the glass guys are finally here

Our Christmas vacation has been peppered with contact with The Glass Guys. The windshield of our minivan had a crack in it, which grew across the whole window when it got so cold out. We thankfully have full glass coverage, so a simple call to the insurance company, and the glass guys come. Well...in normal weather, maybe. But it has been very cold and windy and snowy. They have called and cancelled and even came out here and decided it was too snowy. They called at 8:13 this morning, according to the Missed Call memory on the phone, hmm, where was I? This IS vacation........

So I am relieved that this is finally over....(and they cleaned all the exterior windows and vacuumed the front seats, too.

Yesterday we were tired.....but now....everything is over with, and it is vacation, and we need to have some fun. This morning I picked up the local weekly paper, and there it was: One Dollar Bowling, with free shoe rental!!! Since my older kids are on this crazy sleep-'til-noon schedule, I have to wait and see if they are interested before I mention it to the littler ones. Plus, it is nice to sit here and write while they just have yogurt and cupcakes for breakfast, and play dollhouse and talk. I did have a cupcake with my coffee. I will have to encourage the kids to finish them off for me today. They are a curse. I will not say how many I had yesterday, but I had a nice salad to balance them out...that IS how it works, right?

Last night Margaret put a few drops of water on Sonja's head. Then Sonja tried to dump a glass of water on Margaret's head, which Margaret quickly deflected, causing the glass to sail through the air and crash all over the kitchen tile. Water mixed with glass everywhere, at bedtime, oh joy. Never a dull moment. Anyway, after everything was cleaned up, the littles in bed, and just the few middle sized girls and I here, finally after midnight, Paul and the older kids came in from the Dome. Well, Rosie-The-Bad dog barked at them, so Joseph told her NO, STOP IT in a very deep voice, and Rosie-The-Bad dog peed all over the floor, then wagged her tail in it....then she came out here wagging, and everyone was yelling at her, and she didn't understand why....I started to get up, and Paul informed me what had happened, like I didn't know already, and I said I knew, and he said Okay, he wouldn't tell me anymore, and I just went in and took a shower and went to bed. A huge misunderstanding. I think the Joseph was responsible, because he knows how Rosie is, he is the one who scared the pee out of her, so why was everyone telling ME about it? I was tired, and I was not upset with Paul, I did raise my voice because it was loud in here all of the sudden....but the interesting thing is that once I got upset and left the room, the thoughts started coming....'nobody likes me. I haven't trained the dog very well. I am not going to talk to Paul ever again. I am sick of all of this. Fine, I am done. That's it. I don't care anymore. " And on and on....until I said, ENOUGH. I do not want to harden my heart, I do not want to nurse grudges, I do not want to be mad at anyone. I know that God is near, and that Jesus is always there, rooting for me to do the good and not listen to those spirits that would destroy our home and our marriage. Being tempted is one thing, but giving in - I do not have to do that. By the grace of God, I can overcome! I can still be good, even though I am full of sin, because it is written that we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to it. (romans 8, v 12)

It is also written that ,"we fight not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities., against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes (or when the dog pees on the floor and I get so offended at everyone), you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done all, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth around your waist (the truth about ME), the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the gospel of peace. And take up the shield of faith, to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.(oh, those evil and blaming thoughts, the lies...) Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God...."(ephesians 6, vs 11-17)

Today is the day of salvation. It doesn't matter how I am treated, or how lacking I am in getting things done around here. God is faithful, when I am humble, He WILL give me grace. That is as certain as the law of gravity. The gospel is true and living and hopeful and full of gladness for us who believe.

And now that I am fully encouraged and strengthened, this will be a good day....