Friday Fill-in: Conspiracy Theories and More!

Well, Friday is here. Isn't that great? I love weekends. I mean, I love weekends now that I have an extra child during the week. It means I get to spend more quality time with my children. They are totally deserving of my time and energy, so it is nice to be able to give that to them.

This weekend will be a lot quieter than last weekend. It should be restful and nice to have a quiet weekend. Jonathan is still on worship team, though, but I am not working in Promiseland. So, it should be alright. I get to actually go to a church service. That is wonderful.

My parents come home tonight from their trip to San Francisco and Las Vegas. They will most likely want to see their grandkids tomorrow, so we will probably hang out with them during the day. We'll see what transpires.

I came up with a huge consipracy theory last night. I can't wait to share it with my sister who LOVES consipracy theories, just like me. This one is so huge and plausible that it makes me a little bit scared to share it with the general public... (hee! hee!) Perhaps I am just missing "Fringe" along with all the other Fringers/Fringelings.

1. When will the summer weather come back? It is raining again today. We haven't gone to the wading pool. We've only been in our pool once. What a miserable summer we have had!

2. "Circle of Quilters" by Jennifer Chiaverini was the last good book I read. It took me only a few days to read it. I really wanted to start quilting right away. I don't quilt, but I really wanted to start.

3. Everything has its beauty but some things I just don't like. Like insects. Most have their redeeming qualities, but I do not like them.

4. Tacos and chips is what I had for dinner. I really do not like Mexican food. Everyone else does in our house, which is why I make it.

5. I'd like your coolest pair of shoes. Just to see what they are. I LOVE shoes. It is the first thing I notice on a person.

6. Some place warm and quiet is where I want to be right now. Hopefully some place where I can read, think, create, spend time with God...All without the interruptions of little children. That would be wonderful!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Casablanca and having a bit of a girls' night, tomorrow my plans include sleeping in and then hanging out with the folks and going to church and Sunday, I want to do some grocery shopping and relaxing!
----------------------
I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend. May you have rest and peace.

Tuesday Tunes 41: The Other Jackson

Tell us about the most mind-blowing concert you've ever attended.

Well, that would be easy. I was in junior high and I went to see Janet Jackson on her Rhythm Nation tour. It was the first concert I had ever gone to by myself with a friend. We had balcony seats and we could see really well. Janet was so real and was so natural on stage. It was really a 'show' not a concert. She really gave us our money's worth.

I will never forget when she sang, "Come Back to Me". She cried and had to stop singing. It is such a personal song for her!

"Black Cat" also stood out for me because it had lots of shooting fire and pyrotechnics. It was awesome!!

Anyway, with all of this focus on one of the Jacksons, I thought I would share the other Jackson that I just love. So, without furthur ado...

By the way...in this next one that is one of my all time favorites, I used to be able to do a lot of these moves. Check out the chair dance at the end. So good!

In The Shadow of the Mountain

I was reflecting on the title of my blog this morning: "Shadow of the Mountain". I guess I chose it because I felt as though my life has been up and down and for the past few years it has been down. I guess that is why. I have chosen the mountain theme for my blogs, but the last one I did was "Mountain Peak" which did not seem to fit. So I abandoned it! I can still go back and read it. It is interesting and a moment in my/our family history. I should download it and save it as a record.

Anway, I wrote that while I was staying at home after Aidan was born. It was fun to do and I loved doing it. But, I was also on a peak in my life. My first child was born, I was on worship team, I had just graduated from school and I was about to accept my first job. Life was sweet.

I don't know what all this means, but I do know that lately my life has been on a steady uphill rise. I realized it awhile ago when I started to find myself doing things that I LOVED even though it was not something I had PLANNED. I didn't get on worship team like I had wanted, but I ended up doing Promiseland and loving it. Then I started puppets and worship and hosting in Promiseland. Totally rocked. I have my Monday night Bible Study which I absolutely love to pieces. I am missing it so much right now.... I am involved in Guides and doing camps. It is awesome. My kids are growing up quickly and turning into lovely people. I have a part-time job now (well, it is almost full-time sometimes, but I love Maggie) and I have been reconnected with a lot of my friends from high school that I wasn't connected to before. I am making new friends as well and Jonathan and I love our small group.

I am so thankful that God is taking care of us. He really is watching out for us even when we are not sure what is up ahead. Even when we think that something has passed us by that we were supposed to do. God always has a plan. Stick to the plan....GOD'S PLAN, not my plan.

I guess that is what I am realizing right now. God's timing. God's plan. God is so good. Perhaps I will never get on worship team at this church. And right now, I am okay with that. Perhaps I won't be able to teach for a while yet. I am okay with that. I will do what God wants me to do. I will do what He has in mind for me and follow His leading! God is good.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6