Sunday, December 19, 2010

Who started this Christmas thing anyway??

I waited too long, now it's Dec. 19th and I have a lot of shopping left to do.  I tired to pick up a couple of things yesterday and spent most of my time in traffic and came home nearly empty handed.  Below is a story I got emailed to me last year, very fitting for the way I'm feeling...


"This morning I heard a story on the radio of a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable. And after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.

She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year. Overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.

Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn't take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot."

From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet calm voice respond, "Don't worry we already crucified him."

For the rest of the trip down the elevator it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

Don't forget this year to keep the One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed, purchase, and word. If we all did it, just think of how different this whole world would be."
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Thankful Posts 2010

It's been a bit busy and I'm just getting around to posting my Thankful posts from November.  It was a good exercise again for me.  To be honest, some days were hard.  I know deep down I have a lot to be thankful for, but some days I just was grumpy and struggled to write any thing I was thankful for.  I fought through those feelings and posted something I was thankful for. God has blessed me with a great life with people I love and people that love me...what more do I need anyway!!




Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Okay, I'm starting with a tough one...Day 1: I'm thankful for my tight jeans...that I have enough food to make them tight, we truly do live in plenty!
November 1 at 8:27am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 2: I'm thankful to live in a democracy and can vote today! I can also be thankful that no matter the results, God is in control!
November 2 at 7:25am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 3: I'm thankful that I live in a beautiful place like Colorado and I get to see the Rockies every day I drive down the road...I particularly like them when they are snow-capped!
November 3 at 8:22am   · Like · Comment · Share

Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 4: I'm thankful that God is in control!!
November 4 at 1:14pm   · Like · Comment

Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 5: I'm thankful for books; books that entertain; books that challenge my thinking and keep me active as a lifetime learner. (and for the fact I can check them out for free at the library!)
November 5 at 10:05am   · Like · Comment

Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 6: I'm thankful for a beautiful fall weekend in Colorado and no snow yet this season! It will come, I'm just thankful it hasn't come yet. I'm sure we will get plenty!
November 6 at 12:56pm   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 7: I'm thankful the Sabboth, a day to rest and recoop from the week before and prepare for the week ahead!
November 7 at 1:26pm   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 8: I'm thankful for a house to clean and the 5 people that live here to make it dirty, I just wish the Kaboom worked as well as the commericals indicate!
November 8 at 9:54am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 9: I'm thankful for Christian radio where I get to hear songs like this. I love the chorus: You are more than the choices that you've made, You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, You are more than the problems you create, You've been remade.
On the heels of an extremely successful debut, Tenth Avenue North is back with their sophomore release "The Light Meets the Dark," and it is songs like "You Are More" that confirm their place at the top of the contemporary Christian music scene. Enjoy this great song!
November 9 at 8:26am   · Like · Comment · Share
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 10: I'm thankful for my husband's sense of humor! :)
November 10 at 5:02pm   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 11: I have to say I'm thankful for all the men and women who have and will serve our country so I can live in the freedom I do! Thank you!
November 11 at 1:53pm   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 12: I'm thankful for the promise of heaven for those who are in Christ! Praying comfort for my dear friends Sondra and Jen as they said good-bye to their mom yesterday. Love to you guys!
November 12 at 8:37am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 13: I'm thankful for Saturday mornings and no alarm to wake up to!
November 13 at 8:41am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 14: I'm thankful for my relationship with Christ. Without him, my life would be meaningless!
November 14 at 11:54am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 15: I'm thankful for the seasons of life. I'm especially thankful the season I'm in now allows for some time alone. Not sure how I endured the baby toddler years.
November 15 at 11:23am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 16: I'm thankful my back is feeling better and I have begun exercising again. It's amazing how much better I feel when I exercise!!
November 16 at 9:12am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 17: I'm thankful for the priveledge the Lord gave me in becoming a mother 12 years ago today. I'm even more humbled 12 years later than I was that day in the hospital! What a blessing Sarah Elizabeth is!! Happy 12th b-day!
November 17 at 8:24am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 18: I'm thankful that 8 years ago today I finished my last pregnancy, while it was definitely a blessing to be able to concieve and give birth (a miracle of God in itself!), I was not a good pregnant person...grumpy and fat, glad that's done, although grumpy still visits. But what really made it a happy day was we...
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November 18 at 6:39am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 19: I'm thankful for our son, sandwiched between two girls and two birthdays and is always such a good sport! Happy un-birthday to Isaac!
November 19 at 7:33am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 20: I'm thankful for Tony Horton and his crew! Without him I might be still caring around the 8 year old baby weight, either that or I might have eaten a whole cow by now on the Adkins diet!
November 20 at 9:26am   · Like · Comment

Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 21: I'm thankful for a quiet afternoon to myself...a break between the crazy birthday week busyness and my parents arrival tomorrow and Thanksgiving at our house!
November 21 at 3:53pm   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 22: I'm thankful that my parents arrived safely. Looking forward to our visit together!
November 22 at 3:16pm   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 23: I'm thankful for the time with family over the next 5 days...i think. :-)
November 23 at 4:17pm   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 24: I'm thankful my kids get to know and have a relationship with their grandparents (on both sides). I never knew my grandparents and never got to experience visits, birthday and holiday celebrations with them.
November 24 at 10:55am   · Like · Comment
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine ‎"In the past I always thought of gratitude as a spontaneous response to the awareness of gifts received, but now I realize that gratitude can also be lived as a discipline. The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy." Henri Nouwen
November 25 at 12:16pm   · Like · Comment
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Thursday, November 4, 2010

2009 Thankful posts

Did you know you can click on 'Older Posts' at the bottom of your FB page and go back forever!!  I did that to find all my posts from last year's Thankful posts.  Who knew?  Cool!

So here they are: (BTW, you can't 'comment' or 'like' the individual posts, but feel free to comment at the end! :-)  But if you click on the date it will take you to that post on FB.)

Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Anyone want to join me in posting one thing you are thankful for every day up to Thanksgiving? I think it's a great idea I saw from another friend. Today, I'm thankful for a messy house, because it's lived in by a family of 5 who do more than keep things tidy. We had a fun 5 day weekend!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 2 of Thankfulness (fill free to join in!): Today I'm thankful for a washing manchine in my house...couldn't image having to lug all this laudry to a laundry mat! I'm thankful too that we have all these clothes. Thank you Lord for providing for our family!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 3 of Thankfulness: Today I'm thankful for the money God provided for our family and I can pay bills today! PTL!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 4: I'm thankful my kids' school, teachers and staff. Every year at least one of the kids' teachers goes the extra mile...Sarah's did last night when she came to her volleyball game. I love our teachers!! (& the office chicks too! :-) )
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 5: I'm thankful that I GET to spend the next 26 days with my kids!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 6: I'm thankful for the simple pleasures in life...sleeping in, watching movies with the kids and a very limited agenda today! Everyone needs days like this!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 7: I'm thankful for a busy day today! Everyone needs day like this to feel the fullness of life!! Thankful for all my kids' friends that invite them to celebrate their birthdays with them! (2 this weekend)
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 8: Today I'm thankful for our church and the opportunity to worship with such great people. I'm thankful for the chance to teach 4th/5th grade class today! Today's point is God helps us accomplish his plans!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 9: I'm thankful for the Mom's In Touch group our school has this year. I get the privilege to pray for our kids and their teachers. No one can ever take away the privilege of prayer!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 10: I'm thankful for glucosamine chondroitin, which allows me to run and walk up and down the stairs with little pain. Thanks to the scientist that create medicine to help us in our daily lives.
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 11: Veteran's Day: I'm thankful for all those who have served our country over the years to give us the freedoms we have today. Thanks to all the veterans and their families for all your sacrifices!!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 12: I'm thankful that my husband made it home safely and is done traveling for awhile (at least his traveling without us, we head out next week for Macon, GA!! - Road Trip!)
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 13: I'm thankful for my new business and the opportunity I have to meet new people and help them become the heritage maker in their family. It's so rewarding!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 14: I'm thankful for my parents. Raising kids is no easy job, physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. I learned so much from my parents about unconditional love and much more! Thanks Mom and Dad! Love ya!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 15: I'm thankful for friendships...I've learned so much over the years from them. Some were only there for a certain period of my life, some I know will always be there. All of them have been a benefit in my life and I'm thankful for the fun easy friendships and the hard challenging ones as well!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 16: I'm thankful for our warm house to in today. With snow on the ground and in the 20's (got down in the teens overnight), really makes me appreciate a warm house to be in. I'm also thankful Sarah had a great party with her friends!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 17: Today I'm thankful that 11 years ago today I began this journey of motherhood. What a privilege from the Lord! Happy Birthday Sarah Elizabeth!!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 18: Today I'm thankful that 7 years ago I finished my last pregnancy (another blessing from the Lord!!) and welcomed my sweet Anna into the world! Happy Birthday Anna!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 19: I'm thankful for my son, Isaac. He's sandwiched between two girls and with that, two birthdays. He's a real trooper to hang in there while they get all this attention! I'm thankful too to have 4 hours of our trip behind us. Now's my turn to rest a bit!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 20: I'm thankful for life in the 2000's. If we had lived 100 years ago, we couldn't drive across our beautiful country and see friends and family and be back home in less than a week...
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 21: I'm thankful that my dad survived his near death experience 15 years ago today. My husband and kids would have missed out on knowing a great guy.

Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 22: Can I just say I'm thankful to be out of the car????????? One more day, one more day...
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 23: I'm thankful to be home for Thanksgiving!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 24: I'm thankful for cousins...and the chance my kids have to play with them this week. We don't get to see them much and I'm thankful we have this week with them.
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Day 25: Here it is..I'm thankful for Facebook! I hung out with high school friends today that I had lost touch with until FB came along. While FB can be a time waster, it can also be a great way to find old friends. I'm a horrible long distance friend and this has made it easier to reconnect!!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Thanksgiving Day: Stopping to be thankful everyday has been a great experience for me. I want to make sure that everyone that has been reading these know that my thanks everyday goes to God...He is why I can be thankful. To God be the Glory, great things he has done!
Sherie Diboll Falkenstine Seems like I should do a Thankful post today, so I will!! I'm thankful we stayed longer this year and have more family time and watch some college football! The kids aren't too bummed about missing a day of school either!
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MAD

Not I'm not mad, not right now anyway.  For those of you that listen to K-LOVE, you know what I mean.  MAD is an acronym for Make A Difference.  On K-LOVE, every Monday they talk about Make A Difference Monday.  It seems like it has overflowed into the rest of the week with the listeners, which I love.

Some days I get overwhelmed with all that is going on in the world and think 'what difference can I make?'  Have you heard The Starfish Story?  The young man in this story knew how to make a difference...one act of kindness at a time!

The Starfish Story

adapted from The Star Thrower
by Loren Eiseley (1907 - 1977)
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."
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Sunday, October 31, 2010

Thankful posts

Last year I saw on Facebook one of my friends was posting something they were thankful for every day for the month of November leading up to Thanksgiving.  I decided to join in!  It was a great exercise for reminding me how many great things God has given me.


Tomorrow is November 1st and it's time to start again.  I've been in a funk the last several days, I'm hoping as I redirect my thoughts to things I'm thankful, joy will refill my heart.  It seems like once Halloween hits, it's non-stop until the end of the year, with two birthdays included in that time period, too many end of the years become hectic and stressful.  I am praying this year will be different for me.


If you are a facebook person, I would encourage you to give it a try and encourage your friends to join you.  Post one thing a day that you are thankful for.  If you miss a day, don't stop, just pick up where you left off.  This isn't meant to be another thing to do and be a burden, but an opportunity to fill your heart!  If you aren't a facebook person, make list or share around the dinner table every night one thing you are thankful for.


I Thessalonians 5:18 - "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
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Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Elaine and George....but no Jerry

Remember the Seinfeld episode where Jerry had to go out of town and George and Elaine had to hang out without him.  Jerry was their common interest.  Well, I had no idea that Sarah Elizabeth was our Jerry!  Sarah E is still gone at Outdoor Ed and I took the younger two to the zoo today.  It was a very quiet outing.  Now, there was no fighting, so that was nice.  But no silliness either!  Can't believe I'm saying I miss the silliness for as much as it can drive me crazy!  I didn't realize how much Sarah E contributed to the silliness, although I knew she was a big part!
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Monday, October 11, 2010

Outdoor Ed

Well, our oldest left for Outdoor Ed today.  She has been excited for the last few weeks and then the day before was teary.  This is the first time for her to be away from us for this long and without any contact with us too.  It's only 3 days, but that can seem like forever if you are unsure.  So I'm praying she will relax and enjoy herself.  I do have a friend chaperoning that's already sent me a text to say they arrived safely and all is well!  It's very comforting to know she is there!

I just looked at the forecast...I had heard it had snowed over the weekend, but today it was to be 60 and sunny.  I'm a bit nervous about tomorrow's weather, rain and 50, but what can I do??  I remember camping as a little girl with my girl scout troop and crying in my tent when it was raining and I was cold and wet and just wanted to go home.  At least she's not in a tent!  I know she will do great and make good decisions, but letting your children grow up is hard.  I want her to keep her innocence and be forever 11, but I must let go, but will do so slowly!

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Thursday, October 7, 2010

Fall....

I love the Fall season.  Many reasons, some new, some old.  I remember as a young teenager going with my mom and sister to one of home parties to 'discover' my color, you know, to know what colors you look best in.  I am a fall, dark greens, browns and oranges.  I do like to wear those colors and have always loved a green car, 3 of my 6 cars in my driving days have been green!  Ha!  That's funny!

I love the changing colors and the leaves falling.  I even love raking the leaves!  It was much more fun back home when we had trees in the yard...it's no fun in my current yard!  I guess my back can be thankful for that!

College football!!  Whoo Hoo!  I love following the Georgia Bulldogs and really all the SEC teams, but it's fun to catch glimpses of lots of games on Saturday!  I pull out the TV schedule out of the sports section and fold it so I can only see what games are on and put it on the end table.  I actually very rarely spend a WHOLE Saturday watching football, but usually at least watch one and the TV usually stays on a football game most of the day and night!  If I can, I send the kids upstairs to watch their stuff in our bedroom.

Growing up in the south, one of my favorite things about fall was the relief from the hot humid summers!  Also, getting to wear a light weight jacket on my walk to school and wearing jeans (or now, I like to wear shorts with long sleeves) and playing in the leaves.

While I still love Fall here in Colorado, I do wish the season was longer.  We could have snow as early as September some years.  I remember last year a huge storm that came through the last week of October that cancelled school for 3 days!  I'd love for fall to last through Thanksgiving!

I love having the windows open and feeling the crisp air.

Fall break starts this afternoon when school lets out.  What kid doesn't love that feeling when the bell rings and you know you don't have to come back for a week and in some cases longer!  I'm feeling some of that right now!  The alarm is in the off position and will be taking a break.

May this Fall last and last....please!
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Friday, October 1, 2010

Simply Significant

As I thought about starting a blog, of course I spent some time deciding on a name.  I wanted the name to say in just a couple of words, what the blogs will be about.  Simply Significant.  Can anything be simply significant?  Doesn't that seem to be a contradictory use of words?  Simply - plainly, merely, nothing more. Significant - important, meaningful, momentous.  My day to day lives seem very simple, making lunches, doing laundry, grocery shopping, cooking and the list goes on.  These are very simple things and can make us all feel like our life is plain, and nothing more.  But these simple tasks and these simple days I live do matter and ultimately, tell the story of a significant life.  We all live siginificant lives.  I have no idea where this blog will go (the last time I tried, I only made one post).  This may be just for me.  I tend to process things better when I write them, so we will see.  Feel free to comment and share your thoughts along the journey!
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