I wish I could take credit for this little forecast, but I have to admit that I got this in my e-mail today and thought it was cute. We do give thanks for the many, many ways in which we were blessed this year, but you just can't ignore these other aspects of Thanksgiving! (And by the way, I'm not too proud of my last post - griping and complaining about our finances when we've been blessed so richly. Sometimes, though, you just need to get real and admit when you've lost focus.)
So without further ado . . . here's Thursday's weather forecast:
Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon high near 190F. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder.
During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates. Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other. Please pass the gravy.A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway.
During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 34F in the refrigerator.Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches will be established. Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day. We expect a warming trend where soup develops. By early next week, eating pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Lies - It's All Lies!
JJ and I are struggling financially this month. Next month doesn't look a lot better. I know that the Lord will be with us in this tight pinch, but it doesn’t mean that He won’t let us go broke. It’s just a little scary.
It’s so frustrating because JJ is working as hard as he can and we still come up short. I'm working full time and contemplating another part time job, but I don't feel like I could take care of things around the house and keep up with paying the bills on time and juggle everything else I'm trying to do AND work 60 hours a week.
We’ve been struggling for what feels like so long. It’s OK when you know it’s short term, but we’ve been trying to get out of debt for several years now with very little progress. We’re getting tired. Just when we feel like we’re making headway, something else like having to buy another car comes along. I’m sure many of you can identify.
I just have to keep reminding myself that no one ever promised me anything in life – I don’t know why I expect so much. Our culture tells us we can (and should) have it all, but that is a lie from Satan. And the fact that having it all would even be fulfilling or make us happy is a big fat lie too. I really wish that I could say that I have learned to be content in all circumstances like Paul. Man, why can’t I beat this mentality? Satan is just good at what he does, isn’t he?
It’s so frustrating because JJ is working as hard as he can and we still come up short. I'm working full time and contemplating another part time job, but I don't feel like I could take care of things around the house and keep up with paying the bills on time and juggle everything else I'm trying to do AND work 60 hours a week.
We’ve been struggling for what feels like so long. It’s OK when you know it’s short term, but we’ve been trying to get out of debt for several years now with very little progress. We’re getting tired. Just when we feel like we’re making headway, something else like having to buy another car comes along. I’m sure many of you can identify.
I just have to keep reminding myself that no one ever promised me anything in life – I don’t know why I expect so much. Our culture tells us we can (and should) have it all, but that is a lie from Satan. And the fact that having it all would even be fulfilling or make us happy is a big fat lie too. I really wish that I could say that I have learned to be content in all circumstances like Paul. Man, why can’t I beat this mentality? Satan is just good at what he does, isn’t he?
Friday, November 03, 2006
A "Tommy Boy" Moment
If you've ever seen the movie Tommy Boy, then you're sure to remember the part when Tommy and Richard are driving down the highway crying and singing the Carpenter's song, "Don't you remember you told me you loved me baby?" Then out of the blue, the hood of the car flies up and they almost get killed swerving in and out of traffic. Although very dangerous in real life, this scene is hilarious in the movie.
Well, our experience Wednesday night had only one thing in common with that scene. We were not crying (although we sure wanted to afterwards). We were not listening to the Carpenters (I believe it was NPR). But the hood of the car DID indeed fly up and hit the windshield of the car as we were going 70 down the highway.
Thankfully, no one was hurt. The windshield did not shatter. We did not have to swerve in and out of traffic in a dangerous and hair-raising way. Although I did scream. JJ, however, remained cool and collected (thankfully, he was driving) and calmly slowed down and steered us off the road.
We called for some help from some folks at church (we had just left there and were not far from the building) and they came and helped us get the hood back down. There had been some bolts missing from the piece that the hood actually latches onto and it was very loose. We just cannot figure out how that happened. We only bought the car (used) 2 months ago. I cannot believe that in 2 months time those bolts loosened up and fell out on their own.
I am trying to keep this in perspective. The Lord protected us and no one was hurt. There is extensive damage to the hood, but the car drives just fine. But, our insurance does not cover the damage and the dealership, as expected, is saying that this is not their problem. So it looks like our beautiful new (used) car will just have to live with its scars for quite awhile. Maybe forever.
There are much, much worse things in life. I just wish we could have a bit of a break to recover financially before we get hit again. and again. and again.
Well, our experience Wednesday night had only one thing in common with that scene. We were not crying (although we sure wanted to afterwards). We were not listening to the Carpenters (I believe it was NPR). But the hood of the car DID indeed fly up and hit the windshield of the car as we were going 70 down the highway.
Thankfully, no one was hurt. The windshield did not shatter. We did not have to swerve in and out of traffic in a dangerous and hair-raising way. Although I did scream. JJ, however, remained cool and collected (thankfully, he was driving) and calmly slowed down and steered us off the road.
We called for some help from some folks at church (we had just left there and were not far from the building) and they came and helped us get the hood back down. There had been some bolts missing from the piece that the hood actually latches onto and it was very loose. We just cannot figure out how that happened. We only bought the car (used) 2 months ago. I cannot believe that in 2 months time those bolts loosened up and fell out on their own.
I am trying to keep this in perspective. The Lord protected us and no one was hurt. There is extensive damage to the hood, but the car drives just fine. But, our insurance does not cover the damage and the dealership, as expected, is saying that this is not their problem. So it looks like our beautiful new (used) car will just have to live with its scars for quite awhile. Maybe forever.
There are much, much worse things in life. I just wish we could have a bit of a break to recover financially before we get hit again. and again. and again.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Weigh-in results - as promised
Well, after 2 days of Take Off (LA Weightloss intensive 2 day kick-in-the-behind regimen), I lost another pound. So here's the latest:
Wow! What a mile stone! It's such great news that I won't even ruin it and tell you the really scary, very expensive thing that happened to us last night. Not yet. And just so you don't worry, everyone is OK. No injuries. Just very expensive repairs.
Wow! What a mile stone! It's such great news that I won't even ruin it and tell you the really scary, very expensive thing that happened to us last night. Not yet. And just so you don't worry, everyone is OK. No injuries. Just very expensive repairs.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
A Great Success
Last night, our little church that averages about 20 on a Sunday morning pulled off a Fall Carnival that was attended by over 100 children and we have no idea how many parents! Everyone put so much work into it and we were blown away by the turnout. It was encouraging for our little family to invest so much time and energy into something that was enjoyed so much by the community. Since we are in a new building, it was great for the community to see us where we worship, doing what we do best - ministering to kids. We have so many members in our congregation who are teachers or involved in the school system somehow that kids have really become our main ministry focus.
I did the clowning thing and dressed up as "Chipper". Balloon animals were enjoyed by all. I was impressed by the other adults in the congregation - almost everyone had a costume. Many adults are too embarrassed or too "grown-up" to dress up. I think this is exactly why we should do it. We just do not "play" enough as adults and Halloween is a great excuse to do just that! Some of the costumes I saw were a BIG smiley face, a Hershey's kiss, a scarecrow, a "spelling" bee, Elvis, biker dude and chick, Rambo, and a farmer. And of course, the kids' costumes were lots of fun too.
And best of all, I did not have a single piece of candy, cupcake (even though I baked and decorated 4 dozen), or cookie. Way to go me! The LA Weightloss thing is still going strong. JJ and I did a special 2 day "Take Off" on Sunday and Monday and I haven't been able to weigh in yet, but I will post my progress as soon as I weigh in. Stay tuned!
I did the clowning thing and dressed up as "Chipper". Balloon animals were enjoyed by all. I was impressed by the other adults in the congregation - almost everyone had a costume. Many adults are too embarrassed or too "grown-up" to dress up. I think this is exactly why we should do it. We just do not "play" enough as adults and Halloween is a great excuse to do just that! Some of the costumes I saw were a BIG smiley face, a Hershey's kiss, a scarecrow, a "spelling" bee, Elvis, biker dude and chick, Rambo, and a farmer. And of course, the kids' costumes were lots of fun too.
And best of all, I did not have a single piece of candy, cupcake (even though I baked and decorated 4 dozen), or cookie. Way to go me! The LA Weightloss thing is still going strong. JJ and I did a special 2 day "Take Off" on Sunday and Monday and I haven't been able to weigh in yet, but I will post my progress as soon as I weigh in. Stay tuned!
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