Blizzard time!!

I'm sure that almost everyone in the midwest is blogging about the weather, but we can't help ourselves. Here it isn't small-talk, it's THE talk!! Today got so bad that my boss told me to leave work and go home for my own safety. And I'm glad he did....I had almost white-out conditions on the dike road as I drove home...scary!! I'm glad the Lord guards us with His angels!

Here's some snapshots of what it's like outside:

The backyard view...

This is the lampost outside the front of our house...
I must say, it looks rather charming in blizzard-like conditions... :)

I took this looking out one of the windows on the side of our house.
And yes, that hazy dark splot is a house....across the street.
Needless to say, visibility is nil at the moment...

Loans and the grace of God....

Today I overheard my boss talking to another co-worker about a customer's loan. He mentioned the 10 day grace period that all of our loans have, and it got me thinking about God's grace toward us...

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
~John 1:16

Isn't it amazing how the Lord continues to offer us grace for every moment...even when we least deserve it? I was talking about this with Joe, and he mentioned King David. What a great example of a person God was gracious towards. Even when he had done the worst of the worst -- lusted after a married woman, committed adultery with her, lied about his adultery, and murdered the husband of the woman he had an affair with -- the Lord still chose to use him as King over Israel and it was through his descendants that Jesus was born. Not that he didn't suffer consequences, just as the Lord allows us to undergo consequences for our actions. But that doesn't nullify the grace that He extends to us, it just makes it more incredible!

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
~II Corinthians 9:8

Check out the number of times "all" is in that verse!! And think about what it means....we are able to have all of God's grace overflowing and filling us....just that is enough to make me jump and shout praises to the Lord God! All of God's grace...ALL of God's grace! Wow!

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
~II Thessalonians 2:16-17

To top it all off, not only do we have all of God's grace available to us to provide us with blessings and our every need, but God's grace will also give us eternal encouragement and good hope. Not just encouragement, like what we are able to have when in fellowship with believers, but eternal encouragement. The kind that never dies and instead strengthens you each day for whatever needs to be done or said. Amazing...

And finally:

...because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.
~Ephesians 2:4-5

As the old hymn says, "I once was blind, but now I see". God has taken us from the position of death -- where there wasn't a hope in the world -- to the position of eternal life with Jesus Christ...all because of His grace. And I am so thankful....

I will proclaim the name of the LORD! Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.
~Deuteronomy 32:3-4

Amen!

For Dad and Sam

A friend of mine had this video on her blog recently, and I thought it was so cool I had to show it here. Plus I knew my little brother and my Dad would love it....so here's to you Dad and Sammy!! :) (click on the link to see it...)

Backbeat Flute: Peter and the Wolf

Potatoes anyone?

For my birthday lunch, Joe had the brilliant idea of having a baked potato bar. Each person chose a baked potato (or 2) and then chose the toppings they preferred. We had everything you could imagine -- Velveeta cheese, broccoli, chili, salsa, black olives, onions, green peppers, bacon bits, shredded cheddar, ranch dressing, and of course the good ol' butter, salt and pepper. It was absolutely delicous and very filling!

Check out our heaping mound of potatoes! --->

World's Greatest In-Law's

I love laughing with my in-law's. They are some of the coolest people I know. Let me share some of the more funny moments recently....

Excerpt from Melissa's hyperness:

"I'm a rebabeble"
"What's a rebabeble?"
"A rebel with a Bible!"
*bursts of giggles*


"They're making baked potatoes" - Lindsay
"I don't like pickled anything!!" - Mark

how he got "pickled" we'll never know...


After accidentally flicking her eye with her hand of cards, Melissa exclaimed:

"Oh no! I'm ball-less!"
(in reference to her eye of course...)


--I'm so glad we can all laugh together!!--

New Year's Bocce

Last night my husband and I joined family and friends to welcome in the new year. We did many of the normal festivities that take place on New Year's Eve, such as eating, playing games, laughing, eating, talking, tickling, eating, lounging, and did I mention eating?? Anywho, one of the more unusual things that we did to welcome in the new year was play snow bocce ball. What is snow bocce ball, you ask? Well...it's playing bocce ball in the snow. And it's even more fun when it's sub-zero temperature outside. And you don't have a scarf or warm winter boats. Or a second layer. Br. 'Nuff said. Anywho, here's some pics of our snow bocce ball! Enjoy!

Pre-Bocce Ball Playing

Naomi admires her blue "circles" ball

Elaine gets ready for her first throw!

Oops....we lost a ball in the snow mountain! I guess that's
the problem with playing bocce ball in the snow...when it's dark... :-D

The New Year's Eve Bocce Ball Players!
(I have absolutely no idea what Joe and Eric are doing!)

Some serious bocce ball pondering...who's the closest to the green ball?
and which ball IS the green ball?? :)