I watched a show last night on OWN. Lisa Ling was reporting on faith-based healings/healers. I was already in a very emotional mood and probably should have recorded the show and watched it another day. But I just had to watch it last night...One story in particular really tugged at my heart strings. A man had gotten in a car accident at age 18 and had a brain injury which affected his speech. As if that wasn't bad enough, years later he fell off his roof and is now paralyzed. He attended a healing conference and believed 100% that God would heal him on the last day of the conference in the last 10 minutes. He said that God spoke to him and told him this.

Perhaps it's my lack of faith...but I knew he wouldn't leave the conference healed. But as they showed the last ten minutes of the conference (the time he was supposed to be healed), I found myself crying and praying..."Please God let him be healed." Well, he wasn't. Lisa Ling had become very attached to the man, and she too was crying watching him still sitting in his wheel chair. She went to him and checked on him to see if he was okay....and instead of being disappointed or angry...he lay his hand on Lisa Ling's and prayed for her. He also said that the life he's living now is just but a moment in time...but in heaven, he'll be healed and that will be an eternity. Now, that really made me cry!

I thought that a lot of people probably watched this show and thought that faith/healing/God is all just a bunch of hocus pocus. But, I thought that showing this man and his story really was a great example of what faith truly is. It was really encouraging! I could completely relate to his story...and I'm sure a lot of people can. I've prayed and believed a 100% for a miracle before. Unfortunately, that miracle never happened. It took me years to believe and have faith again. I avoided praying for important things because I didn't want to feel like I was being ignored or feel like God didn't care...or just be plain disappointed. But over the years, I've realized that faith is not just believing in the outcome you desire, but believing God is always in control....trusting in Him through the good and the bad.

It's not easy...I find myself struggling with it on a daily basis. When you're dreams are dashed...it's hard to immediately refocus your mind on God's goodness instead of the terrible pain you're feeling or the heartbreak you are going through. But, that is what God wants from us...an unwavering faith and understanding of how GREAT his love is....at all times.

So, the other day my sister and I were talking about our favorite things to do during "me time." My sister is really routined...she shops on a specific day, cooks on specific days, and even eats specific things on specific days. I'm not so routined...although I wish I could be. So anyway, she loves tea, but refrains from drinking it every day because of the caffeine and sugar. Once a week, she drinks her tea, eats a biscotti, and watches the View. It's her favorite day of the week.

I started to think about what my favorite day of the week was...The only thing I could come up with was Friday nights. Matt and I lay on the comfy red couch, and we watch Dateline together. But that's just it....we're together. It's not really me time it's we time!!

So, I started thinking about ways I could treat myself once a week....

I thought about going to B&N and reading for an hour or so...since reading more was one of my goals for the new year. But then I remembered that something about that store makes me really sleepy. And every time I go there to read, I fall asleep, and wake myself up with my snore!

So then I thought about a few hours of just turning on the music and painting my toes and maintaining my brows. But those really aren't enjoyable tasks unless you're leaning back in a comfy chair and someone else is doing it for you!

Then I thought about meeting up with a friend once a week for coffee and a great conversation, but I don't have enough friends for this to last more than 3 weeks.

So, now I'm back to Friday nights on the comfy red couch watching Dateline...maybe I'll kick Matt off of it and make him sit in the chair. =)...Unless, of course...you have any ideas!

Vappy Halentine's Day...

I think I've confessed before that I'm one of those people who on the outside....claim to hate Valentine's Day, but on the inside...love all the pink, hearts, flowers, candy, stuffed animals, sappy cards, and did I mention the pink??? But, here in the Thomas household we refuse to celebrate a holiday created by greeting card companies to sucker Americans into professing their love for one another by buying, buying, buying. Atleast, that's what Matt tells me.

However, I can't seem to let the day go by without celebrating it...just a little. So, although I'm married to a work-out fanatic and food nazi...I know that he has a weakness. And that weakness would be SWEETS. So, what does the sweetest wife on this side of the Mississippi (and yes, that would be me!!) do??? I've decided to make some chocolate covered strawberries.

I thought I'd include the recipe below for those of you procrastinators who are lookin' for a last minute gift for your sweetheart....it's easy, it's quick, it's cheap...errrr, i mean "cost" "effective."

Ingredients:
5 oz chocolate
1 pint fresh strawberries

Directions:
In a microwave-safe bowl, or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate. Holding berries by the stem, dip in chocolate about three quarters of the way. Place stem side down on wax paper and refrigerate until hardened.

For extra fanciness:
Melt white chocolate and drizzle over chocolate.

Yep, it's that easy folks!! HVD!!!!

I'm a tupperware thief. I was preparing for the Sunday Scrubdown (cleaning the house), and as I was cleaning the kitchen, I opened the cupboard and stared at all the tupperware I have! Do they just multiply in there while I sleep? I never remembered having so much tupperware. But, as I looked through it I realized that half of it is not mine. Most of them belong to local mom's around OKC...Mary Varghese (my own mom)...Mary Paul (merly's mom)...Sandy Abraham (Sonia's mom). (Thank you, ladies) Although I'm sure you're not even aware of the fact that the tupperware you've been madly searching for all over your kitchen, is actually in mine. I should be a good citizen and return them all, but they're all sorta of curry stained and have worked their way into my heart. This could be why my mom own mom now sends stuff home with me in cool whip containers....cuz she knows her daughter has become a tupperware thief! She knows better than giving me the good stuff anymore!