Can't it be 20 degrees today??

Today, I am so very proud of myself. Want to know what I did, all by myself??
I sound like my preschoolers, I know!
I built a fire in the fireplace.
I realize your probably thinking "big deal, Jill"...well it was!
I had never, never before done the fireplace thing!
My kids were worried. I must have seemed a little on edge while barking out demands..."move over Ramiro, Andre back up I need some space here, Madelyn 'no no, hot', please boys don't ask me questions while I'm still trying to figure out how to get the stupid (oops sorry Andre, I know we don't say stupid)...I mean SILLY lighter started"!
(It must have ran out of lighter fluid, starter stuff...b/c the next lighter worked just fine...it was NOT operator error, I'll have you know!!)

Anyways...I've since had to open up the windows to let some of the 50+ degree weather in so we didn't roast in here! I wouldn't have cared if it was 75 degrees out...I'M LEARNING TO BUILD A FIRE TODAY!! (oops actually I checked my suburbans thermometer...its 72 degrees!!)

This afternoon, I have taken a few minutes to read in Numbers and Deuteronomy. Aren't you excited!!?? What could be more fun on a Friday afternoon, right!? I know eyes are rollin', oh well! Actually to be honest, I really haven't read much more than 4 words...over and over again.

If you look in Numbers, almost every other verse starts with "and the Lord said to Moses"...and then "the Lord spoke to Moses". On and on it goes...the same few words, over and over for 36 chapters ...I'm not incredibly bright but I got a feeling that maybe there is a point that was needing to be made here!! Just maybe!

Then I happened upon Deuteronomy 28:1 NKJV
"...if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God..."

Hum.

Could it be that THE LORD HAS SOMETHING TO SAY!!??

I am reminded of a conversation the other night with a friend that I don't talk to much, but love nevertheless!! She mentioned that she had wondered about what people mean when they "hear God". Well, I've thought a lot about that since Wednesday night...its another part of my 2008 that has changed me.

So, to make this short...I'm working on compiling some notes on how I've come to know the Lord speaking in my life. I have journaled throughout last year, mostly for my own sanity...but I think it has provided some insight about how God speaks to me and what that sounds like. It of course will only be of my experience with God. But its one of those...ask 5 different people...you'll get 5 different stories of how God speaks to them. However, maybe it will be of some help to someone else. I still am in the process of figuring this all out myself though...its a life long process, I think. But there were clearly some signs that I was not recognizing as HIM!! It was a huge step in experiencing God that I was missing before!

I recognize that maybe many of you are more interested in more "funner" blogs. It's ok. Read what you want, don't what you don't...actually it probably is a better exercise for me than anyone else!

Til then, I'm enjoying my toasty warm fire. That I , ahem, built all by myself!!
Madelyn's not the only big girl around here!! She's got company today baby!!

Answering questions

Because I don't want to spend too long on the computer, here are the responses to some of ya'll questions...sorry for the impersonal nature of the response. I do want to answer them however.

1. My memory verse for the first half of this month is: "As water reflects a face, so a mans heart reflects the man." Proverbs 27:19

2. Yes, if you are wanting to send this blog site to a friend or someone, feel free to do so. I intentionally leave out some information so that it protects my kids and family. I do not have a problem with it being given to others! Thanks for asking!

3. If you comment, the comments are sent directly to my email address and not posted on the blog. So, I do get the comments and read them all! I love to hear back from people. However, I can not respond to them unless I already know your email address. When the comment comes to me the address is a "no reply" address, so I just cant reply back through the original comment! You must give your email address so I can contact you directly!

4. The marathon is coming up in a very few short days...like 10, or 11? Its Feb. 15th!! So, wish me luck! I will need it b/c 26.2 miles is a LONG way to travel by foot!!

Thanks for the love and support to those of you have have emailed me! I feel blessed to know that God is using something as simple as a journal of my thoughts and life experience! I don't know how God will use this, but I see that He is...and let there be no mistake about it, I'm really the one getting the blessing out of it!!

BTW...still pondering this one...isn't the picture perfect? It is a conformation in the working, and probably a future post is brewing! (If your just joining this blog...you need to go read the previous post to understand what I'm referring to!)