Random Post-Thanksgiving thoughts…

Happy Black Friday!

Hope your Thanksgiving was great! Mine was fantastic. We cooked and listened to Christmas music on Wednesday night. Thursday we snuggled on the couch and watched the Macy’s parade and ate breakfast then went to my sister’s house for dinner…ate too much and all that jazz.

I’m less than pleased to be at work today and SUPER tired. Went to bed last night at 12:15 and got up at 5:30 to do a bit of shopping before work. I don’t regret going….but wish I could take a nap.

The good news, for me, is that I had the fore-sight to put my Christmas decorations up last weekend so that this weekend would be relaxing. So, that’s one huge item off my “to do list” that would normally be done this weekend. And….I’m almost done with the Christmas shopping thing so double woot!

Hope your weekend is warm and fun…….and full of yummy leftovers!

Filed under: Apparently Random Thoughts , Black Friday, Post-Thanksgiving, shopping

The Giving of Thanks….

Sorry I’ve been missing for the last week. I don’t really have much of an excuse except that I’ve been BUSY at work and BUSY at home. Getting ready for Thanksgiving and starting Christmas shopping has taken up a chunk of my time as well…..So, no excuses….you’ll just have to forgive me and move on!

I’m ready for Thanksgiving….really ready. I love this holiday with great gusto. I love the focus on Thankfulness. I love the focus on family, I love the food, I love the rest….it’s a great chance to unplug from reality and get cozy in your own little nest with your family. What’s not to love?

So this weekend I’m going to focus on my family. Focus on my home, focus on what I’m Thankful for.

I’m blessed beyond speaking….God is gracious and kind and has held my family in his hand this year. This year has been difficult in many ways…truly difficult at times, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

I’ll leave you with this to ponder…..

Oh come on…you know it’s funny!

What are you thankful for?

Filed under: Family Stuff, Thoughts I thought.... , Thanksgiving

We thought about never returning….

Sorry for the delay in posting….we did come back from our weekend get-away, although we thought about never returning. It was tempting…until we realized that running out of money would put a pretty big kink in those plans.

In short…our weekend was fantastic. It was fun and relaxing and even downright difficult in places. We talked through some hard things that can “cloud the windshield” of a marriage and keep you from seeing things clearly. The end result? We are happy and connected and closer than we have been in a long time….hard conversations shouldn’t be avoided – they can change the course of your relationships.

I don’t have much time now, but I will leave you with a quick picture of the view from our room. We got up super early both mornings just so we could see this:

Told you it was good!

Filed under: Marriage Rocks , Myrtle Beach, weekend get-away

I’m running away….

Okay, not really, but I am leaving for a few days. The hubby and I are going to Myrtle Beach to celebrate our 11th anniversary this weekend! Can I just say how much I LOVE the fact that we only live a few hours away from the ocean? I have not had that privilege in many many years.

So we are leaving town…getting away and focusing on each other for a few days. We are going to walk on the beach (if it stops raining), eat out, read some books, sit in the hot-tub and sleep as late as we want. We are going to remember all the reasons why we fell in love in the first place and made that giant leap into the future together on November 15th 1997.

The last 11 years have not always been easy…but I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I can’t wait to see what the next 11 bring!

I’ll take some pictures of the ocean…..and come back more rested and refocused.

See ya on the flip side!

Filed under: Marriage Rocks , Anniversary Celebration, Myrtle Beach

50,000 Shoes….Soles 4 Souls

Imagine if you didn’t have any shoes…..what would that feel like? How would your life be different?

A  group of people has taken on the challenge to raise awareness of this huge problem facing those who are the poorest of the poor – and can’t speak up for themselves. We are using social media to GET THE WORD OUT!

It’s time to give poverty a swift kick with 50,000 pairs of shoes!

This is the 50,000 Pairs of Shoes in 50 Days challenge.

The website is http://www.50000shoes.com

On Monday, November 10, we will be blogging, Facebooking, Twittering, emailing….. ANYTHING & EVERYTHING online about this campaign.  We want to raise enough money to purchase 50,000 pairs of shoes in 50 days.  $5 buys 2 pairs of shoes!

We can make a difference in somebody’s life with only $5……what hardly even buys one meal at McDonalds!

I’ve taken the challenge….now go check it out, and spread the word!

Filed under: Faith and Culture, Justice, Things I'm hoping you can't ignore , 000 in 50 days, 50, Soles for Souls

God stole my seat!…….

Actual conversation with my 4 year old niece last night as we were leaving:

Niece: “Auntie Tracy I want to ride in your car!”

Me: “Honey, you aren’t going to my house – you are going to yours. Only Noah (my son) is riding home in my car.”

A moment later my nine year old nephew walks up and says “Bye Auntie Tracy – May God go with you!”

Niece: “Auntie Tracy? Is God going with you?”

Me: “Sure honey”

Niece: “But why does HE get to go?”

Alrighty then…..not sure how to answer that one!

Filed under: Family Stuff, Kids , Funny Kid Stories, Kids, Kids and God

3 Questions….

Enough said…..

To sponsor a child go here

Thank you Shaun Groves for this video….and for your heart for these kids!

I promise guys…I’ll get back to regular posts about non-compassion related things next week – but right now…nothing could be more important than this. And……since this is part of who I am, part of worship, part of justice, part of my heart…..you’ll probably hear a lot more about it. I hope you’ll stick around!

Filed under: Compassion, Justice, Kids , Compassion International, Sponsor a child

Hopes and Dreams….

I’m hoping I don’t lose some of you with all the Compassion Child Sponsorship posts….but I’m committed to getting the word out this week!

This amazing post – A Room Full of Hope by Owlhaven address the issue of hope and what it looks like when these kids actually catch hold of it. Hope may not actually free them from poverty…..but it can change the course of their lives in startling ways. Kids in poverty without hope?  They really don’t stand a chance.

The thing is…you and I get the chance through sponsorship and relationship with a child to be that hope – to quite literally work hand in hand with God in changing the course of a child’s life – and effecting their entire family in the process.

To sponsor a child through compassion go here

To read more accounts from the compassion bloggers go here

Filed under: Compassion, Justice, Kids , Child Sponsorship, Compassion Bloggers, Compassion International

When hope creeps in…

You guys….it’s no secret around here that Child sponsorship through Compassion International has stolen my heart. And I’m going to show you a glimpse of exactly how that happened….and why you should open your heart to the possibility.

Melanie – also known in the Blogsphere as “Big Mama” is in the Dominican Republic right now being our eyes and ears to Jesus’ heart for these kids. I just read this post and cried – alot.  This is what it’s all about people. If we are not telling these kids there is hope….who is?

Please consider reading these bloggers thoughts and experiences and opening up your heart to sponsoring a child…..it will change you, and it will change the life of a child. I promise.

To sponsor a child, go here

Filed under: Compassion, Justice, Kids , Compassion Bloggers, Compassion International

Voting, elections and other angst….

I voted this morning – and I cried when I did it. Not because my emotions or my future are tied up in the results of an election…but because it’s an awesome privilege that we have as Americans. I won’t tell you who I voted for because it really does not matter…what matters is this:

I want to go on record here. I’ve very intentionally kept out of the political avalanche of information swirling around for months. This simply isn’t the place. I’ve heard the arguments on both sides. I’ve seen the finger pointing, I’ve witnessed the division…..and it has saddened me.

Here is the bottom line for me. God is still in control. The moral and spiritual and economic health of our country doesn’t rest in the hands of one man…..it rests in the hands of each of us. There is no need for panic…just a need for prayer.

When we wake up tomorrow with a new president elected – God will still rule and reign. When we walk through the next 4 years with that president, good or bad – God will still rule and reign.  Sure we have to do our part, sure we need to participate in the process….but if we don’t do it with love in our hearts we are missing something.

My friend Paul sent me in email yesterday that said “The truth is, we will be better off, or worse off, not because of who wins the election but because of how we treat each other, and how we respond to the hurting and helpless — the least of these — among us. We will be better or worse off because of how we treat those who think and vote differently than we do.” You can read the rest of his thoughts here.

Amen friend….amen. Pray today for our country….our WHOLE country and not just the Democrat part or the Republican part. Pray for BOTH of the men who could lead our country….and commit to support them regardless of your politics.

And now, I will return to business as usual – and no more politics!  If you haven’t already….go vote. Vote with your heart, vote with your concscience and leave the results in God’s hands – they are big enough to hold us all.

Now, if you want to make a difference in another way, go here and sponsor a child – you will change their life forever!  To read the latest on the blogger tour to the Dominican Republic, go here

Filed under: Faith and Culture , McCain, Obama, Politics, Presidential Race, Vote