Thirteen Places I went to in 2006 1. January- 2 weeks in New York City 2. February - Biwabik, MN- Giant's Ridge Ski Resort for a weekend 3. March- Las Vegas, NV-renewed my wedding vows 4. April- Sioux Falls, SD- long weekend 5. May - 2 weeks in New York City 6. July- Hoot Owl Resort-Waubun, MN- 1 week vacation with my extended family 7. August - Overnight visits to Minneapolis,MN 8. September- Solbakken Resort- Lutsen, MN- Labor Day weekend 9. Paynesville, St. Cloud and St. Paul, MN- 5 day work trip 10. 5 days in Nashville 11. October - 5 days in Nashville 12. November - Thanksgiving in Omaha, NE 13. December - 2 nights in Bloomington, MN- Mall of America and work Links to other Thursday Thirteens! leave your link in comments

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My Thirteen Things for this week: Week #4

Thirteen Things I would do if I did not Have to Work:

1. Allow myself to sleep in. Now when I have a day off I make sure to get up so I can make the most of a day away from work. I sure would like to sleep in-even if I get up at 10 am it would be luscious.

2. Take a knitting class. I know I could go to one now but it sure would be easier if I didn't have to worry about work. I would also have time to work on knitting projects.

3. Spend at least one week camping. And mean tent camping--none of this camper with a generator and running water. I would camp next to a lake or a river and cook my meals over a fire and let my day just flow.

4. I would make sure I read every day. I would read more nonfiction and find great joy in reading fiction.

5. Spend time every day writing. I would continue to journal as I do now, but include time writing with an eye to publishing or at least growing in my skills as a writer.

6. Volunteer more hours at the elementary school across the street.

7. Bring back the tradition of sending letters. I love emails and instant messaging but I love writing letters as well.

8. Take another road trip with my husband. I would love to go without an itinerary and no destination in mind.

9. Continue building my perennial gardens and paths. The ultimate goal would be to have the whole yard covered with paths and gardens.

10. Learn to play bass guitar. For some reason I just think it would be fun to play the bass guitar.

11. Maybe, and this is a big maybe--I would get my driver's license. I know, a grown woman who doesn't drive, but I really don't have a lot of desire to drive despite how helpful it would be to my family if I did drive.

12. Go to high school sporting events. These young men and women need community support for all of their hard work.

13. Join a book club to help me in that desire to read more.

Devotions for our Youth Group Night

Devotions for Wed., Dec. 14- Luke’s Birth of Jesus

To be shared after the experience of trying to eat only the chocolate layer off of a Reese’s peanut butter cup

Did you hear that scripture? That story of Mary? That is a story of someone experiencing something that seemed impossible. Our task of eating only the chocolate off of a peanut butter cup probably sounded difficult, but not impossible. I think we found if we tried really hard and worked at it we could do it. I am sure Mary didn’t plan to have a baby in the way God wanted her to do it. It was hard on her and Joseph and her family I am sure. It wasn’t what the two had planned for their lives. I am sure eating a Reese’s by eating the chocolate off first and then the peanut part isn’t your favorite way to experience that treat. But, since it was your task, you did do it. It would taste so much better to eat all of it together. But, that wasn’t our assignment, so we did it the way we were told. It still tasted good, but not as good as we know a peanut butter cup tastes. Mary knew that being married, having Joseph’s child would have been nice, it would have been easier, and it wouldn’t be nearly as tough as what God was asking. But, she was willing to be God’s servant and bear God’s son.

As we talked about how we were able to eat the chocolate only we gained new knowledge, new skills so if we had to eat the peanut butter cup the same way we probably could do a better job of it. We weren’t alone in the task, were we? Mary was like us in that way. We hear there were others to be with her on the journey. She certainly had God with her, but she also had Elizabeth who was going to have a baby, too and Joseph who had had a vision from God that gave him his directions for the task. As Mary started out she certainly didn’t have any guidelines to follow for her task of being Jesus’ mother, but she did have others to count on.

God is always with us, even when we think we are all alone. God does not leave us. God wants us to follow Him even when the task seems difficult. God promises to always be with us, being our shepherd, our guide, and the one who loves us the most.

I’m going to give you another peanut butter cup, one you can eat in any way you choose. Savor it, enjoy it. And remember what you have learned tonight.

Thirteen Things about LESLIE'S FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT CHRISTMAS 1…. When you get started decorating your house you get to clean in all those places that have been neglected. Amazing how much dusting and vacuuming I do!! 2. Reminiscing as we take out ornaments 3. The crafts the kids bring home from school that add so much to the holiday decorating 4. Baking and baking and baking some more 5. Seeing my family on Christmas Day 6. My dad cooks a marvelous fowl dinner 7. Children who never woke up at 5 am on Christmas Day. We sometimes had to wake them up. 8. Getting Christmas cards from friends-I really love the ones that send letters 9. Children's Christmas program at church-that is always such a joy!! 10. Driving around looking at all the lights. We have some really spectacular ones in our town. 11. Playing Christmas CD's all the time. I love Bing Crosby and Perry Como 12. Watching holiday classics on tv 13. My new favorite thing--attending the Concordia College Christmas Concert. What a fabulous way to begin the Advent Season. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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Thirteen Things about My Favorite Movies 1…. Roman Holiday-with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. Such a beautiful, romantic movie. Audrey's first picture 2. You've Got Mail- Meg Ryan is in a lot of my favorites. Tom Hanks is great as well. 3. Sleepless in Seattle- same as above 4. Singin' in the Rain- a fantastic musical. I absolutely love watching it-over and over 5. When Harry Met Sally- Billy Crystal is so fun 6. Holiday Inn- oh, Bing Crosby is such a fun guy 7. White Christmas- it is the season,right? 8. Rookie of the Year - favorite line of all movies is in there-when asked if he wants to join the pros he says, "Yeah, but I have to ask my mom first." What a line!! And where else do you hear funky butt-lovin' 9. Monty Python and the Holy Grail- just plain fun love the Lego version on the DVD 10. Sixteen Candles - Molly Ringwald was so much my hero back in the day 11. Breakfast Club - Reminded me of people I knew back in school 12. The Big Chill - first time I saw it I was so bummed afterwards. Really made me think about what my friends would say and do after I died. 13. Hope Floats - I enjoy Harry Connick as an actor. Like his music more Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. http://www.amychristopher.blogspot.com

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