Weekend Happenings

Good Friday morning!

The Gallery Pics are from last night's dinner. I made Martha Stewart's Bacon/Egg/Toast Muffin. It was quick, easy and delicious. I'll be posting the entire recipe on Tuesday's post, but the pics will be posted today. A little blog teaser!

CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST! - In honor of my 500th post on A Simple Life, I am having a contest for the last Mystery Bag Party. The first SIX WOMEN who comment in the Comment Section, via e-mail or Facebook beginning 6:30 a.m. Friday, OCTOBER 1, will be eligible to climb on board the Big Gold Van for the fourth and final Mystery Bag Party!

I'll announce winners as soon as the first six people have entered the contest. Mark it on your calendars... Friday, October 1 at 6:30 a.m.

REMINDER #1 - Belinda's Project Life is up and running! So far, it is current! I'm having problems posting on Facebook, but unless something goes terribly, horribly wrong, it will always be posted by 10:00 p.m. each night. Tonight, Saturday and Sunday will be no exception!

REMINDER #2 - If you are a Newbie, click on Newbie Information on my right sidebar. It will give you all the information you need to become acquainted with A Simple Life.

RANDOMNESS #1 - I think I want a chicken. Just one. And I think I want a chicken that lays brown eggs. And I think I want to start cooking with my own fresh, brown eggs. But if I get a chicken, do I need a rooster? And if I get a rooster, will he be enough company for the chicken... or will she need another chicken/girlfriend to hang out with when she and the rooster are not getting along? (I hear roosters are very egotistical and not very good listeners.)

Don't mention this to Mikie yet. I don't what to "ruffle his feathers." Get it? I made a rooster joke.

I'm going to think about it a little more.

RANDOMNESS #2 - I had a horrible panic attack yesterday afternoon. It was one of the worst ones I've experienced in a long time. As soon as it passed and I was able to breathe again, I opened my Bible and read and read and read. And look what I came across...

"When we're feeling overwhelmed, frightened, uncertain of which way to turn (PANIC ATTACK... CAN'T BREATHE, CAN'T FOCUS, HEART RACING), God is in control of our journey. Even if there are hidden obstacles along the way, we need not stay paralyzed with fear (PANIC ATTACK... CAN'T BREATHE, CAN'T FOCUS, HEART RACING, LEGS NUMB, BREAKING INTO A COLD SWEAT). While we can see only the next step in front of us (PANIC ATTACK... I'M GOING TO DIE), God sees the whole path (NOT TODAY, BELINDA... AND NOT FROM A PANIC ATTACK). He knows what's up ahead, and He will be our faithful guide till the end of our days (Psalm 48:14). Just as He led the Israelites through the desert by pillars of both cloud and fire, in His compassion He will shine His light on the way we are to take (Nehemiah 9:19). We will never be abandoned in our times of desperate need (Psalm 142:6)."

"When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way." Psalm 142:3.

I share this only to let you know (again) things are not perfect over here. I try not to dwell on a lot of the negatives on A Simple Life because I want it to be a place you ENJOY visiting, and I'd much rather encourage you than "bring you down." But the reality is we all live in an imperfect world. There are people all around us hurting, searching, stuck in the depths of despair.

And it's our job to find them, pray for them, give them an encouraging word, a hand to hold, an ear to listen, a kind word to lighten their spirit... It's our responsibility. It isn't a choice. It's the right thing to do. And I have to remind myself to do those things each and every day. And too many days, I fail.

Weekend Happenings

The weekend begins a little scattered for the Faulkner Five. Austin will be traveling to Atlanta for the JSU game, but he'll be home Sunday morning for church, food, laundry and Melia (not necessarily in that order, I am sure).

SEMI-FUNNY STORY - When Austin left for school last year and was coming home on the weekend, someone told me, "You know he's not coming home to see you. He's only coming home to see Melia."

To which I very honestly replied, "I don't care! As long as I get to see him even five minutes on the weekends, I don't care!"

And that only made me love Melia more!

Okay. I digress. Back to Weekend Happenings... Josh is going to the high school football game with a friend Friday evening. I'm helping chaperon a birthday party for one of Roxie's friends, and Mikie is meeting Austin for dinner in Gadsden. See what I mean? Scattered.

Saturday will remain scattered with Josh attending an English "class" at UAB with fellow students (worth mega bonus points), and cutting a yard or two when he comes home that afternoon.

Four out of five Faulkners should be "back in the house" by 4:00 or 5:00 p.m. Saturday night... where we all plan to crash!

Sunday, the Faulkner Five will hopefully be attending church and having Sunday dinner together. Our church resumes classes Sunday night, so we'll be attending different Bible studies throughout the building. (I'll let you know which class I pick Monday!)

And that's it for us. As always, EVERYTHING is subject to change when you have three teenagers in the mix!

Have a great weekend. Plan a date (or two or three), eat dinner with the family, watch a movie or a football game together, TAKE A MUCH NEEDED NAP, attend your church and enjoy the fellowship and time spent there, reach out to someone in need, call someone who has been on your heart this week, and by all means, take a little time to notice the simple pleasures which are all around. Like roosters in someone's driveway!

Next week, I have many, many ideas to share, so come back to A Simple Life just to take a peek!

Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda