So, these next few weeks kick off my favorite time of year....the Holidays!!! Something about the cold weather, LSU games (yes they are still fantastic), hot chocolate, and that smell of burning wood outside just makes my heart skip!
Cooking for our family is an all time favorite of mine. Now, don't let me fool you...my cooking is by far not perfect, but getting together and hearing the joy that comes from a dining room table as all your family and friends are together is priceless. So many traditions are shared, jokes told, and memories retold. As my Dad says, "that is when your house finally becomes a home" and I could not agree more!
Even more fun is Reed (our now 4 year old nephew). He is taking a liking to Uncle Dave and Aunt Carla now calling us to see if he can spend the night with us. We do everything from watch movies to cook to play ninja turtles and spider man games (with toy figures as well as on the Wii). I see him looking up to Dave so much and I am so thankful to have moved back to watch this little boy grow up. God really does lead you in life as I never thought I would return to Shreveport. Now, I can't even imagine being away.
Thanksgiving was a blast this year. We got to spend half the day with my side of the family. Our newest little nephew (Owen) is starting to laugh and want to be held by ME!!! My morning was spent playing baseball in the backyard with Reed, holding Mr. Owen (now almost 6 months old), and laughing at my brothers and Dave when they ate way to much.
About twoish, we headed to Dave's side of the family. They have some meaningful traditions as well. Every year I am amazed at how real they are....what you see is what you get, and I love it. They enjoy getting together, having way too much food and doing my all time favorite thing....laughing with each other. This year we got to celebrate a new arrival....Dave's cousin had her first baby (Ms. Bailey) and she is so pretty. Let me know if you don't believe in God...I will show you this little baby! UGH...she takes my breath away.
Decorating is an exciting moment too. In my house growing up, my parents would always wake up the day after Thanksgiving, have cinnamon boiling on the stove and Christmas music playing as they worked together to transform our house into Christmas time. This year, that tradition unfolded for Dave and I too. We both woke up, started the music through the living room speakers, put the smell of cinnamon on in our kitchen, and felt the cold air hit us as we brought down box after box from our attic to begin transforming our home into Christmas time. Crazy how traditions do in fact run from generation to generation!
This holiday season I am reminded how blessed we are as a family. I pray that you take a moment and see what traditions you have in your family, what your children will remember when they grow up, and how lucky you are to be alive.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Stillness
Every Sunday, I can always bet that something in the scripture is going to knock me across the head. In fact, I have this running joke with myself that it's God trying to knock the hardheadedness out and actually make me listen.
So this past Sunday amist all things going on, I here:
"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
Interestingly enough, tonight (Tuesday)I got home and was looking for a fairly important document we needed for business. I had turned my house upside down FOUR different times before tonight, gone to my parents and ransacked their office and now I was back home looking AGAIN for this one delicate piece of paper. As I was throwing papers around, I heard a soft voice in my head...."Be still, and know that I am God."
"Yeah right God", I said to myself. "I am here in a pile full of my junk and I really don't have time to be still right now. I love you and all but just wait a second." I found everything from our marriage license to old pictures...but still no document. I turned off the light and started to walk to the bedroom in defeat. Then the verse came to me again..."Be still, and know that I am God." At this point I just said okay and began to look one last place. Still nothing. "Dang it," I thought, "its got to be here somewhere!"
I walked into the next room, and my husband was sitting at my desk as still as he could be flipping through some papers. His stillness caught my eye as I had just heard that voice in my head and well....I guess you can figure out what happened....he had found the document. Chills just ran up and down my body...no way did that just happen to me.
Now I'm not one to preach or tell you how to lead your life, but I truly believe God gives us signs in life. If we listen maybe, just maybe we can find what we are looking for. "Be still, and know that I am God." Very meaningful to me this week and my hope for you is that you can take a few minutes each day and be still with the Lord. It's in that stillness of time that God has some of the best life lessons!
Blessings to you all,
Carla
So this past Sunday amist all things going on, I here:
"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
Interestingly enough, tonight (Tuesday)I got home and was looking for a fairly important document we needed for business. I had turned my house upside down FOUR different times before tonight, gone to my parents and ransacked their office and now I was back home looking AGAIN for this one delicate piece of paper. As I was throwing papers around, I heard a soft voice in my head...."Be still, and know that I am God."
"Yeah right God", I said to myself. "I am here in a pile full of my junk and I really don't have time to be still right now. I love you and all but just wait a second." I found everything from our marriage license to old pictures...but still no document. I turned off the light and started to walk to the bedroom in defeat. Then the verse came to me again..."Be still, and know that I am God." At this point I just said okay and began to look one last place. Still nothing. "Dang it," I thought, "its got to be here somewhere!"
I walked into the next room, and my husband was sitting at my desk as still as he could be flipping through some papers. His stillness caught my eye as I had just heard that voice in my head and well....I guess you can figure out what happened....he had found the document. Chills just ran up and down my body...no way did that just happen to me.
Now I'm not one to preach or tell you how to lead your life, but I truly believe God gives us signs in life. If we listen maybe, just maybe we can find what we are looking for. "Be still, and know that I am God." Very meaningful to me this week and my hope for you is that you can take a few minutes each day and be still with the Lord. It's in that stillness of time that God has some of the best life lessons!
Blessings to you all,
Carla
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Serious decisions
Laughter seems to get me in trouble quite often. Yes, I'm the youngest of three and like attention...what can I say. I like to make fun of things and I seem to side with a joke rather than being serious simply because lets face it: 1) nothing is ever as bad as it could be and 2) frowns give you wrinkles for heaven's sake!
So humor is one of my many gifts; however, I have come to respect seriousness for what it's worth recently. I am finally learning to trust in the Lord and become serious when I say 'okay, lets start making a difference.'
I thought I trusted in him before....I mean when your mom has had cancer, and your dad has suffered a heart attack believe me you realize really quick that someone/somewhere high above is watching out for you. But lately, God is giving me an even more personal lesson in seriousness and trust....He is teaching me to be serious when it comes to things like my marriage, my family, my friends and the relationships I build on a daily basis, my career, and last but certainly not least my health.
October 9th, 2007, I had weight loss surgery. I was/still am embarrassed (part of me excited), but after months of praying, followed by research, followed by information seminars, followed by doctor's trips, and finally pre-op appointments, I am finally becoming serious about me and my walk with the Lord. The me that is a wife, a future mother, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. I am finally seeing that a corporate office and/or fancy title is not going to help me become the person I need to be, and I'm having to lay it all out there and trust in the big man upstairs himself when it comes to life.
As I wake up each morning, I am blessed to look over at my husband and thank God for giving me such a rock to lean on during my hard days. I am blessed to have a great family and group of friends that rock my world because they are so awesome and I am blessed to be able to laugh and keep my sense of humor to go out and face the world even during serious times!!
Remember: 1) nothing is ever as bad as it could be and 2) frowns give you wrinkles for heaven's sake!
So humor is one of my many gifts; however, I have come to respect seriousness for what it's worth recently. I am finally learning to trust in the Lord and become serious when I say 'okay, lets start making a difference.'
I thought I trusted in him before....I mean when your mom has had cancer, and your dad has suffered a heart attack believe me you realize really quick that someone/somewhere high above is watching out for you. But lately, God is giving me an even more personal lesson in seriousness and trust....He is teaching me to be serious when it comes to things like my marriage, my family, my friends and the relationships I build on a daily basis, my career, and last but certainly not least my health.
October 9th, 2007, I had weight loss surgery. I was/still am embarrassed (part of me excited), but after months of praying, followed by research, followed by information seminars, followed by doctor's trips, and finally pre-op appointments, I am finally becoming serious about me and my walk with the Lord. The me that is a wife, a future mother, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. I am finally seeing that a corporate office and/or fancy title is not going to help me become the person I need to be, and I'm having to lay it all out there and trust in the big man upstairs himself when it comes to life.
As I wake up each morning, I am blessed to look over at my husband and thank God for giving me such a rock to lean on during my hard days. I am blessed to have a great family and group of friends that rock my world because they are so awesome and I am blessed to be able to laugh and keep my sense of humor to go out and face the world even during serious times!!
Remember: 1) nothing is ever as bad as it could be and 2) frowns give you wrinkles for heaven's sake!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Introduction
After months of hearing how I should do this, I figured I would take a chance and try this little thing called "blogging." I have always enjoyed writing, but having others actually see everything I write...that's like having someone hear you pray...it's a different story. So, where to begin?
About me I suppose: I am a fairly independent, married, mother of two (dogs that is) and love being able to say "I'm alive." I write from the heart and can always use a laugh. Hopefully my stories will have some connection to you and we can dance this little dance called LIFE together!
About me I suppose: I am a fairly independent, married, mother of two (dogs that is) and love being able to say "I'm alive." I write from the heart and can always use a laugh. Hopefully my stories will have some connection to you and we can dance this little dance called LIFE together!
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