For those of you who were curious about what kind of business I have started, this is it. I'm not the lovely lady demonstrating the warmer in the video, but she does a great job!
This particular warmer is an older model. The tops no longer have handles or pour spouts. You can see the whole Scentsy catalog here.
My children asked me if we could dye eggs tomorrow. They also asked what I was making for Easter dinner. My answers? OK and Ham. Whatever.
Is this what Easter has evolved into?
This has been a very eventful week at our house. The kids are on vacation from school this week, I launched a new business on Monday, my Mother-in-Law was hospitalized for two days (comfortably home now) and the puppy got into my closet, chewed up two of my favorite slippers and apparently buried 1/2 of my last precious pairs of Vans. He also pulled books off the bookshelf to use for his chewing pleasure. He thinks trash is best enjoyed scattered throughout the house, freed from the confines of the garbage bag in which it was placed. Coco is not my friend. These situations took on an urgency in my life that needed to be addressed as each issue arose. Preparation for Easter became an afterthought. I been occupied with Ham, hospitals and canine homicide all week. Even now I'm not sure how to approach Easter. I am tired and would like nothing more than to rest this weekend.
Our church is hosting an Easter Eggstravaganza tomorrow. Work.
The praise team needs to spend a couple of hours rehearsing tomorrow evening. More work.
We will have tons of visitors at church who need to be welcomed. Even more work.
Dyeing eggs, ham dinner, dressing up (pantyhose-yuck). Work. Work. Work.
Just thinking about what needs to be done this weekend makes me tired. Somehow, they feel like chores. I hate chores.
My thoughts go back to Monday; the day of my business launch. Friends were coming over that evening to sample my wares (thanks, ladies; you're the best!) and I cleaned like a maniac to get ready; I even dragged the kids into the effort. You know what? I didn't mind it at all! I was so filled with anticipation of the evening festivities I didn't even think of what I was doing as "chores." It was a labor of love - I wanted my friends to feel comfortable, welcome and free to be as excited as I was about what I wanted to share with them.
Maybe that's why I am struggling with Easter. I have lost sight of my goal, allowing myself to be distracted by the minutia of the individual tasks themselves. My ultimate purpose for this weekend is what matters. Do I just want to get through the Eggstravaganza or do I want to share Jesus with children and their parents who may never have the opportunity to make a decision to follow Christ again in their lives? Why should I look at the preparation for Sunday morning as anything less than a labor of love? The Good News shared on this Easter morning is the most important message anyone will ever have the good fortune to hear! I have the opportunity to contribute to a comfortable, welcoming environment for people who may only visit our church once a year, or even once in their lifetime!
Wouldn't it be great if some of those occasional attenders saw a body of believers who were so genuinely loving to each other and to their Savior that they wanted nothing more than to come back the following week and learn more about whatever filled all of us with such joy? It would be a shame for them to see frazzled, impatient people, so caught up in the minutia of Easter dresses, our favorite seats and lunch plans that we aren't excited about the joyous celebration this Holy day commemorates!
HE IS OUR REDEMPTION!! He paid our bond, our debt, through His sacrifice on the cross. Although we deserve eternal punishment for our disobedience to His law (our sin), He took on the punishment Himself, so we could be in fellowship with Him for eternity.
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. - Colossians 1:13-14
HE IS ALIVE!! He didn't just rise from the dead, then fade into history. HE IS ALIVE RIGHT NOW!! He is physically in Heaven, preparing a place for us, his children, so we can one day join Him there.
Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. - Mark 16:6
And that is the crux of the matter, isn't it?
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
How can we not be excited about that? If we believe God is who He says He is, how can we keep that a secret? Why would we want to keep it a secret??
Now I'm getting excited! I can keep it simple and to the point. The kids can help prepare the Ham dinner, I'll happily wear a dress and Coco can spend the afternoon in the backyard. I'm going to keep the most important thing as the most important thing and let the people know that Jesus cares this weekend!
UPDATE:
1. I found my missing Van (sneaker) in the laundry room. The puppy left it beside the laundry hamper.
From the group that gave us Facing the Giants and Flywheel (their less-known first effort) comes their next effort. I am so excited about this one! They posted their first trailer today and I had to share it here. So, for your viewing pleasure, here's the first trailer for FIREPROOF, opening this Fall, 2008:
I can't wait!!
If you'd like to keep up with the final production of the movie, release dates, maybe get a peek or two behind the scenes, check out the Fireproof Blog.
The world says we shouldn't care, we should just seek pleasure wherever it can be found. That's what the world says. In reality, we all want the same thing. Answers.
The answer to the important question not answered in this video? Follow this link
Sorry about the bad word used in the beginning of this video. I debated about sharing it, but it speaks to a very real need we all have that can only be met in Jesus Christ.
Driving my children to school is often very frustrating for me. Although there are signs indicating how traffic should flow, who should go and who should wait, the majority of drivers seem to be unaware or uninterested in the posted information. We've all been sent home specific guidelines for how to safely drop off our children, but every day I see people walking their children through dangerous areas that were designed for only cars to pass through. The whole thing makes me so crazy I often end up lecturing everyone from my driver's seat, much to my children's embarrassment. I can't help it! If they would just READ THE INFORMATION given to us, there would be NO PROBLEMS AT ALL!! ARGH!!!
On my way home, I entered a neighborhood where an elementary school has been built in the center of all the homes...it's a great idea in theory, but the traffic can be maddening and nerve wracking with many drivers apparently believing the rules were put in place for everyone but them. It drives me nuts.
Today, as I approached the school, the road was just as crowded as usual, but everyone was driving safely - appropriately. I was in shock. I could not believe how lovely everyone was being! No one was driving over 25 mph, parents were not double parking and making their children jump out of their cars on the traffic-filled side of their cars (that one makes me want to slap someone in the back of their head, btw). I was so impressed! I was taking this orderly scene all in when I found the source for the order: A police car, lights flashing without the siren, was setting the pace in front of the usually erratic pack. Bless that officer!! We all made it past the school and all of the children were safely deposited in their classrooms. It felt great to be a part of such an organized procession and I was so thankful for that officer taking the time to keep us all in line, in spite of ourselves.
Isn't that just like our walk with God? He placed all of us here on this planet and gave us all the information we needed to be successful here (The Ten Commandments). So, what did we do with that information? We may have read it, but we pretty much disregard it whenever it conveniences us. Our behavior puts ourselves and those around us at risk for not only physical/emotional injury, but spiritual death. So, did God just throw in the towel and give up on us? Nope. He sent His Son, God made man, to step in front of us and set the pace.
Jesus came here and led the way. He showed us how to live our lives to glorify God. He knew we already had the rules for living set before us, but he loved us enough to also reduce Himself into the form of a man to show us it could actually be done. He came here, waved his arms and said, "This is how it's done. Follow me, mimic my example, and you'll get through this the way God wants you to get through this." That alone would have been miraculous, but He went further and went ahead and paid the penalty for the multitude of times when we disregarded God's law and instead pursued our own pleasure. He suffered and died to pay restitution for our selfishness. Because of Him, we can approach God as His children, forgiven and adopted into His family. What a gift.
That's grace.
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.Ephesians 5:1-2, NLT
Well, not exactly; but this is as good or even better. Now you can send a text message requesting either calorie/nutritional info or requesting Weight Watcher's points for many popular menu items served at restaurant chains across the country. You'll get a text reply that will include calorie counts or points info. The picture to the left shows the points value of a Turkey sandwich from Subway.
To get calorie info, text the name of the restaurant and the menu item (example: Subway Turkey Breast Sand) to DIET1 (34381). To get WW points info, add either "pt" or "points" to your text message (example: pt Subway Turkey Breast Sand) and send to DIET 1 (34381)
Visit their website and try it out for yourself there before you try it on your phone if you'd like.
Finally a good reason to use my text message feature!
"Beloit Public Library director said when books aren't returned, the library sends three overdue notices. After the third notice, a citation is sent that could include court date.
[The library patron] said she was in the process of moving so she never got the notices. When a police officer pulled her over for a traffic violation in November, the officer found out about her outstanding warrant and took her to jail. She and her family couldn't afford to pay her fine so she remained in jail for six days."
I'm speechless.
Update: I found an article that does a pretty good job of giving the library's side here.
The Beloit Public Library sends three overdue notices at two weeks late, four weeks late and six weeks late, said library director Dan Zack. After a third and final notice, a citation is sent, which includes a mandatory court date, or some kind of action.
The municipal fine that Givhan says she never saw included $172 in court fees and another $159 in restitution from the library for the items that were not returned, said Zack.
Notices were sent to Givhan to no avail, Zack said. And when court appearances were missed in March, April and June of last year, a warrant was issued.
Driving my children to school is often very frustrating for me. Although there are signs indicating how traffic should flow, who should go and who should wait, the majority of drivers seem to be unaware or uninterested in the posted information. We've all been sent home specific guidelines for how to safely drop off our children, but every day I see people walking their children through dangerous areas that were designed for only cars to pass through. The whole thing makes me so crazy I often end up lecturing everyone from my driver's seat, much to my children's embarrassment. I can't help it! If they would just READ THE INFORMATION given to us, there would be NO PROBLEMS AT ALL!! ARGH!!!
Well, not exactly; but this is as good or even better. Now you can send a text message requesting either calorie/nutritional info or requesting Weight Watcher's points for many popular menu items served at restaurant chains across the country. You'll get a text reply that will include calorie counts or points info. The picture to the left shows the points value of a Turkey sandwich from Subway. 
