Somebody Explain

This Christmas seems so much more depressing.
I have several people in my family and even friends who are struggling so much this year.
There is loss, broken relationships, financial burdens, missing family, sickness and so many other issues. Why so bad this year?
I'm hearing :
" I just want to skip Christmas"
and "let's just get this over with"
and "it's just not that good anymore".
My heart aches for EACH person affected by these things.
When people I know hurt, I hurt with them and I wish so much I could just change it all....
for everyone.
I intend to keep each person in prayer this Holiday Season.
I believe our God has a plan.
He knows tomorrow.
Somehow we need to give every effort we can come up with....and give it all to Him.
I know how hard that can be.
You pray and you pray.
And when you don't feel that an answer has come, you wonder.....Why?
Please answer MY prayer too God!
Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep holding on.
There's something bigger and better on it's way!
Somehow. Someway. Someday.
That's all I know. That's all I can go on. That's all you can go on.
And guess what.......that's the BEST thing to know and to go on! :) God.
He IS. He WILL. He LOVES!

Nativity Story

I heard this song on one of the TV stations that I listen to. It's called "The Virgin's Lullaby" I just LOVE it...wish I would have heard it sooner as I think I would have added it to our program tonight!
Listen and you will get a glimps of the reverence and emotion that took place that Holy Night!

It's showtime!

Well today is our Church Christmas program. Our title is "A Midnight Clear". It's a great story of the angels, shepherds, and kings seeking the King. I'm excited for it to happen and also will be relieved when it is over! It is alot of planning. So many people have helped Sarah and I in this...we certainly couldn't do it alone. I love how everyone has been willing to do a part. I'll post some pictures as soon as I can when it is done.

It's Friday again.

One more week gone.
Last weekend I spent with Amy and we had a nice time.
We cried.
We laughed.
We shopped.
We were both exhausted by the time the weekend was over.
I got to eat at Erbert and Gerbert's! :)
We found some good deals shopping.
Enjoyed some time at Barnes and Noble. There is just something about that store that relaxes a person.
One thing we did (well mostly me) is I had printed these quotes from Bravegirlclub.com and then we put them around a couple stores. A couple went on the shelves at Target and then in each dressing room that we were in at JCPenny. I have to admitt it was kinda wierd leaving these papers around. I thought people might see me and that would be embarassing....but I hope maybe someone that needed a bit of encouragement picked one up and it made their day.
I have some left.
I intend to continue this little project, because I can.
Because maybe somebody else needs to read them.
Because it's a good thing to do and we need more good things in this world!
I have signed up for the Daily emails from Brave girls club and am so loving each little message they send.
Here's a bit of one of the messages.....

Dear Cherished Girl,

Sometimes the place that we belong takes us by absolute surprise. Sometimes the people we are meant to be with come from out of nowhere and are nothing like what we dreamed of. Sometimes life is an entirely different color than what we had imagined, and yet, it i...s exactly right.

Life is wonderful, unique and even perplexing that way, isn't..........

here's the link to the rest

life

If this is supposed to be the best time of the year, why then do people (me!) feel so stressed, frustrated, irritated, and have no patience???
This has been one of the crummiest weeks in a long time!
Setting up the Christmas tree isn't even fun.
Christmas shopping and running around....blah.
And baking, ya right!
What's the problem?
I think I need an attitude adjustment.
Good grief.

If you think things are bad for you (and they might be) and you don't see much good,
just hop around the blog world and you will see that you are far from alone!
There are so many hurting people.
But here's the good news.....these people survive.
They fight through whatever it is that's getting them down.
They do not give up.
They live.
They believe.
They hope.
And sometimes they cry.
Here are a couple of places that I have visited this week and have been blessed by their honesty, courage, patience and forgiveness.
God is good.
All the time.
Nitty Gritty
Brave Girls
That's only 2.
Who's story do you know?
Share.

rest of week...

Extreme Home Makeover has been in Moorhead all week and I hadn't had a chance to get over there and on Friday Destiny was in town so she and I went together.
What a site, what a heart touching experience!
The story is here.
We did not know that Ty Pennington was at the site and were just thrilled when we saw him walk out of the house!!!!
AND he started walking closer our way!!
He did come over to the crowd and then got taken away to do some taping which we watched.
He did come back to the crowd and was within arms reach of Destiny and I, infact Destiny thought she would be getting a picture of him with her next, but he had a phone call he had to take, so away he went again!
Destiny was so dissapointed! I was just happy to see him. :)
Here are a few pictures from our experience.
Front of house..
Back of house as we drove by..

Here's Ty in the plaid shirt........

week...continued

Each day we were dismissed for a one hour lunch period.
I did not go with any of the other girls, just headed out on my own. I love to check out cute little places and that is just what I did....well first day I had to go to Erbert and Gerberts! Love that place! They make the best veggie sandwich, called the Jacob bluefinger.....avacado, tomato, cheese, sprouts and dressing..yummy!
Other places I went to were: Barnes and Noble ~ great sandwiches and soup, Sweet Dreams Confections~ sandwiches and soup, and a cute little place called Cafe Chocolat ~ they made me a veggie sandwich not even on the menu and I had their tomato soup that was just amazing! I also tried Caribou Coffee and was delighted by their veggie breakfast sandwich.
One place I did not eat was Qdoba and I love that place!
Not enough time, I guess.

So on to the first star I got to see/hear.
Bristol Palin was in Fargo and spoke at a conference held by the Perry Center in Fargo.
This event was held at the Holiday Inn. The Perry Center is a home for pregnant unwed moms.
There were about 1000 people in attendance of this meeting.
I did go alone, and after buying my ticket and standing in the line, the thought crossed my mind that I should maybe just leave.
It was wierd being there alone.
But I stayed and am so glad I did!
I would love to get involved in helping teen/unwed moms.
Being a teen mom myself many years ago, I do understand the fear of "what happens now??".
I would love to be able to help someone choose life even if it means adoption over abortion. Bristol described her little guy as "curious, happy, full of energy, and .....he lives!" I love that!!

Tomorrow, I will share about the other star I saw!! :)

What a week!

I reluctantly headed off to Fargo last Sunday for a week of training for work.
I love to learn, but meetings all week???
Not cool or so I thought.
After the first day I knew this was good and I was going to learn alot of valuable things for my job.
I know that I will still make some mistakes and that I will still not have all the answers, but I do know that I have learned enough to make some difference in what I do.

When I got to Fargo on Sunday I headed strait to my hotel.
I booked a room (with a request on the lower floor) at the Ramada which is quite nice.
The hotel clerk handed me my card with the number 414 on it.
I was like "I can't do that" "I don't do elevators"!!
He searched around on his computer and finally got me a new room....on 2nd floor! Hallelujah...(or so I thought).
I got directions to the stairs and was immediately concerned that they did not look good.
They were in a concrete stairwell and the sign said "roof access".
I headed up and up and up and did not see a doorway out....freaked out, went back to front desk to make sure I was in the right place and I was, just had to keep going farther up!!!
By the time I made it to my floor and found my room I was a wreck, shaking from fear and just upset that this nice place had to be so bad for me.
I then decided that I would need to find a different hotel and got on the phone.
I reserved a room for the rest of the week at the same place I had stayed before when in Fargo. Now I had an amazing room!!
It was a suite, 2 flat screen tv's, kitchenette, table, living area..HUGE, but I couldn't stay.
It embarrasses me that I couldn't do the elevator.
If I had not been alone, I certainly would have gone in the elevator, but I couldn't find it in myself to do it alone.
I know that I need to work on those types of fear that I have.
It takes time though.
Once I got through the night and checked into the new hotel things were much better.
I was on the ground floor! :)
Simple, basic, 1 room hotel, but it was perfect!
Tomorrow I will post about one of the famous people I got to see during my week of training!

A little reminiscing

I drove through my childhood town today and I just had to stop and take a few pictures. Things are so different and yet the same. Buildings look much smaller. Distances seem to be not as far either. I'm pretty sure that I walked every road in that small town...many times! Oh and bike riding...lots of that! I took a look at the way to Grandma and Grandpas house, and remembered many trips over that church hill, always to be welcomed and blessed by two incredible people!

Here's the cafe that both Mom and Grandma worked at.

Main Street....not a car in site.

The school....oh what memories! Some good, some bad. Teachers, friends, recess, cheerleading, grandmas home cooked meals, science projects, 8th grade graduation...and on and on.

The church i used to attend....all closed up.

Our home.A view of the backyard where a neighbors house used to be. This was the neighbor who's name was Orange....crazy huh!! That really was his name! Anyway he had a german shepherd dog that barked and growled almost every time we walked my there on our way to the grocery store or post office. Scared us silly!! Honestly, to this day, I am still a bit afraid of dogs.

I do not remember the street going right past our home being called Miller Ave.....Did they name it after Glen because when we started dating it was his street to race by on his motorcycle doing wheelies??? ha ha

I'm giving something away!

Check out my giveaway on my Party Blog.
It's twine from the twinery. :)

Gonna share some Lifelight with ya!

It was once again a blessing to be able to go to Lifelight. I love the music! I love being outside for 2-3 days (but I'm not an outside person). I love the food! But honestly most of all I think I love seeing thousands of people all worshiping God together. The freedom that people express in their love for God is amazing to experience! It brings tears to my eyes as I watch (and participate) everyone praise God.

We did miss the first day this year, but we still got to hear lots of music. Marilyn, Jae, Amy and I stayed together is this hotel room. Mind you...there was 1 king bed and 1 rollout bed. Jae, Amy and I (the ones used to sleeping alone) shared the king bed. Amy tried the middle...ONE night only, then it was my spot.

Amy and I went swimming Saturday morning which was refreshing. We don't usually get a hotel with a pool so this was an added treat.
Here are a few pictures of the weekend.

Isn't this a beautiful picture!!

Getting ready for this:

Click here to check it out.......

Marilyn, Jae, Amy and I are heading to SD on Friday for a weekend of loud music, food, sunshine (we hope) and worship!
We pray for a great time and safety.
Hope to take lots of pictures too. :)