Laundry Casualty

I'm back... and twice in one day.  (Don't fall off your bloggin' chairs at this turn of events!)  I've taken a page from one of my favorite writers and have decided to blog whenever I feel like it... whenever I have something I want to say, am inspired, have something to get off my chest.  Perhaps this will be "too much" but for now, I've got something to vent!

The Culprit

This innocent gray Tommy Hilfiger (I'm assuming knock-off as it was brought back from China by our next door neighbors for Hubby as a Christmas gift) was innocently thrown into the laundry amidst the other "light" colored clothes, but who knew that it would turn on it's fellow cotton-loving garments?

The Victim

... one of my favorite green cotton Izod fleece cardigans.  Oh the trauma of it all!! (Fortunately I had foresight and have a 2nd of this sweater... newer, fresher, greener... in my closet upstairs!).

What is it with manufacturers of clothes these days?  This isn't the first time horrific "bleeding" has happened in my washing machine.  A couple years ago Hubby had a pair of green plaid shorts that became a casualty... from their own red-edged inner waistband.  Who puts red piping along a waistband in green/white shorts?!

Ooooh... to go back to the days when our clothes came from local manufacturers and held quality as a standard!  Sigh...

God's Got My Back

This is a post today about "backsides"... one serious... one not so much.  I'll start with the serious.

Tonight is our big Annual Abide Spring Banquet for the ladies of our church.  My team and I have been feverishly preparing things for tonight and despite a few moments of extreme panic earlier in the week, I am feeling pretty good about things this morning.  One of the things that still has my tummy in knots though is the fact that I am emcee for the night.  As facilitator this is my regular role on Thursday mornings, but somehow, with new ladies added to the mix tonight, those nerves of last September are beginning to percolate within my stomach.

It was around this time last year that I felt God calling me to the role of facilitator in the group.  At the time I felt like Moses when God called him to his ministry of heading to Egypt to confront Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave Egypt.  Funny how those words from Exodus 4 came right back to me this morning as I spent some time with God.

10  But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”

11  Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”

13  But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”

I remember questioning God like Moses... "are you SURE God?"  but I knew it was what God was calling me to so I obediently followed and here we are... on the last night of the Abide year.  I survived!  ha ha

What I found amazing this morning is once again how in tune my Heavenly Father is with my heart, my fears, my worries and my insecurities.  This was the little message that went along with those verses above in the Life Application Study Bible reading for today:

Moses pleaded with God to let him out of his mission. After all, he was not a good speaker and would probably embarrass both himself and God. But God looked at Moses' problem quite differently. All Moses needed was some help, and who better than God to help him say and do the right things? God made his mouth and would give him the words to say. It is easy for us to focus on our weaknesses, but if God asks us to do something, then he will help us get the job done. If the job involves some of our weak areas, then we can trust that he will provide words, strength, courage, and ability where needed.

Seriously.  Is my middle name Moses?  This message was exactly what I needed this morning as I have stressed and worried over whether I would say the wrong thing tonight or look like a fool.  My friends know that in my attempts to be funny, at times something inappropriate or bizarre will fly out of my mouth before I can catch it.  Doing so in front of a new group of ladies ... not exactly the impression I long for this evening.  I love that I don't have to worry though.  Instead, I can just rest in my Almighty Father and trust that He will "provide the words, strength, courage and ability" I need tonight.  Thank you Jesus!

So... with that saddlebag of worry off my back, I'm going to head down and have my workout this morning, shower, do my hair, nails and makeup, put on my outfit and "break a leg" as they say in the theater world... which brings me to the other backside story for you... the not so serious one...

Okay... I'm all about transparency as any of you who either know me personally know or read my blog faithfully know.  There is not much I don't reveal.  Mostly because I have nothing to hide and also I am able to  laugh at myself and hope that my mistakes or struggles help or encourage someone else.  Well... let me be completely transparent today when I tell you what happened to me this week.

So Thursday, :Hubby and I are getting ready to go see my youngest niece in her high school play.  She got the lead role in "Annie" and we didn't want to miss her big acting "debut".  I decided to wear my newer pair of Eddie Bauer jeans.  They are dark denim and if I'm honest (which you know I will be), they were never really my favorites.  Before we left I sat down at my computer to do a few last minute things for the banquet before we head out the door.

Hubby opened the car while he locked the front door and I plop down into the passenger seat of our little red Honda.  All of a sudden I feel this big "Riiiiippppp" in my backside.  NO WAY, I think to myself.  Hubby gets into the driver's seat beside me and before he gets the key into the ignition I ask him for the keys.  "Uh honey... I need to go change my pants" I tell him as I get out of my seat and show him my butt (which of course I hadn't seen at this point).  He gives a stunned giggle as I run into the house.

Upstairs in our room before I toss the obviously VERY POORLY MADE jeans into garbage, I take a look in the long mirror in our room and see this:

Okay... you can stop laughing at my bright red undies!  Hey... at least I was wearing some... and not a thong!  What makes this a ridiculous event is that a) the jeans weren't tight - I'd lost 3 lbs so they were much looser than they have been and b) I haven't worn them that often.  I've had this pair for maybe a year or 2 but I rarely wear them because I didn't really like the denim... now I know why!  I am "torn" now about replacing them because I've only bought Eddie Bauer jeans the past decade because they fit me so well but apparently they can't be trusted anymore.  I will be on the quest for affordable (I'm Scottish so I don't like to spend too much $ on clothes) and properly fitting jeans.  Ugh!  Not something I'm looking forward to.

So... after this very long post I have a question for you my "curvy" hour-glass shaped  readers... what kind of jeans do you buy?

Magic Turns to Clutter

So last Friday, after unpacking the suitcases from our trip South, I finally got to the business of taking down our Christmas tree and decorations.  I unloaded the crawl space under the basement stairs where we keep all of the Rubbermaid boxes.  Hubby carried the heavy ones for the living room back upstairs for me, while I sorted the ones in the family room area in the basement, in preparation for their ritual exchange of their contents.

Before getting down to the full on business at hand, I decided this was the perfect opportunity to reorganize the shelves in the closet under the stairs so I swiftly took everything off the shelves and began sorting through, placing some items in a "Good Will" pile (seriously, how many glass serving plates does one really need?), while other items were quickly tossed in the trash. The rest of the stuff was methodically placed back on the shelves.  I had gone earlier in the week to pick up a couple new Rubbermaid bins for Spring/Fall seasonal items (as opposed to my former plan of shoving them on an already full shelf and hoping I can find them next season) so once my closet was clean, I was ready to tackle the rest.

Box by box I replaced the year-round decorations that had been placed in the plastic bins in November with the seasonal treasures that seemed past their due.  Hours later (and I mean HOURS later), with a sore back and bins overflowing with holiday cheer inside, I couldn't help but wonder... how is it that all this stuff is so "magical" up until December 26 (or Jan 1st at the latest) but then all it becomes is one big pile of clutter?  Anyone?