Friday Randomness!

Joining in the fun at Under Grace and Over Coffee...Here is my complete fun, randomness for Friday!!!! I'm so HAPPY its Friday!!!! :)


#1 - We are getting crazy (but kinda typical) weather here this weekend. Its COLD and rainy outside right now....turning into snow this evening. Northwestern OK is supposed to get AT LEAST a foot of snow...probably more. The central area, including Stillwater, is supposed to get 4-6 inches...and Tulsa and eastern OK is looking at 2-4 inches. YUCK! I so hope this is our last go around with winter!!!! I'm still not getting my hopes too high....Easter weekend always seems to hold our last cold front.


#2 - Ken and I are heading to TX this weekend. YAY!!!!! I am so super excited! For one, we get to miss (hopefully) all this gross weather. But two, I am excited that he gets to meet more of my family...and that they get to meet him. We are heading to Dallas tonight and staying with my mom's sister and her family (Julie, Steve, Gracie, Hill, and Hannah if she's home from A&M for the weekend). Saturday, we will head to Houston to see my grandmother (my dad's mom). Her cancer isn't looking good. They are now saying that with chemo her life expectancy is only 8 months....without it, she is expected to live 4 months. I am thankful that she will at least get to meet Ken! I just pray we make it out of here before the weather gets too bad!


#3 - My last bit of randomness for the day....

What Girl Scout Cookie Are You?

I Am A Peanut Butter Sandwiches / Do-si-dos

You are easy going and naturally happy. You don't need a lot to make you smile. You genuinely care about people and are a great friend. You're always doing your best to make the world a better place. Even though there isn't an immature bone in your body, you still are like a big kid sometimes. Why make life complicated when the best parts are actually quite simple? You enjoy the small joys of life.

My Grace Is Sufficient...

Today is the first day of discussion at Books, Blogs and Brownies. We are specifically discussing the first two chapters in “The Passion of Mary Margaret.” I have been keeping a journal close by just for quotes from the book. Its full of great “one-liners” that really lay on my heart and I want to keep them close. The book is really good and know that it will be good until the last page b/c Michelle has told me so. Its amazing that a fictional novel can make you think so much and change you, encourage you, and challenge you.

In the first two chapters we get to see the background of Mary-Margaret. Its not a pretty background by any means…and one that is hard to take, especially as a child. When life gets tough, whether we are young or old, can our trials or past be used for His glory? Even if its violent, painful, hurtful, life-changing, marked by betrayal or whatever you have come through?

“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.” ~2 Corinthians 12:9

God uses our weaknesses, if we are willing to let Him, to glorify Him and help others. He is revealed in our lives so much more when we are weak and show others that we can’t make it without Him! If we go through a trial and don’t come through it at the end having character that is more like Christ, then we went through it for nothing. I know its hard for us as humans to let go of the hurt and be vulnerable with others, but it also takes away from us declaring the strength of Christ that He gives us during and after that trial! We all have different backgrounds, upbringings, circumstances, and trials, all of which are ways that God can use us on our own unique path He has for our life. We can choose to participate with Him and use where we have been for His glory, or we can choose to bottle up the hurt and pains of life and pretend that we are “fine.” Being “fine” doesn’t reveal Christ! It gives the idea that we can make it on our own, without Him. The only way anyone can come through trials, no matter how traumatic, is by leaning on Christ and looking to Him for sufficiency. The moment we transfer that sufficiency to anything or anyone else, we are set to fail (and so is what we declare “sufficient”---spouse, children, parents, friends, ministry, etc)! It is completely possible to come out of traumatic situations and still shine for Him! We have to be intentional about not letting Satan win that battle! We have to be intentional about living DAILY and choosing DAILY (sometimes multiple times a day) to believe Christ and His Word….and know without a doubt that it’s Truth. To lean on that Truth and remember that no matter what our emotions tell us, His Word is ALWAYS True!

There’s a quote in one of the first two chapters that says, “The blood she gave for me. Yes, I’m painfully aware of the symbolism.” I’m anxious to see if this forshadows the future of the book. God may ask her to give up her “life” for someone, just like her mother did for her….just like Christ does for us. It may not necessarily be her actual LIFE (like it was for Christ), but to give up what she has lived for and dreamed about her entire life. He may ask her to do something that is completely out of her plan….to trust Him and where He is going to take her. He may ask her to redeem someone’s life (situations and circumstances), showing Christ’s love through her…not to redeem them by salvation standards, but extending grace and giving them a 2nd chance at having a full life on this earth. I am very anxious to see where God leads her and learn from what is to come….

Spring Reading Thing!

I'm starting early this year....Michelle and I usually make a pact to read during the summer, but I am going to start now (and when you see my list, you'll know why). I've joined the blogger world of "Spring Reading Thing" and below you will see my list of books that I would like to have read by the end of the summer. The "Spring Reading Thing" ends on June 20th, but I know I won't have them all read by then. Its a great place to view others' blogs and see what they will be reading too! My last post showed the book I am reading right now...but I have this really bad habit that I picked up from my dad with starting multiple books at one time. So, I am actually reading THREE. Here they are:

Here are the books that I want to read by the end of the summer:

Happy Reading!

Under Grace and Over Coffee

I've decided to join the book club over at Under Grace and Over Coffee. I really do like to read, but usually my TiVo takes over. :) So, I am going to do this so I have people to talk about the book with. The first book is "The Passion of Mary Margaret."

I'm only 15 pages in and I already love it! I hope the rest of the book is as good. I've never heard of this author (I don't read that often...when I do, its Karen Kingsbury) and never would have picked up this book otherwise and I'm so glad I'm reading it. This is a good way for me to branch out and read books I wouldn't have otherwise.

Our Moms

Ken and I went to Tulsa last Tuesday to visit his mom and grandma. We had gone on Sunday to see everyone, but we wanted to see his mom again before she went back to Minnesota and visit his grandma after her surgery. When we got to Tulsa, Ken's mom and my mom were having lunch at The Cheesecake Factory....so we decided to crash! :) They had already eaten but we all visited, Ken and I ate and then had dessert together. YUM!!!

After Cheesecake Factory, we took Sandie (Ken's mom) back to the hospital and sat with Grandma for awhile. She was in really good spirits and seemed to be doing really well. We also got to visit with some family that we didn't see on Sunday.

We also visited with some of my family and had dinner with my mom and nephew. She and Cade had been shopping for his birthday, so they joined us before we headed back to Stillwater. We had a really nice time...and we've realized we have been to Tulsa every weekend this month....and last Tuesday. We are also heading there again today. Its fun to visit family and friends. :)

Here are the updates on our grandmothers:

Thursday we found out that Ken's grandma had some internal bleeding and they had to give her two units of blood. And, unfortunately, she also got pneumonia. They had her on medicine for that and were trying to maintain her hemoglobin levels. Once her health was maintained, they would send her home. Sandie also ran into some problems getting home b/c she was flying stand-by and every flight was booked from Friday until the following Tuesday. She was going to have to sit in the airport from 5am until they could get her on a flight. She flew out today and will hopefully make it home by this evening. Grandma is still in the hospital and hopefully going home soon!

My grandmother had her exploratory surgery on Tuesday afternoon. When they got in there, they could tell the cancer had already started to spread and it had been there so long, it had the texture of a football. The doctor said that at this point it is too late for surgery....she is already at a stage 4. So, the next thing they are going to do is chemo. They want to do this so she can live as long as possible. If the chemo is successful, she has 1-2 years. If its not successful, they are giving her about 3 months. After her surgery, she was doing VERY well. She was strong and in good spirits....walking around and sitting up on her own. They said she didn't need physical therapy if she continued to do this. Her dr. is out of town this weekend, so she will get to stay at MD Anderson through Monday or Tuesday. As of yesterday, she was having some stomach problems and was throwing up. Hopefully that will get worked out today and she will start feeling better soon.

Your prayers are so appreciated!

Updates

I have an update on Ken's grandmother and my grandmother.

Ken's grandmother went in for surgery this morning. We spent some time with her yesterday in Tulsa. It was good to talk to her! Ken's mom came in from Minnesota and we were able to see her too. Anyway---the surgery was this morning and it went better than expected. I think we will know more as the days go by and the dr's get to talk with her.

My grandmother found out that the mass is cancerous and they were prepping her for surgery last week. They realized the mass was bigger and more aggressive than originally thought and sent her to MD Anderson in Houston. They were trying to run some tests on her today and because of the size of the mass were unable to get the scope down her. So they are doing exploratory surgery tomorrow. My dad left for Houston this afternoon to be with her.

If you are reading this and think of it, please say a prayer for both our grandmothers!

Before and After

I wanted to post before and after picuters of Ken's house. Most of the stuff he works on isn't really something to be seen....like pipes, roof, repairing the wood burning stove, anything underneath the house, etc. He also installed new guttering on the south side of the house, but I don't have pictures of that. However, he finished putting on shutters a few weeks ago and it looks so good!!! Here they are...

MARCH MADNESS!!!

March Madness is HERE!!! This is one of my favorite months of the year!!!! It might be my favorite "holiday" next to Christmas! :) We have one week left before Big 12 Tournament is upon us....and then, THE BIG DANCE is here!!!! If I could, I would take off every Thursday and Friday just to watch basketball ALL day (Michelle, I don't need you rubbing it in that you are a stay-at-home-mom...now I know the real reason...haha!)!!!! And, I am hoping my Cowboys are invited to the dance this year....and to really dream big???? That they would be the "Cinderella" team!!!

Outside of basketball, I start getting spring fever REALLY badly! In my head, it should be SPRING everyday!!!! This week I am spoiled b/c the weather is going to be in the 70's and 80's and I am so excited (Sorry Judith)! The one thing I dread is that last horrible, horrible freeze we seem to get every year around Easter. I am ready to bring out my spring clothes and be done with the heavy sweaters!!!! Can I get an "AMEN"?????

This month seems pretty quiet. I am sure I can find away to stay busy, but not really that much going on. I know Spring Break is coming quickly....but sadly to say, that doesn't affect me anymore...except for having a very quiet week at work. I am sad to report that Ken's grandmother will be having surgery next week, AND I think my grandmother will be having surgery in the coming weeks. I am praying daily that they go well and God brings them through this! I have a girl's night-sleep over planned at my house, a friend's wedding, and I'm singing at church at the end of the month. Ken had company in town this last week. It was so fun to meet one of his long-time best friends. We had a good time together....and its my hope that he might reside in Stillwater someday. :) Thats about it for this month as I look ahead at what is planned.

I am just still totally excited that its March Madness!!!! Woo-Hoo!!!!!