Friday Fragments

*I feel like I'm 12 years old again... not in a good way! My ear lobe is infected from my earrings! That use to happen all the time when I'd wear play jewelry - & now, I will only wear 24k gold or sterling silver earrings... now sure what happened... just know it HURTS! And I feel naked without my earrings!

*I am totally addicted to Pandora - the on line radio station!!! Its been the only thing I've been listening to at work every day...


*I've been watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Hulu every day at lunch time (Thanks again Chandra!!!)... I totally forgot how much I loved it - especially those early seasons. Xander & some of the lines he pulls off is hilarious!


*Favorite Xander Line of the week: (After Buffy rejected him for a date) - "I'm just going to go home - lie down & listen to country music - the music of pain"


*Will the media PUL-eze leave Jon & Kate alone???? She spanked her child - she didnt sit there & beat her daughter - she didnt pull out a whip & lash her.. she spanked her. Regardless if you agree with spanking or not, that is how she disciplines her child - leave her alone! Yes - a child will cry when they are being disciplined... I just feel so bad for this family...


*Speaking of which - did you see there is a "special announcement" on their show Monday...


*Random Fact about Me: I get just as car sick sitting in traffic then moving!!! The constant stop & go of traffic... I'm feeling green thinking about it


*So you Think you can Dance Fragments!!!!

1. When did Lil' C become quite the philosopher!!! What the heck was he talking about ... progression - labor - birthing pains... WHAT???


2. Did you see Ryan - Evan's brother - tried out again & is on his way to Vegas! If that guy doesnt make next year's show - I'm going to be like Mary & cry & say "I think I'll just die"


3. I cant believe Max got booted! He looked TICKED off! I think they are giving Kayla WAY too much credit! That first week - it was Max & his ballroom that made her look good! And he totally stole the show from her in that wacky "Princess" dance... felt bad for the guy!

*Ricky has to work on Saturday... which means for me... SLEEP!! When he's home - he's up at 5 AM! Yes - he's sick like that! And when he's up, the dogs are up - following him, jumping back in bed with me, following him, JUMPING back in bed with me... so needless to say, I usually dont get to sleep past 7 myself on Saturday... but when he goes to work, the dogs jump back in bed & sleep the morning away with me.... aahhh - looking forward to it!

*BLOG BUDDY YOU MUST VISIT: If you have a minute, you really should go visit Three Girly Girlz - this blog always blesses me! Nicki has such a way of writing about God... I always leave her site feeling like my heart has been spoken too... check her out!

Hope you all have a great Friday!!!

Hope Now

Lately, I am totally feeling the song by Addison Road called "Hope Now"....

But there is one line right from the beginning that takes the breath away from me every time I hear it .. or sing it... I'll be in my car & it'll come on, & that first line is the 5th line in the song - after that, I ususally cant sing much afterwards - it knocks the breath out of me every time...the line -

"How quickly I forget I'm yours"

I know I forget who's hands I'm in... who is in control of me & this world.... who I belong to... who loves me more then anything, even after I fail Him over & over....

For those who have children - think about how much you love them because they are "yours" - a part of you... no matter what they do - they are YOURS!

How quickly we forget we are God's children...

The rest of the words are amazing too... hope you take a few minutes to sit back, read the words, sing along if you want... & remember if you do - the DA DA DA DA is FOUR times... (I had to laugh at that part of the video)

Taste

My dad sent me this & I loved it... wanted to share...

At the University of Chicago Divinity School each year, they have what is called "Baptist Day". On this day each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area. Every event, the school would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education center.

One year, they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr. Tillich spoke for two & a half hours proving that the resurrection of Jesus was false. He quoted scholar after scholar & book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the "historical resurrection", the religious tradition of the church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo, because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who in fact, never rose from the dead in the literal sense. He then asked if there were any questions....

After about 30 seconds, a old, dark skinned preacher with a head of short-cropped white woolly hair stood up in the back of the auditorium. - "Doctor Tillich, I got one question" - he said as all eyes turned on him.

He reached into his sack luck & pulled out an apples & began eating it.

"Doctor Tillich... CRUNCH, MUNCH.... My question is a simple question.... CRUNCH, MUNCH.... Now, I ain't never read them books you read... CRUNCH, MUNCH... & I cant recite Scripture in the original Greek.... CRUNCH, MUNCH.... I don't know nothin' about Niebuhr & Heidegger.... CRUNCH, MUNCH...

He finished the apple.

"All I wanna know is this - the apple I just ate.... was it bitter or sweet?"

Dr. Tillich paused for a moment & answered in exemplary scholarly fashion: "I cannot possibly answer that question, for I have not tasted your apple"

The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillich & said calmly, "Neither have you tasted my Jesus"

The 1,000 plus in attendance count not contain themselves - the auditorium erupted with applause & cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience & promptly left the platform...

"Taste & see that the Lord is good! oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him" - Psalm 34:8

...just sad...

Well, my house is very empty right now.. silence has never been more deafening...I of course cried at the airport & bawled all the way home, which wasnt good since we sat in 45 minutes of traffic... coming home & seeing toys laying around only twisted the knife in my gut... so excuse me while I just take another day to be sad....

I think Ricky is even worse then me - his little buddy is gone. Ricky even said sitting in traffic - "I always say dont get emotionally attached! And now, I just feel a hole in my heart!"... yeah, you cant stop love!


Even the dogs are going to miss him! Who else just smiles while sneaking down food! & Isaac would just grab Zoe & hug her through the day - or snuggle with Bruno - or just push Buffy out of the way... lots of dogs for constant entertainment!



And this little cutie is the only one I can walk into a room & see doing this - & I just laugh & take a picture... if Ricky were to pull all my yarn down, it would be MADNESS... instead, I just say "That's the cutest thing I've ever seen!"

Oh, how I'm going to miss this face.....

Counting down... 4 months till the next visit...

Last Day

Got one more day with the grandbaby....

Gotta suck up every bit of laughter, gotta memorize every facial expression, gotta gaze into those eyes & remember how blue they are, gotta make more memories & press them into his little mind so he doesnt forget us....

One more day....

Six Word Saturday

ISAAC AND PAPPY ARE BEST FRIENDS!

Ricky has a new buddy.... Isaac & him have been playing, running, chasing, laughing.... being boys! I think Ricky is going to be in worse shape then me this time when Isaac leaves Monday night.... (& yes, that is a flashlight in Isaac's hands... truly, truly TRULY his Pappy's boy!)

Here's just a little bit of fun they've been having... listen to that laugh!!!

Little April Rose... sadness

Well, I havent really responded about the whole Little April Rose "scam" that was pulled on all of us... Here is the updated article...

As soon as I was told that it was truly a scam - & I whole heartedly was hoping it wasn't true - I just sort of sat back & read all the articles & with every one, I sat with my jaw dropped, my heart heavy, & a brain that cant wrap around the "joke" of it all...

Mainly what hurts me is the idea of following other blogs that have showed the TRUE stories of people that have hurt over babies that have passed, such as Miracle Max... or the stories of joy of babies that have survived with prayer, such as Baby Harper.... & to have deceived so many who have followed this with prayers lifted & hope extended... I just dont understand.

A friend of mine, Chandra was telling me how her little girl was praying for Little April Rose the other night & she had to tell her that the baby was OK, that they needed to just pray for the mom... that's what hurts me... even little children were scammed in this... what is the joy or pleasure in that.

And that my Blog Buddy Lianna or others even submitted prayers for "His Will Wednesday"... that these people feel deceived & hurt - it just confuses me... no other word for it - confusing....

I am in agreement with the other blogs that promote praying for this lady who had this scheme going... she truly needs to be held up for issues of the heart that God can touch & heal....

I even had the link on the side to direct people to this place - wrote a post myself... I was just as deceived....

The reason I am saying something about this now... I got home from a great day with Julie & Isaac at the zoo & we were beat... naps all around. I go to check out my email & ABC News had contacted me! TRULY! They had seen my blog & wanted to discuss with me the whole story & how it felt to be deceived....

This was a legit call....I called them back & the number went straight to ABC News... I was amazed... but the reporter was very friendly.... unfortunately, I contacted him too late for my response - he was on a deadline... but he thanked me & now, I'm just waiting to hear the story on ABC News!!!!

And now, we go on with our guards up .... But I hope we can still, as bloggers, hold our hearts open for others who are going through hard times & need prayers & support! I hope we don't become jaded & automatically think the worst... but that we always love others... even Beccah... who obviously needs love more than anything right now...

Now, I'm headed to upload another LOAD of Isaac picture & we'll get back to our fun days with the most beautiful grandbaby in the world!!!!

Isaac Visit - Day 1

So we had a little scare at first... Weather was shutting down flights & Julie's was canceled this morning...

But after even going to the wrong airport... yes, she went to the wrong airport (we're so teasing her about that) - God was so good because Julie was able to get on a stand by flight which was so much better then her new flight that would have came in at 10:00 at night!

Julie & Isaac got here & Mr. Isaac was all smiles for me... but things didnt go well while mommy was loading up the luggage.... People thought I had to be punching him with the screams that were coming...

But soon, everything was all smiles & fun & games.... Isaac was running around hugging dogs, laughing at Nanny, playing with his new favorite toy with Pappy - a FLASHLIGHT! Yes, this is his grandson!!!! So fun hearing the laughter of a 20 month year old!

Pappy was ready to play some baseball with his little buddy....


Showing Nanny how smart he is with his toys... (Does that smile just melt your heart, or is it just me?)

We even had time for a super hero to be running around our living room... Cape & all! I think I saw a tear in his Pappy's eye at the sight of a tiny super hero!!!

& what a better way to end an evening sitting back & watching "So you Think you can dance"...

Its going to be a great few days ahead!!!!

Jesus got bug sprayed!!!

Our office was swarming with bugs in our window sills this morning.... it was very "itchy-feeling" once you saw them... (You itching now?)

A co-worker ran & got bug spray & was going crazy shooting it in the windows....I had a headache from the smell all day long!!!

Well, back up a second - when you walk in my office, you notice two things - I'm a Beauty & the Beast freak - objects on my desk, pictures on my wall, even use a Belle pen, have an Cogsworth paper clip holder, a Lumiere Pencil Holder, a Mrs. Potts Post it holder!

The other thing you will know about me- I love Jesus! Next to my big movie poster is a dry erase board that always has scripture on it that I'm memorizing... so when you see me at my desk, you can help but see scripture...

Here's a close up... I'll be talking about this verse very soon... Am loving this one!

You also will see Bibles on my book shelf & usually a study guide & a Bible open on my desk...

AND you will see a Navity Scene in my window... I keep it up year round! I love Nativity scenes - & this one is small & pretty sitting in the window sill. Since its all glass & in the morning, the sun beams right through that window - it will hit it & you will even see tiny rainbows on the sill... its beautiful!

Well... my poor Jesus today!

When someone ran in with bug spray, they threw everything out of my window - a jar full of jolly-rancers (can I hear a HOLLA for Watermelon flavor) - a picture holder with pictures of my nieces & my parents - even a bucket full of toys for when kids come up to the office to visit. All of that was grabbed...

Not the nativity scene....

She sprayed my Jesus with BUG SPRAY!!!! I just had to laugh at the scene of it...

Later, she did come back & clean it up for me...

But again, it showed me how little she may know about Jesus...

putting it together, she said, "How does this go?" -

I said, it doesnt matter as long as Jesus is in the center....

She walked out leaving the 3rd wise man on my book shelf

maybe she didnt know there were three... Mr. Wise Man #3 just waiting on the side lines here...

my Jesus is shiny & ready for another work day tomorrow though!! Hopefully Baby Jesus will make it through the day clean & bug spray free!

Loudest Cheer

I just got my "Christianity Today" magazine the other day & if you have it, you'll know what I'm talking about...

There was an article written by Kay Warren called "The Loudest Cheers in Heaven - One day God's invisible heroes will gain due respect"

I have to sum up a part of this to share...

This writer was in an airport & noticed a big crowd of people who had flags & were waving them & passing them out - signs everywhere - people waiting! They joined the crowd since they had time until their plane took off. Soon, soldiers were returning home - young, old, men & women. Families were cheering, strangers were cheering - everyone was there to show they were so grateful for these people & the work that they do.

The woman & her friend then thought about how it will be in Heaven.

One even said that if she made it to Heaven first, ".... I'll be on your welcoming committee - I'll be jumping up & down screaming "You made it! I'm so proud of you"

The friend said if she made it first "... I'll be at the head of the line to greet you!"

(The rest I'll just quote from the article because it is amazing & I dont want to do it unjustice)

All of us fight unseen battles every day, each believer a secret soldier locked in battle with forces no one else can see. The bravest among us are not necessarily those who fight with guns or tanks. The bravest person you know might be your husband or wife or neighbor or coworker who goes on living one more day when every bone in his or her body says its no use.

How much courage & tenancity does it take to enter this hidden war zone every day when an unseen Enemy is whispering (or shouting) "Let it go; give it up! There is no hope for a better tomorrow"?

The loudest cheers in heaven's victory stands may not be reserved for the obvious heroes. they may go instead ot the young man who chose to face the crushing disappointments of life, or the person who learned to ignore his Enemy's taunts. The most applause might go to the woman who refused to surrender her joy to the evil forces that never stopped reminding her of her brokenness. (That line right there just makes me cry every time I read it... relate?)

The hidden battles often involve hand-to-hand combat & leave us exhausted. How much more bearable would this daily fight be if we knew we were not alone?

How much could we lighten the load for another just by telling him how brave we think he is? Oh, to be so merciful with fellow soldiers fighting their personal, hidden wars.

Best of all, how much better when we bring undisclosed struggles into community, where victories can be celebrated TOGETHER, great losses mourned TOGETHER, & where whoops of encouragement can provide even the most weary soldier the courage it takes to keep on keeping on, ONE MORE DAY

Keep being Brave!!!! You're going to have a crowd cheering the loudest cheers for you one day!

What I learned...

The one thing I love about teaching & working with the youth is I learn so much myself...

I almost titled the last lesson that I learned something from this same thing.. but just used "Come thou Fount"... but I think from here on out, the things I learn from teaching, it'll just have to go under this name... so much to learn...

But today's message was very simple. Today was the big "move" - & by move, I mean our 8th graders who will now be in High school moved up to Senior High - the 5th graders who will be in middle school came up for the first time to "CrossRoads"... which can be very scary for these little ones. Change always is...

So my lesson was called "Are you normal" - which is really to show that no matter where you are at, especially when some scared 6th graders are in the same class with "mature" 8th graders - you are normal... that 8th grader was just in their spot just what seemed like yesterday...

The cool thing - Jesus went through the childhood ages, the teen ages, the young adult ages - he knew those feelings, those emotions.... how much encouragement is that! And we dont know much about his childhood - the Bible skips most of those ages - but we have to know he developed physicially, socially, mentally & most important, Spiritually.... because God was with him!

But at the end of the lesson - it totally hit me! As a Christian - we are called to NOT BE NORMAL! Normal isn't a preteen who speaks boldly of Christ - Normal isn't a bunch of kids organzing a Bible study at school - Normal isn't a group of young teens who pray before school for their school day together - Normal is not a teen who does not follow the "crowd" with drugs & sex.... so much of the "normal" world isnt the world that Christ longs for.

So yeah, these kids are normal... but I want them to be MORE THEN NORMAL! I think God wants that for all of us!

"Do not be conformed to the world...." -Romans 12:2

Six Word Saturday

WELCOME TO THE WORLD BABY EMILY!

My friends are now first time parents! This is Baby Emily.... Isnt she beautiful?

Pray for Mommy Erica - she had to end up with a C-section where she had to be completely put under, after a full day of laboring.... pray for a quick healing for her!

Pray for this new family.... this is a young couple who are amazing people & who love the Lord with all their heart! This little girl is going to grow knowing who her Heavenly Father is! So excited to see who she becomes in Him!!!

HAPPY BIRTH-DAY EMILY!!!!!

Friday Fragments

*Yes... as of this minute - still NO Air Conditioning in my home... enough said on that...

*Watching "Ellen" - I realize there are alot of people out there that really can't dance!!!! OH WOW.... & I wonder how many of them think they do dance good?

*It is LESS THEN A WEEK for Julie & Isaac to be here... anticipation is building!!! Gotta get my batteries all charged up for my camera! Be prepared - tons of Isaac stories & pictures will be coming up soon!!!

*THE BACHLORETTE.... did anyone else get totally creeped out about Tanner talking about feet the way he did???? And doing his little "Kiss Feet" Dance?...... I sat with my jaw actually DROPPED... especially when she KEPT him another week! SERIOUSLY?

*My buddy, Joe has turned me onto a Christian Rock group - "RED"... Here's their CD that I just picked up! Rockin' isnt even the right word!!! Its fantastic!!!! The song "Pieces" is just a great one! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-bpvq4_tEA (If you want to check it out)

*So You Think You Can Dance.... Can someone PLEASE tell me how Sonja picks Natalie (The adorable red head) to show how the dance is supposed to be danced & then the judges get rid of her????? But yet they let others "Dance for their life" & not let this girl have another shot? I am furious about that! Natalie.... you were treated WRONG!!!!

And WHY SYTYCD... why toy with my emotions even more? Putting the two Broadway Brothers against each other for the last spot? They were both awesome! If anything - the older brother should be put on as a choreographer... he is awesome! I wanted to cry when he took off his hate & said "My fears is what was holding me back...." & saying how everything that he thought was against him is now what could put him through! Evan is now my favorite! I will be voting for him every week!!!

*I am excited to see how this.....

Is going to turn into this......

*MOST EXCITING OF THE WEEK: My buddies, Joe & Erica are having a baby... they are enducing Erica this morning!!! If things go easily, Baby Emily will be born today!!!! This is one baby that has been prayed for & so anxious for her to meet her mommy & daddy who love her so much!!! Here's the moment that Erica told Joe she was pregnant 8 months ago... Of course, I'm always camera ready!

Happy Friday everyone!!!!

Come Thou Fount...

I did a message to the Jr. High kiddos the other day about the hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"...

I dont know if you remember my post on "It is Well with my Soul" - but that story just impacted me so much & I was looking at other hymns. This story hit me too but in such a different way - such a sad ending...

The man who wrote this song was a "punk" teen - which made the lesson even better for the Jr. Highers! - but he went to church with friends one night to "scoff at the poor Methodists"... he didnt know what some good preaching could do! He left a follower of Christ! Not at all what he was expecting going in!

He studies the Bible - became very wise in the Bible - & then felt the call on his life to become a Pastor. During this time is when he wrote that song "Come Thou Fount".... You can see the words of his life in that verse:

"Jesus saught me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God - He to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood"

The part that really struck me - I cant sing these next few verses without getting choked up - never have been...

"Prone to wander, Lord I feel it - Prone to leave the God I love..."

A long story put in simple words... Robet Robinson wandered from His God - the God he loved - the God he knew & told so many others about. He didnt come back either.

There is a story that he was on a stage coach one time & a lady riding along with him was singing that song & asked him if he liked it, His response was:

"Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I had then."

Can't you hear the saddness in his voice....poor unhappy man... I would give a thousand worlds...

He KNEW who God was - that God would take him back... but something must have kept him away....

The irony in the lyrics he wrote...

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it - Prone to leave the God I love... Here's my heart, O take & seal it - seal it for they courts above.

Lord - seal my heart...

Cold supper

We are in week 3 of no air... why? long story!!! But someone is coming Thursday to look at it - of course, Thursday, its supposed to be beautiful & in the 70's - no need for air then!

Today - not so much! When I came home - this is what the temp said in our window fan

Yeah... over 90 degrees in my house!!!!

Luckily, I had a meeting at church tonight so I got to go enjoy the air conditioning. Thank you Lord for a cool church!

And then I come home... what to eat? I for sure aint turning the oven on in our house... dont even want to MOVE to make anything...

So what's for supper?

Oh yeah - Fudge-cicle... calling my name!

Just had to eat it before it completely melted!

Now that's what I call NUTRITION!

Nothing bad to say...

My memory verse for last month was one that I love! To me, its one of those "HA" - in your face kinda verses! & I'm talking about a "In your face" in the sense of saying "You talking bad about me - BOO-YAH! You DONT have anything bad to say about me!"

In everything, set an example by doing what is good. In your teaching, show integrity, seriousness & soundness of speech that cannot be condemned so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us" -Titus 2:7-8

To me, this is saying - you do or say what is right, & people cant say anything bad... they're going to look dumb if they do!

But then I realized something as I was going over this verse daily for the past 15 days...

People are STILL going to condemn! People are STILL going to say bad things about me - or you! No matter how well you are doing something - no matter how well the intent of teaching others, there will ALWAYS be someone who will speak ill - someone who wants to drag you down!

So even though I'm looking at this with an attitude of "today" - I've been looking at it wrong!

I really think when we all stand before God - is that when the feeling of "shame" will be felt? Because I know some people will NEVER be ashamed of what they say about someone - no matter how wrong it is!

Will I feel shame for something I said? Will you?

I just know for me - it pushes me to be an even more accountable youth leader! I want to stand before God & know I did teach with integrity, seriousness & soundness of mind! And that even goes further then a "class room" setting... I want to teach my nieces, my grandson, my friends with those same values!

In the end... I know I want to live a life where no one has any ground to stand on when they accuse of anything! How about you?

Snag...

You all know I love to knit....

Here is one of the blankets I made for baby Emily that is coming FRIDAY!!! WHOO HOOO! Cant wait ...

It was funny though because something hit me so clearly when I was talking to one of the youth today.

The issue came up of how quickly mistakes can be made to ruin all sorts of trust. Of course, trust is something that is build up, takes time to earn from people & it doesnt take that much of a big mistake to break trust.... & if it IS a big mistake, its even harder for trust to be regained again.

My mind works in the world of yarn... beautiful merino, cottons, alpaca... aahh... OH - sorry! I'm drifting off into this world again.

But it hit me so clearly! I know when I work on a blanket, it takes TIME - lots of work! For those crafters out there - you know all the work that goes into making a blanket. Its something that you have to commit to or you wont finish it. Its not something you can do in a day (unless you are Miss Speed Knitter & if you are, I want to meet you!).... so much is INVESTED in something like that....

And it takes something simple to mess it up! Ever lay down for a minute & a piece of jewelry catch it when you get up? You snag it - you pull the yarn out of place - you mess up all the work that has been put into it? it didn't take long to mess it up... especially compared to the time it took to put it together....

How quickly mistakes can mess up all the work we put into something....

And if you ignore those snags, they just get pulled further & further making MORE of a mess!

The best thing though - even snags can be fixed! Its not easy & its not simple... but they CAN be fixed! It even takes a little bit more UNRAVELING to get to some good yarn to pick it up & MEND it....

If you are in a situation where if feels like a mistake has ruined a relationship... know that God can mend together any relationship back together...

& know that if its a relationship with HIM, He's the Master of Knitting! He knit us together in the womb afterall!!! He can truly master that mend!