Easter Changes

Years ago Cody and I decided (I say “Cody and I”, but I am not sure it was actually a joint decision… I think Cody may have agreed out of self preservation) to boycott Easter church services, but instead celebrate Easter in a non-traditional way.  Our, (my) reasoning was simple…I found myself too caught up in the holiday and had lost focus of the holy day… I had gotten so caught up in Easter outfits, Easter baskets, Easter meal, Easter eggs….the picture perfect family at the Easter service; I lost sight of the cross and of the meaning of the celebration.

The great awakening for me was the Easter when Jacob was about 4 years old and Lynnsay was 3. I had undertaken the job of making Lynnsay’s Easter dress. (And I HATE to sew…) It was adorable. Laura Ashley McCall’s Pattern #7113.  I even had used Laura Ashley fabric, yellow print for the dress and a coordinating yellow floral for the pinafore apron… She was going to look like a doll.  And what is more, is my mom had made Jacob a pair of adorable yellow seersucker pants with suspenders.  They were going to be quiet the Easter pair!  My two beautiful babies…until the Vaseline incident…

No need to go into detail about the incident…just saying that Easter I was certain that my beautiful daughter (who now has incredible hair) was never going to have anything but a greasy mess on her head.  My Easter Sunday was spent full of emotions- but none of them was fixated on the actual meaning of Easter.  I never once thought about the sacrifice of the cross.  I never once thought about the price that Jesus paid for my sins.  I never once thought about the miracle of the empty tomb. I never once focused on the new life I have in Christ.  I was consumed with my failure as a mother…I did not have the picture perfect family...

The next year we had the opportunity to go to Lake Buchanan and “camp” with my grandparents, and we took it.  My mom’s parents, my Mudgee and BigDaddy were retired and they would bring their travel trailer to Lake Buchanan for several weeks during the spring.  Cody and I started the tradition of joining them at Lake Buchanan for Easter weekend.  Over the years “Easter at the Lake” evolved and changed… we had all of our family some years, and we had minimal family some years.  But it became a Crittenden Clan tradition…We had our own worship service. My parents and grandparents gave their testimonies.  My BigDaddy made me a cross that we could “bloom” on Easter morning with wildflowers signifying the new life we have in Christ… Our Easters were focused on the holy day that we were celebrating, even though my kids were filthy, dressed in raggy clothes and usually barefoot.

Later, after my grandparents passed away, and the rest of our family began celebrating Easter at “home”…we continued to celebrate our Easters at Lake Buchanan with our “Temple Cousins” the Lucketts at their lake house… The time we spent at the Luckett  Lake House cemented the bonds between our families… our children have made lifelong memories together at that house… and so have Cody, Bobby, Karen and I… that house, weekends there, Easter in particular, molded us into a family.

However, as time has passed, our children have grown up, most of them have married and all but one of them now have their own children.  For the past couple of Easters it has been obvious that the Crittenden clan has over-crowded the Luckett Lakehouse and I am pretty sure, that we have overtaken the Luckett Easter… So after a couple of years of bringing tents, pop up campers and trying to “fit” in it became clear that the Crittenden Clan  once again needed to make a change to our Easter tradition.

This year, for the first time in as long as I can remember- the we stayed “home” for Easter while the other half of our Temple family, the Luckett’s, were able to enjoy Easter in a not so packed and crowded Lakehouse.

We all missed being at the lake… we each missed being with the Luckett’s immensely… we are a family that does not let go of “traditions” easily so the weekend was under a shadow of “I wish we were at the lake” thoughts.

 But God is really amazing…and our Easter weekend was pretty awesome.  My parents were here, and they got to celebrate Easter with their great- grands in the same way that my Mudgee and BigDaddy did with our family at Lake Buchanan years ago.  I was able to serve at our church during the Eggstravaganza which both of my grandbabies enjoyed, and, also, just happened to be Hudson’s first Easter Egg Hunt. We enjoyed a shrimp boil and games of washers with our family and friends in our back yard (first shrimp boil in our new house)… and we went to the Easter service at our church on Sunday with our family. Following our wonderful worship and celebration service at church, we had a great family lunch at my cousin, Kaylenn’s house with the Crittenden Clan, my parents, my Aunt Sandy and Uncle Mike and a new member at Foundation, Cederick… and (I think, thanks to Blythe’s prayers) there was no rain to keep another Easter egg hunt from happening! It was a great day and a great way to celebrate the miracle of the cross… it was full of worship, love and family. The miracle of the cross and the resurrection of our Savior was the center of my heart. My focus on Jesus and the Holy day was not overshadowed by “picture perfect” expectations.  Maybe I have grown up a little and matured some in my faith...then again, maybe my children have just all grown up.... (and now that they have families of their own, are insisting we go back to the lake next year...so Pelican Pointe here we come!)

Personal Testimony

Several years ago I read a book that impacted my life. The Same Different as Me is a true story by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. Hall is a wealthy art dealer in Fort Worth and Moore is a homeless man who relocated from Louisiana to Fort Worth- their lives became intertwined by the will of God as He moved in the heart of Deborah Hall, Ron's wife, and the two of them began serving in "soup kitchen" program in Fort Worth. The Halls developed a personal friendship with Denver Moore that changed all of their lives.

I know that God guided me to Foundation and almost 2 years later placed me in the middle of "Feed My Sheep," a type of ministry that reading The Same Different as Me had sparked a passion in my heart for. Now that I have actually been blessed to be a part of Feed My Sheep, that passion has only grown.

Working with Feed My Sheep has changed the way I think, and the way I live my life. Rainy days now don't just move my heart to praise God for the moisture; I am also moved to pray for a dry spot for shelter. A thunderstorm in the middle of the night wakes me up and prompts me to pray for safety. The long hot days of summer bring prayers for plenty of water. Bitter cold nights cause my heart to plead for people to find their way to the warming shelters. Missing faces give me cause to worry, while someone returning brings relief to my soul!

As my husband, Cody, and I have served in this ministry over the last 11 months, these people have become more than just "the homeless and the hungry" in my eyes. They have become the faces of people I love, and pray for; faces of people who are citizens in my community. They are each created by God in His image.

My passion for this ministry has spread throughout my entire family and often the whole "Crittenden Clan" shows up to volunteer at the FMS center. I love watching the interaction between our grandchildren and all of the people coming through the line. Our granddaughter, Aubrey, is two and has already developed a special way of loving the people at the center. Recently, I was sitting outside with both of the grandbabies. I was wrestling my 7 month old grandson, Hudson, and watching Aubrey as she played chase and sang songs with the other volunteers and some of the people just standing around the building. As one man was leaving, he pinched Hudson's cheek, but walked past Aubrey without saying a word. Being a normal two year old, she felt slighted and the look on her face made my heart ache, but I watched as she took off after the man and caught his attention by grabbing his pant leg and yelling "Hey!" As he stopped and looked at her, she opened her arms and said, "Hug?" and gave the man a huge bear hug. Watching that interaction brought tears to my eyes... the attention that man gave to Aubrey was so important to her. She did not notice that the clothes he was wearing were filthy and threadbare. She did not care that the hands he hugged her with were calloused and stained with dirt and grime. She did not react to the fact that he did not smell all that great. She reacted to him as a normal 2 year old that has just been overlooked, while her younger cousin received some attention. His acknowledgement of her and her presence made her feel important.

I have heard people say thing like, "We tried to help one of the homeless men, but he didn't want any help. He was happy to be homeless." I think I see this situation a little differently.

I don't think help means change. And I don't think "helping" is equal to "improving". I think helping is meeting them where they are, as they are. Many of them have served in our armed forces. Most of them have faced devastating losses in their lives; and several of them have learned to survive despite being mentally ill; I am sure that some are battling demons that I can't begin to imagine. But they are each human beings, and while they do need help, they don't necessarily want to be "cleaned up" to receive it. They live a hard life, whether they have arrived here by consequences of their own decisions, or whether they are here because of circumstances beyond their control- I believe that they each deserve love and respect. I think "helping" is seeing them through the eyes of my 2 year old granddaughter- without judgment or pre-conceived opinions.

They mean something to me. They mean something to my family. And they mean something to the body of Christ at Foundation United Methodist Church.

Saturday, Feb. 16 at 5 p.m., our Men's Ministry will be hosting a Chili Cook Off. Donations will be accepted with all of the proceeds going to help offset the monthly food cost for "Feed My Sheep." At this time Foundation provides each person a "hot" lunch and a "take home" bag meal. We try to keep the hot lunch cost under $3 per person, and the take home bag usually is about $1 per person. On average there are close to 100 people who come to the Center everyday for a meal.

The following video consists of photographs taken over the last couple of months at the center in Temple. These are some of the faces of the people that Foundation is providing meals for each month. These are the faces of some of the people in our community that I have grown to love. These are the faces of the people that come to the Salvation Army Center in Temple for "Feed My Sheep."

Blessings,

Marleea Crittenden

Copy of Foundation Feed My Sheep

Birthday Blog...

I celebrated my 48^th birthday a couple of weeks ago.  It was a relatively painless number to turn…while the big Five O is looming around the corner…I still have two more years in my 40’s…which what was it everyone told me when I turned 40?  I think it was that “40 is the new 30.” Obviously a saying made popular by someone in their 40’s who still felt like they were 30. I know for a fact that I don’t feel like I did when I was in my 30’s…so I am pretty sure that the 40’s are still just the regular old time 40’s and I am almost certain the 50’s will follow the same path.

But none the less- my 47^th year was another year of learning many valuable lessons, making many (hopefully) forgivable mistakes and often experiencing a combination of the two- learning valuable lessons from my forgivable mistakes!!

During my 47^th year, I think I have finally “come into my own”, whatever that means… I have actually learned to really like myself a little more, and stop focusing on my faults and my shortcomings so much. While I still have what I have come to call “bad hair days”, the days when no matter what I can’t seem to find much about me that I like or anything anyone else would like- most days I have come to terms with ME! I have more confidence.  And I am much happier! 

I have quit worrying about what everyone might think or believe about me, or my family.  I have come to grip with the fact that there are always going to be haters around me, and there will always be those who want to sit in judgment over me. I have taken a step back from trying to please EVERYONE…as my son David would say, I am a recovering people pleaser.

I know my heart, and believe me, it is pretty wretched…but I also know my God… and He is pretty awesome…and for some unexplainable reason He chose to purchase my wretched self with His Son! So I am choosing to walk in the knowledge that the only one who can sit in judgment over me, has already set me free! I have learned that it is through all of those ugly weak spots, cracks and holes that I have…those are where my Maker’s light shines through!!! He fills my gaps with His saving grace and strength.

After several hard years (I think about 43 to 46) during my 47^th year I have been overly blessed with simple happiness. As a recovering people pleaser, my rat race life has calmed down. I enjoy my family and my friends.  I am a happier wife and mother, grandmother and friend. I laugh more, and I laugh loud.

Right after my 47^th birthday, we made a change in our business.  We were forced to let a long time employee go, and I took on added responsibility and a more face to face work with our customers!  I have really enjoyed my new position.  While working with your husband is always a challenge, I feel like Cody and I are doing a remarkable job at working closely

This year I read through the entire Bible in 8 months!! (Or at least I will have read through it in 8 months- I have 6 more days left in this reading program)And I am currently in a Wednesday night Bible Study where we are reading through it in 90 days! So in 3 months I will have read through the entire Bible twice in a year. It has been life changing for me.

Yep- the 47^th year of my life has been wonderful.  I have an amazing husband who I love more every day.  I have 3 incredible children who have brought two wonderful bonus children into my life and given me the most amazing granddaughter and grandson ever! They are all my happy thoughts and hold my very heart.  My friends, my family and my church body keep me grounded in my faith… I am looking forward to what my 48^th year brings… life lessons and all.  I LOVE YOU ALL!!

 

Life Lessons from Visual Basics

A few things I have learned from being in business and working with my husband:

1.    Men who have affairs with their secretaries obviously have a relationship built off of lies… there are days that I am sure Cody doesn’t want to come into my office, much less have an affair with me…in fact, I think he often avoids me. And that generally works for me.

2.    While honesty is always the best policy…sometimes keeping your mouth shut is the best solution.

3.   I often accuse Cody of never speaking to any of the other employees in the same tone he uses with me.  But if I am honest, I would never speak to another boss in the same tone I use with him. (I think we both could use a little work with that.)

4.   Leaving “work” at the office is not only difficult, it is really impossible.

5.   It is important to watch for the “glazed eye” look when discussing your business with your friends.  Just like the subject of your children, no one is that interested…

6.   Eye rolling is a sure way to end a conversation with a fight.

7.    “Days off” are almost non-existent. And departure times are subject to change.

8.    We are always together. Always. Good?  Sometimes. Bad? Sometimes.

9.    I can always expect one question, daily, “What are your plans for lunch?”

10.  Praying for God’s grace to allow me to be my husband’s “helper/completer” at work helps keep me focused on how both of our strengths work together with both of our weaknesses…otherwise it is easy to begin to see only his weaknesses in the light of my strengths- and never notice my weaknesses in the light of his strengths.

11.  Tension between us can clear a room quicker than a smoke alarm.

12.  Cody is the only person at work that can follow me into the ladies’ room to finish a conversation.

13. Most days I would rather be at the shop with Cody and everyone else rather at home alone.

14.  We are both the last to get paid.

15. I decide to quit and get a “real” job at least once a quarter. I usually get as far as walking to the front door… I used to get further and actually look in the “Help Wanted” ads.  It also used to be closer to once a month

16.  Cody recently asked me to go pick up some wine glasses from Ross so we can sit in his office and have a glass of wine…I don’t think that would happen in most places of business, and I have to say it hasn’t really happened here yet… But, now, come to think of it, if you refer back to one of my first lessons- this could be an avenue that might lead a boss to have an affair with his secretary.  Hmm… maybe Cody is trying to make a pass at me!

17.  Piggy backing on the previous lesson- sexual harassment accusations pretty much go out the window when you are working for your husband…they are expected and often encouraged.

18.  Communication is key…but timing is essential.

19.  There is really no “b.s.ing” my way in or out of anything, Cody knows and recognizes all of my best moves…that is not to say that there are not times when I can charm him…

20.  Respect and love are key… as long as I show him respect and he shows me love…our relationship in business and in marriage stays in balance…however a small crack in either can create havoc.

21.  This is a lesson I learned a long time ago in our marriage, however, it carries into our business relationship as well- Cody is not always right, but he is very seldom wrong; I am not always wrong, but I am very seldom right.  And I have learned to make this thought process work for me…the times I am right may be few and far between, but I know how and when to pick my battles.

22.  Being “on time” to work is relative- for both of us.

23. We are a team, and there is really no other team I want to be a part of…maybe we should come up with a cheer…or a chant.

24. I have found that when I have my back to Cody, waiting for him to “pat it” we invariably are standing back to back because he has his back to me waiting for the same re-enforcement.

25. I love Cody unconditionally and unrealistically.  Cody loves me unconditionally and unrealistically.  Love covers a multitude of inadequacies.

 

 

 

 

It's All About Jesus

“And behold you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.  And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of His Kingdom there will be no end.”         Luke 1:31-35

“So it was, that while there were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”      Luke 2:6-7

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” John 3:16

“I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made… Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well.”           Psalm 139:14

Twenty years ago I sent out a very special Christmas card that had each of these verses in it…the card also announced the birth of our third son, David Glenn Crittenden.  David was born on December 18, 1992, exactly one week before Christmas Day… he was our very own “Christmas miracle.” And now, 20 Christmas days later, these verses still ring true in my heart and still point me to what the entire season is about.

I recently told a friend that I can’t even begin to think about Christmas presents or plans until I have figured out what I am doing for David’s birthday… He is still my Christmas miracle… the flesh and blood, the new life, the son, the gift from God that I celebrate every Christmas season… “…fearfully and wonderfully made…”

However, crowded into the days prior to and following David’s birthday are the days which we plan out “our Christmas Celebrations”… what are we giving everyone?  Where and when are we going to various events as well as family celebrations?  As our family has grown to include in-laws and grandchildren, we are no longer just juggling the time we spend with Cody’s family and my family, we are also trying to work around the growing commitments our children have with their own blended families.  Time gets tight…stress can easily take over the joy of the season. It is easy to let all of this over power the meaning of “…for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…”

This year, Cody and I celebrated Christmas in Temple, as has become our tradition, with our children… December 23^rd is dinner at Pluckers and back to our house for gifts and games… Dec. 24^th is a party with our friends, Elizabeth and William Hibbard at their home, and Christmas day… well that is the one day that changes each year with our own children, but remains the same with Cody and I… we wake up in our own bed and begin the day together… a new tradition which began six years ago…(meaning for 22 years, Cody and I spent Christmas eve night at either his parents’ house, or my parents’ house.)

This year on Christmas day, I got up early and put a turkey and dressing in the oven… I finished packing, made breakfast sliders and we headed to have breakfast and exchange gifts with our granddaughter, Aubrey! And then??? We loaded. We loaded up the turkey and the dressing.  We loaded the drippings and broth for the giblet gravy… we loaded presents (some we had received and some we were giving to others) we loaded dogs…we loaded everything we needed for a trip to west Texas… at one point we “tagged” up with each of our kids and their families… and we all headed out… in a caravan of three separate vehicles… The “Crittenden Clan” from Temple began a trek to west Texas on Christmas morning to spend Christmas with the rest of our family. Our first stop was Lubbock, Grandma and Grandpa’s house…The “Macey” branch of our clan were the first to arrive…but the rest of us were not far behind, and by 5:30 on Christmas evening we were all enjoying Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa in Lubbock, TX. The oven was full of leftovers from their Christmas lunch which we had missed with the rest of the family, and we had added our turkey and dressing.  By 7 p.m. we were stuffed with our Christmas dinner and all happy to be together celebrating the birth of our Savior… “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

We all loaded back up on Thursday and headed to Muleshoe to spend time celebrating Christmas with Maimee and Grumpy…and Stephanie, Kyle and the girlie girls- Reagan, Preslee and Bella. We had camp fires, threw washers and played games, ate at Leal’s and opened presents…and Reagan read us the “Christmas Story” from the Bible.

We celebrated the birth of our Savior, with each other and with our families.  We did not celebrate just on December 25.  We did not celebrate just by the giving and receiving of gifts… we celebrated every day from December 23^rd until December 31…in fact, I am not sure we have really stopped celebrating (even though the giving and receiving of gifts has come to an end, more or less…) and should we ever really stop celebrating? 

The card I sent out 20 years ago also had these words in it:

“The Christmas Story”

“Mary, when you held

your baby close, did you see

the radiance in His eyes?

Did you feel the tears of Gethsemane

when you hushed His cry?

when His soft hands unfurled

like tiny rosebuds,

did you see the nail prints?

When you looked into His face,

did you see God’s Son?

This night of rapture

was the beginning of love,

the first glimpse of glory,

the brightness of hope,

wrapped in prayers.”

 

My creative 10 year old niece, Preslee, made signs/posters for my mom to hang up in her house for Christmas.  They had a simple, yet clear, message- “It’s all about JESUS!”   So, all over my mother’s house, you could look and see the words written in bright markers, with glitter and decorations to remind us what the season is really about Jesus.  And I don’t believe it is just about the baby Jesus who is the subject of the poem above… I believe it is about the man that baby grew to be, and the life He lived and the debt He willingly paid. I believe that Preslee hit the nail on the head with her posters. And I believe it is something that we should celebrate daily and that our lives should reflect this celebration on a daily basis. Just sayin’…because it is. Really. All.About.Jesus.AMEN

 

 

 

I am sick.. My Bed, T.V., and Laptop= good medicine or overdose?

I have been sick, and I have spent the last two days in my bed watching t.v. Yesterday I caught up on all of the “Ellen” episodes which I have on my DVR… luckily, I also had my laptop in bed with me, which gave me easy access to “Google”... I found this very helpful, because I had no idea what has really been going on in the world outside of my own little bubble. And by “the world” I mean the entertainment world.

 I love “Ellen”…   My daughter, Lynnsay and I share the dream of one day being in the audience of her live show. We have even entered a couple of contests on the show in the hopes of winning a new car, or a home makeover.  My youngest son’s girlfriend, Allie, is also a fan, and we have been known to watch multiple episodes on lazy weekends while we work on various projects. Ellen is really funny, and seems genuinely kind. Every episode seems to have a surprise guest that she is giving some great surprise or gift, usually cars or cash.

During the last two days, I have spent a great deal of time with Ellen… I have laughed.  I have cried. (And I will admit, I have coveted…the show is in the middle of “Ellen’s 12 Days of Christmas Give Aways.”)

During my days of television overdose, I realized I have missed out on A LOT… First of all- Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake got married???  When? I did not have a clue! Then- shocker of shockers… Gerard Butler actually answers to the name of “Gerry Butler”?? I “googled” both of them and learned all sorts of facts and read all kinds of stories. (Really? Mostly, I just looked at pictures of them both. Gerry is pretty easy on the eyes)

Olivia Newton John and John Travolta were guests… did you know they have made a Christmas Album? And even though the last I heard of John Travolta was that his marriage was in trouble because he was doing things he should not be doing... none of that was mentioned…but his 2 year old son, (who is still breast feeding… he did mention that) his wife and older daughter are on a video for a song from the album. And whatever he is doing…. His hair and “patch” on his chin are jet black…it sort of reminded me of the old school G.I. Joe’s with the painted hair. I “googled” the ages of them both and while they both look amazing, John Travolt’s hair should not be that black. (just sayin’….google it for yourself.)

Lisa and Cheryl- two lucky guests from an episode in October who Ellen helped, returned for the “Twelve Days of Christmas” and received not only the “give aways” for that episode, but all of the other “give aways” as well!! 

By the time Cody came home from work, I was, sadly, still curled up in front of the t.v., and still watching Ellen.  He snuggled up with me, and asked me what I was thinking about for Christmas…unfortunately, after watching Ellen all day, I want EVERYTHING!!! I also want to donate $10,000 worth of toys from Walgreens to “Toys for Tots.” (Ellen’s pet project- I know what you are thinking, I did not realize Walgreens had the best selection for toys either- but Ellen is promoting it)

Fergie was a guest on Monday. Now, I have been out of the loop, however, she did not look like I remember. And after the help of Google, I am almost positive that she has had “some work done”. And thankfully, again, with the aid of Google I know her real name is Stacey Anne Ferguson, and that she is married to Josh Duhamel and since Ellen showed some clips of him being on her show, I knew what he looks like; but now, thanks to Google, I know that his acting career was launched on “All My Children”, as well as other roles he has played.

You can learn a great deal from internet research…I have googled all kinds of stuff- way too much stuff, and way too many people… Tony Goldwyn, who plays the president on “Scandal”, I know now that his grandfather is the “G” of MGM. I actually learned that from “Live with Kelly and Michael”- but I did google him.

I learned that Cloris Leachman once said, "I've been so relieved and so grateful to not have a god to believe in.” (I googled her because she was mentioned on an episode of Ellen.) That made me really sad for her- and I have to say that I did stop and say a prayer, and thank God that I do have Him to believe in…(otherwise, I possibly could just stay in my bed forever)

I learned that one of the stars of “Storage Wars” is suing the show, and making accusations that the “reality” show is in fact “staged.” Hold on- I will google it and see if I can figure out his name… Dave Hester… it appears that he is a real person who goes to storage auctions, and he is claiming that he was terminated because he accused the network and producers of committing fraud!  WHAT? A reality t.v. show that is not real?? Say it ain’t so!

The only time I have ever watched this much t.v. in a 48 hour period was during the months of our lives when we were watching every season of “24” back to back…I learned today from the Jeff Probst Show that the term for that is “binge watching” – and Netflix is about to start producing their own series which will allow everyone easy access to “binge watching”… You mean I won’t have to wait a week for the next episode? Sign me up!!

I have to feel better tomorrow.  I can’t stay in this room and bed for very much longer. I am getting on the dogs’ nerves… I am getting on my own nerves.  I just googled J.R. Martinez who is a guest on Ellen today. I am watching it as I write this blog.  I.Am.Out.Of.Control…

I miss my “bubble”… I want to be back in my real world.  I miss my office.  I miss my job.  I miss working with my husband during the day. I miss my car.  I miss my grandbabies. I am ready to go back to my Kindle and read… I am ready to just watch my normal shows…Parenthood, The Voice, Go On, Up All Night, and Modern Family. I need a break from this bed and the television!!!

But before I close this blog out- I do have to tell one more story about today’s Ellen episode. If you don’t know who J.R. Martinez, you really should Google him, or buy his new memoir, “Full of Heart.” In March of 2003, Martinez, a soldier, was injured in Iraq when his humvee ran over a land-mine and he was trapped in the burning vehicle.  He sustained burns to 40% of his body. His story is pretty amazing as he earned a leading role on “All My Children” and has been the winner of “Dancing With the Stars.” He was on Ellen promoting his memoir. J.R.’s story, in and of itself is incredible, but Ellen also had the Faile family from Georgia as guests today. 

Long story short, Sgt. 1^st Class Scott Faile’s family was surprised last month by Ellen in their home when she sent someone to “play a game” and in the end the Faile family won $25,000.00 and evidently tickets to one of the “12 Days of Give Aways” live shows because they were among the audience members today. Ellen had them come on the stage with J.R. Martinez, and she talked to them about how impressive it was that when they had won $25,000, almost immediately, Scott said that they were giving 10% to "Wounded Warriors Program." She pointed out that the Wounded Warriors Program was a program which J.R. Martinez would have benefited from.  She also talked about  another family’s first response after receiving help from her show was to go to their church and use the gifts they had been given to help others who were in need…Sorry Mrs. Leachman, but both of these actions prove to me that there is a God to believe in and I beleive He was glorified.

My heart was touched and I was reminded of some of the good reasons I watch television. There really are sweet, heartwarming stories on it about real people…stories that can change my life and the lives of others… But after 2 days of overdosing on talk shows and daytime t.v., and celebrity research- I realize once again, that too much of a good thing is not ever a good idea. Watching Ellen for an hour every day is ok, but watching her for 5 hours in a day is not.  Waiting a week for the next episode is actually emotionally healthy… binge watching is emotionally draining.  But that is just my opinion. And I have been sick...

 

My Thanksgiving Post

So, starting sometime during the last few weeks, the “Status Trend” on Facebook has been the “Days of Thanksgiving.”  While I did not receive the memo that this was what we were supposed to do…I did notice somewhere around day 8 or 9 that many of my friends were complying…

I, however, made the conscience decision not to get involved in this latest online fad because I felt it would inevitably lead me into a sea of “false” guilt…and I have swam those rough waters many times. I knew that I would get busy in my real life and get behind on Facebook thankful status days and then I would feel horrible about myself. I would begin to tread water in the worry that all of my friends would think I was not thankful or not a “finisher” or just lagging in effort… Who needs that stress???

But I did decide that I would write a “Thankful” Thanksgiving Blog…

Now let me start by saying that Cody and I recently celebrated our 28^th Anniversary.  My gift to this man I have been married to for 28 years was “28-ish” gifts accompanied by 28 notes telling him 28 things I love about him, as well as 28 memories. A really great, creative idea you say?  I respond with a whole hearted “I AGREE”…however, I should have begun to prepare for this gift way before the night before our anniversary…

Unfortunately, my preparation for the “Thankful” blog more or less mirrors the preparation for my anniversary gift to my husband… Thanksgiving was 4 days ago… and I have not even begun to work on my blog, until now…and it has taken several different shapes as I have re-started, re-directed and of course re-written!

I began with the idea that I would write about 48 things I am thankful for. I decided to go with the number 48 things for a couple of reasons: First, I was going along with the same philosophy that I used with the idea of the 28 things I love about my husband as well as 28 memories… we were celebrating our 28^th Anniversary; I have recently celebrated my 48^th Thanksgiving. Second, I am not sure how many days of Thankfulness was being required for the Facebook status trend, and I did not want to appear to be not as grateful as all of my Facebook friends.  So I was hoping that 48 would be above and hopefully beyond.

ONE: I am thankful for the relationship I have with God, the Father, Jesus, the Savior and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.  I have no words to describe this relationship, other than it is the most important one I have.

TWO: I am so thankful for my husband of 28 years, Cody.  He is a wonderful man- generous to a fault, and loving beyond belief.  He always puts me first, takes care of me and continues to make my dreams come true.

THREE: I am thankful for my oldest son, Jacob. He has surprised us and delighted us since he was born.  He is a young man who does not realize how much love he has to give, nor how much is available to him to receive.  He has inherited his father’s generous spirit.  Watching him be a daddy to his daughter, Aubrey, has been a wonderful blessing.

FOUR: I am thankful for my daughter, Lynnsay.  She has always worked hard to achieve whatever she wants.  She is an incredible wife, mother, teacher and photographer.  I am always in awe of her beauty and her talent. She is my friend and she is as role model for me! Like Jacob, watching her take on the job of motherhood has been amazing.

FIVE: I am thankful for my youngest son, David.  He is a Godly young man who is trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life…  He inherited his dad’s self-confidence and dry wit along with my desire for life to always be a party surrounded by friends and family.

SIX: I am thankful for my son-in-law, H.B. Macey.  He adds laughter to our already loud family. He is a good husband and daddy.  He, Lynnsay and Hudson make a great family unit. Cody and I feel so blessed to be able to watch them grow! He is leading his family, and it is a role that he takes very seriously. He loves Lynnsay and Hudson completely and unconditionally. He likes to have a fun time, and he loves to aggravate.

SEVEN: I am thankful for my daughter-in-love, Katherine.  She is a woman full of love and grace.  Her faith has helped her make it through difficult situations while remaining positive. She is an incredible mother to Aubrey, and while Aubrey looks just like her daddy, she acts just like her mother!  It is fun to watch those two unmovable forces as Katherine trains Aubrey “in the way she should go.”  Katherine, Jacob and Aubrey are a delight to watch as a family unit that is always evolving.

EIGHT: I am thankful for my grands.  Aubrey and Hudson have added such happiness to our lives.  They have filled a void that I did not even know existed! They are the sweetest, cutest, smartest little munchkins ever!  Just seeing them makes me smile, and often makes me cry.  I am so thankful that God not only blessed us with children, but He also blessed us with grandchildren.  This blessing is truly humbling.

NINE: I am thankful for my parents, Reagan and Marilyn Cox.  They continue to be the best role models ever.  They have modeled to all of us what it means to be Godly, loving parents as well as what it means to have a Godly, loving marriage.

TEN: I am thankful for my incredible in-laws, Jean and Wayne Crittenden…they, too, have always modeled a Godly, loving marriage to us…and have always shown us what unconditional love and support looks like.

THAT IS THE THIRD ATTEMPT AT STARTING…

It is now, Nov. 30, and Thanksgiving was well over a week ago… Heck, I have already gotten all of my Christmas decorations out and put away my fall foliage…Thanksgiving is well over in this house, and I have already entered into the madness of “oh my gosh!! What.Are.We.Buying.Everyone.????”

But my Thanksgiving blog is still nagging my thoughts, my heart, and yes- my conscience…(I am feeling guilty…and like a “Facebook Days of Thanksgiving Failure”)

I have to say that I am thankful for all of the things I see on Facebook… my family- some of which are already detailed earlier… however, if I numbered each one of them separately, my number, I think, would completely exceed my “self allotted” number of 48… I stopped at the number “10”… so let’s see where this leads us…

ELEVEN: My brother and sister, Brandon and Stephanie (Which could actually make my total 12.) TWELVE: My sister-in-laws and brother-in-laws, Susan, Julie, Katie, Michelle, Kyle, Danny and Maarten… (Which could actually be 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 as I have four sister-in-laws and three brother-in-laws)

THIRTEEN: My nieces, D’Nae, Danielle, Reagan, Preslee, Bella, Hadyn, and Zoe (My total could easily be 26)

FOURTEEN: My Nephews, William, Andrew, and Jordan. (I am totally at 29)

FIFTEEN:  My “Temple Family” The Luckett’s… Bobby and Karen and their family- Bryan, Mandy and Benjamin; Katie, Jeremy and Jack, Ryleigh and Henry; Melissa, Kevin and James.. (My total is now 42)

SIXTEEN: My local “Nix” family…My Aunt Sandy and Uncle Mike and my cousins, Kaylenn and Ron, Blythe and Abby- (Amazingly… this total is 48)

SEVENTEEN: I AM THANKFUL THAT I HAVE MORE THAN 48 THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR!! (And I have still not once had to go to the “I am thankful for Coffee” moment)

The thing, for me, is that I have so many things to be thankful for…and really over the last year that heart of thanksgiving has become so much more inclined to be thankful for more situations and less possessions…in fact, as long as I perceive all of my belongings and possessions as, in reality, God’s property… it is much easier to take my focus off of what I “have” and onto what I have been “blessed” with…

FOURTH TRY AT FINISHING THIS UP: DEC. 6- THANKSGIVING IS TWO WEEKS BEHIND ME…I.AM.A.THANKFUL.FAILURE… (I think you can all see why I did not enter into the “Days of Thanksgiving Madness”…)

Over the last year I have realized that I am truly thankful for the hardships we have endured. And we have gone through many… the hard times have left me completely dependent upon God…and guess what? He has proven to be faithful!! Many things in our lives could appear to be “bad”- however, God has turned them all to “good”.

We have “lost” a great deal of “things” over the last few years… but what we have gained is unreal… I think we have all realized that our happiness is not contingent on what we “possess”- it is not contingent on our circumstances are… our happiness comes from the fact that our hope is in our Savior and our faith in what we are investing in..not the things that make us comfortable financially, but the things that will last eternally…