A Little of This and A Little of That and A Few Pictures

Well, as promised, I am back on the blog scene. I loved reading your comments - I will get to those in a minute (keep reading you may have a reply to your comment). I have a lot to fill you in on, but first I wanted to say a little something about Easter. Have you noticed that churches are full to overflowing on Easter? We didnt have Sunday School this morning because instead of 2 worship services, we had three to accommodate all the people. Where are all those people every other Sunday? Don't get me wrong I think it's great that they come to celebrate Easter. But don't you find it odd that they buy new dresses and they plan their day around church, but don't darken the doorstep of a church any other Sunday of the year. People that dont even come to church on Christmas will come on Easter........it puzzles me.

We had some awesome worship this morning - I tried to find the songs our choir/church sang on godtube so I could link them, but I must just know the words and not the correct names of the songs. So, I decided to make a video of myself singing them instead. Just kidding - the only thing worse than hearing me sing is watching me sing. I wouldnt do that to you. Our pastor preached a sermon called "There's No One Like Jesus". It's true - there is no one like Jesus. In his sermon, I was reminded of something I had forgotten about......

Back in Jesus day, when the servants would prepare the dinner table for their master, they would fold a cloth napkin neatly on the table for the master to use. When the master was finished eating, he would wad the napkin up and throw it down to show he was done. If he was not finished with his meal, the master would neatly fold the napkin and set it beside his food to show that he would be coming back to finish the meal he was eating. John 20:6-7 tells us "Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself." In this verse, handkerchief literally translates to the word 'napkin'. So by folding the handkerchief (napkin), Jesus was saying "I'm not finished - I will be back". Awesome, huh? There is so much symbolism in the Bible that the average person could never really comprehend it all, but I daresay if we knew all the customs of Jesus' day and all what all the literal translations meant, we would all be forced to our knees in worship.

So, our family spent the past week in Nashville. Hubs went there for in-service training (he works for the state) and the kids and I went there for moral support (ie. play, shop, and have fun while daddy is working - we are encouraging like that). We go every year with him so we have our favorite places to eat and shop. It's a week that the boys have my undivided attention with few distractions - I do what they want to do and we don't hurry. Being in Nashville means that we spent alot of time here and we always have to eat here at least once. We ate at alot of other places like this and this, so it is pretty safe for you to assume that I didn't really stick to any sort of diet last week. We did alot of eating---remember that 8 lbs I lost last month? I found it in Nashville. Dern my slow metabolism. And dern these crazy Easter Peeps that I keep eating! Like Paul, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do" (Romans 7:15) I wish weight was like everything else I lose - when I lose things I want to keep they STAY lost! And why does it take forever to lose weight, but a week to gain it all back?

This is the fifth year in a row that I bought an Easter frock (southern term for outfit) and had to wear something old because it was so cold outside. While we were in Nashville the temperature stayed around 73 the whole time, but the day after we get home it is 12 below (okay 53, but still too cold for this (coral) and this (mahogany) and these -- next year I am buying a wool suit for Easter!

So, this blog had somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 hits while I was gone and there were only 33 comments. There are some SHY people in this world, huh? I wonder what it would take to get them to make their presence known? A giveaway perhaps? I will be thinking about that one --- maybe I will title it "De-Lurk and Win" or something equally as tacky. Maybe soon - we shall see. It is encouraging to know that some of you would actually care if I did exit the blog world.....Don't worry, it ain't gonna happen (at least not anytime soon). Posts will be fewer and farther between in the summer months, but I have no plans of leaving for good.Anyway, I wanted to reply to a few of your comments. So, here goes:

Amie Mumpower - (we went to school together and have known each other for, well, lots of years) I am glad your family is better and I enjoy reading your blog too. It is fun for me to see the pics of your family (that little girl looks just like her mama!) The only problem is that I think you need to update it more - It was a snow day for way too long if you know what I mean! hahahahahhahaa

Cheri - Lake is better and none of the rest of us got what he had - Praise The Lord!

Greg P. - I am so glad that you commented! You are always welcome here (I do not discriminate based on gender). You actually are not the only male reader of this blog. I have two others (that I know of) - Steve , my friend from Worshipping Christian, where I also blog and my daddy, who has a blog but doesnt really know how to use it yet. So, please feel free to comment anytime and I will try to be sensitive and keep the estrogen talk to a minimum. ;-)

Melissa - that is one of my favorite Bible verse too. I hope you will be a regular here from now on! ;-)

Mari - We did have a great week - the only problem is it didnt last long enough!

Stephanie - Did you ever look at the links I left? I am anxious to read your blog and hear how your Easter service went - I am sure you were on that stage singing your heart out! I thought of you and your hubs when we passed Build a Bear in the mall the other day - I am glad my boys think its a 'girly' store! Saves us alot of money.

Carolee - I am so glad you watched my videos - I get that song "Jerusalem" in my head and it just wont quit!

Mari Fontana - Thanks for stopping by and commenting! I have to admit I read your blog often, but dont always comment. I love how you post so many pictures - gives me a glimpse into your life.

Tonya - I was so inspired by your blog and your testimony. I would love to hear more about your son's "conversations with God" - that is awesome!!!

Anonymous - I do live in JC, but I do come to Greeneville occasionally - we are practically neighbors!! :-) Feel free to comment anytime!

Earen - You know I am a fan of yours, right? For those of you reading this, you need to hop over to Earen's blog (see my sidebar - Faith in the Journey). She is a wonderful writer and she loves the Lord so much. She also has three little boys so there are lots of sweet pictures. So, Earen, when are you moving to TN?

Kelly S - So, I clicked on your name and noticed that you still dont have a blog to call your own. I am getting tired of this one sided conversation!!!! hahahahhahaa I will be glad to help you set it up - just tell me when.

Shelley - did you take care of our Daddy while I was gone? I looked at your blog earlier and it looks like you had a great time last weekend. And the banners when you got home? How sweet is that? Hope your Easter was awesome.

Mississippi Songbird - I am glad you stopped by - I hope you will come back and feel free to comment!

Bev - Thank you so much for your encouragement - you are such a sweet lady. If I lived in TX, I would want to be your next door neighbor because I know I can count on you to be a bright spot in my day!

Jennifer Partin - Everyone is all better now - hope everyone at your place is better too! I will be checking blogs later - I am sure I have a lot to catch up on in Japan!

Jenni Ritter - I am so glad you un-lurked! or de-lurked whatever the case may be. I hope you will come back and comment often! I will be visiting your blog sometime later today or tomorrow!

Sadie - I enjoy reading your blog too - it is fun to read about your life and your little one!

Tennessee Mama Duck - Well, we are practically neighbors (well if you look at the whole globe). We spend alot of time in Pigeon Forge in the fall and the summer so I am very familiar with the Smoky Mountains! Hope the flu has left your home! I have to ask --- why TN Mama Duck?

Cheryl - Glad to hear that you are one of the few people that actually would care if I quit blogging. It's nice to be appreciated ;-)

Dionna - Thanks for visiting and commenting! I wish I could have slept late while we were gone. Hubs had to get up early and the kids just naturally get up early. I would love to sleep until 8 am someday - I think I might get to do that when I am around 65. So, I just have 30 years to wait!

Fran - I am so glad that someone got to go to the beach for spring break. I hope you all had a great time and warm weather. I better be seeing lots of pics on your blog of the vacation!

Cassie - The reason that high school seems so long ago is that IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO!!!!! I just figured it up and by my calculations we are OLD! I had not realized until just now that we have been out of high school for 17 years!!!!! OMIGOSH!!! That cannot be! Please tell me it isnt so. The stress of realizing that I am old is more than I can handle! I think I need to go eat some more Peeps! Have I mentioned that I have a problem with getting older? Yeah, well, I do. You are right, we need to get together and have lunch sometime. Fun, fun, fun!

Steve - I will be back on board tomorrow if all goes well - hope you all had a wonderful Easter - I bet TX is warm unlike the arctic plains of TN.

Alana - I have a lot of blog catching up to do - will be checking in on you later!

Rochelle - I would love to tell you how relaxing my "vacation" was, but with two small kids, there isnt much relaxing to be done. We did have a lot of fun though. Hope your Spring Break was good!

Midwest Nest - I am glad that you enjoy my blog "from time to time" - I hope you will become a "regular" instead of a "from time to timer". ;-) Thanks for your comment!

Mary Lou - another neighbor ! (if you look at the whole globe we are practically right next door to each other) I dont always comment on every blog either, but I hope you will feel free to comment here anytime!

Emily - Thank you so much for your encouraging words!!! I will definitely be visiting your blog. And yes, it was fun to read all those comments.

Janel - Dont you worry sister, you are not getting rid of me! We had a great time only we all wish we could have stayed longer (and been on a sunny beach in the south of Mexico, but whatever) ;-)

Alene - thanks for commenting! I hope you will come back soon!

Jennyhope - I have a feeling that we have more in common than just our sense of humor! I bet if you lived in TN or if I lived in AL we would be great friends!!!

nyc - I hope you have found some time to post on your blog since you commented here because I am curious to see what the Lord is up to with you!!!! Thanks for commenting!

Okay, that is a reply to all commentors and to the ones who didn't comment-----SHAME ON YOU!!!! (but its not too late)

So, if you are still reading this (all one of you) here are some pictures of Easter and of the boys in Nashville. I am a terrible photographer (Cassie, I need as much help as you can give someone with a Kodak Easy Share).

You will notice that the men in my family are not afraid of the color pink.