In The Refiner's Fire

We're keeping a quiet holiday here.  John is on call for work (and spent most of the night at work!) and friends have invited us over for dinner.  I have a pumpkin spice bundt cake in the oven (much like the one in the above picture) and will frost it with a cinnamon glaze just before we head out the door in a bit.  Our plans for the rest of the weekend include lots of R&R - board games, movies, and throwing a miniature football around the back yard.  If we are really ambitious, there will be some work on a installing a closet system and cleaning out a filing cabinet, but that's on the back burner unless we just feel like it! Whatever you holiday brings you, I hope you take a minute to think  about what you're thankful for.  One of our Sunday sermons a while ago, talked about St. Paul's letter to the Philippians: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and ...

Starting in late September, Buddy complained almost daily of headaches.  Terrible headaches - the wake-me-up-at-night kind of headaches.  He would hold his head and sigh and sometimes cry and ask for us to "Please make them stop!" Obviously, we were concerned. They were in what we thought was a 'weird' place for a headache - not obviously a tension headache or a sinus headache or anything like that.  He was going through some issues at school with another child and we thought maybe stress was the cause.  But they kept getting worse. So we took  him in to the doctor and had an exam and a head CT.  Nothing. Except a call from the doctor's nurse telling us that we "needed to be better parents" and "manage his stress better".  Yes, she actually said that.  And she was nasty about it too.  I was having a horrible day and it hit me really hard.  I mumbled something about Buddy wearing glasses for reading and wondering if maybe he nee...

It's official! I'm officially a certified Jazzercise instructor!  Whoo hoo!!!!  (And I have the official microphone belt to prove it!) :) Boy, can I tell you that it's been a process and one I am so glad that I've gone through.  And, my, has it been humbling, as well! I have been "Jazzin'" for 11 years now.  I thought I knew what I was doing.  Boy, did I have a LOT to learn! I learned that even though I have a small amount of dance background, I really needed to learn a fair amount about dance. I learned that I really can push myself a little more than I thought. I learned that I am stronger than I thought I was - physically and mentally. I learned that I really and truly don't embarrass easily - that is a very good thing! Interestingly enough, the thing I learned the most was this:  I'm not giving my life my "all". At workshop, my trainer said "I really don't think you're giving this everything you've go...