Really?

Seriously? Someone donated these today. An empty egg carton and two empty creamer bottles. I'm really hoping that we got them by mistake, although the creamer bottles had been rinsed out. I'm just saying....

Thanks for the Memories...

As 2009 comes to a close I find myself trying to do a year in review...the fact that I find it difficult to remember does not speak well of the current state of tiredness. Well here goes...

January 2009

• I joined the world of blogging, I never would've dreamed that I could have kept up with this for a year. More to come, I hope.
• I started or restarted scrapbooking with new friends

February 2009

• Celebrated our 2oth Wedding Anniversary
• Celebrated the life of Doctor Knight
• A great Small Group start
• Facebook and Twitter

March 2009

• Disney World through the eyes of a first-timer. We got to take go to Walt Disney World and take Jenna's friend
• A new van...not a planned event, but nice all the same
• Loss of an Uncle

April 2009

• The blessing of another birthday--better than the alternative.
• The beginning of the forever being promised office remodel.
• Too many Musicals.

May 2009

• The end of 6th grade for Jenna.
• Beginning of summer break.
• Some great new friendships made.

June 2009

• Great vacation to Orange Beach, AL with the Bales. The Caribe Resort Rocks.
• Death of Michael Jackson

July 2009

• Cooking classes for Jenna--one of the best things ever.
• Feelings of needing a new job opportunity

August 2009

• Bethany Girls Breakaway 2009-- A great weekend with daughters and moms
• The start of HMM
• Jim starts Photo of the Day blog
• The remodel was finally complete.
• The start of 7th grade.

September 2009

• Guiding Light comes to and end after 70+ years
• Jenna turned 12
• The Homecoming car accident--glad everyone was safe.

October 2009

• Trip to WDW with my best friend. Food and Wine Festival--no responsibilities--splitting meals. ALL GOOD.
• The Nehemiah Series--sermons to change your life.
• A new JOB!!
• 1ooth anniversary of BFC--Jenna joins the church.

November 2009

• A new job-- like none I've ever taken.
• Tragic death of a friend
• Death of an Uncle
• Great Thanksgiving trip to Ohio. Spent with great family that I wished didn't live so far away.

December 2009

• Another great Christmas card designed and executed by Jim
• A real snow storm in Oklahoma
• Debt free
• The end to a great year of change, some losses and some great blessings in our lives.

I hope as you do a review of the past year that you find most of yours full of great memories and wonderful events. Even in the tragic happenings I hope that we all are able to find ourselves more grateful for the blessings we have and that we not take them or one another for granted in the coming year. God's grace and peace to you.

What the heck is this?

It really amazes more and more everyday what comes through the store in the donations. Some I'm sure weren't really meant for the donation pile and some just leave us wondering...

What the heck are these???

They have no relationship to one another...just both equally puzzling.

Any thoughts??

Merry Christmas to all of you!!

HMM 12

It's a little summer dress full of hidden mickeys. See how many you can find?

Have A Magical Hidden Mickey Day!

....And To All A Good Night!

I can't believe as I sit here this evening that Christmas is Friday. How can that be? I remember one Christmas when Jim and I were first married and I was working retail we had every gift purchased, wrapped and under the tree before Thanksgiving. Now that I can look back over the last 6-8 weeks I probably should have adopted that practice this year before I started my new job. The time has flown by and it completely caught me unprepared for Christmas.

Jim has introduced me to some churches, pastors, laymen (okay, I don't really know who all movement includes) that are trying to get us (Americans) to rethink Christmas. What if we really embraced a spirit of giving of ourselves and not so much the giving of only material things? I can't imagine a Christmas where my daughter isn't excited by some great toy or gadget, but I will have to tell you that she couldn't even really make me a list this year. What does that say about me as a parent? Does she really have a life of no wants? What can I give her that will really mean something?

As I go through the the next year surrounded by a community of people who really have needs, I'm hoping to discover a better way to celebrate Christmas next year. These people are trying to better themselves but fall back into old traps. Women trying to go back to school but can't make rent because they can't work if they accept monetary assistance to go to school. Men who have criminal records and can't find a place to live because no one wants to take a chance on former criminal. People who walk everywhere they go, not because they are supporting green lifestyle, but because that is their only choice. People who crave a kind word. People who come in everyday just because it's a safe place to be for a little while.

I don't have a plan, but I have a desire. I don't know what the solution is, but I see the problem everyday. I hope the Lord lays a really good vision on me so next year when I am only six days from Christmas I know that I have done my best to make it meaningful for those whom I love and for those who don't really know love.

Finally...a Christmas fun moment.

Today was last day I turned in work with my former employer. I have been trying to do two jobs for the past 6-8 weeks. It was good money and my former job needed stuff done until they decided what they were going to do about my old job. But I am so glad to be finished.

Jenna and I actually got to spend the evening making Christmas crafts, which we traditionally do way before now. So this might be the only one we do --but if I do say so myself--it turned out pretty darn cute. It did help my Christmas spirit just a little. We're supposed to see a live version of "White Christmas" this weekend so I have high hopes of finally finding some of the joyous season happiness.

By the way --just so you don't think that all the sudden I've become some great photographer --Jim took this photo of the craft we created.

Can we stop the hustle and the bustle?

and I don't mean these...thank God somebody already stopped these!

What I mean is how crazy busy everything is between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Could we not have a few parties between New Year's and St. Patrick's Day? Could we decide to ask for donations all throughout the year and not just for these 4 weeks? Could we have Groundhog Day Musical Presentations? Just a few thoughts! Have a non-crazed (that the best I can hope for) Day!

Just when you think.....

Well...I've been at this job about 6 weeks now and most of the time I'm so tired that every part of my body hurts. My hands now look like I do hard construction work for a living. I broke down and spent way too much on a pair of shoes that look like they came from some old "B" Sci-fi movie, but feel heavenly. I find myself irritated with the other merchants in my strip when they don't break down their boxes before they put them in the dumpster. (how sad am I?)

I spend most of my day bent over sorting through all the wonderful items that the public drops by on an almost hourly basis. Which can include some really great stuff but also the occasional grossness. And then there's the bag that seems as if someone just walked through the house picking up all the things that seemed out of place and brought them to me, which included an empty BudLight can. Really?? Com'on people!!

But then after hours of sorting and my sciatica trying to jump out of my back I come across something that makes it all worth it...something that makes me squeal with delight...something like this...

A Mickey Mouse Sweatshirt with my favorite saying on it, in my size, with no tears or stains. It may all be worth it.

I know you were hoping for some great story of redemption or some story of how we are helping so many people,,,,yada yada, yada. But you know it's really all about ME! LOL! I have some great human interest stories to tell too, and I will spend some quality time writing them down as soon as I can stand up straight again and not feel like climbing into bed the moments I walk in the door in the evening. Grace and Peace to you.