Newlywed

I feel like a newlywed again. My reason will be a silly one to you, but while playing the card game Spoons with a couple of our friends, I must have gotten too excited. I hit my wedding band on the table two times. I didn’t think anything of it, but the next morning in church, I noticed that my rings had separated (they were soldered together). Now it’s back to the days where I played with my rings all of the time. Each time I would touch them, I would think of Jon, wonder how his day was going, and take a minute to thank God for giving me a man such as him. The wedding band and engagement ring are such small pieces, but they stand for so much more. I look forward to getting them put back together more for peace of mind than anything, but it was a sweet reminder of lovestruck days of yesteryear.

That’s not to say we’re not madly in love, but now days, after being together 5 years and being married 2.5, small things get me excited and little things remind me we are still in love just as we were that cold evening in February back in 2005. When I say little, I mean they may be unimportant to you, the reader, but to me they mean the world. A small example, Jon and I both had to travel this week for work. He was headed to Columbia, SC, and I was headed to Gastonia, NC. He had to leave at 6:30ish in order to pick up his co-worker on time. I, thankfully, was able to sleep an extra 30 minutes. The rain was coming down hard when I left, and as I pulled out, I thought to myself, I really need to get my wipers replaced. As I started to leave our subdivision, I noticed the water rolling off the windshield without any assistance from my wipers. My sweet husband (in his dress clothes) had gone down early to put RainX on my windows…something I would have never thought to ask or do prior to leaving. So, as I said, it’s the small sweet acts of love that make my days, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

Busy season has passed the halfway point. Jon’s may go a bit longer than mine due to his clientele, but we are halfway through mine, and I am very excited…and tired.  😉 I have two weeks left of the class I’m currently taking, then there will be a one week break before I start up again, and I will be in classes either at BJU or Liberty for the next 12+ weeks.  This weekend we got a wonderful taste of spring, and I can’t wait to get out and enjoy God’s creation. It was perfect timing too. My sisters and mom had bought me a patio set for my birthday. It was delivered on Saturday, so I put it together and did my homework out there on Sunday. How beautiful! Until next time. I must get out for my evening run….the hotel room seems to get smaller if I stay in here too long, and of course, after that more work calls.

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Happy Valentine’s Day…a couple days late.

Jon and I had a wonderful celebration of our love for each other all weekend last weekend. Our celebration started Friday evening just relaxing together at home with no work. Then Saturday, we both had to go to work…yeah a bummer on a Saturday, BUT we both got off around 1, and it was the second beginning to Jon’s celebration. He has been eyeing a shot-gun to use for skeet shooting, so I agreed to give him the money to buy the gun he wants. After researching prices, I realized I couldn’t pay it all on my own, but he was more than happy to share in the investment, so Jon came home with his very own shot-gun.

 After purchasing the gun, we went home to relax for a little bit before our show….Jon had bought me tickets to Wicked (the prequel to the Wizard of Oz). Before dinner though, I decided I was going to surprise Jon with dinner. So, to keep our destination a surprise, I decided to make Jon some glasses to prevent him from peaking. After driving through the grocery store parking lot to throw him off (which didn’t work), we took a really random way of getting there to keep him confused. After many directional diversions, we arrived at P.F. Changs, Jon’s favorite restaurant. I allowed him to leave his glasses in the car, but I made him keep his eyes shut until we got to the door, and you wouldn’t believe it, but I almost let him hit the door because I was so excited, and I had forgot that he had his eyes closed. Ha ha. Oops! It was a delicious meal…even if I don’t like Asian. Before supper though we did take a great picture of the two of us. It was a bit cold to take the picture since we had received three inches of snow the night before.

I’m a blessed woman. I have way more than I deserve when it comes to Jon. I’m frequently reminded how the Lord has blessed me to have him. I’m not sure what I did to earn the privilege of serving him, but I’m so blessed. Well, on to another week, and speaking of my great husband. It’s cuddle time, so I best be going. Until next time……

On this day…..Happy Birthday Dan!!!

As I try to do, below are a list of interesting facts occurring today….Though, all are overshadowed by Dan’s birth a few (23) years ago!

1564	Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa.
1764	The city of St. Louis was established.
1820	American suffragist Susan B. Anthony was born in Adams, Mass.
1933	President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt escaped an assassination attempt in Miami that claimed the life of Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak.
1965	Canada’s new maple leaf flag was unfurled in ceremonies in Ottawa.
1989	The Soviet Union announced that the last of its troops had left Afghanistan after more than nine years of military intervention.
2002	President George W. Bush approved Nevada’s Yucca Mountain as the site for long-term disposal of highly radioactive nuclear waste.
2002	Canadian pairs figure skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier were awarded a gold medal to resolve a judging controversy at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
2005	Defrocked priest Paul Shanley was sentenced in Boston to 12 to 15 years in prison on child rape charges.
2008	Business tycoon Steve Fossett, 63, was declared dead five months after his small plane vanished after taking off from an airstrip near Yerington, Nev. (Fossett’s remains were discovered in October 2008 in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.)

 

Some other notable people that Dan shares his birthday with are Jane Seymour (Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman or the maker of the new line of jewelry at Kay’s jeweler), Henry Steinway, the piano builder, and Jeremy Bentham, the utilitarin proponent.

Have a great birthday Dan!! I hope you feel better!!! Much love from your family in the South.

My view on Valentine’s…….

I have had many women comment to me this year that they aren’t looking forward to Valentine’s Day, and I understand where they are coming from because I came from that same place a few years ago. It started back in elementary school, each person got to make and decorate their “Valentine’s mailbox” to get all of the valentines that people would give them. Now, this was the back in the day when there were no rules for equality and preservation of self-image. You got a valentine if someone liked you or thought you were cool. Now days, everyone gets a valentine because no one should be hurt. In high school, it was the Valentine’s Gift Exchange. It was a fundraiser for the school, but it was the opportunity for that “love” to show the whole school, in the middle of a class, that they loved you. Every Valentine’s I would find myself “wishin’, hopin, thinkin’, and prayin’” that someone would give me something, write me sweet note, send me flowers, send me chocolates, anything to show me that they loved me.

 What changed? Well, I can’t say that it changed all that long ago. I mean even while dating Jon the thrill of what he would come up with for Valentine’s Day was always fun, but a few months ago I got convicted about Valentine’s Day. I know it may sound silly, but the Lord started working on my heart. As a believer, I’m to show agape (unconditional) love. It should be a love that is unexpecting, not one where I manipulate or suck up to people to get the most valentines in my valentine mailbox. Or bringing it to current times, it should not be a love that gets my sweet husband a great gift just so he will feel guilty to buy me a great gift or dropping hints to pressure him into doing what I want. I Corinthians 13:5 explains it well, “It [Love] is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

 The complaints (and I did make that plural) that I have heard this year are numerous. I have had multiple women comment on subjects ranging from he didn’t get me the gift that I was hoping for to he doesn’t even celebrate it the way I want. When did Valentine’s Day become the woman’s holiday?

I personally am thrilled about Valentine’s Day this year. I have many things up my sleeve to make this day special for my husband…not because I hope to get anything in return but because he is an amazing man who deserves the best. He works hard to support his family, he cares little about himself, and he shows true agape love to me on an everyday basis. For one day (at least) I want to do the same. I want to celebrate MY love for HIM. I think Valentine’s Day should be a day to celebrate those we love rather than to celebrate those that love ME. So, I can’t give you details because he may be reading, but this weekend is going to be special. It’s not going to be special because I expect any gifts or a fancy dinner or even flowers. It’s going to be special, because my husband will have absolutely no doubt by the end that no one in this world loves him more than I do.

 I would even extend this to your single friends. I have some girlfriends that I want them to know that they are loved this Valentine’s Day. Don’t hesitate to drop your girlfriend a note to know that they are loved and celebrate the love you have for them versus wanting them to say something to you.  So there’s my piece on Valentine’s…I hope that it may change your focus a bit and make this the most enjoyable Valentine’s you have ever had.

Happy Thursday

I’m a blessed woman…as I’m frequently reminded. I’m thankful for what the Lord has given me, taken from me, and prepared for me. . . even if I don’t know what it is yet. Something I’ve really valued in my reading of the 365 revolutions is the Psalms. It’s the first time that I’ve been so intrigued to hear/read David’s cries and praises to God. How often do I only turn to God in the hard times? David, a sinner like me, cried out to God frequently. When he was discouraged, he called on God. When he was happy he called on God. Each emotion I could think of, he called on God. I SO need to be better at that.

I’ve been struggling recently at work. I work with a woman that complains constantly. She’s a believer, and I think that’s why it might bother me more. When is it that we have enough? We will always be tired, we will always be overwhelmed, but all of those things will always have been given of God, so therefore we must be thankful. I need to be better at making words of praise come off my mouth than those of complaining even if it’s a fact, it doesn’t make it right for me to say. So, there’s my thoughts for now.