Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I realized something while taking our family photos for Christmas cards this year and that is,

 Cyndi Lauper was right.

We girls really do just wanna have some fun,and also we don't mind photo shoots as much as the men folk in our lives.

You would have thought I was asking my boys to clean the toilet, go to the dentist, and rake the leaves all just to get a smile out of these fellers. 

Now, to be fair My Giant was sick, but then again so was Chloe. The other two though... well they have no excuse for pictures like this;

Notice the joy and elation on the fellers faces.  Kinda lacking in the joy department don't you think? And then compare that to the lovely smiles on my girls faces.
I mean, I don't ever expect much from Solomon he has since the time he was a wee lad HATED, with a capital H, taking pictures. But usually, I can count on Isaiah to help out when it comes to looking somewhat happy. In this picture though, notice the arm over the banister. Don't you think it just screams of PHOTO EXHAUSTION. It's like they have PPTS. Post Photo Traumatic Stress.

Now any mother can relate to my rant here, because to get a good family photo is a task that is not for the faint of heart. But, I mean, I really thought that as my Fab 4 got older I wouldn't have to rely on photo shop so much. Well, and then  a picture like the above photo pops up. 
U G H !! I mean, seriously?
What am I supposed to do with the Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins on the end there? Everyone in this picture, even my Solomon is smiling so nicely, and then there's Mr. Grinch on the end. So, I decided to roll with it this year.  He asked me when I put the word Naughty over his head if he was going to get coal in his stocking and would Santa understand that it's a joke? I assured him he didn't need to worry. His status of naughty or nice wasn't really in true jeopardy from this PHOTO BOMB!
I sure hope your Christmas photo shoot went a little better. If not, keep in mind that a good sense of humor and a hint of sarcasm can go a long way. 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Beloved Reader!!  
 

On Turning 39

Hello There Beloved Reader Yesterday I turned 30+9.  It kinda snuck up on me this last year of my thirties, and to be quite honest I had a bit of a melt down last week with My Giant. 

It was a low point of self-loathing and self-pity and frankly, just all around selfishness.  I'm not proud about it, but I am aware I'm not alone in these type of moments.
My Giant handled it like a champ and patiently waited for the bubbling brook of tears to stop and then, somewhere in the midst of my blubbering like a big Ba-foon, My Giant said, "Do you think this has anything to do with you turning 39?" Sheesh... why does he have to be such a smarty pants!

SO of course I replied like any mature grown woman would and rolled my eyes, grunted and said, "Psh... of course not!! Well... maybe just a little."
But really, I knew somewhere deep down in my knower, that all that blubbering did have something to do with turning 39. My self awareness can be lacking sometimes. Anyone else feel me on that ? 
Ya see, I seem to always get hot and bothered by the year that comes before the BIG year.  So when I turned 29 I had a similar reaction, and of course now here I am doing it again. There is a bit of a pattern going on here, thank God My Giant has been paying attention.
The thing is, that I really have looked forward to my 40's for quite some time.  I have many women who have gone before me as a beautiful example of what 40's can look like and I've always thought that it's a decade of prestige, wisdom, and elegance.  Or maybe that's what I've told myself as I've slowly crept closer to that year. 

All I know is that I'm going to Carpe The Hell out of the next 364 Diems and enjoy my last year of the 30's.
I know that my 40's will come with it's own set of joys and sorrows and if I have learned anything at all in this 30 + 9 years it's that each year is a gift to be celebrated. LIFE... all of it,  the ups the downs is truly beautiful and not to be taken for granted.
I feel extremely grateful for this life and I don't want to waste a minute, not even a second worrying about wrinkles, and age spots, and varicose veins, and grey hairs... Or....  wait... remind me again what I was talking about? Oh yeah, the key to a happy life... Gratefulness. Because no matter what there is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

Calling All Book Nerds

Hello there beloved reader.

We are now full swing into the busiest month of the year and I'm wondering if you will find yourself resting long enough to read a good book, or if your calendar is so jammed packed this month that all books are pushed aside for now?

Out of total curiosity, I would like to know how many books you are reading at the moment? Do you only have time for one (if that), or like me do you feel the pressing need to conquer "the list" in your lifetime so you read at least 2 to 3 at one time? I was telling a friend recently that if I don't read at least 3 books at a time I start to panic.  I'm not kidding people. I'm pretty sure I would never make it through the list of books I want to read in my lifetime if I only read 1 at a time, so 3 seems to be my steady rate. Ya know because, that list gets longer every year because there are just SO many great reads out there.  If you don't feel this way, and can't at all relate like My Giant who is not a big reader,  this might not be the post for you.  Move along now to a fashion post or a DIY!!

But if you are not offended by being deemed a book nerd then let me pick your brain for a minute. I'm currently weaned down to 3 right now after finishing Caterfly by Lara (see book review post below). My book club is going through Jane Austen's, Emma which I have already read so I loaned out my copy. Instead of reading that, I've got My Life in France, Julia Child by my bedside. It's a fun read and light hearted which is perfect for me right before bed.  That brings up another question about reading, and reading styles.  Do you read certain books at certain times? I can't read anything scary or intense before bed so I generally choose light and fluffy before bed. But like, then there are times when you want something a bit deeper, so I have a book in the bathroom right now called The Explicit Gospel by  Matt Chandler. It's a great bathroom read because I can pick it up and put it down and not miss a beat. Every sentence is one to ponder and so what better time to sit and ponder than when you are on the throne (wink wink)

And then I have a book in the car for those times that I'm waiting on teens. I have said it before and I'm gonna go ahead and say it again, to survive the taxi cab drop off and pick ups you have to equip your office (aka your car) with some essentials and a great book is one of them. Then you don't get so impatient while sitting and waiting for a half an hour when your teen told you they would be out in 2 minutes.  The books I usually keep in the car are ones that I can't read at night because they are too intense or scurry, and also the ones I need at least 10-20 minute increments with.  Right now, I currently have the old book The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay in my car. It is SO intense but came highly recommended so I knew I needed to push through the intensity to get to the good. And then finally I keep a self-help/ spiritual book near my bible to read a bit in the morning when I first wake up. Right now that book is Life Overflowing, by T.D. Jakes.  Man I love me so T.D. Jakes!! Ok so just to re-cap, I just realized that is a total of 4 books. And if you count the bible which I try to read on the regular that would be 5. Clearly, math was not my strong point in college ;) How about you how many are you reading? What are you reading? How long is your list? What's on your list?

Oh and btw, I love you ... You Beloved Reader Book Nerd!!

Caterfly Identity - A book review

I'm sitting here on this beautiful fall morning, and the music in the back round being played by Spotify is Possibility by Lykke Li. 
You know that famous song from Twilight? "There's a possibility" I used to make fun of this song with my teen girls like when they would ask me  "Mom can I go over to so and so's house tonight?" I would bust out singing  "There's a possibility" They would then of course go "Ugh... Ma!!"  And the rolling of eyes would of course concur.  I kinda even became annoying to myself with that song. It makes me giggle just thinking about that.  I suppose it's not really nice to tease your teens, but I have to admit I find great pleasure in it. Am I alone in that guilty pleasure? I bet not.

Ok moving on, I really came here to tell you about my sister's friend Lara's new book Caterfly. You can read more of Lara's heart  here: http://caterflylara.wordpress.com/ If you haven't heard about this book though, I would like to be the first to tell you it is a great read for any and all ladies in your life and even the men folk are enjoying it, so I've been told.
The book is about finding our true identity as women.    As women we have been forced fed with lies about what we should look like, act like, talk like, even eat like to be beautiful and Lara bust open these lies and brings the truth home in a very poignant way. She shares personal stories of her journey in finding her true identity and how that didn't come until much later in life for her.  She talks about the natural process of struggle that a Caterpillar turning into a Butterfly has to experience in order to be able to fly. And this correlates with how we as women have to struggle to get to the place where we realize our true identity and beauty is found in only one place. She is passionate about encouraging women and young ladies to look to God's Mirror rather than the Mirror on the Wall or the Mirror of the World. 
If you have any ladies in your life I would strongly encourage you to get them a copy.  It is packed full of encouragement and reminders from God's word that we are all unique and dearly loved children of God.

Speaking of children I just want to say that, that child of mine up there, well she's getting all growed up right before my very eyes, and I can hardly believe the young woman that is before me now. She asked if we could go pick up a drivers ed manual this weekend. Eeeek!!! I'm taking deep, deep breaths kind of like in labor only this time what's being birthed in this house are young adults and I'm extremely aware of how fast the time is flying by. I wonder how long I will be able to tease her with silly Twilight songs?
She's reading Caterfly, along with her sister Chloe and even my son Solomon expressed an interest in reading the book. They think it's pretty cool that their mom is quoted in it and their Auntie Jenny. I'm  so thankful to Lara and her commitment and hard work to write this book that I'm able to share with my children. I know these words and the words of many others quoted in the book will be life changing for them. 
Go out and get your copy this weekend, meanwhile I'll be picking up a copy of DMV drivers manual. 

Hope

“Hope is not pretending that troubles don't exist. It is the hope that they won't last forever. That hurts will be healed and difficulties overcome. That we will be led out of the darkness and into the sunshine.”

I love this anonymous quote for several reasons. The main reason
I love it so much is because it's content is so very true. There is something in this quote that reminds me that this world is not my home. No matter what the trouble is it won't last forever because nothing ever does last forever. The only one who lasts forever and who is worthy of all our hope and trust is Jesus. He said he would never leave us or forsake us, and that is something that gives me a tremendous amount of hope. I suppose the funny thing is that when I am going through hard times I seem to forget all those promises and good things. I forget that my Heavenly Father is right there willing and waiting to help me through. Hard times have a way of making you feel like it will last forever, but it never really does.
The other reason I love this quote is because it uses a word that I love so very much;
H O P E.
I have hung out, lingered long, and truly studied the word hope. Most of you know that I am a words person and one of my all time favorite words is hope.  I am also a very hopeful person in nature. The eternal optimist that is what I have self proclaimed myself to be. I suppose that is why I love the word hope.  But through the years I have come to understand this word so very differently.  My own journey views about hope were confirmed recently in an anointed lady who spoke at church a few weeks back. She shared the message of Hope and what that looks like for a child of God.  Our hope is different than the way the world hopes. The world knows hope as a word that has a lot of meaning. Kind of like how Love is used so flippantly in the English language, Hope is used in the same way. We hope for a raise, we hope for a new car, we hope to fall in love, all these things and so many more we put our hopes in.  Hope in God is so very different though.  It doesn't change with circumstance.  It remains through the dark nights of winter. It is the candle in the window that brings us home on a dark night.  Hope in God reminds us that we have nothing to fear. The bible says that perfect LOVE casts out all fear and I believe HOPE comes right behind that perfect LOVE and makes that casting out process stick kind of like glue.  Hope is the glue that keeps up going. And hope doesnt' have time for fear.

In recent talks with friends and family I am realizing something that seems to be a current theme in conversations regarding our country and the world at large, and that is fear. WE are afraid of the future instead of hopeful because we seem to be placing our hope and our trust in something that is temporal.  As big changes are coming for this country we are afraid of the unknown and how it will affect our everyday lives. It makes sense that we would become fearful when we look around. To really see the world all around us and take in what is happening I think  you would have to be a robot to not be afraid or at least keenly aware that very bad things are happening. It's also easy to become fearful when bad things have already happened to you and your own.  But OH beloved reader, we cannot remain in that place of fear because it means we've placed our hopes in something that isn't long for this world. 
There is only ONE eternal HOPE in this life. He is the lover of your soul.  He keeps reminding me to NOT be afraid.  To look to Him for all things and to not give up hoping for a better tomorrow.  Isn't that the gospel?  The good news?   That someone loves you, every part of you, and wants to give you a lasting HOPE. That there is someone we can place ALL our hope in and HE won't disappoint.  He knows exactly what we need and knows exactly when we need it. 
"Fear NOT, for I am with you; Be NOT dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, Yes I will help you, I will uphold you with  my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
That is balm to my anxious, tired, weary heart.   No matter what you may be going through, I think those words right there bring such comfort.  Who at this present moment in life doesn't need strength, help, and support to be upheld in all of life's ups and downs? He promises to wipe every tear dry, heal my wounds, help me in difficulties and lead me from the darkness and into the light. 
Can I get an Amen?

And Then....

I have a real treat for you all this morning.  Trust me on this Tuesday morning you are going to want to watch this lil video it will give you a good chuckle.  And then.... see what we have been up to over here at MoNoSco head quarters. See, I told you it was funny. Ok so... Is it just me or did the month of October just fly right by us without even stopping to say hello? How RUDE you are October!! I think that's kinda how this time of year goes for everyone, but let me just explain how crazy busy it's gets over here once October comes we have nothing but, Birthdays, Parties, and Holiday right through until January when My Giant kinda seals the deal with his birthday on January 23rd. But until we get to that finish line it goes something like this; Seems like two seconds ago I was celebrating this dashing young man turning twelve on October 4th...

And then... 

We had company come from Seattle and L.A.

And then...

We were off to the Fall Ball Baseball tournaments

And then...

I had a whirlwind week of getting ready for the first Craft show of the season.

And then...

The Bo Sox won the World Series

And Then...

It was the play dress up and eat lots of candy day.

Which was an awesome day for me and my clan.

How was your dress up, eat lots of candy day?

And Then .... We had a pie party

And Then... Yesterday was my parents birthday 

And Then.... Today is my brother Greg's birthday Happy BIRTHDAY GREGIE!! And Then... We will celebrate their beautiful lives this weekend. And Then... We have more company coming in all the way from Gulfport Alabama. Woot Woot!! And Then... Thanksgiving And Then... My Sister Beans Bday  And Then... Tanya's Bday And Then... MY BIRTHDAY.... (stay tuned for a giveaway around December 17th) And Then... Christmas And Then... Niece Sophia's birthday And Then.... New Year's Eve And Then.... You can stop me anytime ;) "NO and Then!!!" Happy Tuesday Friends 

Funny Southern Sayings and What Nots

Well Hello There Beloved Reader  " I ain't seen you in a month of Sundays!" or as I would normally say that, it has been a busy, busy month.  We are having our own kind of Octoberfest over here, and it's involved a lotta baseball, and crafting, and dinner dates, and crafting, and Italian festival, and crafting, and visitors from out of town, and crafting.

I am so tired or as they like to say in the South,  "I feel like I've been rode hard and hung up to dry!!" Not to go off on too much of a tangent but I LOVE ME some Southern sayings.

Let me clarify before ya'll start to thinkin I've done gone and lost it; I love southern sayings not so much the south. And That one up there is truly how I feel. 

Here's another one that works well for my post about being busy and tired; "I was busier than a cat burying shit on a marble floor!!" Bah ha ha, isn't that one so funny?

Ok Moving on... This past weekend was the first craft show of the season that I was signed up for and I'm already feeling whelmed, and pooped, and every other word in the english language and Southern language, that means, flat out TIRED. " I been busier than a Cat on a Hot tin roof!!" I'm thinking that a cat on a hot tin roof would be pretty busy not so much from the hot, but more from the tin. I'll tell you what keeps me busy like that Cat with some tin, LAUNDRY!! It never ends PEOPLE!!  In between all the other kinds of busy there is always the laundry and dishes kind of busy. Again just to be sure you are getting the idea, I'm tired, and I'm busy.  Earth shattering news, I know !

Well, all that being said,  even though I'm tired I have to say it's a good kind of tired, as opposed to a bad tired which would be like from being sick or hurting yourself.  I'm having fun crafting and making some extra Christmas money. And of course looking up funny southern sayings. What have you been up to ?  Or how they would say it in the South; "How ya'll doin?"

Happy Birthday Solomon

12 years ago, we became parents to a boy that would forever change this families lives. I know every child that enters our world changes it, but this young man we had no idea what was in store for us. You see, we were parents twice over already, but to two little girls. A boy was all new territory for us.

A son, my prince, entered the scene, and the world became brighter, fuller, more alive, and certainly more lively. We needed the joy that Solomon brought because he was born right after 9/11 and also during a particularly difficult time for my family of origin.  Solomon brought immense joy.  He was a surprise right from the start, and he hasn't stopped surprising us since.

It has been said many times of him, that he's an old soul. When trying to explain that to him I said, "It just means you know a lot more than most kids do at your age, and you are very aware of the precious gift of life." Because of this, I truly believe his soul is kind. I mean, he is still your average 12 year old boy who likes to tease and sometimes border on obnoxious, but on a deeper level there is so much going on inside that boys noggin.

Solomon has always found the stranger, foreigner, outcast in the bunch. He loves to make them feel welcome and at home and I often wonder sometimes if it's because he himself doesn't feel at home here. 

He is your typical little brother to his two big sisters, but to see their friendship develop... well these are the true blessings in life. I know in my heart when they all go their separate ways someday, they WILL remain each others best friends. 

And being that he is a middle child 

He is a really good Big Brother as well, although if you ask Zay this question on an off day he might have a different answer. I tell Sol all the time that I'm thankful for the example that he sets for Isaiah. 

When Solomon was only like 3 years old we were shopping for furniture and the sales lady asked him which Super Hero he liked best, because he was wearing a t-shirt with Spiderman, Superman etc. She said, "Are you Spiderman, Superman....?" To which he looked at her and replied without skipping a beat, "No I'm S O L O M AN !!" We all laughed so hard and knew at that moment he would probably always walk a few steps ahead of us. 

On top of being an Old Soul, He is really a funny kid. 

He takes the role of being funny very seriously, can you tell? He likes to make people happy whenever they are sad. The only thing he didn't like as an infant was when his sisters would cry. I kid you not, he would cry right along with them. Oh, and he also didn't like when they left the room. He really doesn't mind being alone now, but back then he wanted people all the time.

He is beyond creative and inventive and truly since he was a little boy has been an artist like his dad. The minute he learned how to write he has been making little creative stories, and drawing pictures. He is forever in pursuit of the next greatest invention and I LOVE that about him. 

The way his mind works... well it never ceases to amaze me.

His eyes.... Oh his eyes! They see things in this world so very differently than most. And much like his name sake, he is wise beyond his years. But more than anything I guess, the thing I am most blessed by about this boy his own pursuit to know Christ. He has questions all the time about God and he isn't afraid to speak up about his beliefs at school. When I stop to listen, to see what it is he sees, I'm reminded of what a gift HE IS.

Today begins the last year he is a child. After 12 comes the teen years and my heart aches just a smidge every time I even think about that, so for now I'm going to enjoy that he likes waking the whole family early Saturday morning with his saxophone.

I'm going to enjoy picking up his nerf gun toys, and legos, baseball gear, and video game controllers.

I'm going to remember that when I have to remind him for the ba-zillioneth time to prioritize hygiene it means that he doesn't have another girl in his life that motivates him to do so, and that's a GOOD thing!!

(Although, I'm not sure his sisters would agree)

Sigh.... 

Yep, TODAY is a GOOD DAY. 

Happy Birthday and 10/4 Good Buddy!!

 

One Thing I love about Nevada

It's no secret that I am not the biggest fan for the State of Nevada. Ahem.... From the time I was a young teen I would tell people, "Ya know technically, I'm not a native Nevadian because I was born in South Lake Tahoe on the California side." Being on the California side of the Lake was a big deal to me. A VERY BIG DEAL! I know, I know it's so silly, but it meant something to me that my birth certificate says California and NOT Nevada! Maybe it had something to do with that song the Beach Boys sang, "I wish they all could be California girls..."  Oh heck... that's so lame I can't even believe I just typed that out loud!! Moving on...   Since moving away and then moving back I have realized there are a lot of things about this state that I may have been a little hard on it about. I'm sorry Nevada, it's not all your fault that the lawmakers allowed for gambling and prostitution. Or that there is so much brown in this state that I call it Brown Town! Or that your state flower is Sagebrush. Really Nevada?  You're gonna go ahead and call a brush a flower? Can I go on record saying  that a BRUSH does not equate to a FLOWER!! And that your State brush makes me sneeze!! Whew... I feel much better now. As you can see, I don't think I will ever be happy about those aspects of this state, but if I don't focus on that I'm good. People keep asking me if I'm happy to back, and I feel so strange when I go to answer them, because for the most part I am happy to be back with my family and beloved friends. I love my family, and being away from them these past 4 years was not my favorite, but I was finding a way to make it work. I'm also happy to be back with friends that may as well be family. The group of friends we have here are an incredible, amazing bunch.  Still, my feelings are in a quandary.  I'm bewildered, perplexed, and down right confused about how I actually feel about being back. On the one hand my heart is overflowing with joy to be with my nieces, my sisters and brothers, my mom and dad, and my beloved friends. Seriously, all the events that have already taken place in just the few short months of being back have been OFF THE HOOK amazing! It's the kinda of thing that makes me sad for all the 4 years I missed out on this stuff.  On the other hand, when I look down at my feet and they are cracking to the point of pain because of this dry desert place, and I drive down the street and see billboards that are down right offensive and totally inappropriate from my 9 year old boy to have to see, I get down right angry!!
I'm talking down, and right here!
I mean who can blame me? Cracked feet and butt crack on billboards... not GOOD! But, ya know feelings are funny that way. Have you ever had this kind of quandary with your feelings? It's quite confusing if you ask me.  To feel happy and sad all at the same time is a bit of a predicament.  I guess that's why they say,  "It's not really that feelings are bad it's what we do with them that can have serious ramifications" WHO ARE THEY anyway? Well, I'm going to tell you what I'll do with these feelings, I'm going to share them with you and move on to the Sunny side of the Street.  This post is an attempt to stay on the positive side of Nevada. I don't know if you know this about me but I like to say positive if at all possible. So let me tell you what I love about Nevada.
THE FALL . Period 

The Autumn season here is seriously my favorite, and I realized something this year, one of the reason I might love Fall here so much is because this is when all the fun events that I love in Nevada take place.  There are the Balloon Races, Italian Festival, Candy Dance, and of course who can forget the Nevada day parade.  Yes, I LOVE the Nevada day parade!  Don't judge me!!

Would you look at all those crunchy leaves just waiting to be piled up and jumped upon. Washington I love you, but you don't produce crunch in your leaves during the Fall season.  I still love you though. Don't get butt hurt Washington, I'll be back in the summer when it's a hundred degrees here and smoke fills the air.  There ya have it folks. What I love about Nevada is the Fall, and of course more than all the Pumpkin Spice Lattes the world could ever make, I love the people you have here Nevada.  But then you turn icy cold outside and because I'm not a skier Lake Tahoe has no appeal to me in the Winter months so I go back   to loathing this dry desert place.   Just in case you wanted to know ;)

My Favorite Words

Here's the thing, I've been reading the bible a long, long time. I was raised from the time I was an infant in a Catholic home so I had the essentials down by age, oh I dunno 8 or so. I heard the commandments and prayed the Our Father even earlier than that, really since I was a wee-tid bit of a thing.  (say that with the best Irish accent you can muster up) And then somewhere around 13 or 14 I picked up this beloved book in a whole different way.  The Lover of my Soul became Alive to me and the words in that book were no longer just words, they were life, and breath, and nourishment to a very hungry soul. Ask my fellow class mates in Jr. High where Noël could be found at lunch time, but keep in mind before I disclose this embarrassing secret that this was before I discovered the Christian club... On a regular basis, at lunch time, you could find me off in the bathroom reading the Bible. I still kinda chuckle at that. Poor girls in Jr. High coming in to relieve themselves and there I was with my bible on the bathroom floor no less.  Eww... LOL. I don't recommend the bathroom floor as the best place to read, but I mention that true part of my history to reveal that I didn't care where I was reading it, I just had to be, wanted to be, needed to be reading that book.  And still... STILL 38 almost 39 years later  I am captivated, surprised, shocked, and in awe of how truly amazing the bible is. There is a reason it is the number one best seller book of all time, and I would bet my life it will stay that way because here's the other thing... It is ALIVE, because God's Spirit uses it to be poignant and relative to our individual lives. It would be like if you were reading a novel and all of a sudden the main character meets someone else that is exactly like you. The new character has your name, your personality, your habits.  And then you read that the new character does something that you JUST did the other day. It would be so crazy, kinda creepy, but mostly SO, SO COOL!! That's the bible. This is something that I sometimes forget and then I'm reminded when I sit down and pick up that book only to find the very words that are LIFE to my very dry, empty soul. I'm humbled and blessed by this book on the regular. Now that I have gotten off on a rampage on something most of you already know, let me tell you what words in that book are changing me right now.  It's a portion of scripture that I have probably read a thousand times. For real. NO joke I've read this scripture A LOT especially because it is one that I have framed and it sits right in front of my kitchen sink.  How many of you know I spend A LOT of time in front of the kitchen sink?  Momma of 4 = A LOT of Dishes. I have this scripture in that appropriate place because of what it says. Do you want to know what it says? Ok, I'll tell you, and thanks for asking. The portion of scripture that once again is blowing me away, comes from Matthew 11:28-30.  I'm going to kinda stop and go with this portion of scripture to talk about the new life it's taken on in my heart recently, so if you want to skip ahead and just go read it yourself, I won't hold it against you. "Come to Me, all who labor and heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to to rest. I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls." Let's just stop - Selah -  right here. The first thing I know about what Jesus is saying here is that I need to come to Him.  If you wanna know how I come to Him on a daily basis read the story above. Only now I no longer sit on a bathroom floor ;) The second thing that comforts me beyond belief is that HE knows that my life can become over-burdened, heavy, and full of work.  Are sensing WHY I have this scripture in front of my kitchen sink?   Because often times when I'm standing there doing the dishes for the ump-teenth time I feel heavy-ladened. Ya know what I'm saying? Do you ever get that heavy-ladened feeling? Sidenote-  Would if we went around asking each other "Are you feeling heavy-ladened today sister?"   That makes me giggle, ok moving on. Let me tell you what heavy ladened translates to me; I feel like the work of this world will never end sometimes and without a purpose I will be found until my dying day in front of that damn kitchen sink doing all the worlds dishes!! Sigh....  Ya know what I'm saying? But, wait... then I read this... Come to me and  Take From me. What other person in your life do you know that says,  "Come on over here to my house and take whatever you want, whatever you need. Take it all!!" I know, NO ONE like that. I am in a relationship with a man who I have loved and he has loved me for 19+ years and never, never in all our years together has he said, just keep taking from me, I ask nothing in return. No.  Relationships on earth require a Give and Take. Now, you might find that in some Godly relationships there is a self-less attribute that we try to attain, but that is only achieved by God's grace and love that's been given to each person. But Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls."
- Selah - What does he want us to take from him? A yoke?? Like an egg yoke?  No, but for real what is this yoke business you're talking about Jesus??

 Well, that's a yoke up there. A cow and a donkey yoked together to plow a field, go on a leisurely walk, umm... I dunno? All I know is that they are yoked together to do what ever it is the humans who yoked them, want them TO DO. Maybe just to take this picture? Dunno. Now, in a yoked type situation like this I picture myself of course as the Jack Ass because... well compared to Jesus that's exactly what I am. I jack things up ALL the time and because He's yoked to me, he gets my mess.  But ya know what ? He doesn't mind.  In fact He tells me to take these things instead of the Shi%$# I hand him. Rest. Relief. Ease. Refreshment. Recreation. Blessed Quiet. I don't know about you all but I need, desperately need rest, relief, ease, refreshment, recreation, and blessed quiet.  Listen to those words.  Aren't those words that you wish you could have an endless supply of? Also if I trip and fall He is the strong one that carries on. When I fall down, HE stands up. The weight of the yoke falls on him.  Those yokes are heavy man.  That picture of Him being strong and me being weak, that's what I love about this relationship. I'm so thankful I'm yoked to someone so much stronger, because I feel weak and tired on a daily basis, but being yoked to him is like being yoked to a HUGE muscle man.  I wish I had the computer graphic skills to make a picture like that for you, but just imagine my tiny little head yoked to this guy. (Don't those muscles look painful? ) Ok moving on....

"For my yoke is wholesome (useful, good-not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and MY burden is light and easy to be borne." I think that there are so many other things in this life that I yoke myself to without realizing how heavy, and hard they become until my back is broken and I'm crying out to God. Asking Him for help is where I stop, pause, and Come to him. And then I take on that useful, good, comfortable, gracious, pleasant yoke of His and all is well again. If you are feeling tired, burdened, and heavy ladened today I pray you will find rest and comfort by these words and from the Lover of YOUR soul. Linking up