Since moving here in December, we have not had nearly the "hang out with friends time" that we have gotten in the past. Pretty much everywhere we've moved we've had people to play cards with, watch movies with or just talk, talk, talk. It's been a bit harder here because we have not been "plugged in" to a church family. But this past weekend was just so great - it really "hit the spot" for JJ and I.
Friday night we went swimming in our complex's pool. We waited until the sun went down and just floated in the water, looking at the stars. It was really relaxing and nice to get off the couch for a change!
Saturday, we met some friends at a coffee house nearby because one of the guys is going up to NH for an internship this summer and it was our chance to say goodbye. This was the highlight of the weekend. Some of the folks who were there I'd spent some time with and some were fairly new to me, but it was a great mix of people. We talked about some "graduate school" kind of stuff (which I can usually follow for awhile anyway) but then some goofy stuff too. We actually had a little mini sing along of some favorite Muppet's tunes like "Rainbow Connection" and "You Can't Live With 'Em". (Rolf the Dog sings this one in one of the movies. I can't remember which one.) It was so nice to find some people who are just as cheesy as I am. Very rarely as an adult do you find people you can really be silly with! Then we went over to one of the girls' houses to talk some more! I actually stayed awake until 11:30. That's big. (It may have something to do with the nap I got in on Saturday afternoon!)
Then Sunday, while I sent JJ off to the Little Country Church, I went to church with a friend of mine here in town. JJ MADE me go because I needed a break from LCC - I still felt guilty that he had to go without me. But it was one of the Sundays when they don't do Sun. night service so he got to come home early. Anyway, I had a GREAT time in class. They have a women's class that involves a lot of sharing, etc. You know the kind. Oh, man, have I missed that. If you have that wherever you are, hold on to that and be thankful!!! I wish I could go there every Sunday. Then, I went to the new Chili's in town with some friends after church. Then JJ and I went swimming again that night. An all around great day.
Memorial Day I worked (I chose to take the holiday early so I could visit my family). But, some friends invited us to a barbeque at their house last night and we had a great time there, too! They have a pool in their backyard and we had a lot of fun playing with the kids and just watching them have a good time. So even though I had to work, it still felt like a holiday. This was one of those weekends that I could repeat again and again and not get tired of it. It was a real blessing. It reminded me that it's worth the extra effort to reach out to people and find a place to belong. It's harder, but life is so much richer. I know that this is at least a glimpse of the kind of community that the Lord intended.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Monday, May 29, 2006
Living and Dying at the Hilton
I went to church with a friend yesterday because I needed a break from the Little Country Church and we read this story, which is only slightly cheesy but makes a great point so I thought I'd share it with you anyway. It's an excerpt from Men's Secret Wars by Patrick A. Means.
Dick Bergstrom is a personal friend and president of ChurchHealth, a church consulting ministry. We meet for lunch on occasion, and at one such meeting last year Dick said, "Before we eat lunch, let me show you something. We can take my car." Curious, I asked him what we were going to see. "It's a giant object lesson," he said, smiling. Now I was really curious. Soon we pulled up in front of a large retirement complex. "My parents worked here one summer a few years ago," Dick said. "So I got an insider's view of this facility and how it works. Let me show you inside." Dick led me into a lavishly appointed reception area. Pile carpeting, fine furniture, and exquisite interior decorating gave me more the feel of a Hilton hotel than a retirement home.
"Boy," I said, "retirement homes have sure changed since I last saw one."
"This, my friend, is not just an ordinary retirement facility. This is one of the Cadillacs of the retirement world. But," he said, holding one finger in the air, "there is just one requirement for entry to this facility. Well, one, in addition to money," he said, laughing.
"What's that?" I asked.
"You can't have anything seriously wrong with you," he said, a Cheshire cat grin spreading across his face. He looked at me expectantly. "Doesn't that remind you of anything, Pat?"
I still didn't get it. I watched as a well-dressed couple in their seventies exited the elevator on the other side of the lobby and walked evenly down the hall toward the dining room.
"Let me give you a more complete picture,"Dick said. "This is one of the finest facilities of its kind. All the apartments are top of the line. The food is excellent. It's most retired folks' dream to move into a place like this. But it's only for people with no obvious physical problems. As soon as you develop a problem - say, you have trouble walking - the rules of the facility require you to move out. They have no nursing care here. If you need that kind of help, you have to move down the street to a much less desirable facility. Now does it remind you of anything?" he asked.
I nodded, finally getting the analogy. "Yeah," I said, "some churches are like that."
"But I haven't told you the best part yet," Dick said. "My parents told me that when residents first begin to develop a physical problem, many deliberately try to cover it up for fear that they'll be kicked out. A lot of these folks we see strolling around here looking fine go back to their rooms and collapse, glad that they've made it through another day without anyone finding out their secret!"
Now I saw the whole picture. It's the Pharisees' paradigm, a paradigm still perpetuated by some churches. In that paradigm the church isn't a hospital for the sick; it's a club for the healthy. The only problem is, if the sin disease we all carry breaks out in some obvious way in your life, you have a choice to make. You can cover up the symptoms and continue to act healthy, or you can leave.
I could understand why people would play elaborate cover-up games to stay in the center Dick showed me. The Hilton is certainly nicer than a nursing home. It felt very pleasant to be surrounded by all that interior decorating and all those attractive people. All it would cost me to stay is authenticity.
Dick Bergstrom is a personal friend and president of ChurchHealth, a church consulting ministry. We meet for lunch on occasion, and at one such meeting last year Dick said, "Before we eat lunch, let me show you something. We can take my car." Curious, I asked him what we were going to see. "It's a giant object lesson," he said, smiling. Now I was really curious. Soon we pulled up in front of a large retirement complex. "My parents worked here one summer a few years ago," Dick said. "So I got an insider's view of this facility and how it works. Let me show you inside." Dick led me into a lavishly appointed reception area. Pile carpeting, fine furniture, and exquisite interior decorating gave me more the feel of a Hilton hotel than a retirement home.
"Boy," I said, "retirement homes have sure changed since I last saw one."
"This, my friend, is not just an ordinary retirement facility. This is one of the Cadillacs of the retirement world. But," he said, holding one finger in the air, "there is just one requirement for entry to this facility. Well, one, in addition to money," he said, laughing.
"What's that?" I asked.
"You can't have anything seriously wrong with you," he said, a Cheshire cat grin spreading across his face. He looked at me expectantly. "Doesn't that remind you of anything, Pat?"
I still didn't get it. I watched as a well-dressed couple in their seventies exited the elevator on the other side of the lobby and walked evenly down the hall toward the dining room.
"Let me give you a more complete picture,"Dick said. "This is one of the finest facilities of its kind. All the apartments are top of the line. The food is excellent. It's most retired folks' dream to move into a place like this. But it's only for people with no obvious physical problems. As soon as you develop a problem - say, you have trouble walking - the rules of the facility require you to move out. They have no nursing care here. If you need that kind of help, you have to move down the street to a much less desirable facility. Now does it remind you of anything?" he asked.
I nodded, finally getting the analogy. "Yeah," I said, "some churches are like that."
"But I haven't told you the best part yet," Dick said. "My parents told me that when residents first begin to develop a physical problem, many deliberately try to cover it up for fear that they'll be kicked out. A lot of these folks we see strolling around here looking fine go back to their rooms and collapse, glad that they've made it through another day without anyone finding out their secret!"
Now I saw the whole picture. It's the Pharisees' paradigm, a paradigm still perpetuated by some churches. In that paradigm the church isn't a hospital for the sick; it's a club for the healthy. The only problem is, if the sin disease we all carry breaks out in some obvious way in your life, you have a choice to make. You can cover up the symptoms and continue to act healthy, or you can leave.
I could understand why people would play elaborate cover-up games to stay in the center Dick showed me. The Hilton is certainly nicer than a nursing home. It felt very pleasant to be surrounded by all that interior decorating and all those attractive people. All it would cost me to stay is authenticity.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Topsy Turvey Two
Well, things are still pretty chaotic at work. While we had our offices cleared for the painters (except for the big furniture), we had the carpets cleaned too. But this meant that we ALSO had to move the furniture out. So I've been "working" where the student workers usually are in the reception area. It has been very difficult to get anything done since all of my files, papers, and supplies are spread from one corner of the floor to the other. Not to mention the fact that the storage closet has a very big desk in it, which prevents me from getting to anything that I might need in said closet.
I must mention, with chagrin, that the colors that my boss' decorator helped me choose for my office were hideous. I relunctantly told Mr. Boss Man that I was unhappy with them (he had not seen them because he was out of town). Within an hour, the decorator showed up to assess the situation. I wondered to myself how honest I should be and finally decided to lay it all out on the table. We walked into the room and I told her, "It kind of reminds me of . . . nausia". And it does. It is the exact shade of green your face turns right before you hurl. Looks totally different on the wall than on the sample. Don't you hate that? SO, we're repainting - one wall a bit darker (and much more palatable) shade of green and the other 3 a tan color called "Almond Brittle". I wonder how the people who name the colors of paint come up with all those? Once you've named about 5 shades of white, where do you go from there?
So the saga of the office version of "Fruit Basket Turnover" continues. I'll keep you posted.
I must mention, with chagrin, that the colors that my boss' decorator helped me choose for my office were hideous. I relunctantly told Mr. Boss Man that I was unhappy with them (he had not seen them because he was out of town). Within an hour, the decorator showed up to assess the situation. I wondered to myself how honest I should be and finally decided to lay it all out on the table. We walked into the room and I told her, "It kind of reminds me of . . . nausia". And it does. It is the exact shade of green your face turns right before you hurl. Looks totally different on the wall than on the sample. Don't you hate that? SO, we're repainting - one wall a bit darker (and much more palatable) shade of green and the other 3 a tan color called "Almond Brittle". I wonder how the people who name the colors of paint come up with all those? Once you've named about 5 shades of white, where do you go from there?
So the saga of the office version of "Fruit Basket Turnover" continues. I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Five Things
Oshee tagged me to do this meme quite a few days ago. Sorry I'm just getting around to it!
Five things in my car:
1. empty water jugs waiting to be filled up - The tap water here is gross.
2. sunscreen that's been there for at least a year
3. a silver shiny-reflective thing that's supposed to keep your car cooler that I never use
4. lots of pennies
5. surprisingly little trash (other than some crumpled up receipts and gum wrappers)
Five things in my purse:
1. my cell phone which needs to be recharged
2. a measuring tape b/c I'm looking for baskets that are 7 inches deep or less
3. the flight itenerary from the trip I took last weekend
4. arbonne samples a friend from work gave me
5. hubby's food journal from LA Weightloss - See, even when you don't have kids you end up with other people's stuff in there!
Five things in my closet:
1. 2 new pair of flip-flops I got at Old Navy yesterday for $5 - cha-ching!
2. a laundry bag full of hand-washables I haven't been able to face
3. picnic basket that we won at LA Weightloss - It came with a cheese board and wine glasses!
4. "safari hats" we used at a global development training we went to last year
5. one box of Christmas stuff that I kept when I thought we were going to Africa soon - everything else I gave away
Five things in my fridge:
1. strawberries - YUM!
2. lots of low-fat or fat-free products - cream cheese, dressings, string cheese, skim milk
3. zuchinni - I love the stuff. I was glad to hear that I had to eat 4 veggies a day on the program b/c I wouldn't go to the trouble of fixing veggies just for myself before now. (JJ's a carnivore.)
4. Diet Cherry Coke - I switch between that, Diet Coke with lime and Diet Dr. Pepper
5. Ground turkey - I was surprised at how easily hubby went along with substituting this for ground beef.
Five things in my head:
1. "Hole in My Head" by the Dixie Chicks. I can't help it. I hear the phrase "in my head" and the song just leaps to mind.
2. The absolute chaotic mess that is my office right now and how I'm going to have to face it come Monday morning. I will blog about this later.
3. BIG decisions we're going to have to make in the next few months about education, career choices and timing for going to Africa
4. A job opportunity that JJ may have preaching in a town about an hour away - full time as opposed to filling in, which is what he's doing now
5. Worries about my sibling, Val. I think one of the hardest things that Jesus asks us to do is not worry.
Thanks for tagging me, oshee!
Five things in my car:
1. empty water jugs waiting to be filled up - The tap water here is gross.
2. sunscreen that's been there for at least a year
3. a silver shiny-reflective thing that's supposed to keep your car cooler that I never use
4. lots of pennies
5. surprisingly little trash (other than some crumpled up receipts and gum wrappers)
Five things in my purse:
1. my cell phone which needs to be recharged
2. a measuring tape b/c I'm looking for baskets that are 7 inches deep or less
3. the flight itenerary from the trip I took last weekend
4. arbonne samples a friend from work gave me
5. hubby's food journal from LA Weightloss - See, even when you don't have kids you end up with other people's stuff in there!
Five things in my closet:
1. 2 new pair of flip-flops I got at Old Navy yesterday for $5 - cha-ching!
2. a laundry bag full of hand-washables I haven't been able to face
3. picnic basket that we won at LA Weightloss - It came with a cheese board and wine glasses!
4. "safari hats" we used at a global development training we went to last year
5. one box of Christmas stuff that I kept when I thought we were going to Africa soon - everything else I gave away
Five things in my fridge:
1. strawberries - YUM!
2. lots of low-fat or fat-free products - cream cheese, dressings, string cheese, skim milk
3. zuchinni - I love the stuff. I was glad to hear that I had to eat 4 veggies a day on the program b/c I wouldn't go to the trouble of fixing veggies just for myself before now. (JJ's a carnivore.)
4. Diet Cherry Coke - I switch between that, Diet Coke with lime and Diet Dr. Pepper
5. Ground turkey - I was surprised at how easily hubby went along with substituting this for ground beef.
Five things in my head:
1. "Hole in My Head" by the Dixie Chicks. I can't help it. I hear the phrase "in my head" and the song just leaps to mind.
2. The absolute chaotic mess that is my office right now and how I'm going to have to face it come Monday morning. I will blog about this later.
3. BIG decisions we're going to have to make in the next few months about education, career choices and timing for going to Africa
4. A job opportunity that JJ may have preaching in a town about an hour away - full time as opposed to filling in, which is what he's doing now
5. Worries about my sibling, Val. I think one of the hardest things that Jesus asks us to do is not worry.
Thanks for tagging me, oshee!
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
A Shout Out
How in the world could I have forgotten to give a shout out to my girl Shalee in OP? I got to talk with her ever-so-briefly in the hall at church when I was visiting on Sunday. She's the one who got me started on this whole blogging thing. If you've never been to Shalee's Thoughts, you should check it out. She's not only funny, she's got a great heart and is really passionate about raising godly kids.
We started talking about my whole weight loss issue (thanks for noticing btw) and then it dominated the coversation. After I walked away I realized I talked about me the whole time and did not get to ask her about Mr Right and the kids, her job, etc. We had to hurry to get to Sunday school class. So now I feel like a heel. Sorry Shalee - I'll have to call you to do the catching up "in person" so-to-speak!
And I keep finding out that more of my friends are reading my blog than I thought. You can leave a comment, people! Even if you don't have anything of gigantic import to say! I won't laugh at you. And besides, even if I did, you'd never know! =0)
We started talking about my whole weight loss issue (thanks for noticing btw) and then it dominated the coversation. After I walked away I realized I talked about me the whole time and did not get to ask her about Mr Right and the kids, her job, etc. We had to hurry to get to Sunday school class. So now I feel like a heel. Sorry Shalee - I'll have to call you to do the catching up "in person" so-to-speak!
And I keep finding out that more of my friends are reading my blog than I thought. You can leave a comment, people! Even if you don't have anything of gigantic import to say! I won't laugh at you. And besides, even if I did, you'd never know! =0)
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Topsy Turvey
I got to work this morning and discovered that painters will be coming in tomorrow. Which, of course means that I had to clear out my office and my boss' office to make way for the painters. Thank the Lord for my coworkers - we made pretty quick work of the job. Life is not dull around here, that's for sure.
We will be playing musical chairs with our offices in June and this is just the beginning of all of that mess. The good news is that I got to choose the colors of the walls in my new office (two tones of a light sage green, the accent wall slightly darker than the others) AND I get a window now too! The view's not that great, but I do have some nice trees to look at so I can watch the squirrels. (Squirrels are the bane of my mother's existence right now, so I know she will not find this news nearly as appealing as I do! The little critters have been getting into her potted plants in the back yard lately.)
And, BTW, my trip to Kansas City was lots of fun. Friday night my sister came over and she and my mom and dad and I all played Texas Hold 'Em. It's the first time I've ever played and we had a lot of fun, even though my dad won as we all figured he would. I got in a few quick visits with some friends, too, but it was nice to be with my family just for no particular reason. There were no major agendas, tasks to accomplish, or events to attend (other than church). And it was so nice sitting next to my parents in church, especially singing with them. I miss how much my family sings, just around the house or in the car. So it was a great time to get my "family fix"!
I've got to brag on my hubby, too. He brought me daisies when he picked me up in Dallas, AND I came home to a clean house. Wow! What a gift!
And finally, I have to mention, that even though I was away from home I managed to lose 1.6 pounds since last Monday. Life is good.
We will be playing musical chairs with our offices in June and this is just the beginning of all of that mess. The good news is that I got to choose the colors of the walls in my new office (two tones of a light sage green, the accent wall slightly darker than the others) AND I get a window now too! The view's not that great, but I do have some nice trees to look at so I can watch the squirrels. (Squirrels are the bane of my mother's existence right now, so I know she will not find this news nearly as appealing as I do! The little critters have been getting into her potted plants in the back yard lately.)
And, BTW, my trip to Kansas City was lots of fun. Friday night my sister came over and she and my mom and dad and I all played Texas Hold 'Em. It's the first time I've ever played and we had a lot of fun, even though my dad won as we all figured he would. I got in a few quick visits with some friends, too, but it was nice to be with my family just for no particular reason. There were no major agendas, tasks to accomplish, or events to attend (other than church). And it was so nice sitting next to my parents in church, especially singing with them. I miss how much my family sings, just around the house or in the car. So it was a great time to get my "family fix"!
I've got to brag on my hubby, too. He brought me daisies when he picked me up in Dallas, AND I came home to a clean house. Wow! What a gift!
And finally, I have to mention, that even though I was away from home I managed to lose 1.6 pounds since last Monday. Life is good.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
We Are Not Alone
I had the opportunity to volunteer at ACU's graduation celebration last Friday night. It is the school's centennial year and so the party was extra big. It was a perfect night for it - the weather was gorgeous. There was a breeze, but it wasn't too windy (like it often is in west Texas). It was warm, but not too hot. So with these beautiful conditions and a free meal you'd think I was pretty content. I'm ashamed to say that wasn't the case.
With so many people participating, there were lots and lots of chairs and tables under several large tents. One of my jobs as a volunteer was to help fold the chairs up and stack them properly on the tables. Not too challenging. I helped out along with other volunteers in one tent, then moved on to the next. After we finished the second tent, I was told to go work on another tent. I went and started thinking everyone was coming in a minute. Well, I guess they all went to another location to work because I folded and folded chairs and no one came to help.
I started out feeling really good about volunteering my time. I had realized lately that my time was being spent entirely too selfishly and I needed to do something for someone else. But the longer I folded those chairs, the worse my attitude got. I kept thinking, where's everyone else? Why am I the only one doing this? I didn't sign up for this much work, especially to do all by myself! (I can't believe my perspective was so bad.) I even called JJ on his cell phone to tell him to come and pick me up. I wasn't about to slave away by myself. Thankfully, he didn't answer the phone and I got a second chance to correct my demeanor. I was almost done folding the chairs for that particular tent when a man came along and started to help me.
It was amazing how quickly my thought process changed. I reasoned, well, this will go a lot faster with 2 of us. We started talking and I was distracted from my lousy thoughts. Pretty soon, a whole group joined us and we made short work of what was left to do. When JJ called back, I told him I'd call him later so that I could make sure all the work had been done. Amazing what a little help can do.
I couldn't help but think that this is what the Lord must have had in mind when he created the church. How easily we lose perspective when we are alone and all we can perceive is a huge problem ahead. I mean, really, how bad was my situation? I was folding chairs for heaven's sake! But even the company of one more person made my task not only easier but a lot more enjoyable. How wonderful it is to have someone else along to help us carry our burdens!
If only we would turn to each other (and our Lord) more often when we need a little encouragement or a helping hand. I just picture Jesus up in heaven looking down on us and shaking his head saying, "Look around you child. Help is around every corner if you'll just ask."
With so many people participating, there were lots and lots of chairs and tables under several large tents. One of my jobs as a volunteer was to help fold the chairs up and stack them properly on the tables. Not too challenging. I helped out along with other volunteers in one tent, then moved on to the next. After we finished the second tent, I was told to go work on another tent. I went and started thinking everyone was coming in a minute. Well, I guess they all went to another location to work because I folded and folded chairs and no one came to help.
I started out feeling really good about volunteering my time. I had realized lately that my time was being spent entirely too selfishly and I needed to do something for someone else. But the longer I folded those chairs, the worse my attitude got. I kept thinking, where's everyone else? Why am I the only one doing this? I didn't sign up for this much work, especially to do all by myself! (I can't believe my perspective was so bad.) I even called JJ on his cell phone to tell him to come and pick me up. I wasn't about to slave away by myself. Thankfully, he didn't answer the phone and I got a second chance to correct my demeanor. I was almost done folding the chairs for that particular tent when a man came along and started to help me.
It was amazing how quickly my thought process changed. I reasoned, well, this will go a lot faster with 2 of us. We started talking and I was distracted from my lousy thoughts. Pretty soon, a whole group joined us and we made short work of what was left to do. When JJ called back, I told him I'd call him later so that I could make sure all the work had been done. Amazing what a little help can do.
I couldn't help but think that this is what the Lord must have had in mind when he created the church. How easily we lose perspective when we are alone and all we can perceive is a huge problem ahead. I mean, really, how bad was my situation? I was folding chairs for heaven's sake! But even the company of one more person made my task not only easier but a lot more enjoyable. How wonderful it is to have someone else along to help us carry our burdens!
If only we would turn to each other (and our Lord) more often when we need a little encouragement or a helping hand. I just picture Jesus up in heaven looking down on us and shaking his head saying, "Look around you child. Help is around every corner if you'll just ask."
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Dorky Shoes and a Dorky Song
This morning as I was getting dressed, I told JJ that I was wearing dorky shoes today and I didn't care. His response to me was, "Well, you go Jimmy Crack Corn!" From that point on, I was doomed. All morning I've had this going through my head:
Wearing dorky shoes and I don't care,
Wearing dorky shoes and I don't care,
Wearing dorky shoes and I don't care,
My master's gone away.
Then I start thinking, I have no idea what the original song means. Who is Jimmy and what in the world is "cracking corn"? And why would his master not want him to do that? Anyone have any ideas?
So, I've been posting my progress on my short-term weightloss goal, but now that I've met it, I thought I'd show you the "big picture". Not too shabby for going on 15 weeks.
Wearing dorky shoes and I don't care,
Wearing dorky shoes and I don't care,
Wearing dorky shoes and I don't care,
My master's gone away.
Then I start thinking, I have no idea what the original song means. Who is Jimmy and what in the world is "cracking corn"? And why would his master not want him to do that? Anyone have any ideas?
So, I've been posting my progress on my short-term weightloss goal, but now that I've met it, I thought I'd show you the "big picture". Not too shabby for going on 15 weeks.
How Much, Lord?
I decided on Sunday that I must include this quote that JJ used in his sermon on my blog. It's something that I've been thinking about a lot lately. It's an excerpt from C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity. (I'm having a little trouble with the font, and frankly, I've lost patience so you'll have to forgive the irregularities.)
The ordinary idea which we all have before we become Christians is this. We take as the starting point our ordinary self with its various desires and interests. We then admit that something else – call it ‘morality’ or ‘decent behavior,’ or ‘the good of society’ – has claims on this self: claims which interfere with its own desires. What we mean by ‘being good’ is giving in to those claims. Some of the things the ordinary self wanted to do turn out to be what we call ‘wrong’; well, we must give them up. Other things turn out to be what we call ‘right’: well, we shall have to do them.
But, we are hoping all the time that when all the demands have been met, the poor natural self will still have some chance, and some time, to get on with its own life and do what it likes. In fact, we are very much like an honest man paying his taxes. He pays them all right, but he does hope that there will be enough left over for him to live on. Because we are still taking our natural self as the starting point.
The Christian way is different: harder and easier. Christ says, ‘Give me all. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don’t want to cut off a branch here and a branch there. I want to have the whole tree down. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked – the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours.
All I can say is, Wow. Is this within my capacity? It must be, otherwise the Lord wouldn't ask it of me. Lord, help me to discover how to let go of myself and my desires and put on Yourself instead.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Kansas City, Here I Come!
I hear they've got some crazy little women there and I get to visit some!
Hooray! I'm going home in exactly 10 days and it's one of these fun, spur-of-the moment kind of visits. (Well, 10 days is spur of the moment for a "planner" like me anyway!) I have 2 vacation days that I have to use up before May 31st (one left over from Spring Break that I never took and one that I'm taking early for Memorial Day.) It's great to have that flexibility!
Since it's a short, 4 day trip, I get to fly up and back. I really like flying. I've always loved the excitement of being on a trip, walking through the airport and wondering where everyone is going. No matter how many times I do it, I always feel like a kid on her first plane ride.
This is a trip that I'm taking by myself. My sweet, ornery husband will not be accompanying me and he will be sorely missed. But this will be a great opportunity for me to be with my family, one that I wasn't expecting and one that I really think I need right now. (I just looked up ornery to check the spelling and the official definition doesn't mean anything close to the way I use it. My sweetie is ornery in a Dennis the Menis kind of way. It's very hard not to like my JJ.)
Anyway, I feel really good about taking this trip. It's one of those times when I had an opportunity to seize the day and I didn't dilly-dally or reason myself out of it. I called my mom, checked on the dates, and booked the ticket. Very empowering. I'm constantly booking tickets for my boss (he does consultations all over the country), but it was really cool to be looking up my own flight options and following through on the plans for this trip for me.
And for those of you who are wondering where my little tickerfactory graph has gone, I have updated it for your viewing pleasure. Yes, I did finally reach my goal, even though it was a week late.
Hooray! I'm going home in exactly 10 days and it's one of these fun, spur-of-the moment kind of visits. (Well, 10 days is spur of the moment for a "planner" like me anyway!) I have 2 vacation days that I have to use up before May 31st (one left over from Spring Break that I never took and one that I'm taking early for Memorial Day.) It's great to have that flexibility!
Since it's a short, 4 day trip, I get to fly up and back. I really like flying. I've always loved the excitement of being on a trip, walking through the airport and wondering where everyone is going. No matter how many times I do it, I always feel like a kid on her first plane ride.
This is a trip that I'm taking by myself. My sweet, ornery husband will not be accompanying me and he will be sorely missed. But this will be a great opportunity for me to be with my family, one that I wasn't expecting and one that I really think I need right now. (I just looked up ornery to check the spelling and the official definition doesn't mean anything close to the way I use it. My sweetie is ornery in a Dennis the Menis kind of way. It's very hard not to like my JJ.)
Anyway, I feel really good about taking this trip. It's one of those times when I had an opportunity to seize the day and I didn't dilly-dally or reason myself out of it. I called my mom, checked on the dates, and booked the ticket. Very empowering. I'm constantly booking tickets for my boss (he does consultations all over the country), but it was really cool to be looking up my own flight options and following through on the plans for this trip for me.
And for those of you who are wondering where my little tickerfactory graph has gone, I have updated it for your viewing pleasure. Yes, I did finally reach my goal, even though it was a week late.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
My First "Hair-pulling" Day
I've been at my job for about 2 months now and today was the first time I actually wanted to bang my head against the wall, or maybe the computer screen. Not bad, really, as new jobs go. All will turn out fine, especially since my boss realizes I'm under a pretty unrealistic time crunch and said it won't be a big deal if this project I'm working on doesn't get finished on time. Thank the Lord I have an understanding boss! (I wonder if I weeded out any of those gray hairs that seem to be multiplying on my head?!!!)
So, needless to say, today this girl needs some fun. I found this little movie trivia game online and thought it'd be something different to add. I thought the trivia was pretty easy (I got 9/10 right), but I probably just got lucky!! JJ's the real movie nut in the family. Anyway, if you want to try a quick movie quiz, hop on over there!
I added a few new links to my blogroll (was that all the way last week?) and now I added a few more - Jim Martin and Mike Cope, both ministers and both have some great things to say. Enjoy.
So, needless to say, today this girl needs some fun. I found this little movie trivia game online and thought it'd be something different to add. I thought the trivia was pretty easy (I got 9/10 right), but I probably just got lucky!! JJ's the real movie nut in the family. Anyway, if you want to try a quick movie quiz, hop on over there!
I added a few new links to my blogroll (was that all the way last week?) and now I added a few more - Jim Martin and Mike Cope, both ministers and both have some great things to say. Enjoy.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Murphy's Laws for Mothers
Although I am not a mother, I know some of my visitors are. I got a kick out of this list so I thought I'd share it with you.
1. The tennis shoes you must replace today will go on sale next week.
2. Leakproof thermoses -- will.
3. The chances of a piece of bread falling with the grape jelly side down is directly proportional to the cost of the carpet.
4. The garbage truck will be two doors past your house when the argument over whose day it is to take out the trash ends.
5. The shirt your child must wear today will be the only one that needs to be washed or mended.
6. Gym clothes left at school in lockers mildew at a faster rate than other clothing.
7. The item your child lost, and must have for school within the next ten seconds, will be found in the last place you look.
8. Sick children recover miraculously when the pediatrician enters the treatment room.
9. Refrigerated items, used daily, will gravitate toward the back of the refrigerator.
10. Your chances of being seen by someone you know dramatically increase if you drive your child to school in your robe and curlers.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Vacation Dilemma
Do you know any couples that have completely opposite vacation styles? One likes to relax and the other likes to go, go, go and see and do everything. I'm afraid that JJ and I are one of these couples. He is the "relaxer" and I, like my dad, am a "doer". Our 10th anniversary is coming up this July, we still have no idea of what we are going to do, and the pressure is on.
I mean, this is a big year and we both want to do something really special, but we disagree on what that something special might be. We have very little money to work with (I always thought we'd have our act together after being married this long!) and so we're going to have to drive somewhere close. We are about 3 hours away from Dallas, so to me this seems like a good option. I'd like to see some art museums and maybe a play. I'd be fun to find a place that plays jazz or go to a concert. But JJ's afraid that Dallas = shop. He wants to go to a bed and breakfast or a cabin on a lake. Now, please understand, I'm not enumerating all these facts in order to complain, I'm just trying to give you an idea of the situation.
Does anyone have any ideas? What are your favorite vacations or compromises that you've made that have worked for your families? I just want to make sure that if we compromise, it's not "giving in" so much that neither one of us is happy with the outcome! So, feedback, please!!!!!
I mean, this is a big year and we both want to do something really special, but we disagree on what that something special might be. We have very little money to work with (I always thought we'd have our act together after being married this long!) and so we're going to have to drive somewhere close. We are about 3 hours away from Dallas, so to me this seems like a good option. I'd like to see some art museums and maybe a play. I'd be fun to find a place that plays jazz or go to a concert. But JJ's afraid that Dallas = shop. He wants to go to a bed and breakfast or a cabin on a lake. Now, please understand, I'm not enumerating all these facts in order to complain, I'm just trying to give you an idea of the situation.
Does anyone have any ideas? What are your favorite vacations or compromises that you've made that have worked for your families? I just want to make sure that if we compromise, it's not "giving in" so much that neither one of us is happy with the outcome! So, feedback, please!!!!!
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