Down Time

Word of the Post
Today's word is: morose
/mo*rose"/ adjective
Sullen, austere, of a sour temper. Ill humored, gloomy, gruff.
An illness or depression can lead to a morose affect.
~~~~~~~~~~
I have a tendency to be morose. In the moment, I don't think about others, or even the future, just about me and the now. I don't play chess very well, because I don't think on the strategy of the thing. Not that I couldn't learn, but that I have not bothered to. I spend a lot of time alone, and that doesn't help.

I am a perfectionist, so I like to complete each task to the highest standard. I am also a procrastinator, so if it can be done later, I ignore it now. The fall happens when I want to do something perfectly, and I know I cannot. The job never gets off the ground. I am by no means lazy, just cluttered. And I have lost my joy.

They say you will never forget your first love, no matter how many others you encounter in your lifetime. The First is always the love of youth, passion and the forgiveness of modified memories. Being a Christian, the goal is to remember that God is the First Love, and everything else is just secondary.

Lisa (the one with the Perspective) said that she lost herself in her attention to others. I have lost myself in the attention to me. Odd as that sounds, it is true. I have paid so much attention to me, that I have neglected the God and His people that I needed to be loving. I have done only things that make me happy, and somehow came out of the forest wondering where the trees were; I am less happy than ever.

It strikes me that I cannot be the person I so desire to be. I cannot be the faithful Hannah, giving up her first son to God. "Sorry, God, the church won't function as an orphanage." I cannot be so unselfish. I am a selfish human, and I am stuck in my pride on that matter. I want a child! I have done nothing to show that I would be faithful in raising a child. I have, in fact, done nothing but complain that I didn't have what I wanted. Any mother will tell you that complaining and pitching the fit won't get you anywhere. God uses the parental analogies all the time. He is our Father. He hears every thought in our hearts. And I have done nothing but be a pitiful child.

I have decided that I need to sit. Be still. Be patient. Be prayerful. Be busy working and not so busy complaining. God doesn't always grant a request immediately. Sometimes the answer is "No". I don't want God to just give me a child. (Basket on the doorstep is so cliche') So, what do I want? The sad truth is that it does not matter what I want. I am a mere human, who does not understand the ways of God. While He promises to give me the desires of my heart, he also promises that life and ministry will be a challenge. This is not to say that I don't matter to God, because each of us does, but to say that the will of this tiny speck may be in conflict with the plans of the God of the Universe.

In a recent lesson, Curt Niccum said that God doesn't mind when we ask questions, and even when we yell a bit. He wants to know what we think, how we are feeling, and that we are willing to use Him as our shoulder. It all should come back to God. We get our life and every thing we have from Him, and we also get our comfort from Him.

Job was in misery, sitting in ashes and sackcloth. His friends showed up and, for the first few days, did exactly the right thing. They sat quietly with Job in the ashes. It is when they opened their mouths that the trouble started.

Granny had a poem above her sink, and I need to remember it. I would give the author's name if I had it. Until I find an author, I will attribute it to "Anonymous" (who has written and said many more profound things than any other thinker, alive or dead).

Thank God for dirty dishes,
They have a tale to tell.
While others may go hungry,
We're eating very well.
With Health and Home and Happiness
I shouldn't want to fuss;
For, by the stack of evidence,
God's been good to us!

I need to get back to work. Laundry and Dishes await. The multipurpose sink is in need of my attention, as well as the prayer life I claim to have.

Life-And-Times TV, A Surprise Story

Word of the Post
Today's word is: niecephews
/niece"fews/ plural noun
Newly created single word for the collective of nieces and nephews; like "cousins", covers both male and female children of a sibling. May also use the term "noonies".
Thank you to the Risley Family, Dustin for "niecephews" and Angie for "noonies". You guys are funny and creative, and I needed a word for this very purpose. If anyone else has a special word to fit this purpose, I would love to hear it. :-)
~~~~~~~~~~
This has been a very tiring day for our family. Fridays are going to be busy again for the High School Football season. DH does his radio production thing starting next weekend. So, we were out playing hooky last night. As DH's last free Friday, we had a date. We ate dinner at home, went to our favorite coffee shop, and stopped by a theater to check screen times of movies. We decided that we would go home to watch Rush Hour 2, so we could see Rush Hour 3 on Saturday.

Then we got the call. 9:30 (ish) pm. BIL called DH's phone. SIL was in labor. Dilated to 1, they thought she would deliver in about 12 hours or so. Where have I heard this before? Oh, yeah, when Jelly Bean came! We decided to go home to get some rest, clean a bit and prepare for Parents to come visit. We would get up at 6 (not a minute later!) and go to the hospital in the morning.

SIL doesn't wait around. There was no 12 hours of labor. She was done by 1:30 am. Wow! If we had gone to the hospital at 10, we might have left at 12, like the babysitter did. And we would have missed it anyway. This was especially tough on DH, because he wanted to be there this time. This is his sister, and we both missed JBean's appearance, too.

"The baby" (we couldn't keep saying "it" all the time, made the poor babe sound like a crazed clown!) made an appearance at 1:28 am, weighing in at 7 lbs, 4 oz. and was 19 1/4 inches tall. This handsome new addition is a boy named Carson John.

Allow me to introduce you!

Carson, World. World, a thoughtful Carson.

That tongue sticking out is (according to Gramma B, the most biased Gramma in the world) his way of saying "I love you!" Those fingers are Mommy's fingers, I think. Much like JBean, Gum Drop is a perfect mix of his parents... not too obvious one way or the other. But certain features are unmistakable. He has quite a bit of hair, but it is continually covered by the hats. It is medium brown, and ... I almost said "baby soft". How funny is that?

Sometimes, my own brilliance amazes me. This is, I think, a prize-winning picture. I am pleasantly surprised that you can read the little charm they gave him. This is a profile view, sideburns and a button nose peeking over the cutest little cheek. Uncle DH is so good at holding babies! Those long arms are great support for little backs, the big hands are perfect to hold the tiny heads!


JBean was with Babysitter's family, and came to visit this morning. I tried to get pictures of her expression when she first saw GDrop, but she was too happy to be hugging Daddy. I got some great ones, though.


Grandma P. is holding GDrop, and JBean is not quite sure what he is yet. She did say later that he could come to live at her house. I know that she has no idea what she is in for. At least they have separate rooms! When my Brudder was born, we shared a room. Ugh.


The nice nurses were willing to scheme with Gramma B, and one of them came and "delivered" a baby doll for JBean. This baby got several names: Parker, Sister, Ashley, Baby.... whatever was in her little head at the time you asked her. Then there was Mommy's baby, and JBean's baby.


After meeting both babies, we asked JBean if she wanted to play with her baby. She said, "No, I want to play with DAT one!" and pointed at GDrop. She is quite pleased with herself to have made so many people laugh. She really IS a ham! She will be two on the 30th. We were hoping that GDrop would wait until September, but he decided that he didn't want to wait. (He was 3 weeks early! Think how big he would have been if he really showed up on Sept. 14!?!) So, 5 days shy of two years apart.

Loving and Kissing on the Brudder.

Finally, for tonight anyway, we have the "Bookends". I have a picture somewhere of the two Grampas snoozing after JBean's birth too. This is not quite as perfect a scene as the last time, but cute nevertheless. The one on the left is Grampa R, and the right is Grampa D.

I am now off to bed, yet again. I got no sleep between 9:30 pm call and 2:00 am wake up call. The only sleep I have had is the 5:30 to 9:00 pm nap I just had. But don't let me complain. I was not the one who worked so hard today! SIL and GDrop are both more tuckered than me.

All is well, and God is GOOD!

Wii Laugh

Word of the Post
Today's word is: evince
/e*vince"/ verb
To show in a clear manner; to succeed in proving beyond a reasonable doubt; manifest; bring to light.
I will attempt to show you that owners of the Nintendo Wii evince a great sense of humor.
~~~~~~~~~~
FUNNY FRIDAY
I was in our favorite coffee shop tonight, and one of the baristas showed me this video. I had to share. I warn the faint of humor that there are some that are a bit on the crude side, and one that is NOT what you think, but all are funny!