7 Things I Did This Week Instead of Blogging

One of my loyal readers (my mother-in-law, if you must know) was harassing me Friday afternoon for my lack of blog postage, so here are some of the things I've been doing this week, instead of writing my usual 7 Things on Friday mornings:

1. As a result of the my car accident on December 7, the injury in my right ankle from December of 2011 was re-aggravated, so I am back at Strive Physical Therapy in Marlton 3 times a week. And I thought my schedule was plenty full before. Still, if you have to go to PT, I recommend this shop. The staff is awesome and the place has a great atmosphere. And they work you hard because they really want to recover. 
2. The second and fourth Friday mornings of the month I am at Hope Church, participating in a small group called Raising Hope, which caters to women with school age kids, after you've graduated from MOPS. Currently, we're watching and discussing the video series by Lysa TerKeurst based on her book Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions. Lysa is the Director of Proverbs 31 Ministries, something I am only just becoming familiar with, but I am really appreciating both the tone of her video (you screw up, I screw up, but we can all be helped, together, by Christ's love and remembering a few things he's told us to help us through tough times) and her honesty. She had a sale recently so I was able to get the book on the Kindle app for my phone for $4. 
3. Youth Group started up again last Sunday night and we kicked off 2013 with an 80's theme night (I wore a Phantom of the Opera sweatshirt, Marshall's Les Miz cast jacket and enough make-up for three people; sorry, no photos were recorded) and we had fantastic small and large group meetings. My small group is starting with Galatians 5:22-3 as a jumping off point to talk about what our  Christian faith looks like and how it affects our real life relationships with each other, but especially female friends. I know this scripture has been all over my Facebook page in recent weeks, but here it is again:                                                                                                                                                                            But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Galatians 5:22-3 (MSG)
4. Last night I published my first survey of 2013 movies here. If you missed the wrap-up of 2012 movies, that's here. Also, my father and I are supposed to go see Zero Dark Thirty tomorrow morning, but Alex has a really loud cough and keeps threatening to run a fever, so I think I'll be taking him to the doctor, instead. Dang. Marshall and I still haven't seen Les Miz because someone in the house keeps getting sick. 
5. Simcha Fisher had an absolutely hilarious post this week. If you missed it, read it here.
6. My mother-in-law knew I was a bit glum this week since Alex was being a perfect beast at school (I can't remember the last time he had to be physically restrained at school, much less multiple times during the week so that he wouldn't hurt himself or the staff) so she brought me some fun Christina Dodd books to cheer me. That was Friday afternoon. Before I went to bed Friday evening I had read 3 of the 4: Trouble in High Heels, Tongue in Chic, Thigh High and Danger in a Red Dress. And I was reminded why I don't read very often: I get so drawn into the novel I'm reading that I forget to eat dinner and have difficulty looking after everyone else in the house. And then don't sleep well. I am only about 50 pages into the last book and hesitant to sit down and read it when there is so much else needing to get done.
7. Yesterday afternoon, Marshall and I actually took the Christmas tree down and put everything away. And it was only January 12th. Pretty shocking, I know, from the house of Procrastinators-R-Us. But don't worry, the outside lights will stay on until Valentine's Day. The cold and dark of January is easier for me to get through when we still have lights up outside.

Jen Fulwiler is doing a bit better, but please keep praying for her and the baby she's carrying.  And her good friend Hallie has a page where you can send a financial donation to help out the Fulwiler family. But remember, prayers are something everyone can contribute, regardless of their financial situation. Please pray for them.