Feeling Overwhelmed

Every year I swear I won't let it come to this.  The franticness that happens right before Christmas when I realize there is not enough time in the day to accomplish what I want to get done before that day.  Add to it 6-8 weeks of random illness and not only do I not feel ready for Christmas, but I feel unprepared to handle all the day to day stuff that I am really behind on. 
I keep reminding my kids why we celebrate Christmas.  That it is a celebration of the birth of Jesus.  And that is the most important thing.  But I love all the traditions of Christmas.  I love making candy and cookies and pumpkin bread.  I love shopping and finding the perfect presents for people.  I love building gingerbread houses with my kids every year.  I love sending out cards with personal messages on them.  I love driving and looking and the lights, going to Zoolights.  I love all of it. 
Ever since having kids though, I come to a point when I realize I just cannot do it all.  Something has to be let go of.  I haven't quite figured out what that is going to be.  And in the end, my kids will have a great time even if we don't get to do everything on my list.  And I will get over it and tell myself, next year I will do things differently.  And I might.  I won't promise anything but I might.
So this week, as we are frantically trying to fit everything in, my prayer is that we will be able to stop and take time to remember why we go through all this craziness.  And to be able to enjoy as much of it as we can.
Let me know if there is anything specific I can pray for you this week.

When God speaks

One thing I have noticed with having more communication with God on my end, is that He communicates more with me...or actually I hear His voice better.  I am sure most of us can say that we get those stirrings of our heart, we think about someone, or wonder if we should call/take a meal/buy a coffee, etc.  It is easy to think that it just happened.  I just happened to think of you today, I just happened across an old picture or a smell or cooked something that you made...kind of thing.  But do things like that really just happen?  Do you ever wonder if there is a bigger picture here? Absolutely!  I firmly believe those moments are God speaking to us. 
Last week, a friend of mine came to mind.  A close friend who I don't get to see nearly often enough.  She was on my heart.  I had no idea why.  There was nothing to trigger it this time.  I just knew I needed to pray for her.  I didn't know what for.  She doesn't live close, I am not a phone talker, we don't always get to chat about the everyday things that are going on in our lives so I had no idea what was going on in her life.  But I prayed.  And I emailed her just to let her know she was on my heart.  She emailed me back and told me she had been going through something, she had been feeling alone and what a blessing it was to know that God was listening.  Yes, God listens.  I love that!  It is easy to think sometimes that we are praying to a ceiling.  We don't always get to see an immediate response to prayer or even a long term resolution to prayer.  But God hears us.  He uses us not only to pray for others but as an answer, as an encourager for others.  Even if the answer is just to say: "I hear you, you are not alone". 
So if you get those nudgings, those whisperings, if someone crosses your mind today, say a prayer for them.  You never know how much they might be needing it.  And if you have any prayer requests, please let me know.  I love praying for my friends. 

Why I love Rite Aid

I went in to Rite Aid to buy one thing.  It was a really good deal and it is basically free b/c of a coupon and UP reward (I am not saying what it is b/c I am giving it to my hubby for Christmas) but then I remembered the kids' school was asking for donations of clorox wipes to help keep germs down so I went and looked and they were having a really good deal.  Well, by the time I added cleaning supplies to my list I figured I needed to reach $25 to use my $5 off coupon (which are no longer available).  My total came to $25.99 (near perfect I think).  After coupons and previous UP rewards, I spent $10.19 out of pocket and got back $9 in UP rewards.  Pretty awesome I would say.
Here is what I got: The thing for hubby
                             4 canisters of clorox wipes (2/$4)
                             2 bottles of Lysol (B1G1 free)
                             2 packages candy cane kisses - my kids love these!
I used $5/$25 coupon
           $1/2 packages hersheys candy
           $4/1 thing for hubby
           $.75/1 (2) clorox wipes
           $.40/1 (2) clorox wipes
           $.50 video values coupon for the clorox wipes
Plus $3 off in UP rewards.
          
Pretty good amount of cleaning supplies, I needed some plus I can donate the others to the school and I spent hardly anything.
Now, sometimes they are out of stock on things.  That is the biggest bummer.  I really didn't expect to find the thing for my husband so I was happy to see it.
It was a really easy transaction and the cashiers here in town are great.  They never fuss over my coupons.
Now to go clean some of these germs from my house!

Health

Apparently this is something I have taken for granted.  Being a physical therapist, I don't take being injury free for granted.  But my health...I have always been fairly healthy.  A few colds here and there, bronchitis every couple of years but nothing major.  Until recently.  I feel my health has been fragile for weeks and it is wearing me down.  Not to mention the ear infections, colds and random hives I have been watching my kids go through.  My poor husband has been a saint dealing with me and my house that gets buried under stuff more and more each day b/c I just haven't had the energy to keep up with it.
But I am not here to whine.  I know others are having health issues.  (Update on my boss' wife: she made it home for Thanksgiving with an IV line in, I think she is doing better so that is good news.)
I know some of you are also sick as well as your kids and the weather is crummy and Christmas is coming with all it's craziness...so I think this week, my prayer focus is going to be health.  Health for all of us.  Hopefully those of us that are sick will get over it and be healthy for Christmas and those that aren't sick will stay that way.  When I finally start feeling better, I am going to be much more appreciative of being healthy, that's for sure.
If you have any specific prayer requests, for health or otherwise, please let me know. 

Safeway delivery

I have never had groceries delivered to me before but this was such a great deal I couldn't pass it up.  They were having a special code to get $20 off of a $50 order and free delivery.  Plus they were having a great buy one get one free sale and that comes off after you hitthe $50.  Way better deal than what I can get in the store.  Plus, Tillamook cheese was on sale for $3.99.  Since my hubby is a cheese snob so this is a great price and it lasts a long time.
Here's what I got:
     6 2pound bricks of cheddar cheese
     2 packages Jimmy Dean sausage (BOGO free)
     2 packages Hebrew National beef hot dogs (BOGO free)
     2 packages Thomas' English muffins (BOGO free)
Total before savings comes off $52.68.  After $18.41!!  Seriously, that is a great deal and I didn't have to worry about coupons.  Plus, since it's free delivery, I could pick a 1 hour delivery window and they deliver in the evening so I will get it tomorrow night.
The only thing that could have made this deal better is getting the .25c/pound turkey (when you spend $50).  Apparently they were out of the turkeys but I didn't need it for Thanksgiving anyway so it's fine.
I know, I get so excited about this stuff don't I?  I just love saving money.

Prayer Requests and Update

This has been a crazy week.  Recovering from shingles, getting a cold, getting geared up for this holiday season, it seems like it has flown by.  Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, I really appreciate it.  I know my shingles could have been a lot worse and I am grateful they weren't.
An update on my boss' wife: she is still in the hospital.  They are still trying to figure out where her infection is coming from but overall she is doing better.  She will probably be there until wednesday.  They could use continued prayer.  I am sure her 4 kids are missing her like crazy.
If you have any prayer requests, please let me know.  I hope everyone has a safe and good Thanksgiving.

Something I'm pondering

Today one of my patients was talking about her children and how when they were little she tried really hard to be happy around them.  As part of raising them, she felt this would give them the best environment and apparently they turned out pretty good.
It got me thinking though, about how I am around my kids.  Do I show them joy (which I think is more important than happiness) or do I show them stress?  Unfortunately, lately I think it has been more stress.  I feel I used to stop what I was doing and play with them, dance with them, sing with them...take time to be with them.  While I still am with them, I am often cleaning or cooking or working on the computer or clipping coupons or or or...  The list goes on and on.  How often do I actually sit on the floor with them and play or color or goof off?  I honestly don't know the answer.
I grew up with a single mom who was devastated by the loss of my dad leaving.  It has shaped me.  I am the one who takes care of people.  Rarely do I let someone comfort and care for me.  I think it is a gift to be a listener, a gift God gave me that has helped me in my work and life but sometimes you do need to lean on others.  So the question is, how much do you let your children see that.  Do you lean on them sometimes or should you always be strong and stoic? 
I don't necessarily feel I should shield my children from all of my emotions.  If I am upset about something, do I hide it?  Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.  Do they see me cry?  Yes.  Do they see me laugh?  I hope so.   But how much should I show them?  I don't want to hide my emotions so much that they think they have to grow up and not lean on people but I don't want them to grow up thinking they have to take care of me and my emotional issues or hide from me things that upset them b/c they think it might upset me (which I have done a lot with my mom).
Where is the balance?  I really don't know.  But I feel I can use some improvement in this area.