Jazzercise

I can't believe I have gone this long without informing those who care...BUT (and that is quite a big butt, thank you very much!).that I have been jazzercising for probably 8 months now....the crazy part is I go to the 5:55am class for an hour....yes, that is not a typo...that is early in the morning....I try to make it 3 times a week....and now I am even staying later for another 30 minutes of one-on-one with Sherry (I know you are reading this Sherry)...who is amazingly wonderful, beautiful, skinny, and talented....okay, enough sucking up to the instructor.....but she pushes me even harder to get this old wrinkly flabby body into shape..ROUND is a shape, right???..Of course I am a challenge for her, since I can't seem to get any of the exercises right without her getting ready to knock me into next week....I have a balance issue......who knew? So this page is dedicated to you Sherry....If I had a picture of you, I would put it in here....maybe I can work on that one.....or I might just put a pit bull in here instead....ha!

On this day a year ago...

Hello Everyone.....As I awoke this morning to 30 degrees outside, I was reminded of what happened to me EXACTLY a year ago....Joe and I were in Israel.....It is hard to believe it has been a year....and a few days before we had climbed Mt Sinai, which was no easy task....We got up at 2AM climbed on camels IN THE PITCH DARKNESS and wandered our way UP THE MOUNTAIN pretty much alone....cause you couldn't see JACK....or JILL for that matter.....didn't know where our group was....was just banking on my trusted camel....that at least he could see in the dark.....and lo and behold he could! Thank you Lord....We all met up in some tent and then proceeded on foot the rest of the way to the top....I was not in the best of health....had been coughing since the moment we got there....so breathing was not coming easy for me...Joe grabbed my hand and literally dragged my sorry self up to the top.....thank you Joe....Once there, I was joined by a few hundred people who had beat me there already....They were perched and waiting for the sun to rise....Saying it was cold is an understatement....But the coldness went away once that sun rose over the peaks and the sky lit up like nothing else....It was a sight to see....Our sweet friends Dan & Beth were with us to join in the celebration.....Dan & Joe got up the mountain like a couple of mountain goats...Beth & I didn't have it so easy....We were still breathing hard when it was time to descend....not quite the "spiritual high" I was hoping for....ANd now I am convinced that Moses did not throw the tablets to the ground...I am pretty sure he tripped and broke 'em....I have never seen so many dad gum rocks....everywhere....there was NO solid ground.....very rough terrane....AND to think Moses did this twice....Are you kidding me? AND he was HOW OLD AGAIN? Once was enough, thank you very much!
AND then a year ago today....I followed the steps of Jesus and was baptized in the Jordan River....I had been baptized July 8, 1964, but this time, it was more of a rededication.....It was another cold day....To be baptized there, you had to put on these little white robes which made us all look like little angels....(well, at least I did.....) There were 14 of us from our group who were going into the water....My breath was literally taken away when I got in the water....Can't remember EVER being this cold on purpose....Joe got on the other side and so I was baptized by him and Bob, our group leader, who was smart and had on a wet suit...But the amazing thing happened when I ascended out of the water....(which, by the way, is really dirty)....I got out and waited on the side to watch the other baptisms.....My entire body from top to bottom became warm as toast....amazing transformation....Being so cold I couldn't breathe....to feeling like a blanket was put around me.....God is so good like that....He takes my pitiful cold self and wraps me up and holds me close....and that is where I am today....I sat in front of my fire place this morning....feeling the warmth of the fire.....feeling God's warmth as He holds me close....Ps 46:10 has been been my verse this year: "Be still, and KNOW that I am God"....I know that I know that I know....that HE is my redeemer....my creator....my savior.....One thing I know is you can't BE STILL without slowing down....So I say to you SLOW DOWN today and BE STILL and KNOW that He is on your side, He loves you....He knows yours hurts, your pains....Tell Him and let Him hold you close and give you comfort and peace.....Have a blessed day my friends!

2010 Thoughts for this new year!

Well, it's a NEW YEAR...2010.....Which means NEW BEGINNINGS and we get to do a "do over".....Another chance at trying to get it right...Of course, that is never possible, at least not in MY POWER....Only with HIS help can I ever do anything right or good or perfect.....I had a perfect putt once, but that was once....and I probably had HIS help, now that I am thinking about it....ha!

My wish for my children for this year is to have "just enough" trials to keep you on your knees....."Just enough" riches to be gratetful and to give to others more freely.....& "just enough" patience to keep your head on straight when under stress....AND an abundance of joy & laughter to get you through each day.....an abundance of time to spend with each other.....and an abundance of gas to bring you home to me on occasion!

I resolve to lose weight this year....I am actually putting it in writing so you all can call me on it when you see me scarfing down a pile of fries with chili and cheese......

I resolve to spend more time in His word and to be STILL and KNOW HIM more.....To make all of my moments count and to His glory.....To have less of me (and I am not talking about weight this time) and more of Him....."Less is more" is kind of the motto here.....

I resolve to laugh every single day....this one is easy....since I am doing it as I am writing this....Laughter to me is healing and wonderful and a necessity of life....those who do not laugh have missed out.....I think I laugh at myself more than anyone else...I crack myself up on a daily basis...I am just so stupid and do the craziest things....my favorite place is the grocery story....why just today I was in Publix on aisle 9 going down the soup aisle....I knocked over a display case of cans...they went flying and rolling down the aisle....I was waiting for the speaker to say..."cleanup on aisle 9"....but I quickly started cleaning up my mess....and watching others watch me....and telling them..."I got it....I got it"...Of course, nobody offered to help me out...just kept watching this idiot running around picking up cans....oh brother....I must have been a sight....but I just laughed....just when I am not looking my best.....wearing stupid old clothes.....I get attention and all eyes on me....ain't that the way it is?.....Life is funny that way.....

Anyway, go out there and have a great day today all of you Laura blog readers.....and thanks for taking a few minutes to read my dribble.....

Steve led the few & the brave snowmobiling....

Sarah & Stacy made another snowman this year that Laura Jo loved!

Brenda & I were awesome in the kitchen.....Who makes the best chicken enchaladas EVER?????

Steve & Brenda were great hosts in Utah

Limo ride to the airport

Here we are on our way to the airport to go to our family ski trip in Utah.....