You mean I have to name this??

I know I've been gone a while, but I've been a busy lady.
Working is taking everything out of me, including my creativity. And I'm tired of whining to you all about how sore and tired I have been. So I've just been keeping quiet.
Peak has come, and we have had a boost in volume at work. It seems that everyone has something to send, and although I would like to complain about how much more work that is, I am just thankful for a job, and I might not have one, if not for the waxing and waning of volume capacities. Blah, blah, blah.
We are gearing up for the upcoming trip to the Caribbean.
Yes, I am going on my first cruise.
And taking my children.
Boo.
It seems that they are supposed to accompany us on this trip, since it is really for my SIL's wedding, and they need to be there.
Whatever.
I am 38, going on my first cruise.
Taking an 11 and a 12 year old.
Yup, still boo.
Meanwhile, they are stoked about all the fun we will have. Of course, we will be having fun on the boat, because we are too broke to do much sight seeing in the beautiful places we plan to visit. But at least we get to get ON the boat.
But then, we have to swim to Puerto Rico, since we really can't affort airline tickets...
Nah. We will be flying. The kids'll be swimming. teehee.
For some reason, we seem to be taking this wonderful vacation about six weeks before we will have our income tax refund, which is no consolation, because we don't expect much this year.
Anyhoo, I'm doing a little Christmas baking. I have been sick for the past few days, so I've been off work. Really bad timing, considering peak, but you should have heard me cough. I have been toning my stomach muscles using the power of this cough. Now Hailey has it. Poor baby! Hopefully, she won't run a fever like I did.
Guess I should go put together the chocolate chip banana bread. Gotta make up for the peanut butter cookies I burned. At least they had peanut butter in them.

...but I play one on TV

When I was growing up, we used to sing a song about being a sermon in shoes.
"Do you know, oh Christian, you're a sermon in shoes?
Do you know, oh, Christian, you're a sermon in shoes?
Jesus counts upon you to spread the gospel news, so
Teach it and preach it, a sermon in shoes."
Then we added the phrases "know it and show it," "live it and give it," and a few other rhyming additions before we had the big finale, "A SERMON IN SHOOOOOOOOOOEEES!"
Good times.
I may have understood a little what we were singing, but only in a child's way.
Something about being doers and not just hearers of the Word.
Well, time has passed and the song comes to mind occasionally. I was really blessed with my childhood head being filled with scripture songs that God still uses to remind me how to be that sermon in shoes. It's amazing how a God brings them to mind when I need them.
I've learned something about myself on this journey of becoming a working mom.
I'm not the same person I was, some 12 years ago. (Thank God!)
Before, I don't think anyone I worked with knew that I was a Christian. For so long I have subscribed to the "Don't label yourself as a Christian, so you won't have to look bad when you mess up give an account to everyone around." I joke about not putting a fish on my car, because then I'd have to drive like Jesus would.
Now, after being out of the dog-eat-dog, every-man-for-himself world for so long, I have learned to put others' needs ahead of my own. I have learned that the world doesn't revolve around me. It isn't always about me, and we sometimes do what we must. Being thrust back into that place has shown me what a blessing it has been to be shielded from it long enough to grow up and develop some empathy and integrity.
The job I do affords me time to think and pray, sometimes out loud, for the things and people on my mind. I get to sing to myself and talk to God about anything and everything.
Hopefully, I am learning to not just call myself a Christian, but actually act like one, too.