JUST BE GLAD...

I have a journal I occasionally write in for the men children. By occasionally, I mean my last entry prior yesterday was June of 2008. Maybe occasionally is too strong a word. Maybe seldom would be better. Now I feel like I am checking off answers on a survey or a medical info sheet. Anyway, I was looking over the previous entries and found one the detailed a day with MC 2 dated March 2008. During the course of that day he:

1. doused the yard in gasoline

2. poured lighter fluid all over a stump

3. pooped on the back porch

4. broke a cookie jar

5. decided to doctor his own injury with hydrogen peroxide

Note: March 2008 puts MC 2 at the ripe age of 2.

My journal also revealed that March of that year was when my bathroom remodel started. That may seem trivial to you, as it would me, except for the fact that I, just yesterday, started to finish painting the trim area. I believe in pacing my home improvement projects. At least that is my story. So be glad MC 2 is mine and that I am not your remodel contractor. Have a great day!

YOU MIGHT JUST GET BORED READING THIS...

Well, let's see...what has been going on with us. MC 2 is banned from the bus this week for cheating on a test. In KINDERGARTEN people....in K...I...N...D...E...R...G...A...R...T...E...N. I know, we all need to pray for this one. I had a visit with our dentist yesterday. He and his staff must enjoy my company because I am scheduled to go back 2 more times next month. Whoopie! HH said, "Finally something we can blame on you!", referring to our dental woes with the MCs. He is about equality in this relationship if nothing else. I posted about some whiners, not winos, over on Deliberately Delivered. The puppies are on the move and have found their voices. Now if they could just find the outdoors and get out of my garage. Guess that is about it. If you are still awake, have a great Wednesday!

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ROB BELL...

as much as I disagree with his theology. As much I think he is being used to lead people, believers and non-believers, astray. As much as I will vocalize my opposition to Velvet Elvis and Love Wins and Nooma. As much as I go "Are you serious?" every time I read someone supporting the emerging church doctrine. It is not just about Rob Bell. He is simply the face. He is simply a man. A sinful man. Just like the rest of us. It is about the Church in America sitting on its backside getting fed and fat on junk food sermons because we want to feel good. It is about the Church in America not getting in the Word of God for ourselves and testing what we are told. It is about the Church walking around on theological egg shells because we don't want to offend anyone and who are we to say what is wrong. It is about the Church confusing grace with complete tolerance and love with keeping our mouths shut. And when I say the Church, I put myself smack dab in the middle of it. As much as my flesh talked back to the TV as I watched interview after interview with Mr. Bell, as much as I may have yelled at it a few times, as fired up as it gets me, it is not about Rob Bell. It is about us. It is about me. Do I believe the Word of God? Before that, do I even know the Word of God? If I believe it, am I living like it? If I believe in an eternal hell, am I trying to keep people out? Am I telling the good news of the gospel that an ever loving God has given us a choice and provided a very real sacrifice in Jesus Christ that allows us to make that choice? Watching this unfold over the last few weeks, and honestly the last couple of years, with my exposure to the emerging church, it has become less about them and more about me. What am I doing? Where am I willing to take a stand? How am I living out my faith? The fire I feel inside of me is an anger that God is being made out to be something He is not. My God... my Savior.... and that is something I take that very personal. The fire I feel inside of me cannot be quieted any longer for the sake of niceties. The fire I feel inside brings me to tears with passion for my Jesus. This is about the integrity of the Word of God. This is about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This is about the very character of God. It's not just about Rob Bell... it's about so much more. "...But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not." Jeremiah 20:9 (NKJV)

NO MATTER HOW YOU SPELL IT...

SERENITY

Awwwww....isn't he cute?

Awwww...he can be yours:)

TRAINING DAY

MC 1 brought home a copy of the book 101 Dog Tricks. MC 2 took it and ran. For some reason he thought he could train Bella to do a few tricks.

Preparing.....

and nothing.

She would NOT jump over his leg for all his pleading. I am sure they will try again tomorrow.

Right after they clean the glass in my front door...goodness me.

WE LIKE OURS CANNED AND PROCESSED...

Well, the ol' quest hit a brick wall on Sunday. For our lunch, Mrs. Deen suggested steamed green beans. The men in my house revolted. There were snarling faces, talks about health, and it ended up with MC 1 declaring in a fit of disgust,

I HOPE THERE IS JUNK FOOD AT NANNY'S HOUSE!

Isn't that just like us? We want the stuff that is quick to eat and easy to swallow. I don't want to have to take the time to chew on it. What I have found is that the same thought pattern has been true in other areas of my life as well. Like...uhmmm.....church maybe?
I have wanted the fast food version of Christ at times in my life. The messages that were easy to take in and to swallow. The ones that were sweet to my spiritual palate. No chewing required. No thinking about it required. Just open your little, sweet spiritual mouth and swallow. Sadly, sometimes that is what I got served. Just as sad, if not more so, sometimes it was those types of messages I sought out. The healthy, takes a little work to digest sermons I was not so excited about.
Our culture is the same way. They desire to hear a version of the gospel that is sweet to them. They want sermons that are canned and processed. Sermons that make us feel good and go down smooth. Don't misunderstand, I like a "feel good" sermon too. But what I am learning is that nothing makes me feel as "good" as knowing Jesus Christ died for my sins. Knowing that He is with me. Seeing in Scripture God's promises to me fulfilled (past and present tense) in Christ Jesus. Resting in the assurance that there is a literal enemy of my soul and a hell, and that Jesus Christ, by His death, has defeated both.
I cannot tell you how many times over the past year I have gotten mad at myself for spending years as a spiritual fast food junkie. Not every meal, but enough. It was my choice. My choice to sit there and just take whatever in. My choice to seek out the easy stuff, the stuff that made me feel good. This is not a post about blaming others. It is about my responsibility as a believer to test what I have heard against the word of God. To seek out the "sit down to dinner" stuff of the gospel and chew on them. Let it make me healthier.
As I continue to look at not only my fast food eating habits, but my fast food Jesus habits, I want encourage you to do the same. What are you looking for? Do you and I want to be Christians who treat church as a drive-thru quick fix? Do we want to play on the playground of our doctrine, our core beliefs? Where we play church just enough to make us feel better? Feel like we are out there doing something? Or do we want to sit down at the table of the Christ and have a meal? Have some hearty food that takes a little effort on our part to work out? Yes, our pastors should be serving up those meals. Meals they have labored over. Meals they and the Lord have prepared together. Not meals that come in a prepackaged can. At least not every Sunday. Honestly, not most Sundays. I hope your pastor is such a leader. HOWEVER, you and I are responsible for our own spiritual diet. We are the ones who choose what we want to digest. We are the ones who choose to go for the fast food junk or the hearty meals.
You must know I have been wrestling with this for a good bit. Working out where I have chosen the easy way, and where I need to choose different. It breaks my heart to see a nation of believers and unbelievers alike, sitting in pews, or watching on the Internet, or reading from the latest book, with our spiritual mouths open ready to take in whatever is dished out. We have got to do better as the Church. I have got to do better as Rhonda. Otherwise we, and I, will wind up as spiritually obese people full of unhealthy ideologies and doctrines that do nothing for the body but hinder it.
Let us choose today.

MY QUEST...

I just wrote an article for A Martha Heart about my cooking,

or lack there of.

I have challenged myself to try to be a better cook.

To make the effort.

Saturday night I tried.

I went with a sure thing.

We were making Shrimp Stir-Fry with Cilantro-Scallion Rice.

Sounds fancy doesn't it?

I think we were off to a good start.

and the final product...

Personally, I think it is not too shabby.

The quest continues;)

EWWWW.....

is what you would say if I told you what MC 2 pulled yesterday, so I will spare you.

The day ended up with MC 2 buck naked, MC 1 stripped down to his underwear, and both running around the front yard like a couple of wild hooligans.

In broad daylight.

They were supposed to be watering the dogs.

Let us just say it is a good thing Spring Break is winding down.

Have a great weekend!

SPRING GARLAND

Compliments of MC 2.

Martha Stewart would be proud.

Resourceful.

Of course, this is the same child whose

"resourcefulness" motivated him to use a trash can as a urinal

because the bathroom was occupied the other night,

so she may not be all that proud.

TRYING TO FIND BALANCE

HH: Where are you going to sleep tonight?

MC 2: But I just want Mom.

HH: If you don't stay in your own bed, I am not taking you to the zoo.

MC 2 in serious thought. Index finger to chin. Hands weighing out the scales. Silence.

MC 2: Mom? Will you sleep with me tonight?

ADVANCED SHOWING...

so you can be making your selection

he is smarter than he looks

I am not sure about these guys

(Seriously this picture was not staged. I just realized it this morning and it made me laugh so maybe it will you as well, and who couldn't use a good laugh on a Tuesday)

I MISSED IT AGAIN...

Every seven weeks, the MCs school has an awards assembly. Perfect attendance....Honor roll, A & A/B....Reading points. I missed the first one when MC 1 received A/B honor roll props. I thought I had told you that but I can't find it and have exerted all the energy I am going to looking. I knew a new one was coming up. I knew we were out of the running for honor roll. We thought he had missed a day or two. I thought I was safe in not going.
Then he came home.

Mom, guess what? Looks like you should have come to the thing. I got an award for not leaving early and for reading points!

What? Oh I am so proud of you! I am so sorry I missed it!

Well, lucky Conner's mom was there, so I had some company.

Yes.....a direct kick in the gut.

With a punch of grateful heart for Conner's mom.

WELL LOOK WHAT THE DOG DRUG UP.....

Yes....that is our beloved Buddy.

Yes...it is the cone of shame.

Might I add that the surgery which necessitated the cone.....

a little like closing the barn door

AFTER to mule got out.
We appreciate the effort though.

Have a great weekend!

TUESDAY NIGHT

is our absolute favorite night for TV. You are privy to this information because I have a complete block about anything else to write about. HH and I are HUGE NCIS fans...both of them. We were watching NCIS:LA the other night and we both agreed that Deeks is a wonderful addition. How was the show even funny with out him? Of course the day when all of the current cast of NCIS (the original) does not return may be the day we are done, and if Gibbs checks out, I am guessing HH will as well. After our NCIS fix, HH and I part viewing ways. Which means he watches what he wants and I DVR mine. He is a fan of the V. Me, not so much. Little to graphic for my tastes. I am a fan of Neal Caffrey, that would be White Collar on USA. I love this show. I love the cliffhangers. I hate the short seasons. Being a closet fan of OTH, the addition of Hilarie Burton just thrills me. Not to mention that Andrew McCarthy was on as well, and that just delights this brat packer's heart!
So, yep, we look forward to Tuesday nights 'round here.
I know...riveting.
Pray for release from writer's block.
Or you may get more posts like this.

WHATCHA GOT?

I could talk about the vermin that has returned to my bathroom and how I am "missing" a mouse trap once again......

I could talk about the fact that I have started First Place and why.....

We could discuss why I am driving MC 2 to school every day this week.....

or how I need to figure out what I am giving up for Lent, like TODAY, and why I observe Lent even though I am of no denomination that does....

I could tell you how our puppy count is down to single digits now.....

OR we could discuss the hot topic of Rob Bell and what I think about all of that business.

We could even go deeper into the whole live and let live attitude in the church and my really strong ideas about that.....

But I don't really want to.

So what do you want to talk about?

Come on...

Whatcha got?

I promise to answer the questions as best I can and to not use all caps in my response (otherwise known as YELLING AT YOU!)

ECHOES...

I have been telling you about our parenting craziness, as I am sure the kids call it, lately.

Last week, MC 1 handed me, backhanded of course, the greatest compliment we could receive in our efforts so far.

While trying not to do what I told him to he said,

YOU ARE SOUNDING JUST LIKE DAD!

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

We are making progress.

WE CHOSE....

13 years ago today to say I DO.

And we have been.

Ups and downs.

Losses and gains.

Fights and make-ups.

Hunting season and the rest of the year.

Choosing every night (we could) to go to bed with the spouse of our youth.

Choosing every day to get up and do life together again.

Thrilling - not usually.

Romantic - occasionally.

Difficult - at times.

Worth it - each and every day.

Love you HH.

** Unrelated, but Bella had 12 or 13 puppies. She won't be still so I can get a good count. All black.....not a yellow one in the batch.

BELLA....OH BELLA

Remember this sweet face....

It's gone.

It has been replaced by a beast I tell you.

A beast I would gladly show you pictures of but since our little underwater excursion with my camera has officially killed it and she won't be still for my phone, I can't.

Bella has gone off and gotten herself in a motherly way.

That's right...she is having babies.

Soon.

If you have ever seen Hooker, she looks about like that.

The proud papa....Buddy.

The entire experience has had me explaining things to the MC's as ambiguously as I could and still be technically correct. They, the MCs, have an entire family dynamic worked out.

Copper is the uncle. Zoey is the grandma. It only gets more complicated the more "relatives" that show up.

I do feel for her.

She is huge.

She can't hardly stand up.

She spends a lot of time broad side.

She is not prepared for this.

She will probably have them on my front porch.

I will most likely be her midwife.

Not a very good one since I was a drug me up and C-section kinda gal.

But we will make it.

And when we do I'll let you know.

Because I know your day would not be complete without it.....

** Puppies arrived on Sunday....we will see....

BARGINING POWER

Tuesday morning finds me up at 3:15am. Actually, that would be up for the second time. The first time started at 2:00am when MC 2 stood over my bed and woke me up with his stare down. And as I am typing this at 3:16am, the cat is now giving me the stare down. I should go back to bed, but I hate to because I have a feeling it won't last and I have to be up in a couple of hours anyway.
Ever since we moved back into our house from The Great Escape of '06, MC 2 has not slept all night for more than 2 or 3 nights in a row. I tried walking him back. He just gets up again. We talked about being a big boy and staying in his own bed. He didn't care. He wanted his mommy. Sunday night, he searched me out on the couch and slept there. The boy is seriously like a bloodhound. Last night HH played the trump card. He told MC 2 that if he got into our bed, he wouldn't be allowed to ride the bus. I had no faith, I'll be honest. I was not surprised to find him standing beside me at 2 this morning. I was surprised when I told him to just get in and he didn't.
Just get in.
I can't.
Why? Just get in.
Dad said I can't.
The kid would not budge. I sent him back to his room, without tears mind you, which worked for about 5 minutes. The end result was me going to get in bed with him, which technically, is not a violation of the bus rule, even though in spirit I am pretty sure it just got shot down. I am not sure what astonishes me more....the fact that our little one could make such a stance at 2 o'clock in the morning or that we never thought of using it before.
I tell you, I am amazed at the power "riding the bus" can wield. I am honestly shocked. I know, I know, enjoy it now because there will come the day when they want me to take them again. When they will be ashamed to be bus riders. I know those days are coming. But for now, we are going to enjoy it and manipulate in every way possible.
Bargaining....it is all about the bargaining power.
UPDATE: HH panicked this afternoon and asked what are we going to do this summer? I had not even gotten that far!

GRAVES OF CRAVING

This needed saying again.

Mainly for me.

OK....

FINE!

All for me.