I'm Baack!

I took down all the decorations yesterday even though I am sick and stirring around made me feel like I am going to die. My husband even made me get up in the attic and sort boxes. He really wanted me to go through them all and do a major job, but I just fake cried and acted all girly and pretended all the boxes were too heavy and snuck out before he could catch me.

I got something that started Christmas Eve. As we went to church I mentioned that I felt like I was getting sick. I barely woke up Christmas day and slept most of it away. I then went to bed at 6:00 PM and slept until 11:00 the next morning. Then I got up and slept all day on the couch. I am now getting better but still have a lot coughing and stuff and can pretty much fall asleep if I stay out of the attic.

I need to find the photo of what I got for Christmas. We exchange names among the kids and they spend their own money. It has always been around $10 but this year my 9 year old spend over $20 and so everyone else had to up the anty. They get so excited to shop for their person. All I see so much of the time is selfishness and they really shine when they buy gifts. Well, my 12 year old daughter had me and got me a box of chocolates, a huge Hershey bar and a Jillian Michaels Shred DVD. It is the before and after- eat now and really pay later. Jillian. From the Biggest Loser. Mean ol, I would cry if she was my real trainer, I am scared of little 5 foot 2 inch Jillian. I was scared to put the DVD and chocolate back in the bag together, because if she saw what would she do to me? Can you imagine? Just picture that disgusted look she gets and then she runs her hand through her hair and says that I will have to pay for it, that it is her job to make sure this week I lose weight and I will have to work unless I am passed out or dead. Work till you puke and get right back on the treadmill.

I don't know what happened this Christmas. It just came too quickly and then I just wanted it to be over. I don't feel that I ever got into the spirit of celebrating Jesus. I was all just a chore to get through. I am really in the mood to organize and purge more things that we do not need. To feel better. To finish remodeling projects. To finally use my sewing machine. To cook some food. To plant my garden. All I need is some energy and to quit choking too death when I move.

Did I mention that we are having all the deacons and pastors and their wives over Friday night? And then on Sunday our friends from Papua New Guinea will be coming for a few days. I am so excited! They are on furlow for a few months but will be in different areas after next week. I have been going through my recipes looking for things to make and working on a menu for the next couple of weeks. I want to cook up some things for while Michele and Jim are here so we don't have to worry about cooking and can go do whatever we want.

Well, I hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas. My husband returns back to work today so we resume a little more of a regular schedule, although I am going to spend the week working on the house and playing. Looking forward to a new year and glad that each day is a new gift from God. Oh, I was asked to lead the women's Beth Moore Bible study and am so excited. I love our church and am so excited to see some things happening. The women's ministry has started and they are really working on some great things for the ladies. Having two services has made it so difficult for me to plug in like I am used to. People are so nice, but there are people I never see because they go to a different service. We tried many Sunday School classes but were too old or too young or just didn't feel the fit was right. We go to a class that is really small but love the teaching. I was really blessed to be asked to teach the study, it really made me feel like I have been accepted. It is so hard to leave a church of 13 years where everyone knows you and your walk and your gifts and your weaknesses and not have any reputation or history in a new place. I felt that God was saying for me to step back from just joining my normal areas of service this past year and has new areas for me here. I was also asked to serve on the committee to come up with ideas to raise funds for the Building Fund. I am excited to see where God takes me and what I learn though being at this church. If I look back I see that our first church( Willowbrook) as a married couple we learned to fellowship. Our class(20-30 year olds) was so close and we went out once a week as a class. We learned to be a part of living with other Christians as brothers and sisters. Then we built our house in Madison and changed to Mt Zion and our pastor was big on the husband-wife relationship. I learned to honor that relationship and how important it is to keep confidences and not to speak ill of my husband. Then we moved to Niceville and it was super family oriented with a big emphasis as the husband being the spiritual leader. We were surrounded by really mature men that helped us grow in knowledge of the Bible and how to apply it. Now, we are back and in a new church. I wonder what area we will grow in here. Always moving forward.