Day 223:
Top Ten Goal s for the New Year
10. Defend the Universe from all.
9. Develop the need for Salsa on the dinner table.
8. Establish a new design for the arm chair quarterback seat.
7. Find a way to introduce our Minnesota friends to Southwestern Michigan.
6. Remember those who are hospitalized with cancer.
5. Discover the reason for wheat production - Jeff you know what I mean.
4. Devour Wings 7 days in a row,..... and live to tell about it.
3. Find a place for Lucky Bob in the family - our new family pet.
2. Appreciate each day and live it to the fullest!
1. Thank God often for a chance to carry his message.
Peace and Prayers
Signed Copies for Sale. Read information on left side panel below.
For further details email us at Hannahk2021@gmail.com
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
50 Hours and Counting
Day 230:
Taking it to the end,... of the year!
"Dad! Stop hollering!! We're watching a moooooovie in here!!!" comes voices from the living room (which has now been deemed the 'kids' room).
"Stop hollering at me for hollering! I'm watching the Patriots-Giants game and I'm not sure who I'm routing for!!"
One of the best things about being a guy at this time of year - f o o t b a l l. Second best thing about being a guy at this time of the year - h i g h d e f i n i t i o n f o o t b a l l.
As the New Year approaches and we look back on the year, it's been incredible to say the least - good and bad, mixed in with a little so-so every now and then. Typically you look back to judge the quality of the year. Today, I look back each and every day to judge the quality.
Taking it to the end,... of the year!
"Dad! Stop hollering!! We're watching a moooooovie in here!!!" comes voices from the living room (which has now been deemed the 'kids' room).
"Stop hollering at me for hollering! I'm watching the Patriots-Giants game and I'm not sure who I'm routing for!!"
One of the best things about being a guy at this time of year - f o o t b a l l. Second best thing about being a guy at this time of the year - h i g h d e f i n i t i o n f o o t b a l l.
As the New Year approaches and we look back on the year, it's been incredible to say the least - good and bad, mixed in with a little so-so every now and then. Typically you look back to judge the quality of the year. Today, I look back each and every day to judge the quality.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
The Shanna Blog for Christmas
He Came for You. And me.
Beginning note: I didn’t know weather patterns could move SW. I thought they were supposed to head from MN to MI! But, it is Christmastime, so maybe there’s an exception to the rule. As I was sitting here, staring at the lovely Minnesota blizzard that seems to be taking the state by storm (no pun intended), I remembered that I was yet to write my December guest blog. (That high school thing just seems to keep getting in the way. ;-)) So, I’m sorry it’s a bit late, but without further ado…
I have a song that I’ve always greatly enjoyed, but one that I didn’t really take the time to understand until yesterday, when I began to REALLY think about it. Please allow me to set the scene for you. The snow was falling, the fireplace crackling, laughs filled the room, and two guitars were strumming. Well, I should say 1.5 guitars were. My cousin knows how to play well, and I, well, like to pretend I can. ;-) Anyway, the family (all 32 of them) had requested a concert of sorts, so my cousin and I were flipping though the book, when the song “Who Am I?” by Casting Crowns came up:
Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours
Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me
I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours
We sang our little duet, and it sounded lovely, of course. ;-) But, what struck me at that time, were those two bolded lines. Being in the cancer world is a constant reminder of how fleeting this earthly life is. On a grand scheme, each of our lives are nothing but “A wave tossed in the ocean”, “a vapor in the wind”, or a single snowflake in a blizzard (for all of us Midwesterners. ;-)). The thought originally makes us feel so very small, but, then it all changes. As the song goes on, we are reminded that God sent His Son for us. Also, He is in control of each and every moment that we live. His gift to us is the ultimate one of love, and that who we are, is not because of anything we do, but because He has chosen us as His own. And, this thought, leaves us with nothing but a feeling of joy.
In the spirit of this wonderful Christmas season, I pray for you all a blessed holiday, a fantastic start to 2008, some good company, and even some good turkey. And, I also pray that in the hub-bub (since we’re known for making up words) of the Christmas season, you stop to remember the real reason we are blessed to celebrate the 25th of December: because Jesus Christ came for us.
Merry Christmas everyone!
End note: To the Kellys: if there’s one thing I’m thankful for as the New Year approaches, it’s that I got to spend 2007 with you.
Beginning note: I didn’t know weather patterns could move SW. I thought they were supposed to head from MN to MI! But, it is Christmastime, so maybe there’s an exception to the rule. As I was sitting here, staring at the lovely Minnesota blizzard that seems to be taking the state by storm (no pun intended), I remembered that I was yet to write my December guest blog. (That high school thing just seems to keep getting in the way. ;-)) So, I’m sorry it’s a bit late, but without further ado…
I have a song that I’ve always greatly enjoyed, but one that I didn’t really take the time to understand until yesterday, when I began to REALLY think about it. Please allow me to set the scene for you. The snow was falling, the fireplace crackling, laughs filled the room, and two guitars were strumming. Well, I should say 1.5 guitars were. My cousin knows how to play well, and I, well, like to pretend I can. ;-) Anyway, the family (all 32 of them) had requested a concert of sorts, so my cousin and I were flipping though the book, when the song “Who Am I?” by Casting Crowns came up:
Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours
Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me
I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours
We sang our little duet, and it sounded lovely, of course. ;-) But, what struck me at that time, were those two bolded lines. Being in the cancer world is a constant reminder of how fleeting this earthly life is. On a grand scheme, each of our lives are nothing but “A wave tossed in the ocean”, “a vapor in the wind”, or a single snowflake in a blizzard (for all of us Midwesterners. ;-)). The thought originally makes us feel so very small, but, then it all changes. As the song goes on, we are reminded that God sent His Son for us. Also, He is in control of each and every moment that we live. His gift to us is the ultimate one of love, and that who we are, is not because of anything we do, but because He has chosen us as His own. And, this thought, leaves us with nothing but a feeling of joy.
In the spirit of this wonderful Christmas season, I pray for you all a blessed holiday, a fantastic start to 2008, some good company, and even some good turkey. And, I also pray that in the hub-bub (since we’re known for making up words) of the Christmas season, you stop to remember the real reason we are blessed to celebrate the 25th of December: because Jesus Christ came for us.
Merry Christmas everyone!
End note: To the Kellys: if there’s one thing I’m thankful for as the New Year approaches, it’s that I got to spend 2007 with you.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Foto Friday - It's the Little Things..
Day 222: It's the little things in life that we need to celebrate as well.
Peace and Prayers
Peace and Prayers
Friday, December 14, 2007
Foto Friday
Day 215:
From snuggling with a puppy to,....
being a pre-teen at a Hannah Montana Concert.
Either way, time flies.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Shhhh, I'm Trying to Read, Sort of
Day 213:
Ahhhhh, silent reading. It's the "teachers dream section" on the list of things to do for the day.
Silent reading is a time, (uh, hold on)..... "You need to find a place to sit and stay put."
There, now as I was saying,...it's a time for me to sit down, collect my thoughts, and blog a li (excuse me),...... "Seriously. Silent reading is not silent staring. You need to have a book with more than just pictures. What? No, numbers at the bottom of the page do not count as reading."
As I was saying, it's a time to relax and blog a little. I love it whe (just a minute),... "Your desk won't shut all the way? Well, why are you trying to shut your desk now anyway, you were just reading a second ago in the corner? We'll fix it during lunch, okay."
Blogging can be a terrific chance to step back from the day to day stuff and just jot down (oh for Petesake),.... "Why are you just staring at me?.........Huh? No, lunch time isn't for another 15 minutes!....... It doesn't matter that the other class just walked by,...they're not going to lunch right now."
I should write a book and call it, (what the heck),..."Do you realize that your book is upside down?...Oh, you're challenging yourself? Well that's just terrific - we can't seem to get our shoes tied correctly, but when it comes to your reading development you are reaching way beyond the 4th grade level."
It's sometimes difficult to complete a thought when you're the one person in the room that everyone goes to for guid...., (uno momento) "Yes, yes. I know it's almost lunch time. No, I'm not torturing you. We still have ten minutes to get down to the cafeteria and the last time I clocked it, it's about a 30 second walk. What's that? No, we won't have anymore silent reading today - I'm done."
Ahhhhh, silent reading. It's the "teachers dream section" on the list of things to do for the day.
Silent reading is a time, (uh, hold on)..... "You need to find a place to sit and stay put."
There, now as I was saying,...it's a time for me to sit down, collect my thoughts, and blog a li (excuse me),...... "Seriously. Silent reading is not silent staring. You need to have a book with more than just pictures. What? No, numbers at the bottom of the page do not count as reading."
As I was saying, it's a time to relax and blog a little. I love it whe (just a minute),... "Your desk won't shut all the way? Well, why are you trying to shut your desk now anyway, you were just reading a second ago in the corner? We'll fix it during lunch, okay."
Blogging can be a terrific chance to step back from the day to day stuff and just jot down (oh for Petesake),.... "Why are you just staring at me?.........Huh? No, lunch time isn't for another 15 minutes!....... It doesn't matter that the other class just walked by,...they're not going to lunch right now."
I should write a book and call it, (what the heck),..."Do you realize that your book is upside down?...Oh, you're challenging yourself? Well that's just terrific - we can't seem to get our shoes tied correctly, but when it comes to your reading development you are reaching way beyond the 4th grade level."
It's sometimes difficult to complete a thought when you're the one person in the room that everyone goes to for guid...., (uno momento) "Yes, yes. I know it's almost lunch time. No, I'm not torturing you. We still have ten minutes to get down to the cafeteria and the last time I clocked it, it's about a 30 second walk. What's that? No, we won't have anymore silent reading today - I'm done."
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Tree-Mendous Miracle
Day 212:
It was a Christmas miracle!
As promised, Sunday was the tree hunt. We bundled up (except for Sam because he's a teenager and knows better - "I don't need gloves. I don't get cold."), grabbed the camera - it's the only thing that stops the debate over which tree to get ("Everyone look this way and smiiiile."), and we headed off for the tree ("I'm hungry. When can we eat?").
Ahhhh, the fresh smell of tree as we made our way from the farm house to the field of Christmas trees. It's like one big car deodorizer. The easy part was finding our section - I really couldn't tell what that is because I have know idea what kind of tree it is that we always get. Kinda like the same kind of knowledge I have when it comes to storage in our house. I know the general location of things, but every bucket/bin looks the same to me - so I defer to Kim.
The tough part of picking the tree is the agreement. Unlike the Mayflower Compact, I'm not willing to stick it out until a settlement is reached. I'm all for the quick and easy majority rules or what I like to call,... dad rules.
"Sam, start cutting the tree down,... my knees are killing me. And the ground looks really really cold." Sam, being the one with sharpened saw hits the ground like a man on a mission. Seconds later,... "My hands are getting cold. Here Max, you try it."
(Cut to the tree at home - no pun intended).....
"Is the tree crooked?" Kim eyes the tree from various positions in the living room as the tree stands solo.
Since we have the tree drilled from the bottom, they set it in a stand at the farm and eye up the vertical correctness before drilling. Apparently the teenager who was working that station is vertically correctedness challenged - I noticed he wasn't wearing gloves either,..hmmmmmm.
As the tree decoration began to go up, the family settled in for a family movie,..which typically means I end up falling asleep. Here's the miracle - I closed my eyes for a second. When I opened them, the tree was lit up in all it's Christmas glory! It's truly a Christmas full of miracles.
Peace and Prayers
It was a Christmas miracle!
As promised, Sunday was the tree hunt. We bundled up (except for Sam because he's a teenager and knows better - "I don't need gloves. I don't get cold."), grabbed the camera - it's the only thing that stops the debate over which tree to get ("Everyone look this way and smiiiile."), and we headed off for the tree ("I'm hungry. When can we eat?").
Ahhhh, the fresh smell of tree as we made our way from the farm house to the field of Christmas trees. It's like one big car deodorizer. The easy part was finding our section - I really couldn't tell what that is because I have know idea what kind of tree it is that we always get. Kinda like the same kind of knowledge I have when it comes to storage in our house. I know the general location of things, but every bucket/bin looks the same to me - so I defer to Kim.
The tough part of picking the tree is the agreement. Unlike the Mayflower Compact, I'm not willing to stick it out until a settlement is reached. I'm all for the quick and easy majority rules or what I like to call,... dad rules.
"Sam, start cutting the tree down,... my knees are killing me. And the ground looks really really cold." Sam, being the one with sharpened saw hits the ground like a man on a mission. Seconds later,... "My hands are getting cold. Here Max, you try it."
(Cut to the tree at home - no pun intended).....
"Is the tree crooked?" Kim eyes the tree from various positions in the living room as the tree stands solo.
Since we have the tree drilled from the bottom, they set it in a stand at the farm and eye up the vertical correctness before drilling. Apparently the teenager who was working that station is vertically correctedness challenged - I noticed he wasn't wearing gloves either,..hmmmmmm.
As the tree decoration began to go up, the family settled in for a family movie,..which typically means I end up falling asleep. Here's the miracle - I closed my eyes for a second. When I opened them, the tree was lit up in all it's Christmas glory! It's truly a Christmas full of miracles.
Peace and Prayers
Friday, December 07, 2007
Foto Friday
Day 208:
From the Files,.... with the Christmas Tree Hunt this weekend, I thought it appropriate that we drag out a couple photos from last seasons hunt!
From the Files,.... with the Christmas Tree Hunt this weekend, I thought it appropriate that we drag out a couple photos from last seasons hunt!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)