a little lagnaippe.

Haven't blogged in a while!! I'll catch you up on my world later, but for now, enjoy a little history from Louisiana! This is the history of the Mardi Gras holiday.  Mardi Gras was introduced to New Orleans in the 1700 on the banks of the Mississippi River.  The date of the actual day of Fat Tuesday is determined by the church calendar that is used to determine the date of Easter.  Fat Tuesday, the other name for Mardi Gras, is always celebrated 47days before Easter.  As everyone knows the colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green and gold. Purple represents justice, green represents faith, and gold power.  The King's Cake is an oval cake in honor of the kings who came to visit the baby Jesus.  The oval shape represets unity of faith.  The small baby inside represents the Baby Jesus. The season of Mardi Gras begins on January 6 which is also known as Epiphany.  Epiphany is the day that the kings arrived with gifts to visit baby Jesus.  Fat Tuesday is the day right before Ash Wednesday which begins the season of Lent.  Lent is a 40day season of preparation for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the day we know as Easter Sunday.  During this 40 day period many Christians choose to make a personal sacrifce by giving up something that they enjoy or could fast from.  Lent is 40 week days before Easter Sunday.  Typically it is and has been something sweet.  Many denominations celebrate a Fat Tuesday pancake supper. This ends Epiphany and the next day, Ash Wednesday, begins the Lenten season.

The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are usually derived from burning the blessed palm branches left from the last Palm Sunday celebration. The ashes are blessed, sprinkled with holy water and fumigated with incense. This reflects the central ritual of this holiday, the placing of ashes on the forehead to symbolize mourning and penitence. 

Ok so this is my history lesson for today!!! Enjoy!! Remember what Jesus did for each of us by dying on the cross and taking away all of our sins in that one instant, not just during this Lenten season, but everyday!!! 
Lassiez les bon temp rouler!!!!!!!!

Grace

Grace. It's a tough word and concept to wrap my mind around. Ephesians 2.8 says "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—" Grace is a gift each of us are given each and every day. Man, how wonderful is that!?!?
How often do we show grace to others? When we're sitting in traffic? Or checking out at Walmart? Or dealing with children? Or to people in our every day lives? Or to our parents? Or to the elderly? Or to strangers, people in general?
Since when did we all become so perfect we don't need grace shown to us? I'm fo sho not anywhere close to perfect! And obviously see that others aren't either. Why is it so difficult for us to show God's grace that was shown to us to other people? I don't know, but I do know that through God's help, I am slowly becoming a better grace giver. That's the only way to become a grace giving person. And let me be the first to tell you, it is not easy. At all.
So let's all show some grace. It'll make the world a better place!
Love!

Mardi Gras...

Since Emma and Dave moved to the New Orleans area, mom and I decided we should go down for Mardi Gras. We all arrived Friday night and went out in search of local food for dinner. After running into about 3 closed restaurants, we try one more and ran into a parade. Little did Dad, John, Dave and I know that we were with the most intense bead catchers on the planet. Strangers were running away in fear of being knocked over by one of them. That night, I caught a bag of beads to save Daddy's life. Who knew I could catch?? That was the biggest shock. We got home and woke up stinkin early to get a good spot. Mom bought E, me and her matching t-shirts to wear. We looked so cute! We watched the parade and Dave stayed for the next one. He found a "loose" girl to stand behind and ended up bringing home a ton of beads. As we left the parade, it started storming. We decided to weather the storm at Mahoney's and enjoy a poboy. After a long day, then a quick nap, we ate a low key dinner and woke up to have beignets and we all left... Family weekend #2 was a blast!!! I hated to drive home. Looking forward to the next family fun weekend!!
Love!

Girlie.

You know, sometimes it just stinks being a girl. One minute you are the happiest person on the planet, the next you're weeping for no reason. I don't get it. Sometimes, it's not so bad. Some days, it's just bad. Like today. One little note in the mail sent me to a weepy mess.
I'm also girlie in other ways. I like to be clean and neat and organized and clothes somewhat matching and such. I like things done for me, like pumping my gas. But I'll get dirty with the best of them. I am a hard worker. A girlie hard worker who laughs while crying.
There ya go. Whatev.
Love!

Blue Suede 2011

My wonderful daddy was the chairperson for the Blue Suede event that benefits child abuse in Jackson, TN. None of us like to miss a party, so everyone packed up and headed north. I was the first to arrive. Daddy had picked up our favorite BBQ and brought it to Grandma Rose's. Everyone else arrived a little later. Saturday morning, we all woke up and got moving. The girls went shopping and I'm not really sure what the boys did. We all went to Grandma's for lunch--- her famous meatloaf was on the menu! After lunch, John and I went for a run. Then it was time to get ready for the main event and load up and head to the Civic Center. We arrived on time and hopped right into the party!

Me and Annette!

The Chair and ME

Dave creeps like mom.

Pretty girls.

siblings.

mom and the boys

mom and her friend allison. they shut down the discos in their prime. they dance the same.

look at that perfect little family. man, i sure do love and miss them all so very much. Wish we could live closer!
love!

What's the BIG DEAL!?!?!?!

So recently every little detail and big decision is this huge ordeal. Big ordeal? Yeah like I would love to poke someone's eyeballs out at some points. Some days I feel like I'm involved in the production of a musical or this crazy important broadway play or huge event like the Superbowl or the Oscars where everything from the set to the costumes to the actors or players to the donuts on the snack table or the food in the concession stand. I mean everything. Even trying not to let those little battles get to me or make me crazy or allow myself to over-react, is a battle. Today I am believing it is the devil attempting to make me stumble in my decision to make better wiser choices. Well, I've got some words for him... Back off. I will continue to win in my choice making and I will come out of 2011 a better wiser person because of it. You know why? Because God is on my side! I know He is holding my hand during each one of these battles and He's not letting go. Job 23.10-11 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.

On another note, here's a preview of what's up next.

The Golden Rule

Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6.31.

That's our memory verse for Portico Kiddos. You know thinking about that, it is simple, but so very hard. Why do people feel that the same standards they hold measure other people's actions to don't apply to them? I don't appreciate being treated disrespectfully or rudely. And I know you don't either. So why in the world have we trained ourselves that it is ok to be ugly to others? I honestly don't have a clue. I will be conscience of my actions though. That's for sure.

Love!