A Small Prayer...

A Small Prayer...

I may never see tomorrow
there's no written guarantee
And things that happened
yesterday belong to history.
I cannot predict the future
I cannot change the past
I have just the present moment
I must treat it as my last.
I must use this moment wisely
for it soon will pass away
and be lost forever
as part of yesterday.
I must exercise compassion
help the fallen to their feet
Be a friend unto the friendless
make an empty life complete.
The unkind things I do today
may never be undone
And friendships that I fail to win
may nevermore be won.
I may not have another chance
on bended knees to pray
And I thank God with a humble heart
for giving me this Day..

Unknown

New Christmas Poem

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
'SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'

This poem was written by a Marine.
The following is his request. I think
it is reasonable.....

PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as
you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.
Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.

It's time

I've been considering watching this movie again, and I've told Allison that I think she's ready. I just happened upon this today and I really think it's a sign.

This is a movie we should ALL watch. It's not a movie...it's history. It's OUR history. It's our lives being saved. YOUR life. This is YOUR life being saved.

"For He so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

One of the few I know by heart.

STOLE it!! Cuz I can!

I totally stole this off of a friend of a friend's page this morning!! MWAHAHAHAHA!

Merry Christmas!


CHRISTMAS MEME


1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? mmmm both. however they BOTH have WAY too many calories for this girl!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
wrapped unless they are way too big like one year it was a trike and one year a piano didn't get wrapped.

3. Colored light on house/tree or white? multi colored EVERYWHERE except in the garland. I'm a color girl!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? no idea even where to GET it so no.

5. When do you put your decorations up? mmm I did most of it last week, but the tree is going up today. yay!!

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Stuffing...hands down! Hello? turkey AND starch all in one dish!

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? I always was so excited so I'd be up before it was light outside, sneak downstairs to see if "he" had come and then went to my parents room so we could open. They were always awesome and would get up with me...even at 3am!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I honestly do not remember. I think one year I just figured it out so it was no big deal. I outgrew it I guess.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We always open just one!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? It's a big ol messy thing with tons of colored lights and a hodge podge of ornaments from my childhood, mark's childhood and our kids. it's awesome!

11. Snow. Love it or dread it? dread it. hate the cold, hate the wet, hate driving in it. but the pics of my kids playing in it are fun!

12. Can you ice skate? nope, never been!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My big white teddy named Snowball. I love that bear!

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you? The reason for the season is the birth of our Savior. What is so special for me THIS year is that my babies understand it now! It's amazing to hear them talk about Jesus and I am so blessed.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? I'm usually too full for dessert actually.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I actually can't pick just one. And this year we are starting some of our own that are only for the five of us which is exciting for me! I'm stomping my foot down as Allie used to say, and making some of my OWN traditions for my babies.

17. What tops your Christmas tree? The tackiest and most colorful star I can find!!!

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Oh the giving for sure. I mean, really, what do I NEED anymore? nothing. I would much rather see someone open a gift that I have put thought and love into (which is all of them, this year especially)

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Oh Holy Night and a close second is Mary Did you Know.

20. Candy Canes. Yum or Yuck? Yummy in moderation. LOL

21. What do you want for Christmas? Peace and no stress would be fabulous. No guilt, no pressure, just family time and happiness.

22. Do you attend an annual Christmas party? Nope

23. Do you dress up for Christmas Eve or wear PJ's? Christmas Eve is at my mother in law's house and it's the dress up night! We all get decked out! :)

24. Do you own a Santa hat? I think there is somewhere....

25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with? The family. All of Mark's family is here and my mom and dad of course are here. Used to be a lot bigger, but the family has dwindled over the years! That's one reason I'm okay with changing things up this year and from here on out...less people to offend! I hope one day there will be more of us around to enjoy the season together. (**poke David and Livy**)

Grab another tissue...

Everytime I've heard this song until tonight I've thought of my dad, my brother and of course my husband and our daughters. It ALWAYS makes me cry and I've heard it so many times that my kids know it by heart now!

But tonight, while looking for a video to post I found a "memorial" tribute to Steven Chapman's daughter. Turns out she was killed earlier this year when her brother accidentally ran her over in the family's driveway. Ya, no kidding.

Now I can add that to cry about when I hear it.

Anyway, it's a beautiful song he wrote when he was having a rough day putting his two youngest daughters to bed. He went back to his office to work and started thinking about the daughter who was away at college. He got his guitar and this is what he produced.

Our Week in Pictures

And here is the Bagenski family this week! Enjoy!




The kids finally got to see Santa...although Gracie was convinced the day before that it COULDN'T be Santa because he was eating at Burrito Amigo's, and Santa doesn't eat.
Me in my snazzy new Santa jammies from my SEESTER!!! Oh and my brother too gets credit although I know he had NOTHING to do with picking them out!

Allie's teaching Ryan how to play piano already!!! He's a natural!

See how well he pays attention!! What a good boy!! OH I love that little man!!!

Allie in her Thanksgiving get up...yes, those are Scooby Doo halloween jammies. What's your point?

And Grace making her best "I'm thankful" face! (in her Barbie jammies)

Allison all dressed up for her first ever piano recital at Barnes and Noble!! She did GREAT!

Lukey given his mama loves!
She had to pose. Isn't she SO adorable? OH I could EAT HER UP!!!
My beautiful Mommy who is gonna KILL ME when she sees I posted this...but I don't care!
Patches wondering why the heck HE didn't get any turkey!! He's totally pouting can you tell? (it's a fakeout though cuz I totally snuck him some!! ssshhhhh)

My Girl Circle

GIRLS IN MY CIRCLE


When I was little,
I used to believe in the concept of one best friend,
And then I started to become a woman.
And then I found out that if you allow your heart to open up,
God would show you the best in many friends.


One friend is needed when you're going through things with your man.
Another friend is needed when you're going through things with your mom.
Another will sit beside you in the bleachers as you delight in your children and their activities.
Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be.
One friend will say, 'Let's cry together,'
Another , 'Let's fight together,'
Another , 'Let's walk away together.'


One friend will meet your spiritual need,
Another your shoe fetish,
Another your love for movies,
Another will be with you in your season of confusion,
Another will be your clarifier,
Another the wind beneath your wings.


But whatever their assignment in your life,
On whatever the occasion,
On whatever the day,
Or wherever you need them to meet you with their gym shoes on and hair pulled back,
Or to hold you back from making a complete fool of yourself .
Those are your best friends


It may all be wrapped up in one woman, But for many, it's wrapped up in several.
One from 7th grade,
One from high school,
Several from the college years,
a couple from old jobs,
On some days your mother,
On some days your neighbour,
On others, your sisters,
And on some days, your daughters.


So whether they've been your friend for 20 minutes or 20 years,
Pass this on to the women that God has placed in your life to make a difference.