Archives for February 2009

Random Tidbits

I finally got around to playing the 25 Random Things to Share tag game over on Facebook the other day. Thought you might enjoy reading my list and discovering some new and totally useless-information-to-you stuff about me :) Here goes:

1. I’m double-jointed in all my fingers.
2. I’ve had chicken pox twice.
3. I never went to kindergarten.
4. I don’t like milk unless it’s chocolate.
5. My first job besides babysitting was at a donut shop.
6. One of my old nicknames was Sherbie.
7. When I play Spades, I’m known as Shark :)
8. I’m not a good swimmer and don’t like to be in water over my head.
9. I am arts and crafts challenged.
10. My dad calls me Cherylsy-Werylsy. (say it like it rhymes :) )
11. I’ve never traveled east of St. Louis.
12. I LOVE Harry & David dark chocolate truffles.
13. I write a Christmas poem each year to put in my Christmas cards.
14. I love to go to the mountains but haven’t been in almost 13 years.
15. When I was in high school, I won 1st place doing a French reading at a Language Competition at the local university.
16. Last September I won my first writing award.
17. We get together with our friends the Irwins for every New Year’s Eve and Fourth of July.
18. I broke a finger playing volleyball with my students when I taught junior high.
19. I crashed an entire display of glassware while shopping for a wedding gift when I was in high school.
20. Don gave me a potted flowering plant from the local Foodtown for our first Valentine’s Day.
21. We spent our first anniversary in the emergency room thanks to a kidney stone – Don again :)
22. Both of my babies were overdue. Kristin by 10 days and Kelli by 16 – ugh!
23. I learned to drive a stick-shift in Don’s VW bug in college.
24. I hate cold weather.
25. My mom made me a from-scratch fresh orange layer cake every year for my birthday when I was growing up. I now make one each Christmas as the birthday cake for Jesus.

Discover any common ground with me? Any of these tidbits of info surprise you? Believe it or not, this list just scratches the surface of the random “stuff” of my life. If I continued on, I would be able to surprise everyone — even those closest to me. All except one, that is…

Yes, there is one who knows everything about me — all of my likes and dislikes, my hopes and dreams, my fears and failures. My heavenly Father knows me inside and out. Matthew 10:30 tells me He even knows the number of hairs on my head. Amazing, huh?

I find comfort in knowing there is someone who knows me so well. I can be completely at home with the One who has walked with me every step of the way. He’s not surprised at the random tidbits of my life. Like the loving Father He is, He just smiles a knowing smile…

Our heavenly Father knows and loves you, too. What are some of the random things He knows about you? I would love to see your list! (Or at least two or three things!)

“O Lord, you have searched me and you know me…you are familiar with all my ways.” Psalm 139:1a;3b

**Update: Don’s mom is doing much better! Her kidney function has continued to improve ever so slowly but will likely deteriorate again when she is dismissed from the hospital and off continuous IV fluids. As far as post-hospital care, God granted us a reprieve this week. Since there was no availability in the nursing home, she got to stay in the skilled nursing unit of the hospital. She has since grown stronger and will probably get to be released back to her assisted living facility if all continues to go well. This is a huge praise. Thanks for all the prayers!

p.s. Don’t forget to sign up for the giveaway! (Feb. 1st post)

Bragging on God

Life continues to stay more hectic than usual for me, but I wanted to pop in long enough to brag on God a little. He has been so good to encourage me with little things while Don’s mom has been hospitalized.

I can’t tell you how many times over the past few weeks God has provided great parking spots for me wherever I go (that’s huge when you’re tired and pressed for time). Or how my path has just happened to cross that of someone I need to talk to. Add to that the almost daily ways He has sent a timely word my way through something I read or hear. A special message just for me to minister to my spirit and strengthen me to carry on.

Just this past Sunday, I woke up feeling weary before I ever got out bed, overwhelmed with what the next few days would likely hold. Most mornings throughout our ordeal, I’ve felt a measure of fresh strength for the new day, but not this day. We had been told Mom would have to leave the hospital soon. The prospect of arranging care for her and moving her things while still trying to spend time at the hospital and maintain other aspects of life at the same time snuffed out my wobbly legged energy and joyful spirit.

But God didn’t leave me feeling depleted. On rising, I went into the bathroom and, like always, turned the page on my perpetual calendar to read the message for the day. These words from Christian author and pastor Charles Swindoll awaited me: “Since you will need fresh energy and new insight to handle what tomorrow throws at you, wait until it dawns before taking it on.”

From the mouth of God to my weary spirit, huh? In a few short seconds, God reminded me not to burden myself with what had not yet happened and to trust Him to provide the strength needed for each day. My spirit lifted, and I moved on with a lighter heart because of His tender touch.

Yes, my God is worthy of all the bragging I can do, of all the praise that I can give. What has God done for you lately? Go ahead — brag on God!

“It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has preformed for me.” Daniel 4:2

*Update: Don’s mom had a couple of really good days, but today was not so good. Still on the roller coaster — and still waiting to see how continued care for her is going to work out. As always, thanks for your prayers!

Flickr photo by pixle, Creative Commons License

Date Night Giveaway!

Happy February to all! How about an extra-fun giveaway just in time for Valentine’s Day? You might want to grab your sweetie so you can both sign up for a chance to win my night-on-the-town Date Night Giveaway!

That’s right — a night on the town! Well, at least a night at the movies :) The winner will receive a $20 gift card to his or her favorite movie theater chain (Cinemark, AMC, etc). Just leave a comment on this post by noon (CST) February 11th and tell me the name of the movie you saw on your very first movie date with your spouse or current significant other. Can’t remember the first one? That’s okay — just tell me the earliest one you can recall. If you don’t happen to have a significant other right now, leave the name of the first movie you ever remember seeing at a theater. If I don’t know you personally, be sure to include your email address as well.

I’ll kick it off. The first movie I ever saw with Don happened to be our first date as well. We saw Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Anybody remember that one? What a long time ago — 1974 to be exact. We still love going to the movies together, but now we have to buy snacks just to keep Don awake :)

Can’t wait to hear about your first movie dates with your current guys or gals. Also can’t wait to play Cupid and help someone have a great date night with his or her sweetie!

“‘Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.'” Song of Songs 2:13b

*Family update: There have been a few improvements with my mother-in-law’s health this week, but the long-term outlook concerning her renal failure is still not good. Since the hospital has told us they must dismiss her soon (you know how insurance goes…), we are now in the difficult days of care option decisions. We treasure your prayers…

*Flickr photo by Mo Kaiwen