{{{ Sirens }}}

{{{ Flashing red lights }}}

{{{ OH ME! It is the 'BLOG POLICE' }}}....better known as Sarah...ehheehehehee!

{{{ Pushing my mouse over }}}

{{{ Mustering up a grand excuse }}}

Hmmmm...............I have been....?? BUSY ?? OK....so I just haven't played on my puter in quite some time! Seems I have let the kids totally take it over. Who could blame me...they get countless hours of fun out of listening to their music and playing the game that Nana bought them. They also love solitare and MSN messenger. Who knew Zach was so popular?? And I???? Well, do the words peace and quiet mean anything?? Ahhh the bliss of a quiet house! LOL

PS....oh and dial-up stinks! (The truth sets me free!)

Ok...what was I doing??? Pneumonia for me....dental appointments for 3....doctors appts for 2.....holidays in 1 day....a brother who has had to have carotid artery surgery (and he is a year younger than myself)....let me see.....OH and for then near future??? I will be having a tooth pulled...danged cracked molar! OUCH!! And let me not forget....I am having a e????? surgery in early Feb.....some kind of female thing....not a hysterectomy...but something outpatient that deals with 188 degree water.....ugh! Let me see....I hit 4o in Oct. 2005 and in Jan. 2006 I started falling apart!!! Oh the pain of 'old age'.....hehehehee....nothing works right anymore. My vision has grown poor...my memory...well that is another issue....my 'womanhood' has lasted more weeks this past year than I care to even think of---and to think, the dr asked if it was just that it was "inconvenient"...??? My husband regrets not investing in feminine hygiene products by now. So life is a vicious circle, huh???? Lets not even discuss my hair!

The very best part???? My whole year was awesome! Loads of good things have come out of it....we have Jen, Seth is almost finished with his school, Justin has started his 3rd year of college, Cory is a Jr. and Zach is in 8th grade. My relationship with God has become stronger and I make him more of a priority in my life now and hope that I will do more of this in the coming year. Char and I are doing wonderfully. I have had some wonderful times with new friends and AWESOME times with old friends. And........I can say that I have now lost 39 lbs. and a total of 21" overall......the pounds since June of '06 and the inches just since July '06 (silly me didn't measure before surgery!) So many more good things have happened but I surely can't list them all.....well...I just don't want to be up much longer past this midnight hour. I find that by 8:30 p.m. I am almost asleep---another point for age...ehhehehehee! I used to be such night owl!

So....with that being said......

I will mention my current book list......Joyce Meyer, "Battlefield of the Mind", Stormie O'Martian, "The Power of a Praying Wife", and "The Power of a Praying Parent", and I just completed the study by Jennifer Kennedy Dean, "Live a Praying Life" (awesome study). What wonderful resources we have available to us in our quest to fulfill our desire to draw nearer to God. Of course, the Bible is the sole source of living water...but the studies and messages of others who serve are just incredible reinforcements. The fact that these gifted individuals draw from the same well...yet, they walk away with such a different way of explaining what they have learned, well it is just simply awesome. God moves in so many ways...it is no wonder that we are all part of the same body, yet we each have different functions. Simply amazing.

I am praying about my leading a study group using Stormie O'Martians book and study guide on "The Power of a Praying Parent"...I think it is an awesome study. I read a chapter each night to Char and we pray the prayers together. I have even thought that I should start the study group and offer (of all things), a yahoo group. I have found that in my most recent study group, it was difficult for all of us to attend weekly and consistently. I am a firm believer in becoming more 'high-tech' with bible studies! Use the tools available and that make it more available to the people involved. Maybe you want to join too?

I pray for each of you to get the hunger and thirst to draw nearer to God this year. What a wonderful 'resolution'.

Take care! Who knows when I can make it back! heheheeee.....I promise to try a weekly appointment.

Anita