Birthday thoughts

Just a couple of random thoughts today. Did I mention that I don't really like birthdays? It isn't the getting old part that bothers me, but just the whole idea of being the center of attention. I am actually quite introverted and could stay in my house for days quite content - this really freaks out the husband.

Back to my birthday. We were really busy with church and all - so I suggested that we celebrate a different day. Well, in Roger's family that just didn't work. It was done on the day! In my family, you were lucky that someone even remembered - sort of like the movie "Sixteen Candles" with Molly Ringwold. My husband loves me very much, but birthdays are just not fun for me. He bought me very needed and practical gifts - because I just wouldn't get these things for myself - a hairbrush (mine barely had any teeth left), a coffee mug for the car (I broke my last one and haven't replaced it) and a folding chair for camping (the one I had lost a screw and didn't really work anymore). So, these were good gifts - I just didn't want them at the time he offered them. It isn't the gift for me - it is the people giving the gift that gives me pleasure. I love to give gifts and see the joy. What is wrong with me anyway?

I have patched things up with my husband and we are looking forward to our spring break. We are going to be tourists in our own city. It shall be fun. Look for blogs later.


Thanks for reading

Cyndee

I just couldn't stop laughing

I had some time on my hands today and through a few links, found this blog. It is not for the faint at heart, but she says it so wonderfully. So, if you need a laugh, go, read and enjoy.

Something fun

Here's sort of a cool Meme I stole from Susanne. I thought it appropriate since today is my birthday - let's see what happened this day in history.

1. Go to Wikipedia and type in your Birthday Month and day only.

2. List 3 Events that occurred that day.

1799 New York State abolished slavery

1929 Democratic constitution goes into effect in Ecuador

1936 Birth of Bill Gaither, contemporary Gospel songwriter and vocal artist. Together with his wife Gloria, he wrote some of the most popular Christian songs of the 1960s-1970s, including "Because He Lives," "The King is Coming," "The Longer I Serve Him" and "Something Beautiful."

1961 English apologist C. S. Lewis wrote in "Letters to American Lady": 'The main purpose of our life is to reach the point at which one's own life as a person is at an end. One must in this sense "die," relinquish one's freedom and independence... "He that loses his life shall find it."'


3. List 2 important Birth days

Reba McEntire - 1955

August Anheuser Busch Jr. - 1898

4. List 1 Death.

1969 - Dwight D Eisenhower, 34th pres/gen (WW 2), dies in Washington at 78


5. List a Holiday or Observance. (if any):

American Chocolate Week - Last week of March

Constitution Day in Serbia

Czechoslovakia : Teachers' Day

Libya : Evacuation Day



Thanks for reading -

Cyndee

Choices

"Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before...either into a creature that is in harmony with God,...or into one that is in a state of war with God. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other."



C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity



I decided to try this at Fruit in Season. The quote was very convicting for me.

I am a high school teacher and end of the term grades are upon us. It is at this point that they ask if I can give them an "A". I tell them that they always earn what grade they get. Or sometimes they will come in to class and ask if they have to do any work today. I tell them that it is always their choice whether to do the work in my class or not. I cannot force them to learn or finish class work. Doing well in school is all about choices - at least that is part of it.

On a more personal level, my choices and attitudes to bring me closer or farther from God. I can choose to sin and face the consequences of that or I can obey and face the consequences of that - one is a blessing and the other is not.

I struggle with telling the complete truth. I can blame my alcoholic mother for this coping mechanism that I learned. As a young adult I was not really encouraged or allowed to say what was really happening. For example, it was me that had to come up with an excuse why my friends could not stay the night because my mom might come home drunk.

Yet, as long as I keep blaming her, I never claim responsibility for my own sin and it continues to spread and draw me away from my Jesus. I am trying to confess every time I twist the truth or simply cover up. I have been away from home for 20 years now and I am still paying the price for my own sin. I have confidence that by making that choice to identify my sin that Satan (or his minions) will have less control and I will be heading in the right direction toward God.

Thanks for reading

Cyndee

Phone Envy

My husband and I qualify for a "free" phone upgrade if we renew our 2-year contract with our cellphone provider. We had renewed it anyway when we added Charity to our plan, so the new phone would just be a bonus!

We looked on the website and found a bunch to choose from. Roger picked one with all the bells and whistles and when it arrived - Charity just drooled over it. You would think that she had never seen a cellphone before the way she carried on! It was a "Razor"!!! Roger actually didn't like it and ended up exchanging it for something different. Charity just couldn't believe that he would want to return it if he could have a "Razor". She had Phone Envy.

Roger and I try to be practical - and didn't jump into the whole cell phone phenomenon until recently. We really just want a phone that is a phone. That is all we use it for. Charity is much more adept and uses it as a planner, with alarms and all. I find that taping notes to the dashboard of my car works much better than trying to figure out how to post a memo on my phone? I must be showing my age again...

Thanks for reading!

Cyndee

Weekend Reflection #3

This was an uneventful and relaxing weekend - I needed one of those for a change.

Friday - Charity had a synchro friend stay over and they continued to write the moves for their duet. Enjoyed an evening at home and grilled for the first time - it was actually 60 degrees today! Spring may have come to MN early this year (but I am not putting the coats away yet!).

Saturday - Charity had early morning synchro practice and then went to a friends for a carnival. She is definitely more popular than I ever was. Why do I mention her schedule - well, I am the chauffeur of course! Spent most of the day doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms, etc. Saturday night church was an emotional drain - with very touching music videos. I am still carrying the baggage from my dysfunctional family....

Sunday - Raceday in our house. I finished folding laundry, and put together a lasagna for dinner, since I will forget about it otherwise. Took a walk without a coat - hit 70 degrees today and Eli played outside all afternoon in shorts. He was so excited. The girl was bored so she made chocolate chip cookies - when all else fails, make cookies...

Thanks for reading

Cyndee

Spring reading thing

I am not really into surfing blogs, but thought this might be fun since reading is one of my passions. I found this through this blog. I mostly read fiction with an occasional nonfiction thrown in for my spiritual growth. Here is my short list:

Karen Kingsbury - Firstborn series:

Fame: (From the cover) Spin off from her best-selling novel Reunion. Dayne Matthews is a star, but his passion for Hollywood is fading. Can a former actress ignite in him a new passion - a passion for God?

Forgiven: (From the cover) Dayne Matthews tries to piece his life back together while Katy Hart struggles with a deadly tragedy. Will they both be able to let God have His way with them?

Found: (From the cover) Dayne gave up his family for fame...can the power of prayer bring them back? Dayne Matthews is undergoing a personal crisis - hefeels unfulfilled despite his fame and wealth. Will a desperate escape to Mexico bring him close to God?

Family: (From the cover) John Baxter finds his son, only to be confronted by his terrible past. Dayne Matthews and Katy Hart learn the hard way that Hollywood and love don't mix.


Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver: Like Mary at Bethany, Christian women of today love Jesus and long to sit at his feet...but the demands of a busy world just won't leave them alone. And like Martha, they love Jesus and want to serve Him...but they struggle with weariness, resentment and feelings of inadequacy.

9 Things You Simply Must Do by Henry Cloud: My Husband finished this last fall and comes highly recommended by him as well as my Pastor. I thought it might be something interested to read.

I am sure that I will add to the list - if I even get through these with work and the kids.

Thanks for reading and check out my other posts if you are visiting for the first time.

Cyndee