Christmas Tree Tip

For all you special ones out there who are SO blessed to have a PRE-LIT tree that comes in only two pieces... Go on with your bad self. Just DON'T tell me about how EASY you have it or I'll be on you like a crow on roadkill. You can just SKIP this blog.

This is for those of you, LIKE ME, who STILL have an archaic fake Christmas tree... and must insert EVERY, SINGLE, STINKIN' branch into the 'tree trunk'... doing that ONLY after you shape EVERY limb and needle into the proper place.

Then... AFTER 3 days of putting the 7.5 foot tall... 5 foot in circumference... fake pine up... THEN... oh... THEN comes the fun part...

PUTTING ON THE LIGHTS... can I get a witness!

I have had this tree for 17 Christmas seasons. After about 7 years of watching me put lights on EVERY BRANCH... weaving them in and out, reaching my hands back deep into the tree... getting cuts and scrapes... back and forth, from trunk to edge ( that is for the depth perception look) ... 1000's of lights... my wonderful hubby who has such a practical mind said to me...

"Sweet thang... Why don't you put the lights on when you put on each layer of branches! Bottom row of branches... lights. Next row... lights... yada yada.. That way you just LAY THEM ON TOP and don't have to reach in and out."

BRILLIANT! Why didn't you think of this years ago.

I have shared this little tip with some friends... AFTER I have let them struggle for a few years so they could truly appreciate the full impact of this idea... and feel my pain.

NOW... some of you have your own practically brilliant... I mean practical and brilliant minds who have done this from day one! Whoppee for you.

ME... not so brilliant.

SO... there you have it. Bottom row... lights... next row... lights... third layer... more lights...

NOTE FROM LIGHT MANUFACTURER: Wash hands thoroughly after handling as coating on the power cord of this product may cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

(This is really on box. honest. Of course, you pre-lit people don't NEED to read this little warning, now do ya?)

FYI...Just so ya'll know... my hunka hunka burning love hubby has offered to purchase a new tree for me... but old habits die hard... AND I can think of other things I would like buy with that cash.

A Thankful, Button Popping Mom Weekend

I was going to call this blog, "My Son the Rock Star" but I figured that was a 'LITTLE' over the top!

This weekend my oldest and his worship band played for the Assemblies of God Michigan Youth Convention.

There were around 2,000 teenagers there.

I can't tell you how incredible it was to see all of those kids worshiping their hearts out... jumping... standing and declaring at the top of their lungs... "JESUS USE ME!"

It is an event that Weston had attended
from 7th - 12th grade... and LOVED.

It was pivotal for him in his walk with the Lord.

He and two of his friends, Dave (on the acoustic in the middle & Jaren (on the drums)... were also Michigan Youth Convention attendees growing up.

SO... for the three of them to be in 'the worship band' was too much for words!
They felt very humbled, honored, and privileged to be on the 'other side' of the stage.

And if I do say so myself... they ROCKED the house! I was a blessed, button popping mama!"

I stayed on the second or third row holding myself back from being the MOSH PIT MAMA!

NOTE: Be proud from afar or risk total humiliation in the lives of your children. I did find myself jumping up and down in worship... the energy was contagious...and... I was a little sore the next day... but it was worth it. :-)

This was also the FIRST youth convention for my 13 year old girl to attend. It was so awesome that her first was her brother's first to play.

The thing that totally cracked us up was all the girls who were taking his pictures... (yes that camera view was zoomed in on Weston.)

lining up for autographs... had him sign their shirts... etc.

I am so thankful to the LORD that my son's passion is to use his gifts for Jesus.

Moms & Dads... don't give up during those teenage years... this is a pivotal time for your SWEET parenting skills to kick it up a notch.

Even 'good kids' aren't perfect...as a matter of fact... neither are 'good parents'! You will make mistakes and so will they. But as my husband always reminds me, "Love covers a multitude of mistakes."

If you are in the hair pulling stage of teenage-dom... here's a few things I have learned.

• Pray the scriptures over their lives. Ask the LORD for specific scriptures. I have verses GOD gave to me when Weston was small... and I still pray them today... and am seeing those prayers come to fruition. It is SOOOO cool to see that happening!
• Love them for who they are...not for who you think or expect them to be.
• Find a great youth group for them to be involved.
  
• Ask the LORD for wisdom. The WORD says if we ask for wisdom he will give so GENEROUSLY!
  
• Remember that GOD loves them MORE than you could ever imagine and has great PLANS for their lives. Give allowance for GOD to lead them... with your gentle, and sometime NOT SO GENTLE guidance.

Always remember the most important thing is that they LOVE Jesus and are dedicated to use their gifts and abilities for HIM... no matter what vocation or WHERE God leads them... even to Australia... (where he is hoping to go next summer for Hillsong Music School.)

Then I will blogging for prayer because he will be SO FAR away and my little mom heart so sad....!

Now We Keep on Praying...

No... the election did not turn out as I had prayed for.

I... in my own flesh... can become fretful... worrisome... frustrated... angry... [especially at certain HORMONAL times :-) ]

However... I am trusting the WORD OF THE LORD in Romans 13:1 ... that I am sure most have heard... and pondered...

"for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."

GOD is in control. Frankly, we know times will continue to change... the moral compass of our nation will continue to decay... until the return of our BLESSED SAVIOR.

What is our job...

to PRAY... for our new president... his wife... his TOTALLY adorable little girls... other elected officials... for our nation...

TO continue to do OUR PART as a citizen of the U.S.A. and vote our heart and conscience as led by GOD...

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY...

... to SHOW THE LOVE OF JESUS... Be LIKE HIM...

SHARE the ONLY HOPE that can truly change the course of our lives.

THAT, my friends is our responsibility... our JOY... our privilege... our mandate.

Go HERE and watch this message to all of us... fellow believer's in Christ... from George O. Wood, leader of the Assemblies of God.

It truly says it all.