Empty Me

I've had just enough of the spotlight
When it burns bright
To see how it gets in the blood
And I've tasted my share
Of the sweet life
And the wild ride
And found a little is not quite enough

I know how i can stray
And how fast my heart could change

Empty me
Of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition
And the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me
So i can be
Filled with you

Ive seen just enough of the quick buys
Of the best lies
To know how prodigals can be drawn away

I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change
Empty me
Of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition
And the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me
So I can be
Filled with you

Cuz everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you
Compared to you
Cuz everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you
So I surrender all

Empty me
Of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition
And the poison of my pride

Empty me
Of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition
And the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me
So I can be
Lord empty me of me
So I can be
Filled with you.
Filled with you
Empty me

Project 365: Week 21

I'm so grateful to Sara for hosting Project 365! I've enjoyed my year capturing the everyday, the wacky and the special. I get giddy (almost) thinking about creating a 2010 keepsake book and it's only May! This week we're going to start and end with flowers...

Sunday

We purchased a stand from Home Depot that will hold four hanging baskets. Usually the back deck of our townhouse is a little sparse, but this year I am enjoying the added color.

Monday

Monday night the girls received their end-of-year AHG awards. As you can see, I was not taking the picture, but at least we have marked the occasion with a picture of the backs of their heads. Thanks, Rhett. :)

Tuesday

I just love the juxtaposition of the little pink polka-dot sock sticking out from under Darth Vader's costume. You made my day, Tara!

Tuesday night we attended Rhett's book party where we celebrated with all the new authors in his class. The teenagers were so excited about their accomplishments. Here are two very important people who helped Rhett along the way.

Wednesday

We don't have extra storage space in our townhouse so that means that whatever Ashley carts home from the dorm for the summer just sits in our basement playroom/book nook. You can see the girls play right up to the pile and don't even ask how we'll get to the treadmill...not that getting there happens as often as I would wish!

Thursday

We had an end-of-year picnic for our homeschool co op. This is the moment we revealed Pastor Bob's cut out. He teases that he's going to be everywhere next year reminding everyone to follow the rules: no running in the halls, throw your trash away, etc. Wouldn't a paper cut-out of yourself be fun?! (But then, back to the storage problem!)

After the one and a half hour water gun fight in the field Tara got her face painted. My little Darth Vader came back with this snake on her face...not sparkly butterflies or brightly colored flowers like her friends. She's one of a kind, that one! Look at those eyes; she looks like she's going to conk out on the spot, but she waited until she hit the couch when she got home. A full, fun day!

Friday


I took a girlfriend out for her birthday and we had dinner at a quiet Chinese place and got pedicures. I LOVE French pedicures! I just LOVE THEM! I am not a girly-girl, but this indulgence once or twice each summer is such a lovely treat for me.

Saturday

I often purchase flowers from the grocery store to brighten up my dining room, but they're usually the cheapest bouquet I can find. Last weekend I spied peonies and they were double the price that I usually pay. I LOVE the smell of peonies, but I was having trouble spending the money since I know they don't last that long. Mark encouraged me to splurge and I'm so glad he did! This is one of them a week after purchase! Not too bad. I've truly enjoyed them!

Project 365: Week 20

***You may want to start with the previous post to catch up with what's been happening around here!

And more catching up...

Sunday

In NJ we saw this 2 story inflatable Thai Buddha in someone's backyard pool! That is one of the weirdest things I've ever seen. When leaving the area I made my husband pull over so I could get a picture. Just too strange.

Monday

No Picture. :(

Tuesday

Katie and Rhett and have been taking art classes every week and we had a year-end art show to celebrate their accomplishments. Here's my favorite painting of Rhett's - a Thistle.

Wednesday

Rhett used Blurb to self publish his book!
When it arrived he was just a little excited!
The Pillar of Fire by Rhett M.

Thursday

We had our end-of-year homeschool co op music concert on Thursday.

We played multiple bells and really stretched ourselves!

Here is my vocal choir of 1st-2nd graders. I had Tara in the group this spring!

Katie performed on handchimes (back row!)

Rhett played the clarinet in the band.

And...he also accompanied two vocal choirs (mine and the high school's) while Mark turned the pages for him. Those are some good-looking men to me!

Friday

I worked 10 1/2 hours on Friday at church getting ready for Volunteer Celebration. This is an event where we thank the 300+ volunteers for the work they've done at church throughout the year. It was a grueling work schedule and my feet were "crying," but it was all worth it! I love thanking those who serve faithfully with their free time. As staff we couldn't do anything without them!

Saturday

Up bright and early the next morning to attend Rhett's Sonatina Festival where he was judged on his piano playing. He did a great job!

We basically had a major event almost every day this week. We were exhausted, but blessed by each of the things we participated in and attended. I am looking forward to the schedule slowing down though and catching back up with all of you!

**Tomorrow I should have the latest pictures posted from last week. Stay tuned...

Project 365: Week 19

Time to catch up...

Sunday

Mother's Day - No picture! What's up with that?

Monday

Katie loves to make books all the time.

Tuesday

We played Quirkle at a friend's house. Don't know if we did it right, but it was fun.

Wednesday

The families in our AHG troop donated items as thank you gifts for the leaders. Here's the goodies that came in my bag - chocolate, candles, bath products, journal, notecards, etc. What a generous bunch!

Thursday

One of the items that came in my gift bag was this box of Botan Rice candy. I LOVE this stuff! I used to always buy boxes of this candy as a young girl when our family would vacation in San Francisco. There were 6 pieces so each member in my family got to share in the joy of eating candy wrapped in rice paper. (If you haven't had it, you get to eat the candy while it's still in the wrapper.)

Friday

TJ stopped by for the night on his way home and we went to Grandma and Grandpa's for burgers. Yum! Here are my crazies in the car. It was a fun ride!

Saturday

We went to NJ to see long-time friends from CA that we hadn't seen in 14 years. Their youngest daughter was getting married to a NJ boy and they held the wedding on the east coast. What a treat it was for everyone to get together!

I remember when 5-year-old Rachel was playing Barbies with Ashley. Now our daughters are grown young women. We've raised some beautiful girls! I'm so proud of them!

Don't Ride Me Out of Town, Sherrif!

This will be the most pitiful blogging month to date. It has been a whirlwind of activity and each day I think "I've got to post something," but choose instead to fall into bed exhausted. I've gathered my pictures to share, but they need a little editing first. I've missed some of the biggest events (why didn't I take my camera??), but captured some other memorable moments. Please, come back tomorrow when I will post two weeks of pictures and try to catch up with all my bloggy friends. I need a good promise to get me back on track!

See you on Friday!

In A Stack...Report # 5

I haven't shared an In A Stack Report since last July which means that most of my faithful readers have probably never read one of my reports before today.

I enjoy reading. a. lot. I tend to read nonfiction and historical biographies, but an occasional fiction slips in there from time to time. I enjoy fiction and read a lot of classic literature during the school day with my children. I also enjoy light fiction, but have trouble...BIG TROUBLE...putting it down. I have to limit my fictional reading because I'll stay up until 3am to finish a book (like, ahem, I did earlier this week.) Every once in a while it's worth it.

In A Stack refers to the books in a stack by my bed. I have posted about my "problem" here. I can't recall EVER having just a book or two on my nightstand, although the discipline would do me some good. (And there would be less dust bunnies floating around!)

I've recently picked up a book whose author I was introduced to last year. I have, again, enjoyed her writing and wanted to share my find with you.

As I was dropping off returns at the library a woman of retirement age placed on the counter next to me Debbie Macomber's Summer On Blossom Street. I recognized the illustration and author's name and snatched the book up for myself.

Last spring I read one of Ms. Macomber's books, Twenty Wishes. You can read about that selection here. I thoroughly enjoyed the ladies I met on Blossom Street and wondered what was going on in their lives now. Do you enjoy book characters like they were old friends?

Summer on Blossom Street centers around a group of knitters who have joined a Knit to Quit class at the local yarn store. They all desire to quit something: one wants to quit smoking, one wants to quit a toxic relationship, and the third wants to quit stressing over running the family business. It's sheer delight watching the relationships develop and grow in this continuing book series.

I now realize that my foray into Blossom Street was somewhere in the middle of the series so I'm looking forward to going back and starting at the beginning. I have become quite attached to the characters and want to spend more time with them. These books, however, can be read as stand alones.

You can learn about Debbie Macomber and her books here. For a list of her series click the books link on her website. If you enjoy a feel-good fiction, I think you'll enjoy Debbie Macomber.

Project 365: Week 18

Linking up with Sara for my pictures of the week...enjoy!

Sunday

It's our last Awana night and work is finally done.

Monday

The last of the azaleas. I love my flowering bushes!

Tuesday

The girls performed in dramas on Tuesday night. Katie (t0p) was a field mouse and Tara (below) was a duckling. So cute!

Wednesday

Oh, the mysterious fever that has been plaguing our house.

Thursday

We found time to make some Native American clay bowls for our American Heritage Girl badges. I love Tara's Indian!

Friday

Awana Awards Night! Both girls completed their books. Tara got the Sparks 2nd book ribbon and Katie got the Sparks plaque (3rd book.) Way to go girls! They enjoyed several carnival rides in the parking lot with friends afterwards.

Saturday

Just the beginning of the treats I received on Mother's Day (a day early!)

Project 365: Week 17

Late to the party again, but I'm glad I'm finally here.
Thanks, Sara, for hosting this meme.

Sunday

I love to play online games at this site...some weeks more than others.

Monday

I am drowning in documents in 3 full file boxes, but I love our troop.

Tuesday

Tara finally got that family birthday party with grandparents included. We had already eaten the chocolate cake so we got a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake to celebrate!

Happy Birthday, Babe!

Wednesday

Where did April go?

Thursday

I was watching the Duggars slam lettuce on the counter and pop out the core. I'd never seen that before! I had lettuce to finish up (it's on it's last leg, isn't it?) and gave it a try. Cool!

Friday

I love berries. Happy Spring!

Saturday

Pulled my hamstring, but still logged an hour on the treadmill at a low speed!

New Months!

I LOVE new months.

Fresh beginnings.

I've probably blogged about this before, but I REALLY enjoy the changing of the calendar from month to month. I make goals and track them, some more successfully than others. I enjoy the thought that I can begin again on whatever it is I want to change in my life.

I love to learn new things and change old habits.

I love to experience the seasons and celebrate the upcoming celebrations.

I even enjoy the mundane - changing the Britta filter and putting in a new pair of contacts.

My son came down to breakfast today and commented that I was in a good mood. He asked why and I answered, "It's May 1st!" He understood. Crazy mother!

Many may classify me as pessimistic (at least, those who KNOW me), but I think there's a big hopeful side to my personality. I believe that when the Lord said He gives us new mercies each and every day, He meant for us to enjoy the refreshment that comes with new beginnings.

Look for the little joys in what May will bring. I hope it will be refreshing!

Favorite Place

I bet if you ask most women the question, "Where's your favorite get-away?" they would have a ready answer in mind.

I'm not talking about your favorite vacation spot (that would make a great post/conversation). Instead I mean that place you steal away to when the kids have made you crazy or you just need to "regroup."

You may enjoy your favorite place with your spouse or a girlfriend. It may be a coffee shop or library. Maybe it's sitting at your Mom's dining room table or in cozy spot on a porch. Maybe your favorite place is wherever the SALES are. Do you take respite in your garden? Does your favorite place change depending on where your run takes you that day? Wherever your favorite place, you come away refreshed, quieted, energized and ready to face life again.

I'm writing right now from my favorite place. Well, it's one of them at least. (Don't we all have a few?) Some of those places I mentioned above are places I find refreshment, but there is one place that gives me complete contentment...it's in my car.

Don't laugh. Hear me out. At this moment my son is playing classical music at his piano lesson. The beautiful melody is wafting on the breeze where I can hear it through opened windows as I sit in my car curbside. The blossoms smell delicious and the warm sun on my arm (one sunny, one shaded, of course) is just enough to get my vitamin D for the day. Ha!

I LOVE to be alone. When my son attends youth activities one evening a week, I can sit in the parking lot of my church and read magazines, sip Starbucks and watch the sun set. I can catch up on listening to inspiring messages or write a REAL letter to a friend. By the time Rhett comes out to the car at the end of the evening I am so mellow and relaxed it's as if I've been to a spa for the weekend.

There are many favorite places, but almost all of them include the intrusion of others in some way. Sitting in my car enjoying a cool breeze and activity that feeds the soul ALL ALONE is nearly perfect in my world.

What's your favorite place?