Today's been a lazy day. Which is appropriate, because even God rested on the seventh day :-).
I was sound asleep, when suddenly I was awaken by the sound of the alarm chime. My son had gone out after work, and was coming home. But for some reason, I forgot he wasn't home. In my sleepy stupor I thought someone was breaking into the house. I was sure someone was coming in through the sliding glass door, so I got up to see who it was (what I intended to do to the intruder, I have no idea). As soon as I opened the door, I saw my son R in the kitchen, and reality came back to me, so I went back to bed. Unfortunately, I couldn't go back to sleep. It was 3:00 in the morning, and I probably fell back asleep at around 5:00. That was not a good feeling.
I got up at 7:00 and hit the shower. I hadn't washed my hair yesterday, and it looked like a grease ball. I finished showering, then finally decided what it was I was going to wear. Awake for 2 hours in the middle of the night, and I don't even remember how long I debated in my head whether to wear my green and blue plaid skirt or my light grey skirt. That's what happens when I wake up in a fog and think burglars are in the house. I went with the green and blue plaid skirt, with a beige short sleeved sweater. Once I was dressed I got my Complexion Rescue sample in tan and put it on. I wanted to see how it looked under my Bareskin foundation. It's definitely darker than my skin, that's for sure. I made breakfast, then did my eye makeup before putting foundation on. Since Complexion Rescue is a tinted moisturizer, I wanted it to set and get absorbed into my skin before putting on any other face makeup. The eye shadow I used is from The Hot List collection from Bare Minerals; it's a champagne shimmer color and a matte grey color. My eyes looked amazing! The swelling from the stye was gone (Thank You Jesus!) and I was able to do a beautiful look on my eyes. Then I put my glasses on and covered them right up :P. It's a bummer that I can't wear contact lenses, but I suffer from dry eyes. I got tired of always looking tired, because my eyes would turn red and burn from the dryness. Anyway, I went ahead and put on Bareskin (the Bare Minerals liquid foundation) and my skin looked flawless. With the foundation on top, the color of the moisturizer balanced out and my makeup was on point. And since there's very little humidity in the air, my hair turned out gorgeous. I may have been exhausted, but I felt incredible every time I looked in the mirror!
Our church has a private school, and today the children did a presentation. It was wonderful hearing the children sing praises to the Lord! One boy is in our Awana group - I didn't realize he could sing so well! Then the new head master gave the message. Oh, my word, what a powerful message! He taught on Lazarus, and how we often think that God has abandoned us because we don't get the answer we ask for right away. Lazarus's sisters, Martha and Mary, both told Jesus that their brother would not have died had He been there, but they didn't understand the reason for the delay. There was no mistake made; Jesus meant to arrive after Lazarus's death to bring glory to God and show everyone there who He really was. It's no different with us now. When God doesn't answer our prayers right away, it's not because He's abandoned us. It's because He is waiting for just the right moment, that He may be praised and glorified. It was a reminder of God's sovereignty, and how we need to have faith. It was really encouraging.
The weather was perfect once again. The breeze was cool and comfortable, the sun was shining brightly, and I was glad we got to enjoy yet another stunningly beautiful day. Once we got home I made some pasta with the meat sauce I made a few days ago. I try to make a large pot of sauce for days like today when I don't feel like making a big meal. My family doesn't care for sauce in a jar. They like Mom's homemade sauce. I have to admit, so do I.
I did manage to get a couple of loads of laundry washed, but I haven't put anything away. I'm leaving it for tomorrow. I've felt sluggish due to not getting a full night's sleep, but I didn't feel like napping. I just vegged most of the day, watching YouTube videos. The way I see it, it's gonna be a busy week, so I may as well relax today so I can be recharged for tomorrow. So goodnight ya'll. Have a blessed evening.
Showing posts with label Sunday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sunday. Show all posts
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Simply Sunday
Today I did something I don't normally do. Something completely out of character for me. Today I went to church in pants.
I should clarify that I'm not against women wearing pants to church. I don't believe that women wearing pants are any less spiritual than women in dresses or skirts. I just prefer going to church in a dress. It was ingrained in my head as a child that one should always look their absolute best when going to church because that's where you worship God, and God deserves our very best. My best clothes are dresses and skirts; well, actually, most of my clothes are dresses and skirts. I have a few capris that I wear around the house or to go exercise, and a couple of jeans that I wear when we go to concerts, but for the most part I wear dresses and skirts most everywhere. Today, however, it was cold outside. Fifty-two degrees with a cold breeze blowing. I know, for the rest of the country that's summer weather, but when you've had temperatures in the upper 70's and low 80's and all of a sudden they drop down to the low 50's, you feel it. When I let the dog out, I felt it for sure. I'd looked through my clothes last night and had chosen a dress to wear, but I was not about to wear anything that didn't protect me from the cold. Thankfully, I do have a couple pairs of dress pants left over from my work days. These pants are probably 8 years old but they are my favorites. A couple of years after I'd stopped working, I gave almost all my dress pants to Goodwill because they were sitting in my closet and never getting used. Some didn't even fit me anymore, but most were just taking up space. I kept two pairs of dress pants: a navy blue pair, and the ones I wore today. They are a dark tan with a very light burgundy and gold pinstripe. Both pants are neutrals, so I can wear them with anything, but most importantly, if I need to go somewhere dressy and it's cold out, I have something nice to wear. I paired the pants with a brown long-sleeved button down shirt, and a beige argyle sweater over it. I also wore a very, very old pair of brown pumps. I've loved those shoes for years, but after wearing them today I realized I'd kept them way too long. They were falling apart on the inside, making them extremely uncomfortable. Once I got home, they went into the trash. They weren't even good enough to donate. It was a shame, since the rest of the outfit looked great. Those shoes were a fail.
My makeup turned out so nice! I decided to wear the new warm colors I'd gotten from Bare Minerals because they were neutrals, making them perfect for the outfit. The colors were on point! It was a very soft look, totally appropriate for daytime. This could become my go to look for everyday. It was that pretty.
Church service was absolutely beautiful. Pastor spoke on the importance of prayer, then called up several people in our church who are sick, to anoint them with oil and pray over them. One was a young girl who had been in my Awana group. Today is her 13th birthday. She has been battling leukemia since last summer. The cancer is in remission, but she's still having to go through the treatment protocol. She is doing her last chemo this month, then must go in for maintenance for several months. We have been praying for her daily, and it was a joy to see her with her family in church today. This child has been talking to her doctors, nurses, and other patients in the hospital about her faith and hope in Jesus. She is such an inspiration! We also prayed for one of the boy's Awana leaders who has terminal cancer. This man loves The Lord and serves Him with such passion. He is a great husband, wonderful father, devout servant...it's a privilege to pray for people like him. There were many others that were prayed for, and the presence of the Holy Spirit was felt so strongly that I could not contain the tears. When I think that this world holds over 7 billion people, yet God hears each and every one of our prayers, it fills my heart with such comfort and joy, that I cannot express it. We serve an awesome God!
I started my study of Daniel for this week - chapter 2, the first 12 verses. It's one of my favorite sections of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. I've studied this before in church, but I'm really enjoying Beth Moore's breakdown. She is such an incredible bible teacher! Definitely my favorite Christian author.
Other than that, it's been a quiet sort of day. I did a couple of loads of laundry; one is still in the dryer. Tomorrow the new school semester starts up, so it'll be a busy day. I am once again thankful that God has seen fit to allow me to homeschool my son. I cannot thank Him enough for His unending love and grace. God has been, and continues to be, so good to me. How I wish the entire world would appreciate His goodness!
That's all for this installment of Life At My House ;-). Have a blessed evening folks.
I should clarify that I'm not against women wearing pants to church. I don't believe that women wearing pants are any less spiritual than women in dresses or skirts. I just prefer going to church in a dress. It was ingrained in my head as a child that one should always look their absolute best when going to church because that's where you worship God, and God deserves our very best. My best clothes are dresses and skirts; well, actually, most of my clothes are dresses and skirts. I have a few capris that I wear around the house or to go exercise, and a couple of jeans that I wear when we go to concerts, but for the most part I wear dresses and skirts most everywhere. Today, however, it was cold outside. Fifty-two degrees with a cold breeze blowing. I know, for the rest of the country that's summer weather, but when you've had temperatures in the upper 70's and low 80's and all of a sudden they drop down to the low 50's, you feel it. When I let the dog out, I felt it for sure. I'd looked through my clothes last night and had chosen a dress to wear, but I was not about to wear anything that didn't protect me from the cold. Thankfully, I do have a couple pairs of dress pants left over from my work days. These pants are probably 8 years old but they are my favorites. A couple of years after I'd stopped working, I gave almost all my dress pants to Goodwill because they were sitting in my closet and never getting used. Some didn't even fit me anymore, but most were just taking up space. I kept two pairs of dress pants: a navy blue pair, and the ones I wore today. They are a dark tan with a very light burgundy and gold pinstripe. Both pants are neutrals, so I can wear them with anything, but most importantly, if I need to go somewhere dressy and it's cold out, I have something nice to wear. I paired the pants with a brown long-sleeved button down shirt, and a beige argyle sweater over it. I also wore a very, very old pair of brown pumps. I've loved those shoes for years, but after wearing them today I realized I'd kept them way too long. They were falling apart on the inside, making them extremely uncomfortable. Once I got home, they went into the trash. They weren't even good enough to donate. It was a shame, since the rest of the outfit looked great. Those shoes were a fail.
My makeup turned out so nice! I decided to wear the new warm colors I'd gotten from Bare Minerals because they were neutrals, making them perfect for the outfit. The colors were on point! It was a very soft look, totally appropriate for daytime. This could become my go to look for everyday. It was that pretty.
Church service was absolutely beautiful. Pastor spoke on the importance of prayer, then called up several people in our church who are sick, to anoint them with oil and pray over them. One was a young girl who had been in my Awana group. Today is her 13th birthday. She has been battling leukemia since last summer. The cancer is in remission, but she's still having to go through the treatment protocol. She is doing her last chemo this month, then must go in for maintenance for several months. We have been praying for her daily, and it was a joy to see her with her family in church today. This child has been talking to her doctors, nurses, and other patients in the hospital about her faith and hope in Jesus. She is such an inspiration! We also prayed for one of the boy's Awana leaders who has terminal cancer. This man loves The Lord and serves Him with such passion. He is a great husband, wonderful father, devout servant...it's a privilege to pray for people like him. There were many others that were prayed for, and the presence of the Holy Spirit was felt so strongly that I could not contain the tears. When I think that this world holds over 7 billion people, yet God hears each and every one of our prayers, it fills my heart with such comfort and joy, that I cannot express it. We serve an awesome God!
I started my study of Daniel for this week - chapter 2, the first 12 verses. It's one of my favorite sections of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. I've studied this before in church, but I'm really enjoying Beth Moore's breakdown. She is such an incredible bible teacher! Definitely my favorite Christian author.
Other than that, it's been a quiet sort of day. I did a couple of loads of laundry; one is still in the dryer. Tomorrow the new school semester starts up, so it'll be a busy day. I am once again thankful that God has seen fit to allow me to homeschool my son. I cannot thank Him enough for His unending love and grace. God has been, and continues to be, so good to me. How I wish the entire world would appreciate His goodness!
That's all for this installment of Life At My House ;-). Have a blessed evening folks.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
It's Sunday
A "good" day is classified as a day when all news is good news. A "not so good" day is one where the news is bad, sad, or anything other than "good". So what do you call a day with a little of both? I call it, Everyday.
I got to Sunday school late. That's because I got up late. I got up late because I kept waking up last night. I don't get it; I went to bed at my regular time, and I was tired. Why did I have such a hard time sleeping? I've never had trouble sleeping unless I have something on my mind, but that wasn't the case last night. I just kept randomly waking up. Is it the whole pre-menopause thing? 'Cause if it is, I ain't liking it.
Anyway, I got to Sunday school late, and it was almost a cheer-fest. I'm usually the first or second person in class, making coffee and setting up. They all figured I must be sick or something because I'm rarely ever late. It felt really good to know my church family cares that much about me.
We're looking into a curriculum for our Sunday school class. Last week we finished an intense study into the book of James, and now we're looking for something topical, something about living out our Christian life. I'm hoping we can find something on discipleship, which is what the pastor has been teaching on since the beginning of the year. If a curriculum can be found it would be great, so we can tie everything in, but we're trusting God to lead in what He wants us to study.
We went to service, and Pastor Ralph was teaching today. He talked about what it means to be a real man. It was a great teaching, but it's what happened afterwards that really moved me to tears. For the past few weeks we've been praying for a sweet lady in our church. LS has had cancer twice in the past, has had to go through chemo and all the ugliness that comes with it. Recently she went to the doctor and was told her levels were high and she'd have to go in for more tests. This was presented to the whole church so that we could all pray for her. Today she announced, citing Psalm 115:3, that it pleased the Lord to keep her cancer free. The joy in my heart was overwhelming! I'm not a crier; I personally hate to cry in public, but I could feel my eyes well up with joy and happiness knowing our prayers had been answered. Before I left I found LS and gave her a huge hug. She is one of the most loving, kind, humble human beings on the face of this earth, and she prays for everyone. It was a most satisfying feeling to know that I had the privilege to pray for her and have my prayers answered in such a wonderful way.
My son E and I left church quickly; E was complaining of a stomachache. We ate leftovers for lunch, then my oldest son R's friends came over to play video games. My daughter A got home shortly thereafter, not looking good at all. I don't know how she was able to lead worship today - her voice is shot. She's obviously caught her brother's nasty cold, and she's feeling pretty miserable. She's also being very clingy. My daughter is not a small child; she is a 25 year old adult. But when she is sick, she wants hugs from mom. Mom, on the other hand, wants to stay clear and NOT catch what she's got. I don't know how we're gonna manage that. She's pretty whiny too; all she's had to eat is soup, but she's complaining that she's got too much liquid in her stomach, making her stomach hurt. Her throat is sore, her ears are hurting, but when I told her to go to bed and get some rest she gave me the "I don't wanna go to bed" look. *Ugh* Just when her brother was feeling better, and I thought we'd gotten through this with only one person catching it. Yeah right. I'm not getting off that easy.
I happened to go to the school's website to see if any of my son's teachers had posted his final semester grades. I almost fell out of my chair. My son's English grade had gone from a 96% to an 87%. What?! How could that be?! She hadn't graded his thesis or his final exam the day before; had he done that poorly?!?! I checked the grade book and saw the grade he'd gotten on his thesis. 1%. When I clicked on it, I saw the note the teacher had left for him: he was supposed to have sent in his thesis with a Turn It In report. Turn It In is a website that checks their work for plagiarism. Without that report, the highest grade he can get is 1%. Thankfully, his teacher was kind enough to let him submit the thesis to TII and email her the report, so that's what we did. The actual grade she gave him is 100%, so that should bring his grade back up. I'm glad I went in to check that; the semester ends on Wednesday and that's when the final grades go in. It would have been the difference between getting an A and getting a B.
The rest of my day has been pretty ordinary. I finished the laundry and put it away, watched an old episode of the Tonight Show, then cleaned up the kitchen. I think I'm gonna go take a shower now and relax the rest of the night. Maybe I'll even get some sleep :P. I'm gonna need it - I'm babysitting tomorrow. Board games, here we come! Have a blessed night.
I got to Sunday school late. That's because I got up late. I got up late because I kept waking up last night. I don't get it; I went to bed at my regular time, and I was tired. Why did I have such a hard time sleeping? I've never had trouble sleeping unless I have something on my mind, but that wasn't the case last night. I just kept randomly waking up. Is it the whole pre-menopause thing? 'Cause if it is, I ain't liking it.
Anyway, I got to Sunday school late, and it was almost a cheer-fest. I'm usually the first or second person in class, making coffee and setting up. They all figured I must be sick or something because I'm rarely ever late. It felt really good to know my church family cares that much about me.
We're looking into a curriculum for our Sunday school class. Last week we finished an intense study into the book of James, and now we're looking for something topical, something about living out our Christian life. I'm hoping we can find something on discipleship, which is what the pastor has been teaching on since the beginning of the year. If a curriculum can be found it would be great, so we can tie everything in, but we're trusting God to lead in what He wants us to study.
We went to service, and Pastor Ralph was teaching today. He talked about what it means to be a real man. It was a great teaching, but it's what happened afterwards that really moved me to tears. For the past few weeks we've been praying for a sweet lady in our church. LS has had cancer twice in the past, has had to go through chemo and all the ugliness that comes with it. Recently she went to the doctor and was told her levels were high and she'd have to go in for more tests. This was presented to the whole church so that we could all pray for her. Today she announced, citing Psalm 115:3, that it pleased the Lord to keep her cancer free. The joy in my heart was overwhelming! I'm not a crier; I personally hate to cry in public, but I could feel my eyes well up with joy and happiness knowing our prayers had been answered. Before I left I found LS and gave her a huge hug. She is one of the most loving, kind, humble human beings on the face of this earth, and she prays for everyone. It was a most satisfying feeling to know that I had the privilege to pray for her and have my prayers answered in such a wonderful way.
My son E and I left church quickly; E was complaining of a stomachache. We ate leftovers for lunch, then my oldest son R's friends came over to play video games. My daughter A got home shortly thereafter, not looking good at all. I don't know how she was able to lead worship today - her voice is shot. She's obviously caught her brother's nasty cold, and she's feeling pretty miserable. She's also being very clingy. My daughter is not a small child; she is a 25 year old adult. But when she is sick, she wants hugs from mom. Mom, on the other hand, wants to stay clear and NOT catch what she's got. I don't know how we're gonna manage that. She's pretty whiny too; all she's had to eat is soup, but she's complaining that she's got too much liquid in her stomach, making her stomach hurt. Her throat is sore, her ears are hurting, but when I told her to go to bed and get some rest she gave me the "I don't wanna go to bed" look. *Ugh* Just when her brother was feeling better, and I thought we'd gotten through this with only one person catching it. Yeah right. I'm not getting off that easy.
I happened to go to the school's website to see if any of my son's teachers had posted his final semester grades. I almost fell out of my chair. My son's English grade had gone from a 96% to an 87%. What?! How could that be?! She hadn't graded his thesis or his final exam the day before; had he done that poorly?!?! I checked the grade book and saw the grade he'd gotten on his thesis. 1%. When I clicked on it, I saw the note the teacher had left for him: he was supposed to have sent in his thesis with a Turn It In report. Turn It In is a website that checks their work for plagiarism. Without that report, the highest grade he can get is 1%. Thankfully, his teacher was kind enough to let him submit the thesis to TII and email her the report, so that's what we did. The actual grade she gave him is 100%, so that should bring his grade back up. I'm glad I went in to check that; the semester ends on Wednesday and that's when the final grades go in. It would have been the difference between getting an A and getting a B.
The rest of my day has been pretty ordinary. I finished the laundry and put it away, watched an old episode of the Tonight Show, then cleaned up the kitchen. I think I'm gonna go take a shower now and relax the rest of the night. Maybe I'll even get some sleep :P. I'm gonna need it - I'm babysitting tomorrow. Board games, here we come! Have a blessed night.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Sunday Recap
I didn't blog yesterday, but I have a good excuse. I was gone from the house from 9:30 am to midnight, except for a quick stop to change clothes. Yeah, it was a busy day. Let me give a *quick* recap.
I didn't do my hair Saturday night so I knew I had to get up early to fix it Sunday morning. I was up by 6:30 for what would be a non-stop day. I showered and washed my hair, then went to make my son E his breakfast. I don't eat breakfast at home on Sundays because we have our fellowship breakfast at our Sunday school class, but I do have my coffee. I was starving but was mindful not to start eating; I had a handful of Reese's cereal then went to get ready for church.
Our church is pretty relaxed when it comes to dress; no one is required to get dressed up, but I always do. I feel like, if I'm there to meet God, I should look my best. I wore the dress I'd gotten for my birthday because it's a perfect fall dress and our weather was looking like fall: rainy and dreary. I debated whether to wear powder or liquid foundation, since I knew I was going to be out most of the day and wouldn't have time to touch up. While my liquid foundation is supposed to have a longer wear, I went with powder. I love the way my powder foundation feels, so light on my skin, and I also thought this would be a good way to test how long its wearability is. My makeup turned out really nice again; I'm getting the hang of this, LOL! We left the house at 9:30 and got to our respective Sunday school classes in 10 minutes. My son goes to youth group (he's 15 years old) and I go to my class, Truth In Love. We have been studying the book of James and just finished the last 2 verses of chapter 5. From there we went to service, where Pastor Ray taught on excellence and why God is deserving of our very best. It was a great service and worship time, but we didn't stay long for fellowship. There was plenty more on our agenda.
It was my best friend IV's birthday, and I invited her out to lunch. She chose a vegetarian style buffet place that is local. I'd never eaten there before, though I'd heard of it. There were mixed reviews: some folks really like it because of its vegetarian and vegan options; others say the food is sub-par. Since it was her birthday I didn't mind going and trying it out. I stopped off at the house first so I could change out of the dress I was wearing and into some jeans. It's not that I don't like going out to eat in a dress, but we had other plans afterwards. My jeans and top were an olive/khaki green, nice and neutral (and comfortable). I drove over to IV's house and we went in one car to the restaurant. I have to say, I was sadly disappointed. The food was, in my opinion, bland. I had a salad to start, and I noticed some of the greens weren't green anymore; it was certainly not the freshest salad bar I'd been to. I then went over to where the hot foods were. The only meat option available was in the chili, and quite frankly, I feel like the chili at Wendy's is better. I tried a pasta dish that had red onion and spinach. This is something I usually enjoy, but for the first time ever I had to add salt to the food. I cook with very little salt, and I always find restaurant food to be excessively salty, but this was so bland I couldn't enjoy it. The only thing I can say I liked was the soft serve ice cream. My poor son, who is a carnivore, didn't care for anything. All he ate was macaroni and cheese because his best friend (IV's son) said it was the best mac and cheese he'd ever eaten. My son's response was, "That's because you haven't tasted my mom's." I won't deny, that made me feel really good, except for the fact that the food was so flavorless I don't know as it was much of a compliment. But my friend enjoyed it, and since it was her birthday after all, I was content in knowing she was pleased.
Once we were done, we headed to...Winter Jam!!! We were so excited! For Christmas IV got us tickets. Winter Jam is a huge concert tour, with multiple Christian music groups. The best part about Winter Jam is the price: $10 gets you any seat in the house, first come first serve. Typically you have to stand in line as early as possible to get the best choice of seats, but since IV suffers from MS she can't stand for long periods of time, so she got a group together and we got to go in before everyone else. We still had to stand in line because our group couldn't go in till everyone was there. Wouldn't you know it, my daughter was running late because the church where she works had baptisms and she had to stay longer. Then she got caught in torrential rains. She finally made it, but was soaked to the bone :(. She wasn't thrilled about being wet, but we got such great seats that she quickly forgot about it. At 5:00 the opening acts came out. There were three bands, but Veridia was my favorite. They are a rock band out of Nashville, very edgy and right up my alley. My daughter loved them too, as did my son, though I didn't find out till later because he and his friends sat as far away from the parental units as possible. Teenagers *sigh*. Blanca, originally from Group 1 Crew, also performed, and I've always loved her voice. I don't care for whispery voices; I like a strong, powerhouse voice, and Blanca certainly has that.
Then the big name acts came on, starting with For King And Country. These are Rebecca St. James's brothers, a woman whom I've always loved, and they were just as incredible! My daughter was especially thrilled, because we didn't get to see them when we went to Night of Joy in September. We picked some incredible seats; they came right up to where we were seated! My son made fun of me, though. He could see us from where he was sitting, and he saw me wave at the brothers - instead of reaching out and high-fiving them. I guess that's just not my style, but my son thought I was hilarious.
Newsong played next. They're more of a country/gospel type sound; not bad but not what I lean towards. After their set came Family Force 5. My daughter was, again, super excited because she'd only seen them a couple of times before and they put on an amazing show. They have so much energy! Their music is more of a rock/rap/hip-hop mix, and I was pretty sure my son would not like it. He's a rocker through and through, but as I told my daughter, his favorite band of all time would be performing so he'd better not say he didn't enjoy it. Building 429 blew me away - I didn't expect their set to be so great! Jeremy Camp came on next; I like Jeremy Camp, but I didn't mind leaving to go look at the merch tables with my daughter. There were a few items she wanted to purchase along with some contests to sign up for. I got my son a surprise gift: 2 of his favorite band's CD's. We got back to hear Jeremy Camp sing his last song, Overcome, then there was an intermission. My son came over, and I asked which band he'd liked so far. To my astonishment, he said Family Force 5! He loved their song Chainsaw, and all the energy they had. I then pulled out his surprise, and he smiled from ear to ear. For the first time he wasn't complaining about having to come to a concert - I guess he's finally getting to that age.
There was a preacher there, Tony Nolan, who presented the gospel and also gave his testimony, which was absolutely inspiring. God can do amazing things, of that I am certain! The next act was one of my favorites, Francesca Battistelli. Her songs are fun, and she is another powerhouse. What I didn't expect was for her to sing Holy Spirit, a favorite worship song of mine. I was getting teary eyed as I sang and listened to this appeal for God's presence among us. I'm getting choked up remembering it! It was beautiful.
The last band to perform, the headlining band, my son's very favorite band, was Skillet! I L-O-V-E love Skillet! My son was even more excited. We saw them at Night of Joy, and their show was mind-blowing, but we didn't know what to expect from a much smaller venue. They did not disappoint! Skillet's music is hardcore rock with deep messages about the condition of the world and Who we can turn to if we want to escape its fate. It was pretty late once the concert was over, but all the merch tables would be open and bands would be there to sign autographs and talk to the people there. I asked my son if he would like John Cooper to autograph his CD's. His eyes got as big as saucers and he yelled, "I can?! Yes!!" I didn't mind standing in line since it moved pretty quickly. My boy said it was the best time he's had, and he didn't mind if he was going to be hoarse the next day, it was so worth it. My daughter went to the other merch tables and got autographs and pictures with Family Force 5, For King and Country, Blanca and Veridia, plus she purchased some CD's and even a hat with the FF5 logo. I would have enjoyed seeing the other acts, but honestly, listening to my son's excitement and happiness was worth more than any band or singer.
We finally got out and got home around midnight. To my surprise, my makeup held up the entire time. We were gone 15 hours, and the only thing I ever touched up was my lipstick. There was a very little bit of oiliness on my forehead, but hardly enough to concern me, especially after 15 hours. Bare Minerals proved to me once again that they are the best choice for makeup. My daughter agrees.
That was my Sunday. It was a day to remember, for sure. I'll be posting today's recap later on tonight, but for now, God bless and have a great day.
I didn't do my hair Saturday night so I knew I had to get up early to fix it Sunday morning. I was up by 6:30 for what would be a non-stop day. I showered and washed my hair, then went to make my son E his breakfast. I don't eat breakfast at home on Sundays because we have our fellowship breakfast at our Sunday school class, but I do have my coffee. I was starving but was mindful not to start eating; I had a handful of Reese's cereal then went to get ready for church.
Our church is pretty relaxed when it comes to dress; no one is required to get dressed up, but I always do. I feel like, if I'm there to meet God, I should look my best. I wore the dress I'd gotten for my birthday because it's a perfect fall dress and our weather was looking like fall: rainy and dreary. I debated whether to wear powder or liquid foundation, since I knew I was going to be out most of the day and wouldn't have time to touch up. While my liquid foundation is supposed to have a longer wear, I went with powder. I love the way my powder foundation feels, so light on my skin, and I also thought this would be a good way to test how long its wearability is. My makeup turned out really nice again; I'm getting the hang of this, LOL! We left the house at 9:30 and got to our respective Sunday school classes in 10 minutes. My son goes to youth group (he's 15 years old) and I go to my class, Truth In Love. We have been studying the book of James and just finished the last 2 verses of chapter 5. From there we went to service, where Pastor Ray taught on excellence and why God is deserving of our very best. It was a great service and worship time, but we didn't stay long for fellowship. There was plenty more on our agenda.
It was my best friend IV's birthday, and I invited her out to lunch. She chose a vegetarian style buffet place that is local. I'd never eaten there before, though I'd heard of it. There were mixed reviews: some folks really like it because of its vegetarian and vegan options; others say the food is sub-par. Since it was her birthday I didn't mind going and trying it out. I stopped off at the house first so I could change out of the dress I was wearing and into some jeans. It's not that I don't like going out to eat in a dress, but we had other plans afterwards. My jeans and top were an olive/khaki green, nice and neutral (and comfortable). I drove over to IV's house and we went in one car to the restaurant. I have to say, I was sadly disappointed. The food was, in my opinion, bland. I had a salad to start, and I noticed some of the greens weren't green anymore; it was certainly not the freshest salad bar I'd been to. I then went over to where the hot foods were. The only meat option available was in the chili, and quite frankly, I feel like the chili at Wendy's is better. I tried a pasta dish that had red onion and spinach. This is something I usually enjoy, but for the first time ever I had to add salt to the food. I cook with very little salt, and I always find restaurant food to be excessively salty, but this was so bland I couldn't enjoy it. The only thing I can say I liked was the soft serve ice cream. My poor son, who is a carnivore, didn't care for anything. All he ate was macaroni and cheese because his best friend (IV's son) said it was the best mac and cheese he'd ever eaten. My son's response was, "That's because you haven't tasted my mom's." I won't deny, that made me feel really good, except for the fact that the food was so flavorless I don't know as it was much of a compliment. But my friend enjoyed it, and since it was her birthday after all, I was content in knowing she was pleased.
Once we were done, we headed to...Winter Jam!!! We were so excited! For Christmas IV got us tickets. Winter Jam is a huge concert tour, with multiple Christian music groups. The best part about Winter Jam is the price: $10 gets you any seat in the house, first come first serve. Typically you have to stand in line as early as possible to get the best choice of seats, but since IV suffers from MS she can't stand for long periods of time, so she got a group together and we got to go in before everyone else. We still had to stand in line because our group couldn't go in till everyone was there. Wouldn't you know it, my daughter was running late because the church where she works had baptisms and she had to stay longer. Then she got caught in torrential rains. She finally made it, but was soaked to the bone :(. She wasn't thrilled about being wet, but we got such great seats that she quickly forgot about it. At 5:00 the opening acts came out. There were three bands, but Veridia was my favorite. They are a rock band out of Nashville, very edgy and right up my alley. My daughter loved them too, as did my son, though I didn't find out till later because he and his friends sat as far away from the parental units as possible. Teenagers *sigh*. Blanca, originally from Group 1 Crew, also performed, and I've always loved her voice. I don't care for whispery voices; I like a strong, powerhouse voice, and Blanca certainly has that.
Then the big name acts came on, starting with For King And Country. These are Rebecca St. James's brothers, a woman whom I've always loved, and they were just as incredible! My daughter was especially thrilled, because we didn't get to see them when we went to Night of Joy in September. We picked some incredible seats; they came right up to where we were seated! My son made fun of me, though. He could see us from where he was sitting, and he saw me wave at the brothers - instead of reaching out and high-fiving them. I guess that's just not my style, but my son thought I was hilarious.
Newsong played next. They're more of a country/gospel type sound; not bad but not what I lean towards. After their set came Family Force 5. My daughter was, again, super excited because she'd only seen them a couple of times before and they put on an amazing show. They have so much energy! Their music is more of a rock/rap/hip-hop mix, and I was pretty sure my son would not like it. He's a rocker through and through, but as I told my daughter, his favorite band of all time would be performing so he'd better not say he didn't enjoy it. Building 429 blew me away - I didn't expect their set to be so great! Jeremy Camp came on next; I like Jeremy Camp, but I didn't mind leaving to go look at the merch tables with my daughter. There were a few items she wanted to purchase along with some contests to sign up for. I got my son a surprise gift: 2 of his favorite band's CD's. We got back to hear Jeremy Camp sing his last song, Overcome, then there was an intermission. My son came over, and I asked which band he'd liked so far. To my astonishment, he said Family Force 5! He loved their song Chainsaw, and all the energy they had. I then pulled out his surprise, and he smiled from ear to ear. For the first time he wasn't complaining about having to come to a concert - I guess he's finally getting to that age.
There was a preacher there, Tony Nolan, who presented the gospel and also gave his testimony, which was absolutely inspiring. God can do amazing things, of that I am certain! The next act was one of my favorites, Francesca Battistelli. Her songs are fun, and she is another powerhouse. What I didn't expect was for her to sing Holy Spirit, a favorite worship song of mine. I was getting teary eyed as I sang and listened to this appeal for God's presence among us. I'm getting choked up remembering it! It was beautiful.
The last band to perform, the headlining band, my son's very favorite band, was Skillet! I L-O-V-E love Skillet! My son was even more excited. We saw them at Night of Joy, and their show was mind-blowing, but we didn't know what to expect from a much smaller venue. They did not disappoint! Skillet's music is hardcore rock with deep messages about the condition of the world and Who we can turn to if we want to escape its fate. It was pretty late once the concert was over, but all the merch tables would be open and bands would be there to sign autographs and talk to the people there. I asked my son if he would like John Cooper to autograph his CD's. His eyes got as big as saucers and he yelled, "I can?! Yes!!" I didn't mind standing in line since it moved pretty quickly. My boy said it was the best time he's had, and he didn't mind if he was going to be hoarse the next day, it was so worth it. My daughter went to the other merch tables and got autographs and pictures with Family Force 5, For King and Country, Blanca and Veridia, plus she purchased some CD's and even a hat with the FF5 logo. I would have enjoyed seeing the other acts, but honestly, listening to my son's excitement and happiness was worth more than any band or singer.
We finally got out and got home around midnight. To my surprise, my makeup held up the entire time. We were gone 15 hours, and the only thing I ever touched up was my lipstick. There was a very little bit of oiliness on my forehead, but hardly enough to concern me, especially after 15 hours. Bare Minerals proved to me once again that they are the best choice for makeup. My daughter agrees.
That was my Sunday. It was a day to remember, for sure. I'll be posting today's recap later on tonight, but for now, God bless and have a great day.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
The Countdown Continues...4 More Days
It's the last Sunday before Christmas. A day of worship, reflection, relaxation...well, maybe not that last one.
Since I gave myself a manicure last night I couldn't do my hair, so I woke up early to get that done. Early meaning 7:30 am. Which for me isn't early, since I'm usually up by 6:30 - 7:00. But it's Sunday, and I haven't been feeling my best. Truth is, I woke up at 6:30 but didn't get out of bed till 7:30. I showered and washed my hair, then went to the kitchen to get breakfast done. All Sunday school classes were cancelled, and there was gonna be one big class at 9:45 am, which meant I had plenty of time, I guessed. I was feeling slow this morning, and I noticed I was coughing a lot, but not the kind of cough like when you have a cold. Coughing like when you're short of breath. I sat down to eat my Eggo waffle, wheat toast with apple butter, sausages and coffee, while I watched Shelbey's latest video. When I was done it was already 8:30 am and I hadn't dried my hair, done my makeup or finished getting dressed. I woke my youngest son up and went to finish getting ready. The coughing and shortness of breath continued, till I knew I wasn't going to get very far without my inhaler. I don't suffer from severe asthma, but whenever I get a cold I have to be careful because it will quickly develop into bronchitis. After I use the inhaler I get the shakes, which meant I had to kind of wait a bit before I could go out and drive to church, so we didn't go to Sunday school. I think it's better that way; no reason for me to be spreading my undesirable germs.
I decided that, even if I didn't feel my best, I should look my best, and festive as well. I wore a white button down blouse with a gold colored shimmery tank underneath, and a bright red skirt. The skirt and tank top matched my manicure :-). I did my eye makeup using the Dazzle set that I got this week, and added a gold toned eye primer. It turned out really nice! When I got to church I saw that I wasn't the only one who had decided to dress for the holiday - at least 85% of the women had on red tops, skirts or dresses. We looked like we were part of a performance! We sang Christmas songs, then Pastor taught on Luke 2:8-11, on the angels announcing the birth of Christ. He explained that the original Christmas message was one of "good tidings of great joy". It had nothing to do with Black Friday, Cyber Monday, money, stress, family feuds, or any of the negativity that is so prominent in today's Christmas celebrations. It was about having great joy because God sent the greatest gift of all, His Son Jesus. It's not to say that giving gifts and having family meals is wrong; we have just misplaced our priority. We were challenged to focus on the joy of the season this year, even with the few days before Christmas that are left. It was such an inspiring sermon. A great way to start Christmas week.
I was feeling a bit better by the time I got home. Not great, but better. Well enough to start my baking right after lunch. Each year I give my neighbors baked goods for Christmas. Whether it's cake or cookies, they know to expect something from me. Problem is, I've started late this year because of homeschooling. I meant to start right after my birthday; that was a week ago. I decided my best bet to get everything done in a short amount of time would be cupcakes. I use Duncan Hines cake mixes, and I can get 24 cupcakes from one package. I would be able to get cupcakes to all my neighbors who have kids with just a couple of packages. I went with confetti and devil's food flavors because kids love sprinkles and chocolate, and because the only frostings I have are vanilla with sprinkles and chocolate. That made my choices a bit limited.
I also did laundry. My oldest son is off today but he works the next three days, so I figured I'd get all his uniforms cleaned today and not have to think about it. My daughter will be working at the church this week but not tutoring. The tutoring school has the same schedule as public school, so when public school is out she is off, except in the summer when there's summer school. She is so happy to have some time off! My youngest son hasn't finished his PE assignment, but since it isn't really due until January 18, and he has so much of it done already, I'm not concerned. I may have him do it next week if he's bored, or maybe the beginning of this week. I'll play it by ear. Thursday is Christmas and Saturday is his birthday so I can't bog him down with schoolwork on those days. Goodness, what kind of mother would I be if I did?!
I remembered I had promised pictures of the products I'd received from Bare Escentuals. So I got out my trusty Canon, set up my makeup, started taking pictures...and the battery on my camera died :P. I did get a few pictures so I'll give a little recap of these items. I probably will wait until my other order arrives and do the rest then.
This is my Delight and Dazzle set. I didn't keep the box; I should have, at least till I'd taken the pictures, but I was trying to get the house cleaned up for the party and I didn't want stray boxes lying around. On the right is the Delight set, with peach tones appropriate for daytime. On the left is the Dazzle set with darker evening colors. The Dazzle set eyeshadow is called Tantalize and it's a charcoal brown color. I used it in the outer corner of my eye and it is really pretty. I've used both sets and like both looks, though I think I'm partial to Dazzle.
The Pretty Wild set is stunning. I think it's appropriate for both day or night, but probably nighttime more. The box looks like a book. When you open it up...
...it has the makeup and a little tutorial. The eyeshadows are both matte; one is lavender and the other is a mossy green shade. You wouldn't think these colors would look good together but they absolutely do! The blush is a highly pigmented pink - a little goes a long way. The mascara is blue-black. I have to be honest, I was not impressed with the mascara. I don't know if it's the blue hue or if maybe the mascara is dry, but I didn't like the way it looked. The lip gloss, on the other hand, is my favorite part of this set. It's like a cranberry color that is so beautiful! I kept this one in the box because the box is really cute. I was also trying to show off my manicure - unique, huh?
The last kit I was able to get a picture of before the battery on my camera died was the Complexion Superstars. This set is worth way more than the $22 I paid for it.
The box is silver on the outside and hot pink on the inside, but that's not what's important. It's why everything is still in the box, because the box is pretty ;-). What's great is what's inside. There's a Warmth (bronzer) in medium, which for Warmth is a good size since you only need a little to get a fabulous color. Then there's Golden Gate, a warm apricot blush which I haven't tried yet. There's Clear Radiance, a pink highlighter/luminizer with a pink undertone. Last there are 2 mineral veils, one original and one Illuminating which has some shimmer to it. I already have the original mineral veil, which is a finishing powder, and since I love it I'm only too glad to have extra. I tried the Illuminating mineral veil, and it gives a hint of luminosity, not anything overpowering which is good. Of all the things in this set I think I like Warmth the best. Oh, it also brings a mini flawless face brush; I already have one but these brushes are great so having an extra one is a bonus. I use my other mini flawless face brush for under-eye concealing. I feel like it works better than using a small concealer brush. My concealer brush is great too, but for under my eyes I like a slightly larger brush.
Okay, back to cupcake delivery. I was able to get 50 cupcakes from the two cake mixes. I separated them by 8 per house which meant I'd have enough for 6 of my neighbors, and one cupcake each for my son E and my daughter. I went to my usual neighbors who were thrilled to get baked goods. Then we went to the house on the corner. The folks there moved in this year. I've seen the husband many times; he has done an incredible job fixing up the house. The wife I've seen from afar a couple of times. I told my kids I wanted to take cupcakes to them. They were a little wary; after all, we don't really know them. But like I told them, we didn't know our other neighbors at first either. We had to make the effort to meet them. The wife came to the door and was so surprised - she was expecting company and met with us instead! The look on her face spoke volumes. She was so grateful for us bringing a gift and wishing them Merry Christmas. Like I told my kids, it used to be common and normal to visit new neighbors and welcome them into the neighborhood, but it doesn't happen as often anymore. I'm glad God moved in my heart to bring them some Christmas cheer.
I'm gonna sleep well tonight knowing that I brought a smile to the faces of my neighbors. I thank God for them; we are blessed to live in a great neighborhood with such nice people. I'm also gonna fall asleep with the Frozen soundtrack running through my head thanks to my daughter ;-). Good night ya'll.
Since I gave myself a manicure last night I couldn't do my hair, so I woke up early to get that done. Early meaning 7:30 am. Which for me isn't early, since I'm usually up by 6:30 - 7:00. But it's Sunday, and I haven't been feeling my best. Truth is, I woke up at 6:30 but didn't get out of bed till 7:30. I showered and washed my hair, then went to the kitchen to get breakfast done. All Sunday school classes were cancelled, and there was gonna be one big class at 9:45 am, which meant I had plenty of time, I guessed. I was feeling slow this morning, and I noticed I was coughing a lot, but not the kind of cough like when you have a cold. Coughing like when you're short of breath. I sat down to eat my Eggo waffle, wheat toast with apple butter, sausages and coffee, while I watched Shelbey's latest video. When I was done it was already 8:30 am and I hadn't dried my hair, done my makeup or finished getting dressed. I woke my youngest son up and went to finish getting ready. The coughing and shortness of breath continued, till I knew I wasn't going to get very far without my inhaler. I don't suffer from severe asthma, but whenever I get a cold I have to be careful because it will quickly develop into bronchitis. After I use the inhaler I get the shakes, which meant I had to kind of wait a bit before I could go out and drive to church, so we didn't go to Sunday school. I think it's better that way; no reason for me to be spreading my undesirable germs.
I decided that, even if I didn't feel my best, I should look my best, and festive as well. I wore a white button down blouse with a gold colored shimmery tank underneath, and a bright red skirt. The skirt and tank top matched my manicure :-). I did my eye makeup using the Dazzle set that I got this week, and added a gold toned eye primer. It turned out really nice! When I got to church I saw that I wasn't the only one who had decided to dress for the holiday - at least 85% of the women had on red tops, skirts or dresses. We looked like we were part of a performance! We sang Christmas songs, then Pastor taught on Luke 2:8-11, on the angels announcing the birth of Christ. He explained that the original Christmas message was one of "good tidings of great joy". It had nothing to do with Black Friday, Cyber Monday, money, stress, family feuds, or any of the negativity that is so prominent in today's Christmas celebrations. It was about having great joy because God sent the greatest gift of all, His Son Jesus. It's not to say that giving gifts and having family meals is wrong; we have just misplaced our priority. We were challenged to focus on the joy of the season this year, even with the few days before Christmas that are left. It was such an inspiring sermon. A great way to start Christmas week.
I was feeling a bit better by the time I got home. Not great, but better. Well enough to start my baking right after lunch. Each year I give my neighbors baked goods for Christmas. Whether it's cake or cookies, they know to expect something from me. Problem is, I've started late this year because of homeschooling. I meant to start right after my birthday; that was a week ago. I decided my best bet to get everything done in a short amount of time would be cupcakes. I use Duncan Hines cake mixes, and I can get 24 cupcakes from one package. I would be able to get cupcakes to all my neighbors who have kids with just a couple of packages. I went with confetti and devil's food flavors because kids love sprinkles and chocolate, and because the only frostings I have are vanilla with sprinkles and chocolate. That made my choices a bit limited.
I also did laundry. My oldest son is off today but he works the next three days, so I figured I'd get all his uniforms cleaned today and not have to think about it. My daughter will be working at the church this week but not tutoring. The tutoring school has the same schedule as public school, so when public school is out she is off, except in the summer when there's summer school. She is so happy to have some time off! My youngest son hasn't finished his PE assignment, but since it isn't really due until January 18, and he has so much of it done already, I'm not concerned. I may have him do it next week if he's bored, or maybe the beginning of this week. I'll play it by ear. Thursday is Christmas and Saturday is his birthday so I can't bog him down with schoolwork on those days. Goodness, what kind of mother would I be if I did?!
I remembered I had promised pictures of the products I'd received from Bare Escentuals. So I got out my trusty Canon, set up my makeup, started taking pictures...and the battery on my camera died :P. I did get a few pictures so I'll give a little recap of these items. I probably will wait until my other order arrives and do the rest then.
This is my Delight and Dazzle set. I didn't keep the box; I should have, at least till I'd taken the pictures, but I was trying to get the house cleaned up for the party and I didn't want stray boxes lying around. On the right is the Delight set, with peach tones appropriate for daytime. On the left is the Dazzle set with darker evening colors. The Dazzle set eyeshadow is called Tantalize and it's a charcoal brown color. I used it in the outer corner of my eye and it is really pretty. I've used both sets and like both looks, though I think I'm partial to Dazzle.
The Pretty Wild set is stunning. I think it's appropriate for both day or night, but probably nighttime more. The box looks like a book. When you open it up...
...it has the makeup and a little tutorial. The eyeshadows are both matte; one is lavender and the other is a mossy green shade. You wouldn't think these colors would look good together but they absolutely do! The blush is a highly pigmented pink - a little goes a long way. The mascara is blue-black. I have to be honest, I was not impressed with the mascara. I don't know if it's the blue hue or if maybe the mascara is dry, but I didn't like the way it looked. The lip gloss, on the other hand, is my favorite part of this set. It's like a cranberry color that is so beautiful! I kept this one in the box because the box is really cute. I was also trying to show off my manicure - unique, huh?
The last kit I was able to get a picture of before the battery on my camera died was the Complexion Superstars. This set is worth way more than the $22 I paid for it.
The box is silver on the outside and hot pink on the inside, but that's not what's important. It's why everything is still in the box, because the box is pretty ;-). What's great is what's inside. There's a Warmth (bronzer) in medium, which for Warmth is a good size since you only need a little to get a fabulous color. Then there's Golden Gate, a warm apricot blush which I haven't tried yet. There's Clear Radiance, a pink highlighter/luminizer with a pink undertone. Last there are 2 mineral veils, one original and one Illuminating which has some shimmer to it. I already have the original mineral veil, which is a finishing powder, and since I love it I'm only too glad to have extra. I tried the Illuminating mineral veil, and it gives a hint of luminosity, not anything overpowering which is good. Of all the things in this set I think I like Warmth the best. Oh, it also brings a mini flawless face brush; I already have one but these brushes are great so having an extra one is a bonus. I use my other mini flawless face brush for under-eye concealing. I feel like it works better than using a small concealer brush. My concealer brush is great too, but for under my eyes I like a slightly larger brush.
Okay, back to cupcake delivery. I was able to get 50 cupcakes from the two cake mixes. I separated them by 8 per house which meant I'd have enough for 6 of my neighbors, and one cupcake each for my son E and my daughter. I went to my usual neighbors who were thrilled to get baked goods. Then we went to the house on the corner. The folks there moved in this year. I've seen the husband many times; he has done an incredible job fixing up the house. The wife I've seen from afar a couple of times. I told my kids I wanted to take cupcakes to them. They were a little wary; after all, we don't really know them. But like I told them, we didn't know our other neighbors at first either. We had to make the effort to meet them. The wife came to the door and was so surprised - she was expecting company and met with us instead! The look on her face spoke volumes. She was so grateful for us bringing a gift and wishing them Merry Christmas. Like I told my kids, it used to be common and normal to visit new neighbors and welcome them into the neighborhood, but it doesn't happen as often anymore. I'm glad God moved in my heart to bring them some Christmas cheer.
I'm gonna sleep well tonight knowing that I brought a smile to the faces of my neighbors. I thank God for them; we are blessed to live in a great neighborhood with such nice people. I'm also gonna fall asleep with the Frozen soundtrack running through my head thanks to my daughter ;-). Good night ya'll.
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