Crazy 8's

So since I have had serious blogger's block, I was completely thrilled when my good, in-real-life buddy Kim,over at Reformed Grits, tagged me. This is a Crazy 8's meme and it is HARD! I am not sure that I will be able to get 8 things for all of them, but I will make the attempt.

8 things I am passionate about:
*My Father
*My husband
*My children
*Teaching my kids of God and His unfathomable grace and love for them.
*God's truths being rightly divided...I am soooo passionate about this one.
*Growing in my walk and not ever settling down into complacency.
*Figuring out God's plan for me.
*Oh, and I love coffee...alot.

8 things I say often:
*"I'm losing my mind"
*"Give me a minute, please."
*"Give me another minute, please."
*"Put the dog down!"
*"STOP!!!"
*"Do you know how much I love you?"
*"Maa-aaark..."
*"Wanna go get coffee?"

8 books I've read recently:
*Get Out of that Pit by Beth Moore
*Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Terri Maxwell
*Ruth-A Portrait by Patricia Cornwell
*Sitting by My Laughing Fire by Ruth Bell Graham
*The Well Trained Mind (again) by Susan Wise Bauer
*A Chance to Die by Elisabeth Elliot (a signed copy, thank you very much)
*South Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston
*Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

8 things I want to do before I die:
*I want to go to several places in Europe for an extended amount of time.
*I want to be remembered for who I was in the Lord (so whatever that has me doing, I guess).
*I really do want to go back to school (all in God's timing, though).
*I want to see my kids actively and passionately serving Christ.
*I want to enjoy some wonderful years with my sweet Mark after our kids are grown.
*I want to reach as many people for God as He will allow me.
*I want to laugh like crazy when my grandchildren drive their parents nuts (and then give them some candy...with lots of sugar and even more love).

8 songs I can listen to over and over (and probably have):
*Above All
*Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
*Be Thou My Vision
*In Christ Alone
*(Ok y'all, confession time. I am not into music like a normal person. I mean, I don't hate it...but I don't have to have it. In fact, I drive my family beserk because I would MUCH rather listen to talk radio when I am in the van, than music. If I ever get in the mood for music, it is usually classical or Praise and Worship/Hymns. Beyond that, I don't really dig it. Just for the record, this isn't some legalistic conviction...it's just a preference. I know, I'm weird.)
*Soooo, moving right along....we'll just pretend those last two aren't there....
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8 things that attract me to my friends:
*REAL-I seriously cannot do fake or superficial. I just. flat. cannot. It usually only takes people about 5 minutes flat to figure that out with me.
*Their love for God.
*Their realization that we all need a little (or alot of) grace, and that they give it.
*That their families are highest-priority, second only to their Lord.
*Their honesty, even when it's not easy.
*Their ability to laugh like jr. high boys, oftentimes uncontrollably.
*Their ability to cry like the Momma's we are when we hurt.
*Lastly, and this is key: That they accompany me to Starbucks. Everything else would just be out of whack if they quit doing this. Everything.

8 things I have learned in the last year:
*How to truly forgive and be free.
*That God's grace is so much more boundless and undeserved and beautiful than I knew before.
*That contentment doesn't come naturally, therefore, it isn't that widely practiced.
*That my kids are growing up waaaaaay too fast.
*That "it is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all".
*That I don't like 105 degree heat.
*That in a severe drought, you don't have to cut your grass very often.
*That I cannot, in good conscience, spend $4.37 on a latte on a daily basis (or even weekly, truthfully) God help me.

8 people I tag for this meme:
*Whomever
*needs
*something
*to
*blog
*about....
*You're
*it!
But please let me know if you decide to participate! I would really love to read these things about y'all!