If it's going to be cold and wet, I wish the wet were snow (or even sleet!) instead of rain!

Too many cloudy days make me prone to sadness and lethargy.

Sometimes I'd like to take a break from school, but then I know we'd have to go longer in May, so we trudge though.

I hope the rain lets up before our many lessons this afternoon.

Lunch will be way easier when we replace our freezer.

Young Victoria was a really good movie. But it makes being a princess seem much less fun!

I hope when our new modern church service is up and running, Paul will have more time with us!

It happened again. Someone said something that hurt and the pain lingered. It didn't matter whether it was inadvertent or if an apology was immediately forthcoming. I still hurt. And I wondered why I couldn't just shake it off, get over it. While I pondered this, an answer came to me: I had a soul bruise.

I define a soul bruise as lingering pain caused by another person's words or actions - words or actions that really hurt, whether they meant them to or not. And just like a physical bruise takes time to heal, so does a soul bruise. There are things that speed up healing, such as an apology and forgiveness, but , barring God's miraculous intervention, I will need time to get over the hurting.

This is not the same as nursing a wound or holding a grudge. It's just pain that is not resolved. I forgave the other person, yet I still hurt sometimes. Like a bruise on my body, when something puts pressure on my soul bruise, the pain is worse. (And often, once the initial impact has lessened, I only feel the pain when something puts pressure on what's hurting in me.)

The good news is that soul bruises do heal and fade. Some take longer than others, but they all do heal in time. And one day soon I will look back and realize that I no longer hurt, even when something has put pressure on where my wound once was. God will heal all of my hurts. I must trust Him and give Him time to work.

A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. In faithfulness He will bring forth justice. ~ Isaiah 42:3

Things I never thought I'd say: "Don't lick the cat!" (said to a child who shall remain nameless)

Things I never wanted to hear: "Mommy, your hair looks like a lion's mane!" (said to me by Joy after I had dried but not yet flat ironed my hair)

Yesterday the mailman delivered my new rain boots. Today God delivered some rain. And my feet were warm and dry! Sometimes it's the small things that make me happy.

It's amazing how new rain boots transformed a gray, dreary day that could have been depressing into a day that was kind of fun! So much of life really is my attitude. And far too ofen I allow myself to just see the bad or the hard or the inconvenient rather than seeing those things as an opportunity God is using to develop something new in me.

Consider it pure joy, by brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ~James 1:2-4

Thanksgiving Break wasn’t much of a break in our house. We spent several days getting ready for and then performing in the Great Russian Nutcracker. And by we I mean Faith, Joy, and Grace. I just ferried them to the studio and the theater and made buns and bought tights and such. The girls all did such a great job! And afterward Faith and I went to the cast party at our dance instructor’s home. Joy and Grace went home with Hope, Daddy, and Nana. Because for them mingling with Russians doesn’t begin to compare with Nana time! Faith, however, appreciated the unique experience and was able to get many autographs.

I cooked a pretty good Thanksgiving dinner. But without turkey. We had ham and a rotisserie chicken along with homemade bread, cornbread dressing, and that sweet potato casserole with all the butter, pecans, and sugar. And pie, of course!

I was able to get some shopping done. Not the 4 am variety, but some realistic 8ish shopping. I really didn’t need much, but I was able to get my niece’s present and the little girls got some new jeans and leggings. Paul did get us a new TV! We now have a wonderful new flat screen!

We put up our tree on Thanksgiving day, much to the delight of the girls. They put on all of the ornaments themselves, and I must say they did a fine job! I love our tree. It won’t make Southern Living, but each ornament has a history and means something.

We went to a nearby Christmas tree farm as well. We have an artificial tree, but we all enjoy looking at the beautiful “real” trees, eating the biscuits and sausage, and riding on the hay ride.

The girls really liked the Snowman Tree!

Joy and Grace watching some syrup making!

Walking through the trees.

I want to write more, but there’s a piece of chocolate chip pecan pie calling my name! And I don’t think I can ignore it any longer!

Some recent quotes:

"And God told Abraham, 'Y'all are going to have a baby.'" ~Grace, narrating the story of Abraham and Isaac. (I always knew God spoke Southern!)

"I'm going to open this card with joy!" ~ Joy, before opening a card from Nana

"Next, I think I want some church heels." ~ Grace, commenting on her desire for shoes with heels

You gotta love 7-year-olds!!

*The LONG charter bus ride. We rode all night, and I think everyone slept.
*A great group of middle school girls in my room.
*A beautiful condo to stay in.
*My own king-sized bed.
*Being thankful to be on the sixth floor so we could take the stairs when the elevators were slow.
*Climbing 13 flights of stairs while escorting a friend's daughter to her room.
*7000 worshippers!
*Worshipping next to my daughter! Amazing!
*The Atlantic Ocean. The ocean is both relaxing and exciting and always reminds me of the vastness of my God.
*Coldstone ice cream.
*Chris Tomlin signing our new Compassion Child packet.
*Paul and I getting to meet with Louie back stage.
*Missing my girls at home with my mom.
*Walking on the beach at midnight with my daughter and some other middle school girls.
*Adopting 2 new Compassion children.
*The sun rising over the ocean.
*David*Crowder in concert!