get to heaven.

I'll leave you with a list of names of people who need your prayers and just ask that you lift them and their families up. Bobby, Steve, Pat, Granny Price,Crystal, and Rosa. If you have someone close to you that you would like to request prayer for, I encourage you to leave a comment.

On Forgiveness

After a long, at times heated discussion with some peers a few days ago on the subject of forgiving those who have hurt you, I had a few thoughts. First of all, forgiving someone doesn't mean you give them permission to hurt you again. We are not to be doormats for others to wipe their feet on. Forgiveness also does not mean we forget the pain we have been through. It means letting go of the bitterness of the past and moving forward, though sometimes with a guarded heart.

If you happen to have a copy of The Purpose Driven Life, day 18 has an excellent example of what I am talking about. We are not to hold grudges nor retaliate -

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel
against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also [do] ye. Col 3:13

And we will never be asked to forgive anyone of more than God has forgiven us. It is our choice to forgive and have a resolution to the problem.

Where many people have a problem is that they get forgiveness and trust confused. I love the way Rick Warren explains the difference. Forgiveness is letting go of the past while trust has to do with future behavior. While forgiveness must be immediate, trust must be rebuilt over time. No one has permission to hurt you over and over. Either they will prove they have changed and the trust will be rebuilt, or they will continue to hurt you and though you forgive them, without the trust you will eventually lose their fellowship. So while we are commanded to forgive - even when no apology is ever offered, we are not commanded to remain in fellowship with those that continually hurt us. Being a Christian doesn't mean being a doormat.

There are people in my life who I have chosen to forgive, who have questioned my forgiveness. Just because I don't allow them to be as close as they once were does not mean I haven't forgiven them. It means that they have not rebuilt that trust yet, so I approach them with a guarded heart. While forgiveness has to be freely given, trust has to be earned.

Thankful Thursday

It's been a while since I took part in Thankful Thursday, so here goes:

I am thankful for Gods unending grace that covers all of my transgressions when I take them to him.

I am thankful for the grace extended by those I love when I fail them.

I am thankful for friends and fellowship.

I am thankful for the new women's Bible study that started at church this week. I have so much to learn and there are some wonderful mentors in the group.

I am thankful that God puts the people we need for encouragement, accountability and fellowship in our lives.

I am thankful for those of you who read this blog. I am always amazed to see visitors from all parts of the world, visitors who return, and even a few who visit several times a day. You are all a blessing to me. I am especially thankful when you leave a comment - hint, hint.

For more Thankful Thursday and a sure blessing, visit Iris at Sting My Heart.

Have I Mentioned, I Hate Shopping

I reminded Brian yesterday just how lucky he is...his wife, unlike the majority of women, hates to shop. I have been in need of some new dress pants for work for several months, but for some strange reason I decided yesterday I was going to buy some. After three stores, I had not bought a thing...and then I remembered why I am in such need of pants. I hate to shop. Nothing fits me. I remember before I lost weight, I had this grand illusion that if I was thinner I would be able to find all kinds of cute clothes to wear. Well I was right about finding them, just not for me. The racks are full of cute clothes...just none to fit my apparently oddly-shaped body. And so I headed home, still in need of pants and even a little depressed. I know I shouldn't let it get me down but for some reason it really bothered me yesterday.

Oh - and Brian told me I didn't have to remind him how lucky he is. He realizes it every time his co-workers come in ranting and raving about how much money their wives have spend on clothes.

It's That Time of Year - Tax Season

I know what you are thinking...I haven't even got my W-2 yet, how can it be tax season. But did you ever consider that there is some poor soul slaving away out there just so that you and the other 12 zillion employees in the good ole US of A have their W-2 by the end of January. I bet you also didn't realize that it's not just a matter of hitting a button on the computer and suddenly the W-2's are flying off the printer. Oh, don't get me wrong, we COULD do it that way, but like many other things in life there is an easy way to do them and a correct way. And as most of you probably know, the way that seems easiest now usually always just causes more work down the road, and so it is with W-2's. So, for those of you patiently waiting for the end of January to arrive so that you can file for your refund - Thank You for being patient. For those of you that started calling in December to see when your W-2 would be ready - you just got moved to the bottom of the to do list...

One Room at a Time

On a rare occasion, I wake up in the mood to clean. It doesn't happen very often. In fact it doesn't happen nearly often enough, but I have been bitten by the cleaning bug twice already this year. New Year's Day, I tackled our computer room/closet. Today it was the living room. What started out as just vacuuming, ended with what most would classify as "spring cleaning." With Brian's help, all of the furniture was moved, everything got dusted, and even the corners were vacuumed. The only thing left to do is clean the carpet and then install a device to electrically shock the kids when they deposit their junk in the floor... wonder if they make one of those...hmmm.

So now that two rooms in my house are presentable, I have a new goal. At some point in my life, I would like for my whole house to be clean at one time. Usually, I can manage to get one or two rooms in the house to a point that I would not pretend not to be home if someone showed up unexpectedly, but to have them all clean at once almost seems like an unattainable feat. There are always a couple of little elves going behind me messing faster than I can clean, dirtying laundry and dishes at an unimaginable pace. Those same elves seem to magically disappear at the mere mention of cleaning.

If you have any tips on keeping a house clean, short of locking everyone outside, please let me know. In the meantime, I will continue to tackle it one room at a time, hoping the cleaning bug bites a little more often. And if you happen to show up at my house unexpectedly, and no one answers the door, but you are sure someone is at home, you will know that the elves have been hard at work.

Happy New Year

So I am a couple of days late, but happy new year anyway. I have no resolutions to share with you like I have seen on many blogs. I stopped making them a long time ago, because they are a joke anyway right. And why wait until the new year to resolve to do something good, productive, or fun with your life. Each and every morning that God allows us to wake up and get out of bed is a new day full of potential...a fresh start each and every day.

That's how I am approaching the dreaded "tax season" here at work too. One day at a time. Otherwise, I will just be overwhelmed. I started stressing yesterday and it was the first official day. There is so much to do and only so many hours in the day, but I know we will make it through. We always do. It won't be easy. It won't be stress free. But we will make it - on day at a time.