Cell Phones!

My camera may not always be handy, but my cell phone seems to be in the same room as me...usually! Therefore, I get lots of fun pics on my phone to share here.Love can never run on auto-pilot, cruise control, with a parachute.
Just like everything else, love was created by God. He gives us the grace...and the ability to love. Fruit comes to be on a tree that is planted, nurtured, loved, and cared for. The fruit of the Spirit are blessings in us as we allow God to live in us and through us. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control...

I was telling my mother-in-law the other day that I've never needed scientific proof of God, Jesus death and Resurrection, or even of the infallibility of the Bible. I don't want to believe anything else. And, it is so easy for me to accept because God has always been so real to me. I see His provision, His mercy, His Fruit...in my life. When I don't pray, this all becomes harder, yes.

Three things I wish I had more time for: spending time studying & reading, blogging, and exercising. With the few minutes before the kids wake (if I wake up earlier than them and am not sacrificing much-needed sleep) I can find a few moments to do one of those three...or, if I have the energy to get into one of these three after they go to bed, then I have a few moments. However, I admit it: I love relaxing with my latest STAR magazine or watching Glee, American Idol, 90210, or some other mindless entertainment! :-)

But I will say that tonight I have been blessed: I took an hour to do a class at the club; picked up Gabby and took her to the store where she giggled the whole time; ate a few slices of pizza (at least one night a week I give up on cooking a "healthy" meal); and played, giggled, tickled, and squeezed my little munchkin. I think she is even learning to "smile" in pictures.
(Don't ask me why there is a vein popping out of my forehead-just look at that little grin!)

I am now blogging and doing a bit of reading. I did turn on the TV, but realized that the one show I would watch would scare me too much (CSI) so I turned it off and am doing something edifying instead!
But also...I have given in! I started Twilight...
I know...I know...
I was given the book a year ago to start, but I have this aversion to sappy, unrealistic love stories that make teenage girls think or wish it were reality. I say I am passed the age of thinking it is reality, but am I going to wish any part of it were reality?
Am I going to be "mushed" to death????
ugh...
I will admit...I am already sucked in. Not even a 1/4 of the way and I can't wait to crawl into bed and read. :-)

If you've read this and have not been distracted by the way my children play, sleep, or dress...you may have caught a bit of contradiction in my ponderings. The site is telling me to check the spelling of that word so I am guessing it is not a word...even though you know exactly what I am talking about.
Contradictions...do you see them? does anyone care? do I?
Why is it so hard (resting on a feeling of "not necessary") to see the contradiction that I live daily?

Diagnosis: hardness of my heart...I know this because all those fruit have not been totally evident in my life...peace? patience?
How can my beliefs be so strong but my convictions be so weak?

anyone?