I just wanted to make a quick post and say that it'll be a couple of weeks before I get back on and blog. We'll be out of town for Christmas and probably won't be back to our house here in Magnolia until Christmas break is over. Then it will be packing and trying to get the school transfer taken care of. Not that it's that unusual that I go a long period of time between posts but this time I have a real excuse! LOL!! So, until I get back MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Love and blessings,
Tracie

The Cactus Cuties sing Amazing Grace

I loved these girls when I saw their video of them singing the National Anthem a few years ago at at Texas Tech basketball game. This is a more recent video of them.

Amazing Grace is one of my favorite hyms.
Hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas!

Home....I'm going home!

WOW!!! I still can't believe how awesome God is! Just when you think you've got things all figured out, things change. I personally feel like that's God's way of reminding me that I don't control anything. After being away from home, Red Oak, for almost a year I was getting settled and really okay with the original plan for us to be here at least two years. We've had one almost homecoming but even then I did not feel like it was God's timing and when it fell through I was sad but I was also sure that here was where we were meant to be at that time. Since then I really made an effort to make this place "home" and in that I made some new friends, those who I will miss a lot. However, I feel very confident in my spirit that this is truly God's timing and plan for our family. The last year has been a great growing year for me. I have learned a lot about myself, learned even more about who I was created to be, and how to achieve that. The people that God placed in my life here have been so amazing. Through my "Just Moved" bible study I learned how much moving can really affect you and your family and how to make the best of situations that we don't necessarily like. How to seek out the reasons that you get placed where God puts you. I have developed a huge desire to start hosting a ladies bible study in my home. I have about three already in mind that I'd love to do. There is also a huge ministry opportunity to bring "Just Moved" into the Red Oak area. That is something I'd love to work on. I have learned a lot about my marriage and how to be grateful and thankful rather than a complainer and thinker of the old phrase "the grass in greener on the other side". Don't get me wrong I am still a huge work in progress but this move has given me the tools and lessons and the direction that I need to become the wife, mother, and friend that I was created to be.

So, I just want to say thank you Lord for all you've done for me. Thanks to all of my "old" friends that let me know that I was not forgotten. Thank you to my "new" friends for accepting me and you all will NOT be forgotten.

May each of you be blessed this Christmas and may your 2009 be the best year for you yet!

I Must Apologize.....SORRY!

Well obviously as you all can see I have not posted again on my Beauty by the Book. I really,really,really wanted to post on this daily.....okay twice a week......well at least once a week. Not really working for me right now. I thought I'd let you all know that it's just not going to happen right now. There is a lot of craziness (as I am sure I am NOT alone) going on in the Perkins house these days and I just can't get my stuff together. I don't want it to be rushed and just thrown out there, I want to make sure that what I choose to share is good and most importantly from God and not me. So, I am going to wait and finish that series up once I get things back to "normal" around here. Thanks for understanding! Much love and lots of prayers to you all!

Tracie

A Letter to Santa

I got this in an email from a friend and thought it was so cute and so true. p.s. if you let any of your little ones that still believe don't let them read this....

Dear Santa,
I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited their doctor's office more than my own doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out -- over several Christmases.

Since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles; and who knows when I'll find any more free time in the next 18 years, so now - -

*** Here are my Christmas wishes ***

* I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (-in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

* I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

* If you're hauling big-ticket items this year, I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

* On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, 'Yes, Mommy' to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

* I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, 'Don't eat in the l iving room' and 'Take your hands off your brother,' because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

* If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

*If you don't mind, I could also use a few miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

*It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing, and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his red crayon back. Have a safe trip Santa, and remember to leave your wet boots by the door, and come in and dry off, so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.
Yours always with love and appreciation,
A Mom

P.S. One more thing . . You can cancel all my requests, if you can keep my children 'young' enough to believe in Santa.

C.O.D.

I took this idea from my BF...hope she does not mind. This song makes my heart sing. ENJOY!!!!

Beauty by The Book

Okay, so as promised I am beginning a little blog series on a Bible study that I had the pleasure of going through this past "semester". I will start off by saying that I do not pretend or even think that I am a teacher nor do I pretend to know it all. I just wanted to take the opportunity to share with those of you that read regularly and anyone else who may stumble upon my blog what I have learned through this study. When I heard the name of this study I was not sure what it was all about but after the first day I was hooked. I want you to know that I was convicted about something EVERY week of this study. God is so amazing and he spoke to me through this very clearly, probably the most clear I've ever heard Him. I hope you enjoy and if you ever get the chance to do the actual study....DO IT!!!!

Introduction:

Have you ever thought about beauty from a biblical standpoint? Most of think of beauty in the physical sense and that tends to lead to vanity. I never really had read all of Proverbs but through this study Proverbs spoke to me. I've never been very good at understanding what most of the scriptures in the Bible mean. I don't like to admit it but that is one thing that keeps me from reading my Bible daily and often is the reason I don't "complete" a whole Bible study. Well, these scriptures in Proverbs leave little room for misunderstanding and I give praise to God that these words were so clear to me.

Please bare with me and my "wordiness" I will do my best not to ramble but this intro is a little long....

The author of this study is Laurie Cole. She's as "Texan" as they come. She is a very wise teacher and one that speaks boldly and speaks the truth no matter what. In the introductory paragraphs she talks a little about how if you would have asked her if she ever thought she'd do a study on beauty...."How shallow", "Wrong"! However God changed her mind and showed her that God wants ALL of his daughters to be beautiful-biblically beautiful, that is.

She gives a warning that this Bible study contains material that may be deemed offensive by women (even you), but she's writing it anyway....Study at your own risk!

She also warns that God's Word is powerful. It has the power to reprove and correct, to judge and offend, and to pierce us to the very quick of our hearts (2 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 4:12). Also, In today's world God's Word seems ("seems" not "is") old-fashioned and out-dated. So, adopting God's definition on beauty will require us to swim against some very strong cultural currents....Now we begin

Physical Beauty vs. Biblical Beauty

Physical Beauty...

1. Is God- Given. Ezekiel 16:4-13
2. Is attention - getting. Ezekiel 16:14
3. Is pride - inducing. Ezekiel 16:15
4. Is spiritually corrupting Ezekiel 16:15-18

Biblical Beauty:

1. Is God - Given. 1 Peter 3: 3-4
2. Is gentle and quiet. 1 Peter 3: 3-4
3. Is precious in God's sight. 1 Peter 3: 3-4
4. Is unfading and eternal. 1 Peter 3: 3-4

Question: How do you become a biblically beautiful woman of God?

Answer: By beholding God and upholding the standard of HIS Word.

Things to think about as you read over these scriptures and start your journey to become a biblically beautiful woman...

When God looks at us He thinks we are beautiful!

Physical beauty is not a bad thing but it can be DANGEROUS!!!!

This study takes you through 5 days of studying and then we'd have a video lesson during our group time. I will do my best to blog each day as if you were doing the actual lessons and then on day 6 I will blog about the video session. Please forgive me in advance if I don't always get these things out on time....So on "day one" we'll discuss the 5 Beauty Dos and Don'ts.

As with each day before you being studying in this Laurie always reminds us to begin with prayer and ask for wisdom....we'll learn about "her" tomorrow as well.

Until then I hope I've gotten you intrigued enough to want to "tune" in daily. Pass the word on to your other blogging friends, who knows what God will do with all of this. I can't wait to see!!!!

Prayers and Blessings,
Tracie