What would be the opposite of Writer's block? Writer's Free Flowing? Writer's Open Box? I suggest to you Writer's Ball, for two reasons. The opposite of square is round, so the opposite of a block would be a ball. Plus it means you are on a roll. Either that or you have so many ideas that they are all bouncing around very fast. Either way it works. It is not like a block that just sits there doing nothing, like a lump in a bog.

Every Christmas it is my tradition to get a new CD, an ornament and a Nativity. This year I was able to get my ornament very early. It is very pretty, a cross. The CD I got pretty early too, some instrumental that we used for our ladies tea and our Christmas dinner. But the Nativity, well that, that one was difficult. Last year I found a paper pop up that you put together yourself on clearance. I wasn't able to keep it but it was precious. This year I could not even find something like that.

I was pretty discouraged but resigned. I figured I would pick up the tradition next year but this would be my first year on my own that I had not gotten one. To top it off I always put a Nativity under my tree and this year I had my tree on a new stand and could not fit any on it.

On Sunday Tonya gave me a present and told me to open it immediately. It was a Teddy Bear with a sash that said, "Jesus is the light of the world" which is our theme for this year's Christmas program. He is SO cute! I adore him!!! There was another little package and I asked her if I shoudl open it and she said yes. And, yes, as you probably guessed, it was a Nativity! It is so precious! This morning I saw it and realized it was small enough to fit under my tree!!! It is precious!!! See:

For those of you who do not know I am directing this year's Christmas program. Yesterday was our dress rehearsal. Unfortunately I was very short with everyone, and no I am not referring to my height.

I forgot that I was dealing with people. I lost sight of my true focus, Christ! I acted in the flesh instead of the Spirit. I have apologized to part of my team and will be doing full confessions to everyone on Wednesday.

So, to anyone reading this that was part of Sunday's rehearsal, I am very sorry. I was not acting in love. I was a clanging cymbal.

Thank you all for your understanding.

My Faithful Readers,
This is an explanation for my Habitual Impracticality blog, as well as an update for my Symmie's Spot blog and for Facebook.

The explanation of why I didn't post yesterday is because Sunday was our Annual Ladies Tea. It was beautiful! We had a huge turnout, more than expected, and everything ran smoothly. How did this affect my blogging you ask? Well, I had taken my laptop to church with me to use in the powerpoint portion of the tea (we read a book every year and I project the pictures so all can see). As we were leaving that night I said, "I don't need my laptop tonight, I will bring it home tomorrow."

Well tomorrow came and so did a foot and a half of snow!!! My little car is not heavy enough to drive well in snow so Pastor Pat declared a snow day!!! It was so nice to stay home and rest and relax. I got some Christmas presents done and I am going to keep working on more tonight.

Now for another update. I will not be posting any more this week. I have become very selfish and self centered lately. Sunday the teaching was powerful and convicting regarding sin in our lives and getting to the point to where our sin breaks our hearts because of what it does to Jesus' heart, not because we got caught. The Lord convicted me for my self-centered thinking and I am going to be doing a media fast all this week. For me my computer is all about entertaining me, when I am not constantly wanting to be entertained is when I start recognizing others and am not focused on my comfort and ease.

So see you in 6 days!

Tonight our Women's Bible Study Worship leader was gone. She is at a worship conference in Southern California. Due to this fact I was leading worship from the piano with another lady to help me with vocals. It was interesting. 2 weeks ago I picked my set. I am ahead with the study so I picked the set according to the things the women were studying this week. The Lord had completely guided me in choosing the songs. In fact a couple of them I didn't want to play but the Lord kept saying, "do it!" So I pulled them out and realized how perfectly they fit.

Many people, when asked, will say this is their favorite time of year, "the holiday season." But how many of us simply pass over Thanksgiving to get to Christmas? We may say that the holiday season is our favorite but do we forget one of the main holidays involved? Its a valid question and I pray the answer is 'no.'

My world has become very strange. I am beginning to wonder how people view me. Perhaps, they view me the same, but if the tables were turned I would think I was a finicky person. Its annoying that I have had to become finicky. Perhaps finicky is not the right word. Sickly? Fragile? I'm tired of saying, "no thank you. I can't eat that." Then, again, needing to explain why.

Some people are very good about it and catch on right away. One lady made us some gingerbread for the office and let me know it was dairy free and soy free. I was so blessed that she took the time to even think of that. Made me feel normal again in a small way.

Pastor Pat tries. Its very sweet. He put some soup in our "Staff Cupboard" the other day and said, check it out you might be able to eat it, it has a lot of fiber in it. I knew right away that it was Progresso which has soy in every soup I have ever looked at, and just said, "oh ok!" Its sweet because he tried. I think that the fiber confused him because he knows it affects my stomach.

Another woman the other day kept trying to make me allergic to gluten. When I say, "kept trying" I mean about five times in our short conversation she said, "so you are allergic to soy and gluten?" "No, dairy and soy." "But I thought you were allergic to gluten?" "No, I never said that." "Well somebody is! Who said they were allergic to gluten?" Then a few minutes later, "so let me get this straight, you are allergic to Dairy and soy and gluten?" And around and around we went. She was making me laugh so hard.

This morning Chris came in and opened both the front doors up because it was such a gorgeous day out. There was a fire nearby and I could immediately smell the smoke. It bothers my eyes and throat so much that sometimes I can tell from that before I even smell it. I had to shut the doors and I felt so bad.

Then there's my nickle or aluminum allergy (not sure which yet)...

All these things mean I am constantly explaining why I can't....no I can't....No I'm allergic to....

Then when I get really frustrated I think of my cousin. My precious precious cousin who has 5 kids with food allergies. Such severe allergies that the only place they can eat out is In-N-Out and thats only if they get the hamburgers protein style with no sauce. My precious precious cousin who never complains. Who, I know gets discouraged but has more courage than anyone I know. Who deals with this much more than I do.

I think of her and I think, I have nothing to complain about.

So I keep on explaining. One day they will all understand and it will be no big deal anymore. Praise God! Oh wait, one day we will be in heaven and I can sit down with my cousin Nathan and teach him how to eat nacho cheese doritos dipped in cream cheese!!! PRAISE GOD!