We Luv Ya Peyton

So Peyton may have had a bit of a rough go at it yesterday, but he still reigns supreme as the god of football around our house. Although I love to watch him play and I love how Buford relives Peyton's TN glory days, my favorite thing is to watch his commercials. Check some of them out here:
http://www.priceless.com/us/personal/en/extras/peptalks/index.html
You can even personalize one of these "Priceless Pep Talks" for a friend. These might be the funniest things since the "Real Men of Genius" Budweiser campaign. My favorite: I've got a Gut...you might want to just buy some bigger shirts...PRICELESS!

Oh Look! A Post About Sewing...

Since the beginning of my sewing experience/career, I've been blessed with many opportunities, awards, privileges, and successes. I've accumulated ribbons and trophies and had my work featured on a national television show (Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman). I have made wedding garments that had mothers and brides in tears because they were so thrilled. And I am, currently, about to start a new project that has me absolutely twitterpated. BUT as I think about all this today, something in my spirit just resonates with the apostle Paul, and I count it all as worthless in order that I may know Christ. I am grateful that He allows me plenty of failures and frustrations in the mix with all the successes. Opportunities for humility. The outfit that I can never get to fit exactly right. Getting a report that a bride struggled with a bustle I did on her gown. The opportunity to serve an elderly woman who I have to dress and undress in order to fit the clothes to her.

We all struggle with the fine line between being excited about a blessing and being prideful about that blessing. The Lord has been reminding me of that lately...lest I begin to think that I'm "all that and a bag of chips". And I guess I'd rather have Him remind me gently and have my heart respond than for Him to remind me with a 2 x 4! Because as a dear Bible teacher always says (I'll let you guess who!): "You can bend the knee or He can break your legs, but either way you're going down!"

So actually, I lied. This isn't a post about sewing at all, but rather one about pride. I just needed to be reminded again today...

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
I cheat you out of your God-given destiny...because you demand your own way.
I cheat you out of contentment...because "you deserve better than this."
I cheat you out of knowledge...because you already know it all.
I cheat you out of healing...because you're too full of me to forgive.
I cheat you out of holiness...because you refuse to admit when you're wrong.
I cheat you out of vision...because you'd rather look in the mirror than out a window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship...because nobody's going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love...because real romance demands sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in heaven...because you refuse to wash another's feet on earth.
I cheat you of God's glory...because I convince you to seek your own.
My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
You like me because you think I am always looking out for you. Untrue.
I'm looking to make a fool of you.
God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry...
If you stick with me
You'll never know.

~Beth Moore - "Praying God's Word"

Most Likely My Favorite Photo of All Time

A couple of days ago, I was rummaging through some boxes of old photos. Real photos printed out on paper, in little envelopes with strips of negatives included...remember those? Back before the days of digital. Back before a crash of the hard drive could erase the photographic documentaries of my kid's childhoods. (Okay - just a few pictures - not a documentary. Especially given the fact that Halloween passed without me getting a single picture of my kiddos in costume. I'm a pathetic excuse for a mother but that's another post!) Anyway, I came across this picture, and my heart just melted. Max and Med...before Min was even thought of. This was probably in the fall of 1999. As you can tell, I was still in the throes of "Martha-ism" as indicated by the pumpkins arranged in order from biggest to smallest. I totally staged this photo-op and remember snapping several shots very quickly since Med wasn't one to sit still for any length of time. I can't even really put my finger on why I like this picture so much. Could be the cherub like smile on Max's face, the rosy, pinkness of Med's chubby cheeks, or the way her babyfine hair is blowing in the fall breeze. This just typifies fall - the way the leaves are scattered about on the still green grass in the warm Colorado sun. (Although I'm sure I spent the rest of the day raking up those leaves in a fit of yard OCD.) Most likely this photo is my favorite because it is one small success in my many mis-attempts at documenting our life in pictures - and the subject matter is just as yummy as pumpkin pie!

Nicole with A Horse!

So I mentioned in my list of "Favorite Things" that I like Nicole C Mullen. I found her music at a crucial time in my spiritual walk and never get tired of it. Old stuff, new stuff, Christmas stuff...I love it all. This past September, at the Women of Faith Conference in Denver, I got to see Beth Moore and Nicole in the same day. I wasn't sure it could ever get any better. Then I saw this little video...Nicole has a horse in this video. Glorious! I can't list horses in my favorite things column because I do not own one...but Max does and I love them. I love to hug their necks and breathe in all that horsey aroma. I know there are going to be horses in heaven - just check out Revelation 19:14. I hope there's a whole stable full of them out behind my mansion. While we wait, enjoy Nicole's video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wfnTRCxwkA