First Whopping Paycheck

Ola!

Did you like my bilingual greeting? I'm sure you are impressed with my use of the south-of-the-border dialect!! Really, I should have said, "Saluti," because I had Margherita pizza for dinner. When the moon hit my eye I craved a big pizza pie, and that's what I picked up to pop in the oven after work. It was yummo, or molto buon - very good, in Italian.

Oh! Did I tell you I've been dying to go to Italy?! Well, I have been! So, imagine my delight when I turned the page in this month's Cooking Light mag and saw that the grand prize in a pizza-making contest was a 5-day trip to Italy!! Then, a few days later i was reading a book (can't remember which one) that mentioned a missionary trip to Italy. Maybe the two could be combined - fun and service - all at the expense of some wine grower offering the contest?

Anyhoo, I would love to win, and must come up with a killer pizza concoction before the end-of-March deadline. I will!!! And hey, I've already had scooter practice, so when I hit the streets of Nopoli, I'll be ready to hop on that Vespa and go, go, go! Oh, and I hope when I win that God will turn Mike into a lean (he's already that), mean (ok, that, too), romantic (bring it on!!!!)machine!! Ah, amore romantico!!

This is all for now - arrivederci il mio amico!

Shannon.....

are you still alive??? :)

Ants

There are aunts, fun-loving relatives that you love to be around. Then there are ants - those pesky varmits that you don't ever want around and can hardly get rid of! The ants might not be a strong folk (Proverbs 30:25) but they are definitely determined!

Now, Mike and I have persistently battled these six-legged minuscule bothers for 6 months, and it seems to us that they are well outliving their 45-60 lifespan! I think the grandants are telling their grandchildants that our house is heaven, because they strive so hard to be here!

But maybe the Lord is using those ants as a visual message - "Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, which having no chief, officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest (don't these ants realize the harvest ended months ago?!). How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?" (Proverbs 6:6-9.)

It could be the need for more discipline in my chores that the Lord is trying to remind me of, but that word determined I used to describe our diligent guests has nailed me to the wall. Writing my book, getting involved at church, being hospitible... I am not very determined to get going in these areas. Also, though we've smashed, yelled at (LOL), and sprayed them, the ants doggedly return. Nothing is deterring them.... get the picture?

Anyhoo, I am still determined to kill off these visual aids, but perhaps I ought to learn from them first!

A Great Week

It's been a really nice week. All week I had been working on an article on procrastination, then determined, by God's grace, to live what I was learning. Well, let me tell you some things I've noticed: First, I've been in a great mood. I hate to admit this, but I am really thinking that some of my depression is correlated to my lack of discpline. gulp. I reeeeealy did not like admitting that. Anyhoo, also, it's a joy to learn and apply. I mean, I've always loved learning, but never loved applying@! hahahahahaah. Those of you who know me well, know this about me. Anyhoo, when today, this wonderful end of the week showed up, my brain was clear - and so was my list of to-do's! A thousand hurrahs. May it become a lifelong habit! :)

OH, Brother!

In my laundry room has sat a clothes basket, pile up to the sky with clean clothes. Every time I have to go near that room, I cringe, not wanting to face that mound of duty.

Well, the jokes on me, 'cuz I finally forced my procrastinating self to attack. It literally took me 3 minutes to fold the clothes, because the largest portion of that high pile was ALREADY FOLDED towels!!

Moral of the story: No matter how high the pile, it is never costs as much time as letting things pile up (procrastinating)!

Winter Wonderland

Mornin'! At a cool 34 degrees, it's no wonder ice was covering the car's windows! This just might be the day that my cherry tomato plant realizes that summer is over! I've still had the pleasure of picking those little red delights! Yum.

Like the weather, our hearts can grow cold toward the things of God. The man who taught our OT class last night suggested this as our homework:

• Get Quiet.
• Quiet your heart and ask the Lord: What needs to go? Where am I not trusting you? How can I show you I love you this week?

I thought those were pretty thought-provoking, revealing, and hopefully, warm up any hearts that have frozen over this winter. Write me if you do this and let me know how it goes. :)

In the Beginning

That's how Genesis begins....in the beginning...God.

Beginning next Sunday, I will be attending a three-hour, nine-week class (45 minutes for dinner) at Riverlakes, on the Old Testament. So, as I began reading Genesis, 'in the beginning,' made me think of our beginning... With God. In His thoughts. In His actions.

As this world turns, are we beginning to forget that we were created for Him and by Him? Those three little words made it so clear to me that He was there - and we weren't - until the beginning, not of eternity, but of God's idea to create a people to love and to love Him back.

Really let that trio of truth sink in and make a new beginning of being with God, living in love, and looking forward to the end, where we will have a new beginning in eternity!

Good Mornin', Good Mo-o-orninnnnn'!

I dont' know why I'm so giddy, 'cuz i threw up this morning and am battling a dumb sore throat. Still, I'm happy. It's unexplainable!

But, since I am not up to 100%, I'll just take it easy and be able to do some praying and writing. How are you?

This 'N That

Let's see, first of all, it's Monday....cleaning/get caught up day. Having kisssed that little Brandon too much the day before he got sick, this Auntie is feeling a little under the weather. Not enough to keep me in bed, but enough that progress is slow. But that's OK; I'm pacing myself!

Do you know what is really sweet? Our tree's oranges! Brilliant orange, sweet & juicy! This is the best year for that tree, ever. It looks like a Christmas tree with big orange bulbs; darling! Darting out there in the middle of the morning to nab a delightfully fresh orange, packed with vitamin C, is a highlight of my day. Hahahah, pretty boring life, eh? (And yet, I love my life.)

Tim was here this weekend, just long enough to collect $60 gas cash from me, snarl at me a bit, then dash to and fro with friends. I did the same thing at his age...without the cash from mom! Oh, and I'm sure I NEVER snarled. rofl.

Beth Moore told me today that in the Greek (Eph. 1:13 & 19) the word believe has two meanings. The first is to believe towards salvation. The second is a present participle word that you could put the word "continually" before. So, we believe for salvation, then continually believing all the way into eternity. Got that? Good! Me, too!

Well, this is enough of this 'n that. I only have four more minutes till it's the kitchen-cleaning hour. I've assigned each room with one hour of this day. By day's end, the house will shine. If I get any room finished before the hour is up - the extra minutes are mine all mine!!!! ttfn

Time Does Fly!

We just tooted our horns into the midnight air, so how can it already be the third??? Time does fly... which means that I must get busy flying, doing my Father's business! No matter if you're speaking, praying, cleaning, it's all the Father's business. He's given us jobs to do to serve Him and our families and others, so.... let's get flying!

Over the River and Through the Snow

We've past over the river of Old Things, and now we must trudge through the snow and clear weather of the future. Where will we end up, I wonder?

Yesterday we heard the sad news of a just-married young friend finding his 22-year-old wife slumped in a corner of the bathroom. A blood clot instantly killed this new bride, and it reminded me again of life's uncertainties.

Time's too short to squander on what was. Let's make it a goal to let go of it. Forgive, replace unhappy memories with pleasant ones, let failures serve as springboards to accomplishments, and well, let's just get moving for God! "This is the day the Lord has made..."

Happy New Year!

It's here - fresh beginnings, new calendars, aspiring goals! I've never been one to make goals, but I have already begun some 6-month goals. This is a first for me, and I must say, I am quite excited about the possiblity of achieving them. In six months (if I remember) I will tell you how I did.

A goal that I didn't write on paper, but that the Lord has put in my heart, is to spend time with Him... in the Word, every day, not even a selected time, just available when He calls - reading, absorbing, praying, personalizing, listening (shhhhhhh), hearing, obeying, praising, glorifying, thanking, complaining, confessing, yakking, adoring. I'm excited about this too, as I will confess sloth in this area in 2005 (and 04 and 03 and...).

Anne Graham Lotz is right - God is the Giver of second chances... and fresh beginnings! Great is His faithfulness!