I Do Love a Good Gadget

It's 9:15am here deep-in-the-heart-o-Texas. We start school at 9:00am. I wake everyone up at 8:00am. They all get up and get dressed and then get to watch some tv or whatever else they want to do until 8:30am when breakfast is served. Everyone eats, thanks me for the wonderful breakfast, brushes their teeth and eagerly prepare to start their schoolwork. Really. I'm not kidding. It says that on my schedule!

However, here it is now 9:18am and the only one awake, dressed and fed is the 5 year old...because he likes to get up early and invade my private, quiet time with the house to myself.

The girl is sleeping because she has been sick and I decided not to wake her, but to let her rest and get better. The boys are asleep because when I came home from my knitting group last night, the husband was asleep in the recliner, and the boys were playing Call of Duty--Modern Warfare on the PS3....WAY past their bedtime. The 5 year old and I have gone in to wake them up twice so far, but to no avail. On the one hand, this is frustrating...on the other hand, I'm free to write this post...so I'm not trying all that hard to get them up at the moment. Most of the country isn't even having school today because of all the snow. So really, is it fair that we should have to have school just because we live in a place where the sun is shining and it's quickly approaching 50 degrees outside? Even in Dallas they aren't starting school until 10:00am. I think 10:00am is a lovely time to start school today, so 10:00am it is!

So, back to the original purpose of this post--I Do Love a Good Gadget. A couple of years ago, thanks to a generous gift from one of my husband's clients, I received a lovely iPod Nano with Nike Plus that totally transformed my then-running, now-walking life. I was able to listen to my favorite music, or even audiobooks while I got my daily exercise all while my mileage and speed were being tracked and recorded online for my future knowledge and use. It was by far my favorite gadget of all time, and it still holds a very special place in my heart.

However, there is a new contender.

It has long been my theory that the people who need the most recent technology are those who can never afford it, while those who have the funds to purchase all the new wonders don't really need them. For example, flat screen tvs. Those of us who live in tiny houses with way too many people in them, could most certainly use a lovely flat screen tv that hangs on the wall and doesn't take up much needed square footage on the floor. However, the only people that can afford these modern technological marvels are those who have large houses and possibly even an entire media rooms to put one in. You see my point?

I have felt the same way about all the new hand held reading devices on the market today, like the Kindle and the Nook. For those of us with absolutely NO bookshelves in our homes, and no where to put one if we had it, who also happen to love books, this is the best invention EVER! However, even though the prices have started to drop in recent months, they are still a bit in the pricey range.

Enter the smartphone app.

Several months ago, Amazon released a FREE Kindle app for the Android phone. Did I mention that it was FREE????? I couldn't download that thing fast enough! And then I started reading...and reading, and reading, and reading! Basically, no matter where I am, I have a book to read, and believe me--unless I'm in a place where I could be knitting--I'm reading, baby! I even used it way out in the middle of nowhere to download a book to read to David while on a fishing trip with the family. He got bored and wanted to come and sit in the shade with me. I searched the Kindle store from my phone, found a FREE book of classic children's fairy tales, downloaded it within seconds and began reading to my boy!

I currently have one Diana Galbaldon novel, A Daily Devotional from Oswald Chambers, an Andy Andrews book for teens that my boys are reading for school, and my favorite--Lisa McKay's book "You Can Still Wear Cute Shoes" all on my Kindle ready for reading whenever I want...no bookshelf required.

So how about you, do you love gadgets too, what is your current favorite?

Sunday Sing-a-Long

This is one of my all-time FAVORITE songs off of Mandisa's newest CD. I love this song because it's about worshiping and giving God praise even when you don't think you have anything to bring to Him. It was my anthem when I was going through my latest kidney battle.

Every time I've heard it over the past few weeks, I've thought of Kelli and other friends and family who are going through some life-changing and scary medical issues. So, I thought I'd share it with all of you today just in case you might be going through something that makes it difficult for you to praise God right now.

I hope it blesses you as much as it blesses me each and every time I hear it. :)

Melody is thankful for...

my beautiful children who never cease to amaze me!

Last night as we were setting our family table to be ready for our Thanksgiving breakfast, I put out some new placemats and I wrote this at the top of each one "__________ is thankful for..." (Obviously the blank was each child's name on their own placemat.) Then, I just laid out 4 markers and told the kids to finish them. I helped Dave with his by writing whatever he told me (he doesn't know how to spell yet :)) I think Maddie asked me how to spell a couple of words, but other than that, I knew nothing of what they were doing until they were all finished. This is what I saw when they were all finished...


David's current favorite PBS show is "Super Why" in case that didn't make sense to you. :)


If you can't quite read that, Maddie is thankful for "Jesus and that He made my heart, and the Army." When she asked me how to spell "Army", she told me, "'Cause we have to be thankful for them because they fight for us and keep us safe." I'm not sure what made her think of that, but I was quite proud of her for thinking of it.


This is the one that brought tears to my eyes. Jon doesn't talk all that much, and he gets sullen and angry at the least offense, so when I read that the first thing he thought of was "The Lord" and the way he emphasized his "LIFE", it just melted my heart. If you've ever read "The Shack", you'll understand when I say, "I'm especially fond of that boy!" :)


Really no surprise here, but I was grateful that Benji thought to put the Lord before his motorcycles!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

It's Gratituesday!

I've never actually participated in Gratituesday before, but since I've been all up on my high horse about being thankful this year, I thought it was a great time to start! Want to join in? Write your post, then go here and sign the Mr. Linky to join in the fun!

I sort of shared this at church on Sunday, and it may seem like a very strange thing to be thankful for, but hopefully, when all is said and done, you'll understand.

We were trying to think of some of our greatest blessings over the past year, and the one thing that kept popping into my head was my iPod. I KNOW, right? It seems like my response to that query should have been a bit more spiritual...but honestly, whenever I started to think about blessings this year, I thought of that iPod! Let me explain...

I received as a gift (whole other L-O-N-G story) a new iPod Nano with Nike+ several months ago. I knew nothing about iPods, but I knew that the only reason I wanted one was so I could have the Nike+ as a running tool. So, when I got the iPod, I loaded it with my favorite music, and linked up the Nike+ and really enjoyed the bonus running tool that it was.

I had an iTunes gift card that came with the iPod, and after I downloaded a couple of albums I had been wanting, I still had a few dollars left. I decided to download one of those "Pixar Shorts" movies just to see how difficult it would be to watch a movie on a tiny little screen. It turned out that the picture is so clear and easy to see, that you hardly notice that it's small at all! Technology, you amaze me! :)

ANYWAY, as I started to experiment with more and more things that the iPod could do, I started looking into ebooks and audiobooks. I happened to find in the iTunes store one of my favorite audiobooks of all time, and I downloaded it and listened to it while doing dishes, and cleaning house, and decorating cakes....etc. While listening, I realized that this would be a great way to get in more Bible "reading" during the day. So, I went back to the iTunes store and I downloaded the entire New Testament! I chose this version because I thought it might be more interesting to listen to AND it came in my most favorite New King James Version!

So, I loaded up the iPod with all 4 gospels and started listening. I wanted to go through each of the gospels for a reason. I was comparing how each of them portrays Jesus...for personal research. But I was able to get through ALL FOUR GOSPELS within 2 days, just by listening while working around the house! This was amazing to me. For me to find the time during the day to sit and read my Bible at this volume is impossible. But not only was I able to hide the Word in my heart throughout my day. I was truly eager to do mundane tasks! It was no longer a chore to wash dishes, it was "quiet time" and "Bible study". I found myself looking for more things that needed to be done, just so I could listen a bit longer!

So, I can say in all honesty that my iPod has truly been one of my greatest blessings this year! And now, I hope that makes sense to you! ;)

What was YOUR greatest blessing this year?

Thanksgiving Music???

I have really been in the mood for some Holiday music lately. I've been baking seasonal desserts for parties and get-togethers. I've been adding some fun Thanksgiving touches around the house. I've even been burning some new holiday scented candles, and using the new "Spiced Pear" scented Countertop Cleaner and Dish Soap by Method.

All of this has put me in the mood for some fun Holiday Music. But since I am determined this year to focus on Thanksgiving and not jump ahead to Christmas until the Turkey has been devoured, I'm kinda stuck!

So I got this idea to make a playlist of "Thankful Songs" and make myself an official "Thanksgiving Music CD" to enjoy. Great idea right? Yeah, I thought so too! :-D

But here's where I could use some help. I need more ideas for songs to use. If you have a favorite song that has to do with thankfulness or blessing, please let me know the title and artist in the comments. And when it's all said and done, one of you might just win a "Thanksgiving Music" CD of your very own!

Thanks! And feel free to direct your own blog readers over here to contribute as well!

Now I have to go in and get the girl from ballet practice. (She's in "The Nutcracker" this year!) Later!

In the Vein of Being Thankful....

I bring you a post from Alex Brown of Signing Time. As you know, Signing Time is a favorite around here, and we all love Alex and Leah!

Recently, Alex, Leah, and Rachel all went on a trip to Ghana, Africa to do some work with a deaf school there. You can read all about it over on Rachel's Blog if you are interested.

Anyway, Alex wrote a post for the Signing Time Blog about being thankful. I can't remember how old Alex is, but he's not 12 yet, I'm sure. (I'm waiting on Rachel to Twitter his true age to me! :)) Anyway, Alex learned a lot about being thankful on that trip, and he shares it so very well!

So head on over here and read what young Alex Brown has to say about being thankful. It's definitely going to be required reading for all my kids this week!

And now, I must get back to the Wedding Cake Madness! Pictures and all the gory details still to come! :)

A Few Changes...

You may have noticed the new look to my blog. I changed it because 1) I wanted a 3 column blog, and 2) I wanted a daily reminder to be thankful.

I was reading on another blog yesterday (sorry, I can't remember whose it was!) about the fact that in our country, especially in the retail community, we too often jump from Halloween straight to Christmas and barely acknowledge Thanksgiving at all.

I don't want to dismiss Thanksgiving as a nice meal with family and focus all my attention on the coming of Christmas. I want to prepare my heart to be thankful before Christmas, so that when it arrives, my heart is ready to receive again the news that a Savior has been born.

So my new blog-look has a wonderful fall look and the words "Give Thanks" right there to remind me to do just that! ( I still have some layout issues to work out, but I don't have time for the details right now, I have wedding cakes to bake! :))

I have also been listening to quite a few audiobooks lately, and my favorites have been those by Anne Graham Lotz. Anne has a way of listing things about God that remind me of who He is and why my heart should always be thankful. Because of Who He Is.

I've decided to post some of those lists here on the blog to bless and encourage you as well while I'm off making wedding cakes etc.

The first is from my favorite of all time "Just Give Me Jesus"

"Just give me Jesus!
He is enduringly strong,
He is entirely sincere,
He is eternally steadfast,
He is immortally gracious,
He is imperially powerful,
He is impartially merciful,
He is the greatest phenomena that has ever crossed the horizon of the globe,
He is God's Son,
He is the sinner's Savior,
He is the captive's Ransom,
He is the Breath of Life,
He is the Centerpiece of Civilization,
He stands in the solitude of Himself,
He is august and He is unique,
He is unparalleled and He is unprecedented,
He is undisputed and He is undefiled,
He is unsurpassed and He is unshakable,
He is the lofty idea in philosophy,
He is the highest personality in psychology,
He is the supreme subject in literature,
He is the unavoidable problem in higher criticism,
He is the fundamental doctrine of theology,
He is the cornerstone, the capstone, the stumbling stone of all religion,
He is the Miracle of the Ages.

JUST GIVE ME JESUS!"

So I will leave you with that, and I'm off to bake more wedding cakes! Have a great day!

*There will be a special Thanksgiving Giveaway happening here. Anyone who leaves a comment between now and Thanksgiving will be entered! More details coming soon!*