Is it okay to say you don’t really like that song? Because I don’t really like that song. It just doesn’t do anything for me. I love the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” but they could have left that song out of it. Sorry.

I was googling to figure out the how the title of the song is spelled and came across an article about it at howstuffworks.com. They even have an article about how hangovers work. That’s one subject that just never occurred to me. We’re having our usual New Year’s Eve movie night. We might not even make it to midnight. But that’s okay. 2007 will get here whether we’re awake for it or not. I might just be curled up with a good book.

Happy New Year!

I said I’d do it while he’s out of town. I’m running out of time. I am painfully slow at it. It is… ironing. I’m one of those people who’s kids ask “What is THAT?” when I pull the iron out. Okay. I’m going to go do it NOW. Over and out.

I’m not sure why, but I have an aversion to labels. I feel like an oddball in a society where it seems to be of utmost importance to categorize everyone and everything. Even the term “Christian” gets under my skin just a little bit. Homeschooler – that one, too. I fall into both those categories, just don’t like labels. Don’t fence me in. Just had to say it somewhere.

This is what I’m referring to. I just told someone the other day that the more you know God the more you realize how wretched you really are, so if you’re feeling wretched, you must be growing spiritually. (It was a joke, maybe not). But I’m feeling wretched.

I think he hit the nail on the head with the communication issue. I don’t feel I can speak freely with other people here. So we try to “guess” what we’re thinking, often coming to the wrong conclusions – and that’s both of us, not just one of us doing that.

The inlaws live so far away that when they come, they stay for 5 days. I completely understand that it’s better to make longer visits less often. And really, I’d stress about the house for a shorter visit, too. But 5 days without much real communication is tough.

I’m just not sure how to get over this after 21 years of it. I guess I need to pray for a transformation. Or a renewing of my mind, or something.

I just started reading Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller over the weekend. I really enjoyed Blue Like Jazz, so I am hopeful this one will be a good read as well. All through Blue Like Jazz, I kept saying to myself, “How did he know what I was thinking?” Early on in Searching for God Knows What, he mentions Robert Tilton. Tilton was the pastor of the big Word of Faith Church in the Dallas area and a televangelist. He had quite an operation going preaching a prosperity gospel. Miller doesn’t have any kind words for Tilton. I had to laugh when I was reading this part because one time I saw Tilton and a woman (his wife, who knows?) in a convertible at Dairy Queen. Also, I know someone who did some jail time for stealing Tilton’s mail (Tilton got lots of people to send him lots of money so his mail must have been desirable). Anyway, I thought it was funny that Miller chose Tilton to pick on out of all the televangelists out there. To me, Miller’s writing style is, well… real. I like it.

Last night I found ants in the kitchen. 2 years ago we had a bout with these ants that lasted over four months. My pest control company came out about every 2 weeks during that time. I actually COUNTED the ants and kept a log. I dreamed about ants. Yes, I was obsessed with ants. The pest control company did not recognize these ants and even sent some specimens to Texas A&M for identification. I am not making this up. They turned out to be some rare rover ant, I believe they said.

I called the pest control company again today and gave them an earful about the return of the ants. I want them to come prepared with the big guns. I don’t want to think about ants. They are coming Saturday to treat for the ants. All I want for Christmas is NO ANTS!

We are reading Jotham’s Journey this year. It will be our second time through it. We have now read the whole trilogy over the past few years (skipped a year here and there). I couldn’t find the candles for my nifty advent wreath, so we just used the fancy-schmancy candelabra with tapers.

The tree is up – it’s artificial. I joked when I was fluffing it up and sneezed that I’m allergic to artificial trees. Getting the tree up is really the easy part. It’s the ornaments that seem to take forever. Last year we got about 1/3 of them on and called it good.

And we found out Friday that someone we know was accused of (and confessed to) an awful crime. Then Saturday we saw someone else we know that had messed up their life in a big way recently. Both of these people seemed to be burning out before their “fall”. My husband wanted to know who else we knew that appeared to be burning out – maybe we could issue a warning. I can’t think of anyone but I sure hope it’s not me!

Maybe this week will be “normal”. Whatever that is.

We saw you today
For the first time since…
You were not alone.
But she was not your wife
Or one of your daughters.
You looked much older
Than you did three months ago.
I think you saw us, too
Because you leaned over
As if to hide.
Was your agitation the result
Of your conscience being pricked?
You probably see many of us
As you go about your business.
Will you ever fully realize
What you’ve thrown away?
Will you come to your senses
This side of heaven?
I do not understand you,
But this I know:
Someone loves you
As much as He loves me.
So although it is difficult,
This night, I will say a prayer for you.
And for your wife.
And for your children.
And, I suppose… for her.