I'm an ENFP

Because I am such a blogger copy cat at times...lol, I just had to take this personality test that my friend Brandon took. It's actually pretty accurate---spooky!

A meme from the past....

I did this meme once before--many months ago, but came across it this morning as I'm vegging out and putting off starting my day, so I thought I'd repost it and see what my answers were this time.

I AM: exhausted and have a horrible head cold.

I WANT: Isaiah to have an amazing time at Sno Rodeo with the middle school ministry

I WISH: that all of my laundry would just magically be done without me having to do it...lol!

I HATE: that my Grandma's house was torn down when I couldn't stay to watch it all.

I HEAR: Izzy playing Wii

I WONDER: if the other boys are awake yet?

I REGRET: worrying so much about money because I know that when Marlon and I focus on that things are worse and we don't have our focus right and then we often find ourselves in MORE trouble.

I AM NOT: going to veg all day---I will get up and be productive!

I DANCE: a lot

I SING: because I'm happy!

I CRY: at the drop of a hat

I AM NOT ALWAYS: obedient.

I MAKE WITH MY HANDS: gifts of love

I WRITE: a lot

I CONFUSE: still the make and model of cars...I have no idea which is which...lol

I NEED: to really enjoy these next few days off and put them to good use

I SHOULD: start eating more healthy

I START: my daily devotions and then get lazy and fade off...only to start again a few days later...

I FINISH: people's sentences---it's a bad habit!!

Short lil recap....

so much to blog about and just really not in a bloggin' mood. just checking in---

Christmas was wonderful. Christmas Eve was a little sad and strange...not being at Grandma's house...but we were all together and everyone loved the video. The kids enjoyed their gifts and then later in the day on Tues. we went to my mom's and her side of the family came over. That is always a good time too as I don't see my cousin's on her side as often. Wed. morning we left out for the Chula Vista with Connie and her family. Not before the tear down of my Grandma's house started though. We staed to watch a little of it--along with a lot of my other family who drove over to watch as well. It was hard for me to leave because I really wanted to watch it from start to finish, but we had to get on the road. Made it to Wisc. Dells with no problems and the room was beautiful! My parents came up late on Wed. night and stayed for a night with us. Such fun. Although as usual I did a few too many tube slides for my back and neck...lol! Due to the nasty weather and a puking cousin we headed out this morning for home at 10:30. With only a bathroom and gas stop it took us 3 hours to get home from Wisc. Dells! Now everyone is relaxing/napping and I am getting ready to lay down myself.

I had thought that looking at my Grandma's empty house was hard. Looking at the spot where the house used to be---harder.

Will blog more later.

So the last DVD cover has been trimmed and inserted into it's case, the last gift wrapped, a son or two knocked out at Wii boxing (woohooo---such a good way to get out aggression...lol), the Nesco dusted and cleaned for the 10lbs. of ground beef I'll be making tomorrow, at least 4 loads of laundry completed...I think I'm ready for Christmas!! Today was really a wonderful day. Relaxing. I made a couple of trips out as I needed to...but there was no rhyme or reason to how anything had to happen. We got a couple of fun Wii games in all together, I made a yummy dinner and we ate together...all that was missing was Jorgy!! I'm glad tho' that she has so much fun with her dad's family and that they are so close. There are many situations like ours where the dad's aren't involved, or the kids don't feel so close as they get older, not here. Her dad's family just loves her to death and it's a good thing. I was thinking yesterday as we 'stole' her back from them for a few hours to open presents and have lunch, that things are going to be so different when she goes away to college. Her time will be limited to begin with and friends are going to be as important to catch up with as her family when she comes home. My friend is such a great role model of how to handle those sometimes ackward years as your child is growing up and out and really not "your baby" anymore. She and her husband have a situation where her daughter and son in law live out east with her precious granddaughter. When they come back to the midwest for holidays and visits, the time is split between both sets of grandparents. For whatever reason, plans of visits and time always seem to be based on what the other grandparents want and what their plans are. My friend told me that long ago she and her husband decided that they were going to try not to do anything to exasperate the situation. They weren't going to be demanding of their time, pout if they didn't get their way, cause the couple any more stress then they might be already having trying to accommodate everyone. Often times they find that the time they have is wonderful, it really doesn't matter if it was their "first" choice of when to be together. Other times, patience and love pays off and suddenly the plans change and they are able to do what the originally intended. Either way, it's great modeling for me. My sister and I have stayed in the area and basically haven't changed or deviated much from what we've always done. As a result, there hasn't been a lot of contention in our home. This may not be the case with our children, especially in the case of Jordyn because she will not only have her own two sets of parents and grandparents...she'll likely have inlaws as well. I pray that I am able to stand back and let her do what she needs to so that her marriage is first and strong and that I don't 'guilt' her into doing what I think is right. Whew---that's gonna be a lot of hard work because while I try to do that now...I know that sometimes I fail. If I'm honest...I know there's been times where I feel like she's choosing her dad's family over ours...normally, I try to be her advocate and give her that freedom--keeping my hurt feelings at bay, but more times then I like to admit, I let my feelings dictate the way that I act and that's so unfair. So anyway....not sure how that came from talking about my day...lol...but that's the fun of just getting on and blogging with no intention!!
Well, I'm off to fold one last load of laundry and stick the ground beef in the fridge to finish thawing. Not sure if I'll get a chance to get on tomorrow, so if not----have an enjoyable, Christ filled Christmas. Remember to let go of any insignificant nonsense because ultimately it will just take your focus away from what the day is about---paying homage to the amazing Savior that came to earth as an infant so that you and I could have eternal life.
Nite!!

Family Gift

So this is what has consumed my last two weeks. I made this video slideshow thingy I mentioned in another post for my family/extended family on my dad's side. You may know from reading this, or just knowing me...that the Calderon family is HUGE! ...and close. There is my Grandma, an amazing woman who did her best raising 10 children basically on her own. After my Grandpa died in '76, most of the kids were in their teen years and there she was alone. While my family certainly has it's share of heartache and problems...it certainly can't be from a lack of love from my Grandma. Then come 26 grandkids of which I am the oldest. Aside of one cousin who lives in Cali, we all live within 30 minutes of each other. Many of us visit her weekly, if not more...lol...and everyone is definately there for parties, picnics and holidays. Then the great grandkids have started to come and that's already to 21 or 22 (sometimes I lose count...lol) Add in the inlaws and significant others and it's quite the crew!! Last year Marlon made this great DVD slideshow for his family so I decided to do a little copying and do the same for my family. So over the course of the month, I went to my Grandma's house and got her box of pictures and albums and Jordyn helped me scan in the photos. She really helped me out so much because that was a big time saver for me---having her help. These past two weeks though have really been the kicker as I've been learning how to use the software to make the darn thing and then choosing the pictues, figuring out the layout I wanted to use...one night I kept getting kicked out of Roxio and it was driving me bonkers! But it is finally finished and I actually just burned the last copy. I am going to give one to each of the people over 18 for Christmas. Now I just have to make copies of the case insert and I'm good to go.
This has been a blessed time for our family. I look around and all I can see is blessing. Even in the middle of pain there's blessing. Grandma doesn't have to go for her 2nd stress test until the 30th---which was her prayer, that she wouldn't be in the hospital over Christmas. My aunt's doctor decided against surgery and instead wants her to try a new diet for a while to see how that helps---so she came home the other day as well!! Thanks to all for their prayers. We still have a long way to go in knowing fully what the story is for my Grandma, but I have extreme faith and am staying in constant prayer that everyone is able to handle whatever God has decided is her path. She is not as afraid anymore and says she knows that God is going to take care of her no matter what. She is very thankful that she wasn't in the hospital over Christmas and says that God knew how hard and bad that would have been. We exchanged gifts at my parents yesterday (my immediate family). My parents got the boys a Wii and so they are off and running--or should I say bowling! Connie and her family are taking the 6 of us with them to the Chula Vista for our Christmas gift. We're leaving Wed. for three days and two nights away! The perfect gift for us, I'm so excited. Jordyn got a video camera which she really wanted this year, so she was excited.
Now today is going to be very relaxing. All I need to do is run out to Starbucks to get a gift card to finish up a gift for Marlon's pop's house and get my meatballs and stuff to take to my mom's on Christmas day. Other than that, I'm doing some laundry and cleaning throughout the day, watching TV and I'm sure beating someone up in Wii boxing later ;)
Have a great day!!

Teen MOPS Christmas Celebration!

I've started updating the teen MOPS blog again. Check it out HERE

Ministry--the stress and chaos of the day--totally dissolved as the evening begins. He's so faithful EVERYTIME! Why do we forget that so often? We can do nothing without Him. It may seem like it for awhile--that's Satan's lie---but we will somehow always end up in the same place if we don't stay close to Him. We fall back into our old habits and walk down those dark paths so easily. Materialism, gossip, anger, lying, judgement, disobedience...

Today I choose to put aside my earthly desires and things of this world.

Just around the corner..

Wow another week has passed and here I sit. I must say that leaving things until the last minute really helps you simplify things...lol! Since we just got the tree on Saturday and let it fall last night---we'll decorate it tonight and forego both lights and the popcorn/cranberry strings. :) With everything happening with my Grandma (2nd MRI is tomorrow to check out the "thing" they now see on her spine), my aunt may now be having surgery and is probably going to be in the hospital over Christmas, a slideshow video gift I'm making my family, other odd and end "issues" (nothing major) I've found that the joy I normally have is still there---it's just different. I need no hoopla for Christmas anymore. It's a strange realization to come to...because so much of my love of Christmas has always been mostly the "hoopla"...but I can see a definate change in my heart this year. It's a good thing.

Friday I spoke at Cross Trainers Academy in Milw. So great. I spoke to the kids about the gift of Jesus and how it's so much more of a story than the baby in the manger. It was sweet of some of the kids to remember me. Just another reminder how when I am supposed to be doing the giving---I always get much more back in return.

The week is going to fly by---there's a lot planned and needing to be done (Christmas shopping included in that!) Marlon and I might get out there tonight and do a little of our shopping.

Please remember the reason for this season. Pastor Stuart Briscoe has been doing an amazing and challenging series this month on The Reason for the Season. You can check it out here. http://www.cometothebrook.org/
It's important that we remember the entire story. We live in a fallen sinful world. There is pain and suffering, there are lost and lonely people, we make poor choices for our lives, we fall prey to Satan's lies...all the while there is this Savior---He comes with the truth, those who know and follow Him know the freedom of the truth. The miracle of it all is that in the midst of knowing Him and striving to live like Him---the merciless find mercy, the unkind learn to be kind, the selfish learn to think of others, those that don't believe-do. I need nothing of this world to satisfy me. I need nothing of this world to give me value. I need nothing of this world to sustain me. In all things, at all times, the love and sacrifice of His life covers me and I live in that freedom.

The challenge isn't to just say these things. The challenge is to live them out when I am surrounded by the mentality and state of our communities. When a "keeping up with the Jones'" thought process is seen as okay. When more stuff seems to be a key to happiness. When people live with their heads in the clouds of what is happening to the world around them. When Christian famililes get lost in what is important and allow themselves to be sucked into the lies of this world (and I speak from experience here) I do not leave myself out of these challenges. If it feels like I may be speaking to you, know that I am also speaking to myself.

My good friend Amy started doing some prayers and praises on her blog awhile back. I really thought the idea was a good one and so I'm gonna copy that with some prayers and praises on my own. Thanks Amy!

~please pray for the Teen MOPS Christmas event. Pray that the last details fall into place and that many of the young moms are able to come. Pray they feel loved and safe--even if for the night.
~continue to pray please for my Grandma and her health
~pray that I continue to refocus my eyes upward and not be distracted by this world.
~praise that God is faithful beyond what we could imagine!
~praise that Elijah was able to switch basketball teams
~praise that i have off from Dec. 21 through Jan. 2 ---this will be a major time of rest, reflection and also some fun family stuff planned.

God is good. All the time.

Exhausted...

I am exhausted. Had a very good weekend...but today I am just feeling like I am draggin, draggin, draggin...

Friday I got started on my Christmas cookie mix in a jar gifts. I am making these this year for a BUNCH of people and some from Children's Ministry at church as well. My sister and her family came and they all went sledding for a bit. Jordyn went sledding with friends and then had hung out at her friends house. Actually Connie, Nia and Keyonna only went sledding for a little bit and then they came back to our house. Connie helped me out a lot with making the recipe cards for the jars. When the "men" came back we ordered Toppers pizza. I think they went home about 10 or 10:30. It was such a fun night.

Saturday was such a long busy day. But a good day. Marlon had to be up and at South by 6am to help set up for the basketball tournament. Jordyn got to sleep in a bit because she was hanging out with her friend Maggie--having lunch and studying for a test together. I had the boys to South by 7:30 for Elijah's 8am game. After the game, I ran a couple of errands and then was back to the school at 10:15 for my volunteer time. My time slot was 10:15 to 1:15. It actually went fairly quickly and one of the ladies I was paired up with went to high school with me! Elijah's game started at 1 so I went over the that side of the gym and caught most of the game. Izzy and I left at 2 and headed over to James Place. What an amazing afternoon it was. It started out slow, but by 4:30ish we were in full swing. A few of the teen MOPS girls came, a lot of the same people who were at our event in October, then just new random people as well. The food was so delicious! Chicken noodle and potato soup, ham sandwiches, apples, hot cocoa bar...a ton of great desserts...
We sang carols, a few of us gave short testimonies, the decoration give-aways were a HUGE hit. The woman who won the Christmas tree was so excited because they weren't going to have a tree this year. Just an awesome time filled with tears, laughter, hugs, kids running everywhere....
Then Izzy and I left to get to Isaiah's basketball game at 6 (we were a little late) and stayed for his game at 8 as well. Afterwards I stopped by my grandma's for her shot and got home about 9:45. It was a longgggggggggggggggggg day.
Sunday found us all up and out of the house early. Marlon and the boys back up to south for more games and Jordyn and I to church. Afterwards we all met up for lunch at home and then to south for Isaiah's games. Elijah, Izzy and I stopped by my Grandma's in between the games just to visit. In a way--I'm glad that we didn't make it to the championships because we were home by 5:30! Yay! This meant we all had dinner together (which we really haven't often since basketball started) and watched the Amazing Race together. I almost finished the cookie mix jars (yay!) and started working on my talk for Friday. I am sharing the Christmas story at Crossroads Academy (the school where I led worship last month) I am thinking I am going to wear a shepherds costume and let them know what happened on Christmas night)

Anyway---this week is going to be a blur---as actually every day is just about until Christmas. One day. One day at a time. That's all I can do. As Stuart Briscoe has so often told us: Keep on keepin' on and Put first things first!

Tis the Season...

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Man, I love that song. Any time of year, any time of day...I can hear that song and it helps. So many things are going on right now that I'm not even sure why I'm trying to blog. There's a part of me that just doesn't even feel like doing any kind of recap of the last week and yet there's another that needs to get it all out. My grandma had her colonoscopy on Tuesday and they removed 6 polops. After the bone density test on Mon. the surgeon will review all of the tests and then they'll schedule the surgery. Her spirits go back and forth between exhaustion, frustration, fear and contentment. Today I just found out my aunt is in the hospital as well. They're keeping her overnight. She has crohn's disease and initially went in because she wasn't feeling well...now they're testing to see if she might have a blood clot or had a small stroke??? My uncle just back into town and got in trouble on the very first day back and is in jail...my cousin is going through a tough divorce...emtionally if I let myself go there, there's just heartache for my family.

But I know what I know that I know...that the circumstances we find ourselves in are not concrete. That the only constant in life is Christ and the eternal life that I have in Him. And in the middle of mess some amazing things have happened. Our furnace died last night and we woke up to a 55 degree house today. Our landlord came right out today and fixed it! Isaiah needed a new coat and our finances still continue to be a struggle and my parents offered to buy it! Jordyn, our amazingly brilliant child is ranked SEVENTH in her class. We have an opportunity through teen MOPS to take 10 of our girls shopping at The Christmas Store in Milwaukee so they can buy brand new Christmas gifts for their children at 90% off the price! Saturday is an outreach at James Place and the donations that we've been given for the day are wonderful!

God is good. All the time. I live in faith and hold onto His truth through all storms.