Christmas Canon Rock-My New Favorite!

I thought I'd share with you my new favorite Christmas song this season. Though 'O'Holy Night' is still my all time favorite. I included the lyrics below and of course if you haven't noticed already, it is the song you hear playing now...so, what's your favorite song at Christmas???

Christmas Canon Rock by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra

The joy that He brings The joy that He brings
(Merry Christmas ! Merry Christmas ! Merry Christmas ! Merry Christmas !)

The joy that He brings The joy that He
(Merry Christmas ! Merry Christmas ! Merry Christmas !)


This night we pray
our lives will show
this dream He had
each child still knows

This night we pray
our lives will show
this dream He had
each child still knows


We are waiting We have not forgotten..
(This night we pray our lives will show this dream He had each child still knows)

We are waiting We have not forgotten..
(This night we pray our lives will show this dream He had each child still knows)


On this night, on this night, on this very Chirstmas night. On this night, on this night,
on this very Christmas night.
( We are waiting)
[This night we pray our lives will show]


On this night, on this night, on this very Christmas night. On ths night, on this night,
on this very Christmas night.
( We have not forgotten )
[ this dream He had each child still knows]

On this night, on this night, on this very Christmas night. On this night, on this night,
on this very Christmas night.
( We are waiting )
[This night we pray our lives will show]


On this night, on this night, on this very Christmas night. On ths night, on this night,
on this very Christmas night.
( We have not forgotten )
[this dream He had each child still knows ]

Baking Cookies...

"The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both." Proverbs 20:12 nkjv

There are 60,000 miles (97,000 km) of blood vessels in every human.

15 million blood cells are produced and destroyed in the human body every second.

The longest living cells in the body are brain cells which can live an entire lifetime.

The human eye blinks an average of 4,200,000 times a year.

Fun facts about the human body and science in general have always interested me. I love hearing how many bones we have in our body (206...350 at birth) and how many hairs we have on our head (100,000). It is when I stop to think on these things that God goes from being a little 'g' God and again becomes a big 'G' God for me. It is when I stop and think about these things that I am reminded that God, well... is God. He has everything under control. He doesn't need any help from me, but because of His loving nature, he allows me to play a part in some of what He does. Kind of like when my daughter Grace helps me make cookies. I surely don't need her help. I can make some pretty tasty cookies just fine on my own. Actually when she does help me there is much more of a mess to clean up and the task does take much longer than if I just did it on my own. But my joy and my pleasure is increased a hundred times when I have the sweet presence of my daughter by my side. You see it isn't the task of baking cookies that brings me such joy, it is the time we have spent together.

God is the creator of all things, most importantly us! "All things were made by Him and for Him." Colossians 1:6 God created us for the sole purpose of fellowship with Him. He loves to spend time with us. He wants us to stop for a moment and think of Him, to talk with Him. He wants us to come along side Him and joyfully work hand in hand with Him.

The God I love has made it possible that my brain cells can live a lifetime, that my heart continues to beat without any help from me, and that I will continue to take a breath even when asleep. When I learn these things about Him, I am gratefully amazed. Think for a moment just how much we do for our own children that goes unnoticed. When I became a mom for the first time I clearly remember laying my brand new, beautiful baby daughter down on my bed. I remember looking at her and just adoring her. I remember thinking after a few days of sleepless nights, "Wow, my mom loved me this much? She fed and cared for me like this when I was young?" When I realized this I called my mom and thanked her. My relationship with my mother changed. In thankfulness I cherished and loved her even more. The same happens to me the more I learn about God. The more I learn about what Jesus has done for me and… for you.

He loves you so very much and He thinks you are just the most beautiful thing in the world. Stop and think on that a while, it may make you want to ask the Lord right now, "Can we bake some cookies?"

God Bless, Joanne

Precious Time Away

Paul and I just got home a few hours ago from our time away. This precious Victorian house that you see in the picture is where we honeymooned ten years ago. We felt it only fitting that this would be where we would celebrate our special anniversary. Of course this past week was one where the words 'refiners fire' were an understatement. I praise God that we were able to go away and have such a beautiful time. Did I mention that I have wonderful in-laws? After a phone call to them and less than 24hrs notice, they responded to babysit for us like an old fashioned fire brigade!

If you are ever in the Carmel/Monterey area, do I have a bed and breakfast recommendation for you. But, you'll have to find your own babysitters!

David's Turkey Bowl

David has been begging me for months to schedule a date when his friends could come over for a football game. I finally made up some postcard invitations 'David's 1st Annual-Two Hand Touch- Turkey Bowl!' He handed these out to kids at school and everyone at church. I had warned him that having it the day after Thanksgiving, there may not be a good turnout. What a blessing when thirteen friends showed up. This included our pastor and the pastor from David's school. It was so much fun watching them out there. The only injury belonged to my husband Paul while trying to live out his 'glory days'.

His knee didn't get that memo.

Grandma Has an Addiction

Those of us closest to grandma know she is addicted. We have grown up in the shadow of this stronghold in her life. All of her children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren are aware of the 7:00pm hour and what it does to her. We have only made the mistake once, if ever, of calling at that time.

Her obsession….’The Wheel of Fortune.’

This picture is of my husband Paul and Grandma playing a round of the game while family looked on. Grandma wanted to prove that at 87yrs old, she is still top dog. Paul went along with the fun and sat staring at her, while whispering loudly (remember she is pretty deaf), “I am getting into your head Mary!” The rest of us were rolling with laughter, when after one round, the clue was ‘Showbiz’ and the answer was supposed to be ‘Outtakes and Deleted Scenes’, my grandma blurted out, “Cattles and Deleted Smenes!” (Yes, that word was 'Smenes' pronounced 'Smeanies')
(My aunt taking pictures of Grandma with a few of her 'great-granz' as she calls them.)

My brother-in-law Eric and my sister Jennifer orchestrated this family event. You see since my mom died, seven years ago, we have really not been back to celebrate holidays with our extended family. Most contact with our cousins, aunts and uncles lives has been through our Grandma, via the telephone. On the drive in yesterday morning, I realized just how emotional it is for me to come back for a holiday visit. I cried quite a bit on the way in. Wondering to myself, “What the heck is wrong with me? Where are all these tears coming from?” All the while knowing what it was. Every thought in my head was of my mom and the holiday memories I had experienced for the first 33 years of my life. They were ALL at my grandma’s house. After we all got there, my grandma said to me over and over, “This is the best day of my life. I wish it would never end.”
(This is a picture of us cousins. The cousins that weren't able to be there...well, someone thought to grab 20yr old pictures of them so they could be included in the photo too!)

Going back to grandma’s yesterday was such a blessing. There was such joy. We laughed SO MUCH!!! The only sadness in the day was that my youngest sister and my mom’s youngest sister couldn’t make it with their families. I was so grateful that Eric and Jen pulled us all together. I pray our future holds many more opportunities to hang out at my addicted grandma’s house, as a family.

"Behold I am making all things new..." Rev.21:5

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

From our home to yours...

My Thankful Heart

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5 This scripture is so beautiful. My words fall so very short in expressing how they make me feel. Being a faithful word gal, I looked up ‘thanksgiving’ in my 1828 Webster dictionary,

Thanksgiving, n. The act of rendering thanks for expressing gratitude for favors or mercies. 2. A public celebration of divine goodness; also a day set apart for religious services, especially (I just love this.) to acknowledge the goodness of God, either in any remarkable deliverance from calamities or danger, or in the ordinary dispensation of his bounties.

I have so much to be thankful for I couldn’t begin to list them all here. I just keep thinking about how when our little ones first learn to say thank you, how precious those words are to me. I am not talking about the ‘Thanks mom’ I get when I take care of my family’s needs. I am talking about the heartfelt, ‘Thank you mom’ that I get from children whose words are tender while at the same time their arms are reaching out to hug me.

We will be asked this week what we are thankful for. Before we get caught up in the Macy’s parade, football games, way too much turkey and stuffin, take some alone time for just you and God. Reach out to Him and thank Him with your heart.


**This picture above was taken quite a few Thanksgivings ago. It is one of my favorites of our children. What am I thankful for…for a God who loved me enough to send His son to die for me. For a God who is so good and loving that everything I am and long to be is only possible because of Him. For a God who even in the trials and heartaches of my life has shown me the blossoms and sweet fragrance of His grace. Just look at the picture above and see four of my most precious blooms. How can I not be Thankful?**

A Good Site For Us Over-Eaters

Pizza, ice cream, chinese food, candy...all food that I ate this week. So why was I so surprised that I was up 3lbs? IT ISN'T EVEN THANKSGIVING YET! For any of you who may be splurging BEFORE you have an excuse to this holiday season, you may enjoy this site that I get emailed to me daily,

http://www.hungry-girl.com

A Fun Craft To Do With The Kids

I was blown away by how many of you went out and purchased your own Thanksgiving tablecloths this week. It touches my heart to know that other families are going to have this same wonderful Thanksgiving tradition. So I decided to show you a creative little idea I came up with a few years ago (check out picture).

I put paint on each of my four children's hands (they picked out the colors of their own fingers, I mean feathers). Next I pressed their painted hands against a heavy piece of paper, card stock heavy. Have extra paper on hand in case of mistakes. Our youngest was three years old when we did this and he just couldn't figure out how to open his fingers. Afterwards, I added a few touches myself like, the eyes, the beak and the turkey feet. I also wrote their names by their hands (I wish I had let them do that instead) and of courss added the month and the year. When I was done I wrote on the bottom, 'God Bless Our Turkeys'

I purchased a nice gold frame to jazz it up and now it is an heirloom that I hang on our wall every Thanksgiving holiday. Just like the tablecloth, with each passing year it becomes more and more precious to me.

Happy Tenth Anniversary Cutie...

So they said, "We will call the young woman and ask her personally." Then they called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go." Gen 24:57-58

Paul, I would follow you to the ends of the earth.

I love you so much, Joanne

Stockholm Syndrome

Disclaimer: CAUTION,Irritated mom…the following may contain less than loving comments and thoughts. Any lack of adoration or joy is completely and wholly the truth.

Can someone please tell me how I can share in one breath the joys and moment to moment delights of being a mom and all of a sudden BAM!…I can only see through eyes of irritation, frustration and simmering anger!?!

“Can we have anything nice?” Is the constant mantra from my husband Paul. I hear these words when he tries to start our car amidst an array of papers, Mcdonald toys and sticky cupholders. I hear these words when the sound of our children slamming any door in the house, rings in our ears (this includes kitchen cabinets, sliding doors,pocket doors and car doors as well.) I opened our kitchen pantry the other day to find the peanut butter (picture above) with Reynolds Wrap being used as a type of lid-sling for the broken top. What makes this so curiously intersting is this…there is a hole in the middle of the lid, not a crack on the side, not a chip but a hole in the middle of the plastic lid. Do my children have access to some type of drill or peanut butter skillsaw, that I am not aware of? Today when I went to turn on my kitchen faucet, the handle came off in my hand. The guilty suspect is a 13year old boy we call, son. I have watched him use this faucet in ways that would earn a pat on the back from any NASCAR driver.

Irritated, annoyed, frustrated? You bet your tooshie I am. I am starting to believe that when God created these beautiful children that He knew how to manipulate my heart. Everytime I see a toothless grin or chubby arms raised over their heads beckoning to be picked up, I weaken like a bowl full of jello.

It got me to thinking that what I am feeling may possibly be ‘Stockholm Syndrome’. Now before you roll your eyes hear me out…I looked this syndrome up in the dictionary.

Stockholm syndrome n. A psychological condition in which hostages or victims of kid-nappings (my emphasis/hyphen added) sometimes develop positive feelings towards their captors, on whom they depend for their survival.

C'mon, admit it...you know it sounds like a completely logical explanation...

Our Thanksgiving Tradition

"Enter into His gates with Thanksgiving..." Psalm 100:4

Six years ago I was reading a magazine and saw what I thought was a wonderful Thanksgiving idea. The next day I ran out and bought a linen tablecloth and some fabric pens from the craft store. When the holiday arrived, after the family finished their turkey dinner, I got out the pens and passed them around. Everyone took their turn at writing down on the tablecloth what they were thankful for.

As the years have passed, this linen tablecloth has become more and more precious to me. Notes of my family's gratitude, for children, spouses, our country and our God, now dance across the pale yellow cloth. All of the grandma’s and grandpa’s in our family have signed it, each small child has outlined his or her hand on it. Now every Thanksgiving you will find guests gathering around the table reading and laughing at the memories. The children who are too young to read, look to find their handprints to see how much they may have grown.

Getting to read messages left by relatives and friends every year is something I am so thankful for. Though they may not be able to share in person each and every turkey dinner with us, their words remain to touch our hearts and to remind me to offer up a prayer of thanksgiving for each and every one of them.

Veteran's Day

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 33:12

As a teenager in the 1980’s, waking up first to get in the shower was very important. I had to beat my two sisters because I needed as much time as I could to get that ‘big hair’ look. Each morning when I would shuffle to the bathroom half asleep, I would see my father sitting at our kitchen table. In the early morning silence, he would be reading his Bible while finishing his cup of coffee. With my eyes only half open, I would kiss him good-bye. Lunch pail in hand, my Dad would walk out the front door, hang his American flag and head to work. My father is a former U.S. Marine. While growing up, each and every morning, my father flew that flag.

One day when it was raining, our elderly neighbor Sid, came over. As he headed across the street towards our house he had a small booklet ‘Flag Rules and Regulations’ in hand. He made sure to give my Dad an earful when he saw that in this steady drizzle, Dad had not taken down our flag. “George.” He said, pointing at his booklet. “You aren’t supposed to be flying that American flag in the rain.” Without a pause in the conversation, my father politely replied as he pointed to his flag, “Well Sid…I fought for that flag in the rain, so I am going to fly that flag in the rain.”

Today is Veteran’s Day. Go up to a Veteran and say, “Thank You.” Better yet, teach your children to walk up to someone in uniform and say , “Thank You.” Whether it is your father, grandfather, neighbor or friend, take a moment to offer up a prayer for all the men and women who have fought in the rain for you.

The Birthday Party

Thought you might enjoy seeing some of the pictures from Meg's birthday party last night. We had 19 people over for a Mexican dinner. (I'm still full.)

The roses in the vase on the table there are from her dad. He sent them to her at school this week. The balloons are from her Auntie Celia.


David is trying to give a brotherly hug to his big sister for the camera. She loves every minute of it....NOT!



One of her many gifts was all three 'An Affair To Remember' movies. She started watching the one from the 1930's already this morning.



Mom and Dad with the birthday girl.

HAPPY SWEET 16 MEGHAN!!!

On November 10th 1991 at 3:03pm,after 36 hours of labor,a warm and precious bundle was gently placed in my tired arms. The nurse exclaimed before I even laid my eyes on her, “She has dimples!” Hours later I was left alone in my room with her. It was then that I finally got to open my daughters' blanket and fully explore for the first time, each little finger and tiny pink toe. She had a head full of blonde hair, as soft and as fine as a baby duck. There is no possible way to express in words what this moment is like. If you have a child, you know exactly what I am talking about.

The memory of holding your first child is one you don’t forget.

My daughter is turning 16 this weekend. Where has the time gone? This child who baptized me into motherhood with her ear infections, constant chatter, and independence-extraordinaire, my precious little girl is inching closer and closer to adulthood. She used to talk to me about princesses, Disney movies and parties for her dolls, but lately our conversation has turned to talking about cars, part-time jobs, boys and college.



Last night, with the help of her brother David, we took our collection of spray paint and decorated a boulder. This boulder is special because it sits right in front of her school for all to see. In case any of you think this would be a great idea for yourselves, and don't mind serving time for a misdemeanor vandalizism conviction... this high school allows people to do it, so it is actually ‘legal graffiti’.

I will be the first to admit that none of our children are perfect (nor are their parents), but please allow me a moment to share what a blessing this child has been to us.

Meghan is definitely our over-achiever kid. She has a full load this year and has taken quite a few AP classes. Yet she still has managed to keep a 3.85gpa. She has been gifted with a beautiful singing voice and is one of our children who actually listen when we tell them to floss (she has never had a cavity). She has a passion for godly purity and was asked to speak on this topic at our mother/daughter tea this year. Her words were straight from the throne as she blessed the young women with encouragement to be strong in their faith. Meg is on the children's ministry worship team at our church and is a favorite babysitter of many local families. A love of musicals is an understatement, and her favorite actress is Audrey Hepburn and favorite movie...yep you guessed it...'Breakfast at Tiffany's'. She takes a few moments before catching the bus each morning to do a devotion in her teen Bible(until now, she wasn't aware I knew this about her), and I must admit that her teenage attitude has been much better lately. She has a heart that sees only the best in people and will fight to the death for anything she believes in.

She is everything I wish I had been at 16 years old.

So, with her 16th birthday upon us, I will spend a little time each day this week thanking God for blessing us with such a beautiful, strong, faithful, loving daughter. God says in His word, "Children are a blessing from the Lord." Psalm 127:3...and to that I say a big AMEN!

Happy Birthday sweetheart, we love you and are so proud of you. Remember Meg...you can't dream dreams big enough for what God has planned for you honey.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

My 100 Things

1. I was born in Laguna Beach, California.

2. Laguna Beach is the name of an actual beach...I wasn't born on the beach. I was born in a hospital.

3. I am the oldest of four children, 3 girls and a boy.

4. Some believe this is why I am bossy.

5. My family tells me I get my bossiness from my dad.

6. My dad is a former U.S. Marine and served three tours in Viet Nam.

7. I was raised by very patriotic parents.

8. My husband is the same.

9. We fly the American flag on a 20ft flagpole in front of our house…daily.

10. I love Jesus and want my time here on earth to be a daily outward reflection of His forgiveness and grace.

11. Jesus changed my world at the age of 30, when I finally gave Him my heart… and my life.

12. I will never be the same. Thank you God!

13. I will be 40 on my next birthday.

14. It doesn’t bother me as much as I thought it would.

15. Though I am shocked when I look closely in the mirror.

16. I grew up in small town in Northern California.

17. Soccer was my favorite sport in high school and I was a pretty good player.

18. I was on a championship team and the captain of our Girls Varsity Soccer team.

19. If I were to run 100ft now I would need to be resuscitated.

20. I love being married.

21. My husband is my best friend.

22. Being a mom is my greatest accomplishment.

23. My prayer for my children is that they would live each and every day knowing that God loves them and that He has a special plan just for them.

24. I am already praying for my future sons and daughter in laws.

25. You will never hear me say, “Not my kids!”

26. We spend quite a bit of time together as a family.

27. Not as much as I’d like, but more than most.

28. My favorite food is Baskin Robbins Peanut Butter and Chocolate ice cream.

29. I crave peanut butter more than chocolate.

30. I could always make my mom laugh.

31. My mother was voted homecoming queen her sophomore year in high school.

32. She would hate that I put that down.

33. My mom had cancer.

34. She died at the age of 54.

35. I still cry for her sometimes.

36. One of my sisters lives close by with her family.

37. I am so grateful for that.

38. Now I make her laugh.

39. Last year I made her laugh until she peed her pants.

40. Wherever I go I look for someone to talk to.

41. I love hearing people share their life stories.

42. My husband changes the channel on TV if there is someone sharing a life experience. He knows I will want to watch.

43. I believe the best of my life is still ahead of me.

44. Elderly people are so interesting to me.

45. I think I am going to make a great old lady someday.

46. If someone cries, I will cry too.

47. I met my best girlfriend at a police department.

48. We weren’t in jail together…we both worked there.

49. She is the only other person I know as loud as me.

50. Each friend I have had has taught me something.

51. I still send them all Christmas cards.

52. My husband makes fun of my Christmas card list.

53. He says he doesn’t know half of the people I send them too.

54. But I do…

55. I love Women’s Bible studies.

56. I wish I could do a Bible study with my extended family…I know they would LOVE it.

57. Writing is a passion of mine.

58. I started a journal for each of my children as soon as I found out I was pregnant.

59. Now I write in their personal journals on their birthdays.

60. My teenage daughter has already asked for hers.

61. I don’t think I will give it to her until she becomes a mom.

62. I would love to write a book someday.

63. But I am intimidated by my lack of education.

64. I am addicted to laughing.

65. There is nothing better than a good hearty belly laugh. You know...the kind of laugh that makes you hurt and feel like you are doing a never-ending sit-up.

66. I hate sit-ups.

67. I love to walk.

68. My walking buddy forces me to walk with her at 6am almost every morning.

69. I don’t like her for the first 5 minutes of every walk.

70. I have a lot of pet peeves.

71. Number one is people without ambition.

72. The other is people with lots of excuses.

73. I tell my children they can be anything they want to be.

74. My son told me at the age of 4 that when he grew up he was going to be a fireman or a lion tamer.

75. Some people tell me I have the gift of hospitality.

76. I love having people over.

77. I offer our home for almost any gathering.

78. I guess they may be right.

79. Taking pictures is a passion of mine.

80. Right below writing.

81. I can get anxious thinking about how my husband hasn’t backed up our digital pictures on our computer.

82. He is a very slow, I mean patient man.

83. I have never been told I have the gift of patience.

84. Speaking in front of crowds doesn’t scare me, I actually enjoy it.

85. My oldest daughter loves it.

86. My dream is to go on a cross country RV trip with our family.

87. I have been to Washington D.C.

88. I would love to live in one of the New England states or in a home in the south.

89. My husband says I would hate the snow.

90. He is probably right.

91. Another dream trip of mine is to go back east during the changing of the leaves.

92. I LOVE FALL.

93. Dark and gloomy days put me in a good mood.

94. I put a big dent in my husbands 9 day new pick up truck.

95. The next day I killed our Suburban engine...

96. ..on the way to get our family pictures taken.

97. My husband didn’t look happy in those pictures.

98. Our daughter will be driving in a few weeks.

99. Pray for us.

100. She is a lot like her mother.

Family Fun Tip #2 : Take your kids to a matinee 3D movie. And yes, I was the annoying woman flashing her camera in the theatre...

I Can Hear...

As for me, I look to the Lord for his help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. Micah 7:7 nlt

Last night I took my grandma to watch her oldest great-grandchild (my daughter Meghan) sing in her school’s choir performance. Meg was up on stage with over a hundred other young men and women. I shared with you a few days ago that my grandma is extremely hard of hearing. She worked in a factory on an assembly line when she was young, long before there were rules about wearing earplugs around loud machinery. Her hearing has suffered greatly because of those working years. Thankfully Grandma’s poor hearing didn’t stop her from looking forward to going and watching Meghan perform.

We sat in the audience facing the stage that was filled with a bevy of distinct sounds, these young adults joyfully singing for us. Though all completely different, their voices were one as we listened intently. My grandma sat there with a perpetual smile on her face as the music stopped and started, never once revealing that she really couldn’t hear very well. I hadn’t anticipated being brought close to tears before the performance was over. I tried hard to swallow the lump in my throat when Grandma softly smiled and leaned over to (very) loudly whisper in my ear, “I can hear Meghan.”

I couldn’t help but think that we serve a God who can hear our own voice as well and can pick us out amongst the multitudes. Just as a mother knows the voice of her own precious child or a grandmother the song of her granddaughter...so our God knows our voice and stops to listen to us. God’s word says in Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Psalm 145:18 says, “The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.” Micah 7:7 says, "...God will certainly hear me." Did you read that? It does not say that “He might hear you or that He will hear you only between the hours of 8am and 5pm. Not at all, it says He will certainly hear you...period.

Isn’t it amazing to stop and think for a moment…the one true and living God, the same God who formed the earth, the very God who hung the stars in the sky and who told the ocean’s waves they could only come so far…He hears his children when we call.

Call out to Him with confidence. He will most certainly hear you.

Hallelujah Night

Laura Ingalls and Darth Vader Jr. are dressed to go to our church's 'Hallelujah Night'.


"And the winner of the pumpkin pie eating contest...is NOT David!" Though, he did get a winner of a tummyache!