WHERE HAVE I BEEN?
This post is dedicated to my friend Denise who is one of my only "real life" friends who reads my blog. (The other one's my mom :) It's nice to have a friend who can walk up to you and comment on what you've just written and it also keeps you accountable when they come up to you and complain about how long it's been since you've written anything. So Denise, this one's for you. I hope you enjoy.
WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING
Well, half of November was spent being sick. Every child took a turn getting some sort of upper respiratory virus which, as always, turned into wheezing and having to be on the nebulizer for a few days. Then I kept coming down with certain things which didn't totally wipe me out but just made me feel like crawling under the covers and sleeping the day away. I had concerts with the Cobb Symphony where we performed a really interesting contemporary composition called Blue Cathedral by Jennifer Higdon. It's been a long time since I've performed something contemporary that I actually liked. You can purchase a recording of it here. Then came Thanksgiving, which featured a visit from my parents. My mom helped with the turkey, which turned out great, and the next day my husband, father and eldest son went golfing while the rest of us went to the Atlanta Botanical Garden. After Thanksgiving I soon realized that all the time spent sick in November had severely hampered my ability to do any planning for the Christmas season. As a result, I've felt like I've been playing catch up for weeks, which is not fun. I really need to start planning earlier next year because every year, without fail, the majority of the Christmas events happen the first two weekends after Thanksgiving. The first two weekends of December will feature six concerts and three parties for our family. And I dare not forget the most important event of the first two weeks of December - my eldest son's birthday! He's ten today!!! I'll have to post pictures later. There's another thing I'm behind on. Needless to say, I've been more stressed than usual and have been clinging to a favorite verse in Isaiah 50 - "But the Lord God helps me, therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame."
WHAT I'VE BEEN READING
If my friend Cindy happens upon this post, she'll be gratified to know that I am almost through all 13 of the Lemony Snicket books, A Series of Unfortunate Events. My eldest and I have been reading through them together, at one point finishing one book a day until they kept getting longer and longer. My son is already done and I've been lagging behind because of another book I got caught up in ------ Gone With the Wind. This is the first time I've attempted to read this book and I wasn't sure I would finish it when I checked it out from the library, but......I have loved this book despite all the stereotypical baggage it has acquired over the years because of the movie and everything else. Actually, that was one of the reasons why I wasn't going to read it. I thought it wasn't going to be that good. On the contrary, critics have hailed this book as the best writing to ever come out of the South, and one of the best in all American fiction. I could not put this book down, and if you don't know it has over 1000 pages. I was fascinated by all the history Margaret Mitchell included, especially the history of Reconstruction. I'm not sure though how accurate her version of history is. I'm assuming it's pretty accurate. If anyone out there can give me another opinion I would really appreciate it.
WHAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT
Lately, I've been thinking about how much I need to get away for some sort of spiritual "retreat". I have been really yearning for extended periods of silence to really think, pray and write down what's been going on inside and underneath all the activity. My husband received an ipod as a reward for a project he did at work, and I've been learning how to podcast. It has been so wonderful listening to John Piper's messages everyday. I have also been podcasting John MacArthur, Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Albert Mohler. Piper has been going through Romans 6 and it has been a literal feast for my soul. Some thoughts I've written down include - "prize, treasure, delight in my union with Christ," "the evidence of whether God is on the throne of your life and not sin is whether you make war not whether you always win the battles," "we are not married to a set of rules but to a person," and "Jesus, as our husband, is power from within not pressure from without." There's a lot here to write about and I intend to very soon. I appreciate all of you out there who read my little blog and I really do treasure the opportunities to converse with you about these things.
ONE LAST THING
I could use some advice about how to get rid of fleas. We've been dealing with this for several months and I just keep losing the battle. I have a good idea about how to get the fleas off the dog, using a combination of K9 Advantix or Frontline and Capstar pills, but I really need some tips about how to keep them from coming back. How do I get them out of my house so they won't come back? Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks.
5 comments:
Thanks Sara, and welcome. I was afraid of the washing part. All in the same day too? Well I'll just have to get over it and do it on a day that's warmer than today, because I want to give him that pill that makes the fleas just jump off and he needs to be outside for a couple hours so the fleas won't jump right off into my house.
Blessings.
Hi Meredith! So sorry you had sickness run through. I imagine you had some pretty sleepless nights knowing your babies were not breathing well. Glad you are all better.
We just finished a long week and a half of sickness, from vomitting to sore throats, and a few other symptoms in the middle...and a few got it twice. I was exhausted! A dear friend took the children to her home Wed. a.m. and I took a nap. That sure helped. But now I am playing catch-up. And my oldest turns 10 on the 10th. :)
Aren't you grateful for good sound Bible teachers? I am too.
Fleas. My parents used advantage, and it worked pretty well, but not perfectly. THeir dog had a coat like yours does, so they did have him groomed...all that thick dog fur. My Grandma cuts a small piece of flea collar and puts it in her vacuum cleaner bag.
Hope you have a blessed Christmas season with your family.
I've missed you, Meredith! So good to hear from you.
Jay's iPod has been broken for quite a while and we haven't had the money to get it fixed or get a new one. He used it constantly to listen to good sermons and he listened to Piper all the time. That little tool did so much for him and he really, really misses it. :( Glad yours is such a blessing to you, too! :)
Take care and try not to stress out too much about "catching up". Streamline everything you can so you're able to have a few moments of peace and reflection during this special time of year.
Love and a hug,
Ruthanne
Thanks ladies! Your comments are very encouraging to me.
Roberta, I have put some flea collar in my vacuum bags too, but I don't know if it will work because I put a collar on the dog and it did absolutely nothing.
Ruthanne, great to hear from you. How is your pregnancy coming along? I will follow your advice about not stressing out. I got some encouragement from reading Luke's account of Jesus' visit with Mary and Martha. Only one thing is necessary and that will not be taken away.
Blessings.
Hey Meredith!
You dedicated a post to me and I'm just now reading it three weeks later! The Dell is dying a slow, intermittent death and I have had no computer time to speak of the whole month of Dec. New 'puter for Christmas, though, so I'm back in action. Glad ya'll are well (we are, too) and anxious to get back into the swing of routine.
Happy New Year!
Denise
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