boys and bunnies

I've heard it said that when you die your life flashes before your eyes. I had that experience recently when I dropped off my son at college only it was his life flashing before my eyes. As this was the forth time doing this I thought I was prepared this time... no such luck. As I drove away from the dorms, before I reached the end of the parking lot, willing myself NOT to look in the rear view mirror, I remembered the day he was born. In an instance I remembered what he got for his fourth birthday ( a playmobil fort) and when his brother hit him across the nose with a stick.

My heart began to break as this season of mothering him came to a close. I drove down the streets, tears rolling down my cheeks, not caring who saw me because most of the cars were probably filled with other crying parents. What did I do about this? Why I called my Mother of course. She could commiserate and cry with me. She could remember with me all the years. Mothers are good for that you know.

I got home and Joe and I cried together and then like all good parents we got up, went upstairs and started to throw away everything the boys left behind. Between the two boys we sent off this week and moving brothers into their old room we carted off EIGHT bags of trash and countless to Goodwill. We now have a spotless upstairs (I don't think we've seen that floor in years) and we start a new year of school around here.

Speaking of the other boys, the ones still here.... Yesterday Noble excitedly told us there was a baby bunny on the porch. Apparently Annie our beloved house cat brought us a present of a brand new baby bunny. She often leaves us gifts, but this one was still living! Of course John and Noble were thrilled because they just knew that God had dropped a (much prayed and begged for) new pet right into their laps. I knew baby didn't have a chance and would probably die by morning but like a dutiful mother I sought the advice of professionals (facebook friends and google). I made a late trip to WalMart in search of kitten formula. (who knew such a thing existed) Sadly the best I could do was goats milk. But I figured if bunnies could drink kitten formula, they could probably tolerate goats milk. So I headed home armed with an eyedropper and a can of goats milk.

John was an excellent mother and cradled bunny (now named Wallace) in his arm (baby bunnies nurse on their backs) and dropped tiny drops of milk into bunny. He seemed to perk up a little as I coaxed him to pee with a wet cotton ball... (the website said to mimic the mommy but licking it was out of the question). The boys wrapped Wallace up and settled him down for sleep.

Morning came only to find Wallace's cold limp body in the cage. Tragically as the boys were having the viewing the feline perpetrator of the murdered bunny crawled up on the porch and dropped another one at our feet. Here we go again. As we learned mother bunnies only are in the nest once in the morning and once in the evening to nurse them (can you say bad mothership?)Brother bunny, Flavio, was in even worse shape so by the time we got home from church we held a dual funeral.

As you can see this has been an emotional week all the way around.

What is pure and undefiled religion? For that matter what is religion? We are surrounded by all kinds of people who say they are religious. Certainly many things, good and evil have been done in the name of religion. And if religion can be undefiled can it also be defiled? Good questions....... of course you can quit reading here or you can be adventurous and keep reading thus gaining access into my thoughts.....

If you looked up the word you might find something like "a social belief system" or if you looked in a Greek lexicon it would tell you that it is "external ceremonies having to do with religious discipline". Personally I'm not in love with the word religion (mostly that has to do with the fact that I believe religion is man's way to God NOT God's way to man) but since it is God Himself through James who uses the word I'll get on with it. Religion can indeed be undefiled and fortunately for us God tells us what that looks like..... James 1:27 tells us it is to visit the widows and orphans in their distress (and to keep yourself unstained by the world). I've thought so much about this recently as we have tried to follow "the Wild Goose" on this particular journey. We keep trying to "visit the orphan" but get thwarted at every turn! Maybe there is another way we can visit the orphan? Maybe we are limiting ourselves (and God) when we say we only want to adopt. Maybe God can use us differently?

Has God blessed you financially? Be kingdom minded with your resources. Has God given you arms to hold and cradle the orphan... seek them out! Has He given you talents which you can use to spread the word that there is a plight of the orphan? Have you even asked Him how He would have you respond to this need?

My arms feel empty because I want to hold a new daughter or son. I want to hold a child and have them call me Mommy. But God's plan is bigger. If I adopt one child I can help one child. BUT, if I commit money every year I can help several children EVERY YEAR!!!

Want to know how you can draw near to the orphan? Go to newdaycreations.com/foster Go to the right of the page click on "how to help".... you will have so many options, one time help or sponsor a child.

This my dear ones is pure and undefiled religion (it is, as I have said before, the heart of God)
Now, as for that religion being man's way to God... instead seek out a relationship with Him and I think you will be well on your way to pure and undefiled....

My heart leapt when I got the email; "we have news about Emily". I held my breath as I read on....... Emily has a "forever family" !!!!!! Selfishly,a little sadly, it is not us. Our agency worked very diligently to find Emily and her paperwork. They thought they had. They received some paperwork last week but the name on her paperwork was not her name. Each child living at Newday Foster Home has a home orphanage. Though they may not have lived there for years, that is who maintains their paperwork. When they sent Emily's paperwork it had a different name than the one they were looking for. They immediately matched this child with a waiting family! We rejoice that God has answered our prayers and given Emily a new name.

I tell you this background to say; this was no mistake!! This has God's fingerprints all over it!! We have prayed from the beginning that God would place Emily in the best family for her!! We have sought God's will throughout this process. It is no mistake that Emily had a "mistaken name" for this matched her with the family that God wanted her to have. What I'm trying to say is:

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose." Rom 8:28

That being said there are 143,000,000 orphans throughout the world (please read that number again). That is staggering! All of these children are waiting for forever families.... we await the one God has chosen for ours!

Ever notice if you loose something of value everything in your world comes to a screeching halt til you find it? That's how I was the other day. After a run I got back to the church parking lot where I park my car only to discover I had lost my car key! (Not the key itself that I could easily get a copy but the push button FOB!) It could be anywhere!!! Thankfully Amanda was with me so we cruised around looking but eventually gave up and retrieved my extra key from home. The next morning I couldn't forget that key so I donned my Mizunos once again and started retracing my run from the day before....


I started out the first mile hopeful but not counting on it. As I lapped mile after mile, my eyes scanning every inch of the road and shoulder I thought a lot about loosing things and searching for them.... More specifically, I thought about the woman in the Bible who looses a coin and spends the day searching for it. Now I know this woman did not have much in the way of furniture. She certainly did not have a sofa the size of a truck that could easily swallow your entire wallet if you're not careful. She did though have cracks in her floor in which a coin could get stuck. She also had very small windows that were not even eye level but closer to the ceiling... not much in the way of light. This coin also represented a good portion of the grocery money for the week. Is it any wonder when she found the coin she went to the other women and they partied?


We too are searching for a lost coin.... as our agency searches for Emily's paper work it is becoming more clear that this is going to be VERY difficult if not impossible. Thankfully we serve the God of the impossible. AW Tozer said (and I'm paraphrasing) "why do we only do those things which we can do in our own strength?"


I am reminded that God searches for each of us. He yearns for us to know Him. I once was lost.......

"The best laid plans of mice and men"....sometimes things go off without a hitch but sometimes, let's just say, there are surprises! Yesterday Amanda, my daughter in law, and I ran in the Seaside Half Marathon. This was the perfect run.... Florida Gulf coast, sugar white beaches, sun, warmth...Ahhh, it was going to be great! Of course we woke up to freezing temperature and high wind advisory. Ah well, being runners (and having paid to do this) we weren't going to let a little cold weather stop us.

We made it to the parking lot where the shuttles were taking us to the start line, us and 2000 other runners. Needless to say, and fortunately for us, they delayed start time. After all, this is Seaside and they're a little bit on island time anyway. After depositing our stuff for the after race party we made our way to the start corrals. I opted to skip the ten minute milers and hang with Amanda in the eight minute corral (and by the way I passed most of those people I'm guessing so did a lot of other runners). The start sounded, I wished Amanda well and headed off towards the beautiful sugar white beaches. After about 500 yards the course curved north away from the beautiful sugar white beaches and headed straight into the wind! We ran past some stuff which I really didn't look at because I was trying to weave in and out of a mass of runners an find my place in the pack. Over a bridge and through the woods, this was definitely not going by the Gulf waters, oh well it was nice to be out running anyway. I stripped off my outer jacket, cranked up my itunes, and worshipped God through running. (After all it was Sunday morning... perfect worship!)

By mile four I found who I'd be running with, blue jacket lady, "life shines" shirt ladies, and leopard skirts. I found myself thinking about my new niece, Lily. Yes, their best laid plans had gone awry when at 37 weeks they had an emergency c-section and 3lb, 12 oz. Lily was whisked off to NICU. This has been Lily's home as she has fought to reach four lbs. and maintain her body temp. I've watched how my brother and sister in law have adapted and overcome as they became permanent fixtures in NICU and began their lives as parents there. I've prayed for them as Lily is running her own race to the 4lb mark. They have been given a most precious blessing in Lily and they are cherishing it. Way to go.... keep running Lily!

As I closed in on mile five the lead runner passed me on his way to the finish line! (This was an "out and back" run) We all cheered him on as he headed to victory. Each runner behind him also got cheers and well wishes. Some of them were too much in the zone to notice but some of them passed back words of encouragement to us slower runners. What a feeling to be encouraged by the best! I thought about how we always ought to be encouraging others, some ahead of us, some behind. "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pitchers of silver"

I was in the groove as I approached the turn around. I kept scanning the crowd for Amanda who was ahead of me; I figured we could "high five" on her way in. I was looking for a white shirt but when I finally caught site of her black jacket she was passing me and so absorbed in Amanda land we missed the high five. Oh well, I still had my best running partner and cheerleader. Yes, my sister runs all my races with me via cell phone. As I pass a mile marker I send her a text update and she responds with great little cheers: "4.. you score", "5... you're alive" "6..pick up sticks", "9...you're feeling fine", and my personal favorite, "congratulations.. I knew you could do it.. I love you". I thank God for my sister who has always been there for me... a bond like no other.

I was feeling strong and fast. Okay, so things didn't start out great and I haven't seen one speck of sugar white sand but it's been fun and I seem to be right on my best time so what the heck just run, praise, be thankful I can put one foot in front of the other. Mile 8 and all those training sessions with gazelle like Amanda are paying off. I finish my intervals with a sprint and pass blue jacket lady! Whoo-hoo. Then it hits. Mile 9 the most excruciating pain I've ever felt in my knee. I try walking it off for a few seconds as blue jacket passes me. Okay, competitive nature kicks in and temporarily over rides the pain. My mind once again drifts to Lily. She gains a couple of ounces but looses body temp. She maintains her body temp but they have to insert a feeding tube and add a whole 2 calories to fatten her up. Okay Lily if you can keep running so can I.

As the pain increases I slow my pace a little and say good bye to blue jacket as she pulls ahead not to be seen again, I do whatever it takes to take my mind off of the pain. I begin to pray for Christians around the world who are suffering for Christ. Really suffering. Not because they are weekend warriors running a half marathon but because, despite what will happen to them they boldly proclaim the gospel of peace. What is this self induced pain in my knee compared to what they are enduring? As I count off the nations to God where these brothers and sisters live the pain creeps down into my toe and up into my hip. I think about them, these bold believers and continue to run.

Mile 11, all I want to do is quit. I realize though, Lily can't quit. Believers in the 10/40 window can't quit. Jesus didn't quit. "For the joy (you and I) set before Him He endured the cross, despising the shame." I would not quit. I thought about the cross and the hours Christ endured there, just so that, if we so choose, we could be reconciled to God. I ran on.

The finish line is in sight. Soon(?) Lily will go home and life will once again return to "the plan", albeit a new plan. Amazingly I finish with a best time ( and needless to say one less toenail). With our medals, goody bags and aches and pains we head back to the shuttle bus to head home for a well deserved bath and nap. My race is over but Lily hangs in there gaining weight and taking up residence in a bassinet to keep her body temp up. She keeps running as her parents run along side of her cheering her on. The believers I mentioned do not quit but run the race, daily taking up their cross to follow the One who died for them. Keep running.

As we head home, aching in places we didn't know could hurt so much ie: a toe! we begin to plan our next one......

Brother Lawrence said, he concentrated on doing the little things for Him (God), since he was unable to do bigger things.
So often I become discontent in my thoughts because I am not doing greater things for God yet if I adopted Brother Lawerence's attitude all things would become significant and all things would become a gift done for Him.
Recently I got irritated with my beloved (and I was determined he would know it, see it my way, and CHANGE!). Okay, this may seem really trivial (but aren't those the things which get under our skin the most?).... every night when we go to bed, I turn back my husbands covers, fluff his pillow, and put a little chocolate on it (welcome to the Hyatt, right?)... okay, you may think this is silly but it was a simple way of saying, after 25 years, I still love you and I appreciate all you do. I did notice that on the rare occasion he was in bed first the covers were just thrown willy nilly and my side was not even cleaned off (ugh.... one of my ever present piles). I became so irritated that I just had to say something. I tried to tell him, but he deferred to another conversation.... I went to bed irritated. The next night I employed a tactic from a popular preacher, saying, " I feel __________ when you ________." (fill in the blanks with your own petty stuff). That totally back fired as all he wanted to do was eat his supper and relax! (bad timing ladies.... never talk to your husband when he's hungry). So the next morning I took advantage of our porch time to broach it again (why couldn't I just let this go.....Oh no, my flesh was way too involved). After explaining clearly my irritation not only did he not see it my way he reminded me that very early in our marriage I told him do not touch my piles. OUCH!
After our porch time I was so disheartened by my own lack of control over my flesh. What was here-to-fore a gift for my beloved each night had now become something other because I EXPECTED something back. I'm no genius but I'm pretty sure that it is now not a gift when you expect payment in return. It somehow cheapened my gift to him and to our FATHER in heaven (do ALL things unto the LORD).
What's the lesson? If something bugs you in your marriage... BE THE ONE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.... without expecting ANYTHING in return! If you want the shower curtain closed, close it (as a gift to God), if you want the counter cleaned off, clean it, as unto the Lord............ if JESUS, Himself, were spending the night in my house you better believe I'd fluff His pillow and put chocolate on it! Do it. Do it happily. Do it willingly. Die to your self...... and as Nike says, just do it!
Happy Valentines' day

It's a funny thing, the heart....How our hearts begin to fall in love with someone we have never seen. That's what happened though, every time I was pregnant ( and that was a lot!). I found myself falling in love with this tiny person I had never even seen. I would think about them at the oddest times during the day or night. For nine months I felt like I was carrying around a secret in my heart. A secret no one else could know or understand or love. Maybe my husband felt that way too but not being a man I cannot say for sure.
I can't say I understand it but that seems to be happening in my heart now. I begin thinking about our next child, whoever or wherever they may be, and a little smile begins to creep across my heart; sinking into all the cracks and crevices, making a home there. Who knew a heart could have so much room!
Just like when I was pregnant I know this is going to be a long wait. (I was usually two weeks overdue). I know I will have many obstacles to overcome..... but when I was pregnant I was willing to go through ANYTHING to hold that baby...... because I loved him already!
Hang on heart....we are in for the long haul!
(Our next round of paperwork is done)!!!

Remember the game of Mother-May-I? You know the person who is "it" can give orders to people about taking big steps or little steps to see who reaches "it" first. Of course it was totally unfair and rigged because you could always make the person of your choosing win or loose. (yes, I was that callous as a child). We are discovering that the process of adoption is rather like the game of mother-may-I: "take three steps back....one teeny step forward"
I refuse to be disappointed by any of this. In all fairness we were warned that the process can be tricky. It's funny because I have this perfect peace that God is so in this that I cannot despair. To be honest, I wish I felt this way about all areas of my life
I recently received a Voice of the Martyrs update on which the cover was written, "opposition is our opportunity". HHHMMMM? Really? Is that how I view things? I'm pretty sure when I run into opposition of any kind my first inclination is to quit or at least complain. When I have finally run out of myself THEN I turn to God and say "okay, here's an opportunity for you to show up".
Often times opposition is crushing because it can come from unexpected places. It takes us by surprise when it comes from our circle of friends or our church family, or even from within our own family. It hurts us and causes us to doubt if we are doing the right thing. Instead of feeling hurt or doubt myself the next time opposition comes I'm going to see it as an opportunity. An opportunity to share my vision, my passion, my Christ!

Streams in the Desert is one of my favorite devotionals!! God always has a comforting or encouraging word through its pages. Get a copy! Devour it!



“This thing is from me.” 1 Kings 12:24


“Life’s disappointments are veiled love’s appointments.” Rev. C. A. Fox.

My child, I have a message for you today; let me whisper it in your ear, that it may gild with glory any storm clouds which may arise, and smooth the rough places upon which you may have to tread. It is short, only five words, but let them sink into your inmost soul; use them as a pillow upon which to rest your weary head. This thing is from me.

Have you ever thought of it, that all that concerns you concerns Me too? For, “he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye.” (Zech. 2:8) You are very precious in My sight. (Isa. 43:4) Therefore, it is My special delight to educate you.

I would have you learn when temptations assail you, and the “enemy comes in like a flood,” that this thing is from Me, that your weakness needs My might, and your safety lies in letting Me fight for you.

Are you in difficult circumstances, surrounded by people who do not understand you, who never
consult your taste, who put you in the background? This thing is from Me. I am the God of circumstances. Thou camest not to thy place by accident, it is the very place God meant for thee.

Have you not asked to be made humble? See then, I have placed you in the very school where
this lesson is taught; your surroundings and companions are only working out My will.

Are you in money difficulties? Is it hard to make both ends meet? This thing is from Me, for I am your purse-bearer and would have you draw from and depend upon Me. My supplies are limitless. (Phil. 4:19) I would have you prove my promises. Let it not be said of you, “In this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God” (Deut. 1:32).

Are you passing through a night of sorrow? This thing is from Me. I am the Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief. I have let earthly comforters fail you, that by turning to Me you may obtain everlasting consolation. (2 Thess. 2:16,17) Have you longed to do some great work for Me and instead have been laid aside on a bed of pain and weakness? This thing is from Me. I could not get your attention in your busy days and I want to teach you some of my deepest lessons. “They also serve who only stand and wait.” Some of My greatest workers are those shut out from active service, that they may learn to wield the weapon of all-prayer.

This day I place in your hand this pot of holy oil. Make use of it free, my child. Let every circumstance that arises, every word that pains you, every interruption that would make you impatient, every revelation of your weakness be anointed with it. The sting will go as you learn to see Me in all things.

Laura A. Barter Snow

“This is from Me, the Saviour said, As bending low He kissed my brow,For One who loves you thus has led. Just rest in Me, be patient now,Your Father knows you have need of this, Tho’, why perchance you cannot see.Grieve not for things you’ve seemed to miss. The thing I send is best for thee.Then looking through my tears, I plead, Dear Lord, forgive, I did not know,Twill not be hard since Thou dost tread, Each path before me here below.And for my good this thing must be, His grace sufficient for each test.So still I’ll sing, Whatever be, God’s way for me is always best.”

From Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles Cowman

I heard on the radio today that "life is about relationships". If this is so then sometimes I wonder how I'm doing in life. Let's face it sometimes I just don't have time to do relationships really well. You know with, ortho appointments and Dr.'s visits and shuffling kids to and from every event known to man who really has time for relationships. And it strikes me as funny that we have to be told that life is about relationships. Did my grandparents have to be told or were they just living them. How about great grands? Did they know that life is about relationships or when someone was sick did they take food without being told to?

How am I doing on relationships? With my kids?...who swear that my greatest ability is to act like I'm listening to them when quite frankly I'm not (I've heard that same story 100 times). My husband?...Yes, I've got this one, oh unless the fact that for the last three weeks I've been asleep long before our usual bedtime chat. Friends?...yep, I've managed to throw in a few phone calls in the pick up line at school. Parents?...I know I called home last week, or was it two? My sister? Yes! Score one!

Okay maybe I'm not as bad as all that at relationships.... but it does leave me to wonder. Maybe I should put this on the top of my list (if I could find it)

I mentioned in my first ever blog that I was on, what Mark Batterson calls, a "Wild Goose Chase". He uses this term to define what it is like to follow the Holy Spirit of God. We do not know where God will take us but we do have a choice as to whether or not we will follow. Well sometimes we have a choice.... somethings are thrust upon us which we would never choose.... our choice comes in how we will walk through those difficult things. We can choose to go through kicking and screaming or we can choose to walk it through with the grace of God. Sometimes we start out with the former but after a time of wrestling with HIM we choose to submit and accept the grace of God for whatever situation we may be in. When my baby choked and was in the hospital ER I was crying out to God to save his life and God spoke very clearly to my heart and said, "Whether this baby lives or dies, I will still be God, I am still on the throne". I knew at that moment that He was in complete control and didn't struggle with Him anymore that night. I had the "peace of God which passes ALL understanding"!! (btw... by HIS mercy that baby is now 12 years old)
God has recently called us to follow HIM into an new unknown. We became aware of some orphans in china through a friend's daughter who is working with them. Now, I have always been aware of the plight of the orphan but it was really just a distant thing in some far off country. I always felt that I would like to adopt but to my shame didn't trust God to provide the resources. At times my husband and I would talk about adopting; we would even go online and look at adoption websites, but the bottom line was always, "we can't afford it right now". Through the mixed blessing of an inheritance this year we now find ourselves in the position to be able to adopt.
It was funny because on the day my husband was driving home from South Carolina, after making funeral arrangements for his mother, I had the thought that we could now afford to adopt. Joe called on his way home and during the conversation he said, "you realize we now have the money to adopt"! Confirmation!!!
I have a friend who calls God, "The Great Overlapper". When HE begins to put something on your heart HE usually puts it before you many different times, in many different ways. God started to do this with adoption. I know HE knows my fragile will and HE needs to confirm HIMSELF to me many times to get the message across! I was in the car one week, everyday at the same time. This may not sound unusual but it is at time when I am hardly ever in the car because I'm usually at home teaching my three younger boys. I turned on my radio which I keep tuned to faith radio and the programming airing at that time was about adoption!!! I'm not kidding. For the entire week!!
You need to understand that even though I realized that we now had the money I was in a HUGE wrestling match with God. I told HIM every reason why I could not adopt...... I'm too old (Ha... I'm always telling my husband we are in the prime of life! 50 is the new 40!) I'm too busy, I had HIM there... after all I was busy.... We have enough children.... HHHMMM... I remembered a dream of my dear friend in which she saw me with all of my children and I said "my time is divided but my love is multiplied". Can you ever run out of love for another child?
I decided to stop wrestling, stop making excuse and start listening. I began to seek out the heart of God on the orphan. Let me tell you it is not difficult to find out how God feels in searching HIS word!! His heart is definitely FOR the orphan. HE definitely wants HIS people to come to the aid of the orphan. I heard Rick Warren's wife speak on the subject and she asked: " Do not ask yourself , what will the government do for the orphan, do not ask what will the philanthropist do but ask what will you do?". I had to ask myself the hard question, am I going to live for myself in this world or realize that my life is not at all about me but something far greater and bigger than I could ever imagine?
So we find ourselves chasing the Wild Goose......

Do you ever feel like you are just going from one day to the next.... same ole, same ole? You have every good intention to do the stuff on your "to do" list but.... your daughter calls and needs to talk, and you have to do certain things...teaching your children, or doing the laundry, cooking supper, then your husband needs you to do something, and before you know it the day has slipped by and you've not done that "to do" list.... again! Well, do not look here for the answer.... maybe a suggestion but definitely not the answer.
This is one of my challenges in this life. Ironically I'm married to the worlds most organized man!!! He loves his list and seems to always get through one and is making another before I've crossed anything off of mine. Truth be told, I've usually lost mine and am trying to remember what was on that one in order to make a new one.
So in my attempt to be organized this year my one change is to live by the list! No really, I can do this!! I think I should post my list somewhere so it won't get lost, maybe on the fridge? No way, too tempting to skip the list and go straight for the fridge. Okay by the phone.... of course that means that I have to keep a pencil there so I can cross things off of my list as they happen. Now if your house is like mine you know that pens and pencils are free for the taking (or so my children believe) so a pencil by my list wouldn't last two minutes before some child came along and pilfered it. HHHMMMM, how does one keep a list, literally?
Okay, back to those days rolling over into weeks, months, years..... we are entering what we so affectionately call "the dark ages". You know, those long winter days where there's nothing on the horizon, just more work, more cold, and less sunlight. Now really is the time to make one small change. I'm going to change my workouts. No, really. If I change my existing workout they will become fresh... Something which I have to learn, therefore keeping my mind alert as well.
So my suggestion to you, start a bible study (precept.org), make a lunch date with that friend you've been meaning to call, change your workout, start a blog:). Make one small change just to make the dark days, well, not so dark. In the mean time I'm going to figure out how to get through my list!!!!

New Year's Day..... whew a new beginning. I hate it and love it. I hate change and was doing okay in the old year. Things were going along just fine. Why do we have to start a new one? On the other hand, the tree is down, all the pine needles vacuumed up, the house is clean and purged of everything that smells like chocolate. So, a new start. I like to think of one thing which I can do differently this next year. What is the one thing that will make an impact in my days? I'd really like to have more order to my day. I'm never sure how to do that. I love those fresh clean pages in a daily organizer. I'm afraid though that would get used about a week before I lost it in a pile somewhere. Maybe a schedule posted somewhere in the house.... right beside my scripture I've posted to memorize (I haven't gotten past verse six... only twenty seven to go). I'm sure it will come to me....in the mean time, happy new year