Swirly...

my thoughts are swirly...this is what happens on long road trips.

oh that's right, you didn't know. :)

I returned yesterday from a long weekend trip to Texas. I took my kiddos to see their grandparents.

Long drives (peppered with ''turn the radio station...we've already heard that song fifteen times on the ipod...mom I need to pee...at the next rest area I want a snack from the snack box...are we out of Al...MS...LA...TX...yet'') always take me to a thinkerly place...700 miles of thinkerly & for someone that typically over thinks ANYWAY...well, yeah...swirly. :)

But today I am home. With semi ''sick'' kiddos. Ok...two of the four-but I think it's allergy/sinus...having driven through four states and experienced all their pollen produced yuck.

I am doing laundry. A lot of laundry.
I just took a picture that made me smile. The yellow bell is in full bloom and the sky is the most amazing shade of blue and the contrast between them...just beautiful.
I grocery shopped...pizza rolls are in the oven for lunch and for supper:

Capt Crunch chicken tenders with homemade honey mustard (only I omit the Dijon and add a dash of red pepper and no lemon juice) (Ritz crusted tenders for the adults)
Mac and cheese (8 oz of elbow mac boiled...butter (lots), flour to thicken...two cups of milk...four cups of cheese...bake off)
Squash (pan sauteed with onions)
fried corn (ae's request)
broc and cheese
biscuits

We are taking our ''winter break'' this week from school. Tonight we have a movie ... I considered making some brownies or...something...but I think they can just work on left overs from the snack box from when we traveled.

It's March...MARCH.
happycontentedsigh mmmmaaaarrrrccccchhhh
practically April
seemingly Spring
another winter, almost done
always the almost caveat...this is the South after all, land of the sneak attack March snow storm...
i hope...
against hope
that the lovely weather we've had for the last two weeks holds...
that winter tucks it long nights and short days away and that Spring kisses us with an early arrival...
but I cautiously hope
but HOPE
indeed
Spring is coming
Summer is near
*smile*

I had a talk with my MIL-anyway, (this is what you call your ex in-laws, that you are still close to, that refer to you as their daughter -in-law still, that keep you in the family and that love your kids like mad)...we were talking about people and how some people are what I deem ''buckets with a hole'' no matter what good your pour into them, no matter what idea you suggest, what you try...they always, always, always...ALWAYS have a reason it won't work. ''Buckets with a Hole'' wear you down and wear you out and tax every reserve you have... and something I realized...about ...ME....while I am NOT an obvious one...I am a subversive one and it's just as bad. (see I told you, thinkerly!)

I also thought a lot on Jesus and his treatment of Judas. Have you read the scripture...where Judas betrays Jesus with the kiss? Where Jesus KNEW (since He is ALL KNOWING and all) that he would be betrayed...knew it...KNEW IT .... and yet when Judas came to him, greeted him excitedly and kissed Him...Jesus just said, ''do what you've come to do.'' Everything in my nature fights that. I want Jesus to cut him off at the knees...to just SHOW HIM that sorry betrayer , pretending to be a friend...

but Jesus

I've been so challenged in my thinking of Jesus.
Of putting Jesus in the BOX
never, ever, ever, ever mistake that Jesus is just...
something is lost in our current culture of ''jesus is love, do what you wanna do''
because you miss a whole aspect of God in that thinking.
OH
Jesus loves...completely
but there is a VAST difference in acceptance and tolerance
Jesus accepts US as we are...loves us more than we can imagine...passionately pursues us...
BUT
His character...
He cannot tolerate lukewarm...you CANNOT live in opposition of God's word...rules ...statues and rest of the ''God loves me''
Oh He loves you...but he does not tolerate that, he can't...
(see thinkerly!)

ok and now it's time to reboot laundry
and walk a mile or six :)
happy thursday, yall! :)