January 2008!

Oops!! I almost didn't make my goal to blog at least once a month. Happy New Year, Everybody! I hope all is well. The holidays went well. I decided not to make any resolutions this year. I did begin even last year to make better decisions: eat the vegetables instead of fried potatoes, to drink water instead of the soda, to focus more on what's good FOR me than what's good TO me... The one thing I have got to work on is exercising! I've tried everything-scheduling it in my outlook like it was an appointment, leaving extra tennis shoes at work, pulling out photos when I wore a size 10... None of this moves me; I just haven't been motivated... Does anybody have any new suggestions!

I've been full speed ahead on planning my 20th Year Class Reunion. I've talked to classmates that I haven't seen since we graduated. I'm sooooo excited and hope everyone will make a point to attend.

In the conversations, I think what has been most interesting is that in some cases, our classmates didn't see us the same way we saw ourselves. One in particular thought she was shy. She still thinks she's shy. None of our classmates, NOT ONE!, saw her as being shy when we were in school. Is that tripped out or what? It just goes to show us that the way we see ourselves is not necessarily the way other receive us. Did that make sense?

I won't hold you long. I do think I forgot to mention that our t-shirts for the reunion are alumni shirts. PLEASE, if you attended or graduated from Lakeside High in Lake Village, PLEASE purchase at least one t-shirt. We have a cool 2-sided design and they are only $15!. Please share this information with family and friends.

I've been so occupied with the reunion that I forgot to mention that my nephew & his mom moved out of state. It's only been a week, but it seems like a lifetime. My heart is empty as his mom was like the daughter I'll never have & he like the "grandson" I'll never have. Did I say grandson? I really miss his running up & down the hall; his laughter when nothing was funny; his knocking on my door in the morning to let me know he was off to daycare; I could go on & on, but I won't. I am so proud of his mom. She's had a lot of challenges, but I pray the 1 1/2 yr of intense spiritual foundation she received from my church & my life-as well as the lessons on warfare & self-encouragement and the lessons on the power of the Word-have prepared her for the battles ahead. She's a fighter... she and her son. They can do it. I can remember her saying "I'm so tired & wish I could go to bed, but I know I have things to do"-and she actually did them. This was a sign of maturity to me. She's come a long way! One way you know when a woman or man becomes a woman or man is they see things that need to be done & don't run to tell you about it-They just do it!

I ask the righteous to pray for her increase in faith, greater strength in the Lord and a more intense focus on the Lord.

Hope to talk to you guys soon!