Happy Thanksgiving!

Breakfast with my folks and dinner with his and I'm hoping for a nap in between.

May you be able to count your blessings today and truly be thankful.

I, thankfully, had the chance to meet again with my dear sisters for Bible study while I've been home. They are beginning a journey through the book of James. James 1:2-18 (NLT) is an appropriate passage to remind us all to be thankful and count it all great joy.

Faith and Endurance

2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

9 Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. 10 And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. 11 The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.

12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

16 So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. 18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

He made everything glorious, enjoy His glory and be thankful in all things this season.

Claws in...bear unpoked.

Well, we made it to the pediatrician - PTL and Tammy Faye. The kids are okay, not fantastic, but not really too sick either. Emma Grace is getting over the worst of an URI (that's upper respiratory infection, pops) and OT had more fluid building in his left ear. EG will be fine. OT is my concern these days. Since the cold weather moved into GA, he's had 3 ear infections that came with lots of fluid behind his ear drum and temps that sit at 102. So at this point, mommy is paranoid - to a degree. But, our old ped here said that he looks to be healing nicely from the last ear infection, but the left ear still has fluid hanging around. He gave us a spectra antibiotic as prevention to take a small dose every day for 3-4 weeks...hopefully, to keep that lingering fluid build up from turning nasty and infected. Otherwise, Ollie is fine, you'd never know he didn't feel 100%. He is crawling everywhere now and trying to get to things he shouldn't and wanting to desperately to pull up on everything, but at 23 pounds and 8 months old, it usually doesn't end well. =)

For now, we're hanging out in the Thrill, all of us being spoiled and imposing on the grandparents...they don't mind too much.

GRRRRRRrrroooowwwl...momma loose!

People just shouldn't mess with my kids...EVER. GRRRRRRrrrooowwwwl. This is one of those I must vent or something bad may happen. The kids and I are in Rock Hill and all 3 of us are sick. And our old pediatrician's office staff at 7:45 am this morning, after I've not slept with a sick baby and I am now sick, for 3 days...flatly said when I called them in desperation, you're not in the system, we can't see you, go to urgent care...well, don't tell me to go to one of the several SORRY urgent cares in Rock Hole...and please, certainly, when I called for my 2 sick kids while visiting, certainly, don't even ask if the kids are okay or what may be wrong, especially after the pediatrician told us last time we were there if we ever need him to just call...please just tell me to go to urgent care...oh, yes, I'd love to go to urgent care that's why I called them at 7:45 am...grrr....well, 3 hours later after Chris intervened and I cried because I was so tired and mad, finally, we have an appointment after lunch. Thank God for my knight in shining armor...he did so gallantly ride in this morning. So many more details that I could share, but I am honestly trying to NOT totally and completely lose it...or whatever comes after losing it!!! Thanks for the vent...hope everyone else is having a better Friday before Thanksgiving. I feel the need for pumpkin pie!

A Toy Warning...

Chris just sent me this link about aquadots. Apparently, a baby went into a coma after ingesting aquadots because the toys made in a Chinese factory were coated in the date rape drug GHB!!! There is a recall now...how does this happen? I cannot believe someone in R&D at a toy company even thought it a good idea to use a coating compound that will become "liquid ecstasy" when ingested on a child's toy!!! Just be aware moms and dads and throw out any of this poison if you have them in your home - no more "as seen on tv" for this mom!

Invasion approaches...

By that I mean, of the grandmothers. Yes folks, both our moms are coming this Saturday. And considering that, it's been a pretty laid back week. Kids are feeling good, very little disciplinary actions have been required out of the ordinary, I went to choir practice, chores are getting done, and I've even cooked dinner almost every night. It's like the calm before the storm. (Cue the swelling music or banjo music, if you prefer.) So, we'll see. We've never just had the grandmas come for a weekend, but we're very much looking forward to it. I'm sure by the end of the weekend, the children will be ruined, I'll be - well only the Lord knows - and Chris will go to work on Monday. Mostly, I'm just kidding! I'll be excited because even if the children are ruined, the kids and I are going back to Rock Hill with the grandmas, so they'll have to help deal with the little monsters - to help with the undoing of their doings. It'll be an adventure and as usual, I'll be unplugged - probably. So, I'll let you know how Thanksgiving was on my next post...unless something happens that I must share, of course!!!

Do Not take your kids to see 'The Golden Compass'

It's more like the Godless Compass from all the flurry that I'm seeing. I found out about it from Emma Grace's private school principal. She sent out a link to Snopes.com to inform parents and grandparents in order for us to make our own decisions for our children and the protection of their minds, hearts and souls. I wanted everyone who reads my blog to have that same opportunity. So, what could the big deal be, you may ask. Check out the Snopes link as well as this link to Ben Witherington and his post from Tuesday, November 6th on the topic. It seems some big Hollywood stars are in the film which may draw more attention and attendance to the film. It also appears that the theme of the book trilogy that this film comes from is anti-theist and results in the final book to be about killing God, although the first book in the trilogy seems benign and was toned down for the feature film. Why make the film? To get unsuspecting kids and uninformed parents to go to the movie, then buy the trilogy of books for, ironically, Christmas, and ultimately spread anti-theism.

bella the movie

bella the movie

Chris and I along with our friends, Evans and Cindy, received the blessing of pre-screening this movie at Passion's Thirsty Conference this spring. This movie is totally different in every aspect from your typical Hollywood movies. It is being released into more and more areas because it has succeeded and beat the odds. You see the filmmakers refused Hollywood's "offer" to make the movie how Hollywood wanted to make it. To strip it of its values and leave a hollow shell of entertainment, and so at the risk of gigantic failure and going broke (literally at one point, one of these guys had to live in his car from what I remember from the Q&A with one of the film's creators), they chose to go independently of traditional Hollywood and tell an amazing story. You can read their stories and a synopsis of the movie at the website.
I would encourage you all to see the movie --
it won't leave you unchanged.