...and the snow falls

Once again the world around me is covered in white.
My dog has spent the day barking at the birds who were looking for a crumb from the man in the house.
He thought of them when he arrived at the end of the bread.
She’s intrigued by the snow always moving bringing her prey drive up.
She’s barking at snow also.
The house holds only the two of us it’s quiet except for the washer and dryer and a bark here and there when she takes breaks from her naps to look out the window.
I love the snow it seems to cleanse the world around me with the purity of white.

Remember to feed the birds

unmasked

Have you ever felt that you’re wearing a mask and at any time some how it will be pulled off? Then they will know.
I have.

God knows exactly who I am.
But you don’t
I’m not who I seem to be and neither are you
I try to be someone at work
sometimes I fail
I try to be a good wife for him

sometimes I fail

and a good mother for them
some times I fail
I want to be a good friend
sometimes I fail
I’m not who I seem to be and neither are you
God knows exactly who were are
sometimes we fail
He never does.

Question

On January 17th I asked how you talk to God.

Today I was wondering how God talks to you.

I believe being a good Father He talks to us on our level. I think that He talks to each of us at times in only ways that we understand because He knows how we can be.

For me it’s just like in the book Old Turtle "It rumbled loudly, like thunder. And it whispered softly, like butterfly sneezes."

God puts things in my way so that I can see what must be done. He’s handed me phone numbers and friends.

At times He uses other’s voices to speak to me. I’ve found myself leaning back in my chair thinking that God was directing that to me in the middle of a sermon or when reading a post.

I’ve been awakened in the middle of the night with His voice in my head giving me guidance.

He speaks to me.

How does God talk to you?

One silly Milly story

I love the theater and writing so when I have been asked to write and act for the kids I jump in feet fist. Ready to have fun.

I have decided to allow you to read a story written for a reading night. Reading night was an idea to bring parents into the school and promote reading. We split the children into two group the first group was the younger and we had parents bring blankets and books. We dressed up in cowboy costumes boots, hats, long coats and made a wild west set. Each station had a person ready to read to the kids. I was the sheriff of video town who didn’t know how to turn a book on. The other sheriff was the sheriff of reading town. As I was riding to a video store for the new video I stopped in to see what in the tarnation was a go’n on. I improved the skit much to the disliking of my friend, because as she said "I never know what’s going to come out of your mouth" I’d be offended if it weren’t true. Hey we spent a lot of time in on car together throughout the years.

The next reading night was a survivor night. I was asked to write a story so that the kids could listen to me read it and then solve a puzzle. I was asked to promote it on the school broadcast once again Milly get to do her improve. I could hear the kids laughing from the classrooms when I said my funny lines.

So here is the story. I was given a few rules before I stared. Short and I had to make it fun. I also needed to hold their interest so that they could later solve the puzzle with the clues in the story.

Note to the grammar police this was written so that I could read it with flair not so that it could be graded. It fix it but I’m too lazy at this moment.

In a school some what like this one there was an amazing class trip to Accelerated Reading Island. The students were divided into groups so that the teachers could, as they often need to, keep track of who’s who and who’s where.

Each group loaded into a bus with one teacher, one parent to help because there is always that one kid who gets lost or has to go to the bathroom or has left his lunch on the playground and is sure that a pack of wild squirrels has stored it for the winter. You all know who I’m talking about. So the parent who knows that this is sure to happen brings an extra lunchable because he learned after the first trip with that kid, who at that time, was sure that a pack of wild cats had taken it. We also have one bus driver. Now bus drivers are unique, each one has their own special quirks and you get use to them. Eddy, who seems to sing some tune that you think you’ve heard your parents sing in the car, you know when you wish they would stop or learn to sing and don’t get me started on the fact that they sing different words to the song. So Eddy just sings all the time to himself. I suppose to tune the kids out.

After some time with instructions like, don’t pick up snakes and don’t eat stuff off the ground and can we please not have someone throw up on the bus again this year, that perhaps goes with don’t eat stuff off the ground. Finally we were headed for the island, stopping exactly six times total at the restrooms. Each time a kid would go running in. The teachers would ask if anyone else need to go, no one would so off we’d go. The thing that bothered me the most about stopping is that it was the same kid each time, that’s right it was Jarvis Lorry. Did he have an endless supply of water on his bus?

After traveling at what seemed to be a turtle’s pace we arrived at the ferry each bus drove on to the large platform that holds cars and such. We were instructed to sit quietly, I noticed Jarvis once again running for the restroom. What is with him?

While on the ferry the teachers, parents, and quirky bus drivers got out and met for an important meeting to discuss the best ways to handle the monkey kid, you know the one, he climbs everything, make us look bad in gym because he can scramble up anything quickly. And what to do with the kid who wanders off, not to mention how to handle the one who is determined to wrestle a shark, he’s wearing a shirt with a shark on it and has a rubber shark tooth necklace. Oh and what on earth are we going to do with Polly she’s afraid of sand? So the adults were talking when the unbelievable, the unexpected, the unknown, the thingy un did and the buses rocked this way and that. This way and that. I suppose everything did. I just happen to be worried about me. Hey! I’m just eleven! I’ve got a lot of living to do! I haven’t tasted every kind of candy at the store and that’s been a goal of mine since I was five. Someone on my buss yelled whale another yelled shark and one kid threw up. Ick.. To be honest I thought I might. I couldn’t believe what happened next just as Mr. Proctor, our fifth grade art teacher, got on the bus to try to calm us down the bus slipped into the water. I watched in disbelief as each one of the busses followed as if we were a big yellow sea monsters ready to swim home.
Mr. Proctor tried to assure us but I could tell that he was worried like when Colleen was playing around and looked through a hole in the art room closet door just as Billy kicked it open knocking her down. This was definitely a concerning moment.


We sailed around in the water for quite a while before we hit land, much to everyone’s relief. Especially Mr. Proctor who was trying to calm the screamer down, you’ve heard her she screams every time the lights blink. Once Courtney accidently leaned up against the light switch because she needed to sharpen her pencils, it was test day and she likes to have three freshly sharpened pencils ready, anyway she leaned and the light went out Shelly the Screamer let out a scream that could be heard all the way to the principal’s office causing her to jump making her spill her coffee. Before she could clean it up Mr. Border, the assistant principle slipped and fell, we haven’t seen him since, although some say they can hear his voice outside the. . . wait that’s another story for another time.

Now when we landed Mr. Proctor tried to keep everyone together so that it would be easier on him and safer for us, being that we were kids who had just been bus wrecked on an unknown island. We all tried to look to him for assurance that we would be safe. He suggested that we all draw pictures and make sand castles in the sand. Art is no way to survive, someone mumbled, too bad Mrs. Mundy isn’t with us she knows everything about everything, and a few things about nothing. Polly fainted plunking herself face first in the very thing she was afraid of. Huh. . . I thought as I watched our teacher turn her over. I stood on the beach wondering exactly where are we? Are we on Accelerated Reading Island? "I don’t see piles and piles of books." I must have said that out loud because Robin, the take charge girl looked around and said "Yeah where are they?" She then decided to form a tribe of kids to look around. Mr. Proctor was too busy chasing Mick, the monkey boy and stop Steve the shark hunter from swimming out to sea, to notice that we had broken up into tribes. We each were given tasks to complete by our leaders. One was to find out where we were, the other was to look for fire wood because a signal fire was a good idea that Derek, the cub scout had. We also need to find food and water because we were going to need lunch soon.

I couldn’t believe that this had happened to us. One field trip and we end up stranded. Still stunned I wandered into the jungle I had gone quite a ways before I realized I was lost and alone. I tried to remember how to tell where I was going, let’s see south the sun rises. I read this somewhere. I remember I took a test on a book that had the sun rises in the east and sits in the west. The west. . . cool cowboys my great grandfather to whom I get my middle name was a cowboy. I like reading about cowboys.

Wait this is a jungle I need to remember what I read about jungles and islands. Quick sand, should I worry about quick sand? I hear funny sounds what eats kids in jungles on islands? I decided to look for things to eat. Worms we can eat worms I’ve read that they are very tasty. I managed to find enough to feed everyone one each , I careful put each one in my pockets, yes it was wiggly and I have to admit made me giggle. At least we’re going to eat tonight, if I find my way back. I heard a noise strange yet familiar. I kept walking hoping to find someone or something familiar. Finally I recognized the sound it was Eddy singing to himself! As I reached the edge of the jungle I heard a voice calling out Groevers, Groevers. Where are you? It was Mrs. Blair our principle she was looking for us! Right here I yelled! Shhh! You’re on AR Island the Liberian Said quietly. I thought it odd that she would rather it be quiet being that bus loads of students were lost in that jungle. Where have you been? Mr. Proctor asked. I was looking for something to eat and I got lost because we. . . .I. . a. . hey everyone is here. Yes and it’s almost time to go. My heart sank. I haven’t gotten to read yet. Get rid of the worms and join us. Molly said, She’s a very nice girl in my class with red hair.

What about lunch? I asked not sure if we should let the worms go. Everyone brought their lunch. Mrs. Mundy said. I put the worms on the table and went for my brown paper bag that held the scrumptious peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich.

My lunch was stolen by a pack of wild worms! someone yelled as we boarded the busses for home.

Huh? I thought.

Stronger now

Sure we all hate Satan. Without a doubt he has reeked havoc on this earth. The thing is today I thought about how much I have learned from being tempted. I know how to turn my back I know how to say no to my addictions, well some, I’m working on the diet soda intake (I know Cowboy I just haven’t let it go)

Satan taught me about sin, he tore me apart and left me for dead inside. He took my pride and self esteem. I was as hollow and empty like a tomb, cold, dead, and alone. I had failed the tests, I had to go to my knees I had to be empty.

The thing about darkness is that it only takes a little light.

I am not alone.

I am loved

I am forgiven

I am now stronger, smarter, and happier. Bring it on Satan

James 1 (NIV)

Trials and Temptations

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

9The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Prayers & Praise

Praises!

Doug gave us great news.

Just a quick update, my youngest daughter is doing great. She will need a little occupational therapy, and possibly communication therapy.

Let's keep her in our prayers.

Kansas Bob and loving wife need our prayers. They need strength and God's comfort.

Prayer Request for KB & KA: KA has experienced a MS relapse and in a wheel chair as of today. KB is playing nurse, so pray grace on each of us

Those of you who need prayers are more then welcome to add them. For those who don’t want to post them that’s fine, we will still lift you up God knows what you need.

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The first post I wrote was on gossip. Don’t try to find it I trashed it shortly after writing the thing. I found that in my writing I was projecting anger and a bit of gossip. I was angry with some women for their actions and blogging. The cool thing is that in this furry I was led here.

I received a phone call from a friend telling me that she and her husband had been attacked on the two women’s blogs. I read what was written and kept checking once in a while to see if they were going to continue to trash those folks and our church. Unfortunately they did. Fortunately one brought up the Thinklings. I like what they were doing over there and after a while of lurking about I commended and met Codepoke then Danny and you folks.

Gossip is a bad thing and some justify it by saying it’s the truth so it’s fine. Look if we are talking behind someone’s back then we are wrong. The question that I ask myself is this "Would you say that to their face?" If the answer is no then don’t say it behind their back.

Today was a positive day. I spoke to one of my bosses about how easy it is to get sucked into negative thoughts and speech he agreed. I sang I’ve got a new attitude to him. Hmmm wonder why he left so quickly?

Thank you God for sending those folks to me today they were great! Thank you for the Christian man who makes me smile every time I talk to him.

Thank you for the little one who talked to me about the birds and bunnies she was a doll!

God you know how to send me a positive day.

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Please feel free to add praises and prayers. Know this that God knows you and as we sit in front of our computers He knows what we need. I’m praying for all of you that stopped by for a visit even if you didn’t say you needed a prayer.

Lord we lift our sorrows up to you. You know the tangled messes we get ourselves into. You know our weaknesses our addictions. Some of us feel so far from you, we’re not you never walk away from us. Lord thank you for the blessings, the praises, the moments of joy that you give us.

You know who we are and what we need.
Thank you Lord!
Amen

Last Week

A few things happened this last week that are note worthy. They are to me so just read on.

One I’m praying for you and I know you know that. You know who you are.

If you need prayers please at any point on any post add your prayer request. Even if you came here looking for porn. I know you folks are there and I want you to know that we are praying for you.

I was in the break room reading my Bible I wanted to spend some time in prayer for a friend who might need a bit of light right now when someone asked what I was reading. I showed him my new Bible for work. He and I talked about how cool it was, then someone asked me to look up a scripture I handed my Bible over and he looked a bit embarrassed because he didn’t know how to find it. I told him not to worry I’d show him then others began asking for scripture. WOW! The stuff that I hear in there at times . . .well . . .some have made me blush.

So yesterday I’m sitting in the break room reading my Bible when one of my fellow Christians says - Can you believe that someone came down to this earth in human form to die for us? I smiled and we spent some time talking about Jesus.

As one of my customers was leaving the other night he began to talk to me about the good news in Revelation we talked for a while.

Lately at work I’ve been hit with gossip and negativity so last night I chose to walk away from a discussion. I can’t believe how quickly I was sucked in to it and I want my happy back so starting tomorrow it's only a happy Milly at work no gossip and grumbles. Ok so I’m normal and I’m sure I’ll be having a bit of a fight on this one. It took them more than ten months to break me so I know I can fight hard on this one. I do have God on my side and HE has been sending me lots of reinforcements.

Chili

Something you Yankees need to know about us Southerners WE MAKE CHILI & WE MAKE IT LIP SMACK’N RUN OVER YOUR BEST FRIEND AND HOWL AT HE MOON FOR SECONDS GOOD!

So I’m ashamed for this recipe.

My in-laws love this chili and now I have to send them cans of beans. My daughter craves it and my husband asked me to teach him how to make it. He doesn't cook, he heats things up.

Yankee Chili by Milly

Caramelize one onion and add a couple of pinches of sugar
Brown a pound or so of ground beef
mix caramelized onion and ground beef together
add one 52 ounce can of Ranch Style Beans
(you can find them online if they aren’t in your store)
add two 8 ounce cans of Hunts Tomatoes Sauce

Heat and serve. Careful it will scorch.

So how did I ever come up with this one?

Pressure to enter a chili cook off. I had no time to prepare so I tossed this stuff together and they liked it.

What's a gal to do?

I married a Yankee and gave birth to his kid.

News

A bit of wordage fun at the Thinklings with the Blog Free Association Rises Like The Phoenix! they have an argument going on about the color of gatorade that is just stupid because the color is yellow green and I know because I asked the company, so don’t even get into to that one. Enjoy the words!

We didn’t get the snow like they predicted.
It rained and sleeted and snowed almost at the same time it seemed. The ice has melted on the roads. My yard is still covered and I have a big ice drift at my front door but warmth is on it way and the boy is on the bus.

I’m going back to bed.
God bless and I’ll read ya later.

Um. . . . . Hmmmmm........

Today when I arrived in font of my home the letter carrier was delivering my mail. I had a bit of trouble getting in to the garage but made it after the second try. I then slowly made my way to the mail box. Now I have to tell you that the ice is deep and hard so I’ve been using a shovel to keep me from sliding down onto my soft side. Not today my friend! I thought because my husband had cleared a bit of the ice from our driveway I could easily make it the rest of the way. Oh how I slid to the mail box. I was able to keep my feet down and my head up. I reached in and slid into the street. Holding the mail I was faced with a quandary, HOW ON EARTH AM I GETTING BACK UP? I checked to see if I still had my cell phone, I could call my husband to come out and get me. I looked around for America’s Stupidest Home Video, good I can’t see any cameras. Then I stood and pondered my move. I stepped up and slid back, I stepped up and slid back. I considered the possibilities of crawling my way up. Now that’s a pretty look Milly on her hands and knees sliding around. I must of spent about five minutes surveying the terrain. That’s it I’ll follow the path of my car and hope that my soft side doesn’t hit the ice. I slowly made my way into the garage soft side and pride in tact. Now with the snow on it’s way I’m left thinking that I might not want to check the mail for awhile.

I’m very thankful for my four wheel drive and wish that my husband’s van had it because he has been driving my car to work. God knows I love my kids but we have spent a week stuck in the house without fast food and church. I love to cook but one only eats what he wants and the other eats all the time, dishes and laundry day in and day out. It’s all left me wondering how my mom coped, I wish I could ask her. When I was living in the country and we had cold spells like this we lost power and water. The wood stove would keep us warm and we melted what was needed for toilets and stuff. We put what needed to stay cold outside on the porch. It’s been amusing to watch how city folks cope when faced with the prospects of power outages, they freak out. I just grab a flash light and a good book. I will say that the wood stove kept us very warm and most don’t have the luxury of those things, we don’t here in the city and I won’t use the fireplace until it’s been inspected.

I miss the country winters at times. I loved the sound of silence after a snow and the cracking of branches in the ice. A distant coyote howling the deer looking for food. The fun of the opossums eating out of the dog’s bowl and the birds thankful for the food we tossed out for them. The amazing smell of the wood burning stove and the pureness of the snow sticks in my heart. I think that winter has to be one of my favorite times of the year inconvenient is the ice but it gets us to slow down and for me I remember a quieter time.

The question on my mind today is:

How do you talk to God?




I talk to Him as if He is my Father and a friend. I sometimes think that not everyone is as informal as I am. So . . . .


How Do You Talk To God?

I made soup

It’s cold and the ice has kept most inside. It’s a habit when the weather turns bad I make soup. My mother made vegetable beef soup and so do I.

It’s a habit just like sin and it taste good just like sin and it fills us up just like sin and once you’ve had my soup you want it again just like sin.

Sin makes it difficult to walk to the water. Sin makes it difficult to put our feet in that water. Sin makes us fear going under the water.

Why?

Expectations!

We have now washed our sins away. No sins! Wow how great I have no sin and I will never sin again. Well that isn’t how Milly felt, Milly felt that she was going to sin and mess it up. Milly felt that God was going to hate how she sinned. Milly felt that the world would know she was a big sinner and she’d never make it to Heaven.

Milly studied and talked to God, we went for long drives and walks she explained how she smoked and stuff and that she was a big sinner. God told her He knew and that he always thought of her as a child in need of a lot of guidance. If anyone could give Him a grey hair it was Milly. I explained how I wanted to live a better life but I was afraid. He explained that He would be with me and that I had a lot to learn. He also told me I was going to hit a few dead ends and stumble and sometimes fall.

I sat in church next to Rod and my sister and when they called for those in need of prayer I went forward and was baptized and I sinned again and again and again. He has forgiven me again and again and again.

I met my husband shortly after that and God kept His promise I’ve had a lot in my life. I still sin I suppose I always will, just as on a cold day I make soup.

We've got ice

This isn't a snow drift it's from the sleet.

Happy Birthday Miss LIttle!

Thank You for fighting to be with us.
I love you!

As I walked down to the river

Are you sure about this?
Yes
We could wait until it’s a better time.
The time is right, the day is good.
Yes. . {{{sigh}}}. . . yes, I suppose the day is a good . . . .except . . . .well, if you ask me and mind you I’m only saying this because I care. . .about . . you.
Saying what friend?
Well you asked and I’m not one not to tell you now am I?
No you aren’t telling me.
Exactly . . . a . . . what?
Tell me what you think about the day. Please.
The day, and only because you asked, has a slight chill. {{{Shiver}}} There see we should wait.
I’ll take my chances thank you.
Well s s so am I.
Okay
Did you hear something?
Nope nothing
Are you sure you heard not a thing?
Just the usual sounds, like nature.
Well then. . (Looking around). . . I heard something.
Like what?
Like well a little of something and a bit of nothing and it could be everything.
Nothing isn’t everything my friend
You my friend are wrong W R O N G nothing is something, it is nothing.
What?
You’re different lately. I just can’t talk to you today.
I’m the same though.
No you’re different
I feel different
How so?
Better, at peace.
Nervous?
No not at all.
Are you sure that we should do this?
Yes I am. I do understand if you aren’t ready.
I’m ready who said I wasn’t ready? If you’re saying I’m not ready then I’ll just walk away right now.
I just want you to make this one on your own.
Oh I see you want to go it alone. Well then I’ll see ya.
No I won’t be alone I’m never alone and never will be. He is always with me.
Always
Yes forever. Don’t you know that?
Yes I do I just don’t understand why we have to do this.
You don’t have to. I do because I think I have to so I am.
You go first.
I will
How is the water?
Nice, it’s warm and soothing.
I’m going to test it for myself by sticking my toe in.
It’s good isn’t it?
What now, what do you do now?
I’ll talk to Him and I’ll lay down then it will be done and I will be forever.
Will I change?
Yes
How so?
Like a caterpillar to a butterfly
That long!
No instantly.
What if I can’t live up to what He wants?
You mean what if you sin again?
Yes you know me so well friend.
We all sin that’s why the cross.
The cross I’m not worthy of such.
Come to me
Yes
Do you believe that I died for you?
I do believe that you love me so much that you died for me.

Just talking

While thinking of what to post next I surfed over to a medical diagnosis site. Not really in need of one but I was playing around and clicked on some and I just want to say I’m afraid now. Yiks! . . . and thank God I don’t have those things or get them or think I ever will. I do need an arthritis check because I’ve dance around that one for several years now and when he gave me meds for it I refused to keep taking it. I don’t like the pills every day. I have two bottles of cholesterol stuff yet to be taken. I think it’s a conspiracy to stick it to us Southerners from ya Yankees. We like our fried stuff and ya’ll know it.

Anywho


It’s funny I wasn’t feeling very inspired today. Oklahoma awaits bad weather and we have a damp cold blowing in so my left hand hurts and I felt like sleeping that is until I called my friend about her little one. Thank God she’s doing well. We talked for a while about kids and she asked about church, it’s a small community at times and folks are talking about us, I told her that I believe that God has us in the sand at this time. She assured me that it was a good thing and her church, once called a "dead church" is thriving. I think that what ever His plan for us it will be a good thing. We will go through heart aches as changes happen but He will always keep the lamps lit.

"She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar."

I have a migraine, so it’s fast food drive thru.

Desk cleaning time

I have a cut back in hours at work due to the fact that at this time of year you folks don’t do much around the house. Oklahoma has been rather warm this winter and you have kept me moving a bit at work.


Anywho I decided to clean my desk off a bit I have found several post from CP that I had to copy and read along they way. Art work from Miss Littles and my son's work scattered about. I also found a magazine clipping from way back I must have liked some of what was in it. Now I’ll share.


NEW WOMAN"S PIN-UPS

What a caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.
-Richard Bach

There are two ways of spreading light: To be a candle or the mirror that reflects it.
-Edith Wharton

Forgiveness is the fragrance that violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.
-Mark Twain
__________________________________________________________
I found photographs from my car wreck. It still gets to me at times. A friend use to tell me that my angel sits on my shoulder when I drive. I’d like to think it does. On the day of the wreck God was with me, as always. The short of it is that I didn’t listen to that little voice whispering in my ear. I know some of you are thinking "Big mistake" while others are thinking "I should listen to that voice" I had two little girls in the back seat and a friend riding shot gun as we drove to the leather warehouse. I loved working with leather with the scouts and we were looking for a new project.

The intersection is a dangerous one and I never speed plus I always look at the lights very carefully. So when the streak of silver flew in front of me I was shocked. I hit the brakes. It was too late my bumper was gone. Thank God it was just my bumper because he failed to break until he was a good distance away from me. I think he considered driving on. He never hit the brakes until he stopped, that means had he hit my car broadside, he was speeding, I’d be writing about the death of at least two of the people in my car. My friend and my daughter’s little friend. Three police officers have told me that someone would have died.


God slowed us down so that we weren’t further in by sending a truck to follow me too closely in the neighborhood, that makes me go a bit slower.


Will I always listen to that voice? Sure I listen but I am still His child and I still act like a disobedient child. I picture Him at times shaking His head at me and thinking "Someday she’ll be a grownup living here with me and then I won’t have to see her make those mistakes. I said NO! Don’t do that, put that down Milly! Right now! . . . Didn’t like it did you? I told you. Come here I’ll make it better."


Ok so He has to yell at me once in a while, but He loves me and always makes it better.


Back to the big pile of stuff to my right.

Poached from Blo. . .

. . . who poached from Jollyblogger a tag sort of thing. We don’t do those tags well at The Milly Times so play if you want

0) What's your name

Milly they call me Milly

1.) What's the most fun work you've ever done, and why? (two sentences max)

Working with autistic children, loved just playing and working as an entertainer for a local land mark restaurant, again playing.

2.) A. Name one thing you did in the past that you no longer do but wish you did? (one sentence max)

Ran five miles a day

B. Name one thing you've always wanted to do but keep putting it off? (one sentence max)

Finish my book, not reading it, writing it.

3.) A. What two things would you most like to learn or be better at, and why? (two sentences max)

Speak German, I know dog commands and a couple of other words is all and my children are German on both sides. Pottery It looks like fun. (This was hard I'd love to know a lot more stuff)

B. If you could take a class/workshop/apprentice from anyone in the world living or dead, who would it be and what would you hope to learn? (two more sentences, max)

Ben Franklin. Wow what a great mind! Just to hang out with him would be too cool.


4.) A. What three words might your best friends or family use to describe you?


happy, passionate, vibrant. My son said nice and pretty.

B. Now list two more words you wish described you...

Organized and better with words. Is there a word for that???

5.) What are your top three passions? (can be current or past, work, hobbies, or causes-- three sentences max)

God, church, and family. Writing and reading (I cheated)


6.) Write--and answer--one more question that YOU would ask someone (with answer in three sentences max)


If you had all the money that you could ever want or need (Bill Gates money) what would you do with it?

Take care of my family, my church, Hope Harbor, build houses for those in need, charity work, and I suppose I’d have to visit my blogging family. I'd also have that party where we'll all get to bring something. . . .Umm Larry you can just bring yourself. :-}

To sleep perchance to get some sleep and other stuff this week

I haven’t had the opportunity to dream a lot this week due to the fact that I was dealing with a three day headache, a husband who snores and now has a bit of a cold, and a little who is up at night because she can’t fall back to sleep. This wouldn’t be a huge thing if I didn’t have to be up a 4:30 am for work when I work and up at 6:30 am when I don’t to get my son off to school. I end up sleeping too late when I don’t have to be somewhere and my day is shot.


Last night was the last straw I ended up on the sofa and my daughter ended up in my bed. I did go to move her at about four because I knew my 6:30 alarm was going to go off and wake my husband up. Now really that shouldn’t have bothered me at all because he knew I was on the sofa, Miss Little woke him up, he sent her to the sofa, got out of bed looking for me, I sent her to the bed and attempted to sleep.


Now if you’re reading this and saying stuff like I use to read in Ann Landsomethingers about how blessed I am to have a man to sleep next to and how you would take one more night of that noise. . . well. . . sorry, I want it to stop and I will say this I make quite a bit of noise myself and he’d like for it to stop. Heck one of my friends has lost part of her hearing from her husband’s snoring. I’m just about to loose my sanity.


I do have to say that life has been on the glam side for Milly lately. That’s right the dog threw up earlier. Now that’s a Hollywood moment!


My daughter is about to turn seven. That is so huge for her.

She’s an unusual child at times.


She has a new night gown and we call her a snow princess in it.
Me "Snow princess did you bring your laundry down?"
Miss Littles "What is this laundry you speak of?"
Me "The stuff you wore earlier"
Miss Littles "I only wear this I am the Snow Princess"
Me " The dress you wore home from the pool"
Miss Litlles "I know not of what you speak of"
Yep I brought the laundry down that night.


. . .and last night I was a bit thrown by what she said when my sister talked about having a nightmare.

Miss Littles "You know how big dragons eat little dragons head first"
Me "Umm no but ok"
Miss Littles "Well this big dragon was eating the little one feet first and guts and a mess were getting everywhere and I ."
Me interrupting "I think it’s time for class"


Now that you are most likely passing a huge amount of judgement on my parenting skills I have to tell you that I stopped reading the Narnia books to her when they became a bit too much and we never watch or read Harry Potter. Where did that come from? I searched my brain, I talked with a friend about what she said, she thought it was funny. It finally dawned on me. . .video games she has been playing those darn things with her brother. Hey now. . . we don’t allow icky stuff in the house and my son won’t play it. He’s very picky about the games he plays and protective of her. The boy turns the sound off if they say stuff he doesn’t like. My guess is in the games the dragon most likely eats the little one head first with a gulp, no mess and the little one is back in the game lickety split. She has a great imagination.

Look I have to sleep so that’s what I think is going on.


Twice I have seen God at work at the pool once with Miss Little, the instructor she had looks everywhere but at the kids at times I though "Milly you’re over reacting". My husband joined us one night and watched, he agreed. The instructor had her swim from one side to the other she turned her head looking at something when my baby girl began to struggle, she was able to level off and continued to push herself, the instructor still wasn’t watching and wasn’t very close. When Miss Little went under we both jumped up. Thankful that another student about her age pulled her up. My husband went out to the deck to speak to the supervisor. From then on the girl went from watching them to us. I moved her to a different class.


As I was checking her in and the deck supervisor and I chatted a loud BANG came from the window behind me. I turned to see a man hitting the glass hard enough to cause it to bow and heard the deck supervisor yell "Hey!" as she ran to a little one face down in the water. He was only a few inches away from several adults one was the girl who looks everywhere but where she should. It wasn’t her class and the little one wasn’t suppose to be in the water at that time. He didn’t even know something was wrong when they lifted him out.

Thank God for watchful eyes and arms to lift us out of the water

Stones

Several years ago, about twenty something, I was with my sister, we were at one of those Christian events where they sell stuff, I can’t remember what it was to be honest. We walked around looking at the things that people were selling you could hear bands and singers hoping to grab your attention so that you’d purchase there music and spread the word.

I need to point out that Milly wasn’t living it. I was in all the wrong places and I had quite a load of sin to manage, I wanted a change I just couldn’t put those sins down. I had built idols of sin piling up each one like a monument you see at the side of the road or out in the desert, piles of stones that only mean something to the one who piled them. I was addicted to it. See sin is enticing it pulls at you. . . eat this. . . look at that. . .drink me. . .feel this. I knew better each time I sinned. . .that makes it harder. “ You know better” the devil whispers in your ear “You’ll never be a good Christian girl. . .God doesn’t want you” he hisses. You pick up another stone and walk on forever disappointing your perfect Father, after all “He only wants the good girls not you", you tell yourself. The lie of you’ve done it once so it’s no big deal adds another stone to the pack that you carry.


I found myself sitting on the edge of the bed knowing that it wasn’t about love so no one should say it. I remember him saying that he had a bad dream that he lost me. I almost laughed, lost me you never had me. Instead I snuggled up closer and waited for our relationship to end. It had to. How could I keep bedding down with this evil.

I had to stop I had to shut it all out and try to stop. So I walked around a Christian event hoping for a way to stop picking up those darn stones, they are heavy and at times they seemed almost to cover me making it impossible for me to breathe. I tried to drink them away, the deceiver likes that idea, I found myself tied to them dragging me into a bottle of vodka.

I was just looking for a way to rest when I heard it a voice a whisper in my ear it said “Listen”. I stopped dead in my tracks and listened. The song she was singing was me. Everything it was my life. I heard a thud. My sister stopped and looked at me as she said “That’s you” I shook my head yes. She purchased the tape, seizing the moment.

I began to go to church - Thud
I stopped seeing those kind of men-Thud
I stopped drinking -Thud
I gave my heart to Jesus when I got in the water- THUD!

I still pick up those stones and I’d bet some of you have some.

Dear Lord help us to stop throwing stones at ourselves,
Help us to stop listening to the deceiver,
Help us to stop building stone idles of our sins.
Help us to see that the burden isn’t for us that we are forgiven,
That we are worthy

Lord help us to see that you are all in all and will take them from us