Back in the Boat

Luke 5:1-7
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

I attend a church that has a wonderful program called Saturday Night Service. It's wonderful because I get to go to church a few hours earlier then most people, we never did much on Saturday nights anyway, and I get to be lazy Sunday morning and sleep in. But I will admit, I find it very nourishing to my soul otherwise I wouldn't go. The worship services are great at drawing my focus in on God with modern music. Don't get me wrong, I grew up with all those old hymns and love them dearly, but the newer music is singing to God and not about God and I love that. The pastor is young, somewhere around my age but he knows his stuff. God is doing and will continue to do great things through this man as long as he allows.

This weekend we were privileged to have a guest speaker by the name of Ron Rhodes. A powerful Evangelist who spoke Saturday night on true Worship. The message was amazing. Today I downloaded the pod cast of Sunday morning's message. I listened to it twice and will probably listen a few more times tomorrow. The sermon text came from Luke 5, the scripture posted at the top of this entry. Then this man opened my eyes to something I hadn't seen here before. I will have to give you the gist of the sermon because there is no way I can do it justice. If you'd like to listen to the hour nineteen minute sermon let me know and I'll direct you to it.

Jesus has spent the day talking to the crowds near the lake. He looks over and sees Simon Peter washing his net. Peter was a professional fisherman, he didn't just do it on the weekends to relax, he didn't do it to just get away or when he had a hankering for some good ol' bass. No, this was his job, something he had done his whole life. He knew the ins and outs of fishing. He knew what time of day and in what weather he stood his best chances. Most of us I dare say work a job that if we're productive or not we're still going to get paid. This was not the case for Peter. He didn't catch fish, he went hungry. And here is Peter, washing out his nets and Jesus says to him, 'I need your boat.'

Peter could have replied, look down there a nice new shiny boat with all the bells and whistles, they'll take you out, but he didn't.

Let down your net, He says next. I imagine Peter pausing with closed eyes and taking a deep breathe, not really a thought going on in his head. Peter could have said, we've fished for 24 straight hours and have caught nothing. I'm tired, I want to go home take a long hot shower and slide into bed and just forget about this awful day. But he didn't.

Peter obeyed God every time despite his frustrations, despite his exhaustion, despite this was the longest night he had known up to this point in his life. Peter's nets were full of blessings! So many his boat began to sink, he had to call his friends "Hey! God's in my boat! Look at all these blessings! I have too many come over here and let me share with you and maybe your boat will sink too!"

I don't know you, but I've stayed up all night before. Haven't done it in years though, but I remember that exhausted feeling and when the idea of a nice soft bed is the only thought I had. I know how easy the tears came to my eyes and how short my temper was to anything keeping me from getting some rest.

But God, I'm tired of always putting into but not getting anything out of my marriage. But God, I've been sitting next to this hospital bed, or by the bed of a child child for so long, won't you do something? But God, I've been waiting for this this miracle to happen in my life and there's nothing. But God...

Get in the boat.

But God!

Get in the boat.

I think it's time for us to get back in the boat. We might be amazed at what happens next.

Sick as a Dog

I've been super sick this week. I started feeling a little puny Monday and since I had to work two and a half hours later then normal for a meeting I came home at lunch time and took a nap. By the time I left work I had a full fledged sore throat and felt like crud. Of course it didn't help that it was like -59 degrees. OK, so I didn't have a thermometer but it was cold and the drizzle was frozen to my windshield. Tuesday I managed to work about an hour and half maybe two hours before I had to go home. I called my Dr office on Wednesday and got in to see the Nurse Practitioner. She was a sweetheart and was excited to hear I was pregnant. She gave me a script for some antibiotics that are considered safe for pregnant women such as myself and recommended a decongestant to take for the massive drainage I was experiencing.

Filling the prescription was an adventure in it's own. I won't gross you out with all the details but I think the woman who cleaned up the mess should get paid triple whatever she gets!

I have to go back to work tomorrow. Totally sucks but I'm out of sick days and they're being punks about us taking sick days. Guess I can't be sick again until April when my year rolls over.

I just hope that Nickel stays well because I can't stand to be around him when he's sick! He acts like a total helpless baby and won't do a dang thing. But when I'm sick I'm expected to still get Peanut ready for school, pick her up from school or daycare, have the house picked up, change the sheets every couple of days, wash dishes (at least the silverware which he's scared of) and fix cheese cake. You think I'm kidding? I'm not.

And I can't find my fingernail file and they're driving me nuts!!! :(

So there's my update, AJ. Happy? LOL!

i'm a water baby

My friend R tagged me for this wonderful meme. So let the fun begin.

I have been instructed to go over the qualities associated with my birth month. Then pick 12 people to do the Meme. I don't know if 12 people read my blog. So if you read my biog and haven't done this Meme consider yourself tagged.



FEBRUARY:

Abstract thoughts. I often daydream about things that will never happen. With people I'll never meet.

Loves reality and abstract. Sure, I know the difference reality and pretend. And love them both.

Intelligent and clever. Of course. Ok, so maybe there are a lot of people out there that are more intelligent and clever, but I like to include myself in that little group.

Changing personality. There was a time in my life when I was super shy. So yeah, I'll say it's a changing personality.

Attractive. Sure. Why not?

Sexy. Now you're pushing it.

Temperamental. If things aren't going my way at all then yes, I can be tempermental. Especially the mental part of the word.

Quiet, shy and humble. Not so much quite and shy. I have my moments when I'm outside my comfort zone. I try to be humble.

Honest and loyal. And another couple of qualities I try to be.

Determined to reach goals. What goals?

Loves freedom. I do. I like structure too.

Rebellious when restricted. LOL, my friend Cathy has been threatening to kick my butt if I drink caffine during this pregnancy. I told her I was on my way to Sonic as we spoke. I wasn't really, but I needed her to think that.

Loves aggressiveness. Um... I don't really think so.

Too sensitive and easily hurt. Sometimes.

Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Nope. That's not me. I tend to show it when I'm angry but I don't get angry really easily. Keep pushing my buttons and I will be though.

Dislikes unnecessary things. Yep, I'm always throwing stuff out and then later wondering where it's at.

Loves making friends but rarely shows it. I do love making friends. I'd like to think it shows.

Daring and stubborn. I have my moments. I have a pretty strong will when it comes to something I firmly believe.

Ambitious. I don't see it.

Realizes dreams and hopes. Nope.

Sharp. Like a knife!

Loves entertainment and leisure. Indeed!

Romantic on the inside not outside. This makes me laugh out loud. I'll agree with it though.

Superstitious and ludicrous. Nope. Not really. I like black cats, Friday the 13 only scares me because I wrecked my camaro on that date. I've been known to walk under a ladder.

Spendthrift. I have my moments.

Tries to learn to show emotions. I think I do a pretty good job at showing my emotions. LOL

Now for those of you that are participating in the meme here are the months. Make sure you copy them into your post otherwise people will be scratching their head saying "Huh?" Tell all about your qualites and leave me a comment letting me know you've done it because I want to read it!

Have fun!!!

THE MONTHLY FLAVORS, WHICH ARE YOU?



JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teachand be taught. Always looking at people's flaws and weaknesses. Likes tocriticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitiveand has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excitedor tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses butprone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loveschildren. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Verystubborn and money cautious.



FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent andclever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shyand humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom.Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easilyhurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessarythings. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn.Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment andleisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous.Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.



MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved.Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace andserenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered.Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assessesothers. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Lovesattention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors.Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.



APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret.Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention.Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people's problems. Brave andfearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional.Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others.Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lovercan see.



MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharpthoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deepfeelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs nomotivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strongclairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Goodimagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts.Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children.Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.



JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite andsoft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends todelay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous.Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knowshow to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to gettingcolds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takestime to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.



JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood.Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation.Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people's feelings. Tactful.Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody andeasily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets.Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically andmentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving.Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judgespeople through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Lovesto be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to bequiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Notaggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems.Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.



AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless.Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generousand egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises.Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous.Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Lovesto lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music anddefense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learnsto relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to makefriends.



SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes topoint out people's mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able totalk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed.Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Goodmemory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Mustcontrol oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding.Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly showsemotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially inrelationships. Systematic.



OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things atthe center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn't pretend. Gets angryoften. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt butrecovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what othersthink. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the artsand literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Justand fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loveschildren.



NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Uniqueand brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strongclairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive.Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative butamiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there isa will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angryunless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others.Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited.Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain inrelationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest andkeeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.



DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games andinteractions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations.Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves tobe loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changingpersonality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions.Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Call her Big Sister

Even though we found out the day before Thanksgiving Nickel and I opted not to tell Peanut or the rest of the family until Christmas. Let me tell you, for someone as excited as I was (am) that was not an easy thing to do.

On December 22, the three of us gathered around the Christmas tree to open presents. We always do our family Christmas early because we spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with our other family and this way Peanut stops harrassing us about the presents and gives her something to do for the rest of the day while I bake or clean or like this year, lay on the couch exhausted. Anywho, one by one she chose a present and unwrapped them. She enjoyed the games she got. Then she opened the present that contained one white shirt with just enough writing. "What does it say?" I asked her. "I'm going to be the Big Sister."

She looked at me as if to say, 'Yeah, so what's the big deal, mom?'

"What do you think that means?"

"I dunno."

"How does one become a big sister?"

"I dunno."

"Do mommy and daddy have to have a baby in order for you to become a big sister."

"Yeah." Still the 'what's the big deal, mom' look.

"Mommy's going to have a baby."

"You are?"

"Mmmhmm... that means, you're going to be a big sister."

"I'm going to be a big sister?"

"Yep."

There were lots of squeels and claps, I won't attempt to describe them for you. She of course wore her new shirt that day even though I had intended for her to wear it on Christmas Eve. Luckily, my momma taught me how to do laundry.

Throughout the day Peanut asked her to help practice being a Big Sister. She had lots of questions too, "Can I hold the baby?" Not right now, you have to wait until it's born. "When will it be born?" Sometime late July or early August, but Mommy's hoping for July. "Is it a boy or a girl?" We don't know yet. "When will you know?" Hopefully sometime around the end of February. "How did the baby get in your tummy?" God put it there. "How?" Oh look! Here's a present you didn't open.

A week and a half later she's still excited. She doesn't just randomly scream "I'm going to be a big sister!", but she's excited. Every few days or so she asks how big the baby is. She was amazed when it went from being the size of a grape to a lime.

Hope ya'll don't mind a bunch of "baby" posts for... oh, I don't know, ever.