KRELLFISH

A Chance to Choose

For some it's the dreaded blank fortune. What could it possibly mean if you crack open a Chinese cookie that has well, nothing in it? Is your future short and bleak? Have you been forgotten?

Around here, we choose to see it as a blank slate. A canvass for anything and everything. A chance to make the choice, decide just how life is going to be. An opportunity to be happy with the life God has given us.

Just got back from Vegas, there was no foreboding cookie preceding our trip and everyone came home with all their body parts. By the way, that was no small feat in Vegas on Halloween.

For now, all is well. The glass is at least half full and as we approach the magnificence of Christmas, may we help the cup of others,to overflow.

No Fall, Just Pumpkin

Pumpkin is one of my favorite times of year. 

When you live in AZ, there is no fall. 

Our seasons are:

• Hot 
• Hotter-Than-You- Know-Where 
• Pumpkin 
•  Sweater Day

 Then Hot starts again.

So when the Pumpkin Lattes come out at Starbucks, it's a symbol to me. A sign that Hot will be gone at night for awhile.

Here are some of my favorite pumpkin things to cheer you:

Pumpkin Pie Blizzard from Dairy Queen (XXL)

Pumpkin Pie from Village Inn (not a slice, the whole pie)

Pumpkin Smash Smoothie from Jamba Juice (which I cannot have anymore because they use soymilk)

Pumpkin Pie Spice in an Iced Chai Tea Latte

Pumpkin Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory

and I could go on and on. 

Basically I've never met a pumpkin that I didn't love.

Stay tuned, on Sweater Day, it's all things eggnog!

Fortunate

Every hair on the back of my neck stood up as I crumpled the fortune and threw it to the center of the table. 

Why can't I ever get a good fortune, like I'll win a million dollars?

"You will have a close encounter of a serious kind," it read.

Awesome, I can't wait for that one.

And so it began on our beach vacation last week. I don't believe in fortunes, luck, fate or coincidence, but I do believe God speaks through these events. I knew something was coming and I later found out that my husband knew it too. There was something to be said, for knowing it was coming. I felt God was preparing me, letting me know something would happen but that it would be okay. Peace spread throughout my body, filling every crack and crevice. Wish it could have filled the wrinkles too, but I digress.

Falling into bed exhausted that evening, I awoke to the rustling of something large crawling on the floor. My first thought was a bear, but I hadn't seen too many on the beach earlier that day. Then I knew it was someone's dog. I'm afraid of dogs.

It was actually our 127 pound son, he couldn't walk because of severe abdominal pain. We hauled him up on the bed, fired up the beachy, sketchy Internet, discovered he had Appendicitis and were off to the emergency room.

After pumping him full of Morphine, the ER docs concurred with my diagnosis, but said it was early. Even though Mason was so sick that he asked if he could stay at the hospital (what kid wants that?), they threw us out on our sandy behinds. Wanted to see him the next day. It's 4:00 am I reasoned, isn't it the next day right now?

We brought him back to the ER, they did a CT and said yes, appendicitis, he's going by ambulance to a Children's Hospital 40 minutes away. Two 16 year old paramedics eventually appeared and we were on our way. Those ambulance rides sure aren't what they look like on TV. My neck will never be the same, but nonetheless an uneventful ride. 

They kept him overnight, prepped him for surgery and after 27 hours of not eating or drinking anything, decided Mason wasn't sick enough to have surgery. We were free to drive back through the desert to go home the next day.

 A close encounter of a serious kind...

"I'm pretty sure no one wants to see me do an emergency Appendectomy in the desert, but whatever," I shrugged. 

He made it back fine, still in pain, still has his appendix.

And I still have peace, because no matter what, it will all be okay.

Find Your Strongest Life

This book by Marcus Buckingham is about "what the happiest and most successful women do differently." And here's the good news right off the bat, they aren't perfect women, nor are they striving to be. 

All the constant striving we women do, leads to serious problems. We've finally become the men Gloria Steinem said we should be, and yet sadly, statistics show, that we are not happier. In fact we are quite a bit unhappier than our 1960's and 70's counterparts. Even with all the opportunity, equality and advancement, depression among women is at an all time high. 

 Striving to be perfect jugglers of life isn't living at all. This book shows women how to catch and cherish the right moments, the strong moments that lead to happiness. No one's life is perfect, but we can be strong, happy women. It's all about choosing the way we look at life.

Loved this Beautiful Mess

Born and raised on country music, Beautiful Mess is food for my soul. This is a fascinating story of each of the six members of Diamond Rio and blending these stories could not have been an easy task for writer Tom Roland. Nonetheless, he does a fine job of researching, compiling and weaving the story of six men who started as the Tennessee River Boys, twenty years ago. 

The longevity of the band comes from old fashioned hard work, unwavering faith and commitment to each other. At one point, Arista Records asks lead singer Marty Roe to go solo and he sums up Diamond Rio's story with his response. 

"I really think there's more uniqueness in the whole band and in the artistry of this band than I would bring myself." 

Marty didn't quit on them and they stayed right by him through the darkest time in Rio's history. But then to me, that is what makes success. The ability to see and be a part of something bigger than yourself, even when it's just one big Beautiful Mess.

Halfway to Each Other

This is the best book I have read in a long time. On the brink of divorce, Susan and her husband Tim pack up their California home and their two children and head to Italy for a year. Giving up all American comforts (even Cheetos and Oreos!) Susan and her family discover that they've always had all they ever needed, each other.
In her debut book  Halfway to Each Other, Pohlman brings it home. Susan captures the heart of everyone who has struggled with marriage, relationships and the deepest questions of their soul. This powerful and humorous story is a great companion for the well traveled road of life. 
My marriage is the best it has ever been, and yet Halfway to Each Other inspires me to work harder to make it even better. It's been two months since I've read the story and many times I've mentally packed our bags for Italy, with Costco sized containers of Oreos of course. Our family doesn't have to move to a foreign land to find each other though, we can apply Pohlman's inspirational principles to our own lives, right here in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

Gonna be a Chai Wallah

When I grow up that is. Or maybe I'll just retire, go to India and die happy trying new Chai every day, or better yet, every hour. (Special thanks to Seth Godin for bringing my new career to my attention today.)

Click on Chai Pilgrimage for a truly amazing blog and to view the beauty of chai which you never knew existed. Read the post on Chai Wallah's. It will change you.

I'm Alive...And well.

Oh this marriage has been a long time coming!  Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews have a new song out called "I'm Alive".  Fantastic lyrics and Dave's vocals are incredible!

Now I'm Alive

And well

And today you know that's good enough for me

Breathing in and out's a blessing can't you see?

Today's the first day of the rest of my life

I'm Alive.

Back to God

I have loved this song from the moment I heard it back in 2008. It makes me cry and brings me to my  knees every time. The video below is a rough filming of Randy Houser performing "Back to God" at a concert on the east coast. Hopefully it will inspire you to get the album from iTunes.

 On this day, 9-11-09, and every day, the only answer is to give this world back to God.

...In these darkest days are you not afraid 
That it's too late
You gotta get down on your knees, believe 
Fold your hands and beg and plead 
You gotta keep on praying

You gotta cry, rain tears of pain 
Pound the floor and scream His name 
'Cause we're still worth saving

We can't go on like this and live like this
We can't love like this
We gotta give this world back to God. . .

http://www.cmt.com

Biblestick

Faith Comes By Hearing is sending thousands of Military BibleSticks to encourage men and women in our troops. They provide them at no charge and even send a coupon for the spouse and one for a child back home. Please visit the link below to find out how you can help.

http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/who-we-are

Chaplains and troops are raving about the Military BibleStick. Since July 2008, Faith Comes By Hearing, the world’s foremost Audio Bible ministry, has sent more than 15,000 of these Audio New Testament listening devices to military chaplains around the world.

Ministry leaders at Faith Comes By Hearing specially designed the Military BibleStick to encourage America’s fighting men and women to engage in God’s Word in audio. 

The Military BibleStick is a portable, digital audio player, which comes pre-loaded with the Audio Drama New Testament. With a matte black finish, matte black ear buds and a red-light-only operation, the Military BibleStick has an intentional low-key design to reduce visibility and to be used in low-light situations. This Audio Bible, which is about the size of a pack of chewing gum, easily fits into a uniform pocket and is rugged enough to withstand unpredictable weather.

“The format is perfect for the military lifestyle,” said one Army chaplain deployed to Iraq.

Chaplains report that the troops enjoy the portability of the Military BibleStick, the dramatization of the Audio New Testament and quality of the recording itself.

“This is awesome,” said a Marine sergeant serving in the Middle East. “You feel like you are there – like you are listening to a story – or watching a movie.  It’s interesting and easy to listen to.”

“Listening to the Audio Bible really helped me to understand the Bible,” said a soldier deployed to Kosovo.  “I can read the words over and over, but to hear the Word spoken to me really puts it all together.” 

During deployments, troops often live in cramped quarters with little to no privacy or personal space. Dangerous environments and long missions also add to the daily stresses.

“Many of us have been here for awhile and the doldrums lifestyle can leave you worn out and empty,” wrote a soldier from Iraq.

One sailor said, “It’s hard to have time out and introspect. People appreciate being able to listen alone, which gives them the privacy and time to focus on God’s Word.”

These responses are no surprise for Lt. Cmdr. Steve Sexton, a Navy Chaplain stationed in southern California. To date, Sexton has distributed roughly 1,000 Military BibleSticks to Marines at the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton, California. His involvement began after observing what Marines and Sailors in his unit did during their down time.  

“I noticed that nobody walked around with a paperback or magazine in their back pocket.  Instead, they plugged in their MP3 Player, watched a movie or played a video game,” Sexton said.

In fact, a recent study confirms his observation, citing that 83 percent of 18- to 23-year-olds own a mobile media player and listen to it an average of two hours each day.  This demographic reflects the same group who make up the junior ranks in today’s military.

“If these heroes are an audio-visual generation, why not reach them with the Scriptures in the media they are most comfortable with?” Sexton asked.