Wednesday, May 31, 2006

I can say this....

I'm from Alabama....LOL...but believe me rednecks are not confined to the south...tee hee

A Redneck wins the lottery...


Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Memorial Day


Did you know that Memorial Day originated in Waterloo, NY in commemoration of the Civil War dead? Others were thinking along the same lines and Southerners, wanting a day specifically for Confederate dead began having "Decoration Days" honoring their fallen loved ones. To this day, churches and communities all over the South have special days set aside, usually in May, to honor the dead, war or not, by decorating grave sites of loved ones.

So how was your weekend???
Mine was awesome! Jadabear came and stayed the entire weekend...
We played on the swings and slide, watered the flowers and each other, and watched the baby cardinals in our magnolia tree. Her Poppy took her biking on the trail with her "pretty new hat" (translation...new biking helmet) and we rode her own bike around the neighborhood too. We went swimming in the neighborhood pool and ate popsicles...all while her mommy relaxed, went shopping, toured the new Atlantic Station in ATL and watched X-men with her good friend A who came up with them. Cooking out on M Day, of course and sad to say...off they went this morning, back to Jax....I cried....:) but Jada gave me kisses so I cheered up.
....then as soon as I got in to work...surprise!!!! Jeff calls...he's home from Europe! Home being PA...not GA.... I had no idea when he was to return but I was thinking it should be soon. I was so thrilled to hear his voice! I really like it better when he is on this side of the ocean. He is glad to be home and he sounded so gooooo!


On another note. I saw on the news where John Snow is resigning from the Sec of the Treasury. He's my old boss from CSX....wonder what ex Sec of Treasurers do??? I guess they are just born money makers...

How did you kick off the summer? It is summer where you live by now isn't it???

Friday, May 26, 2006

LIF- To be Held

This song has been on my mind for days...even before I heard the news from Jax. I realize that it isn't the easiest gospel to swallow but I remain convinced that God is Sovereign and completely in control and that nothing that comes into the lives of His children is accidental or with out meaning. He is the Great Redeemer and as such, redeems everthing that touches our lives if we can only accept His redemption. Not one tear or pain is wasted in His Kingdom. He alone knows what is right and good and just and kind and He is all those things, even in our darkest moments.
When our world falls down around us....He holds us....

Held
Natalie Grant

Two months is too little.
They let him go.
They had no sudden healing.
To think that providence would
Take a child from his mother while she prays
Is appalling.

Who told us we’d be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We’re asking why this happens
To us who have died to live?
It’s unfair.

Chorus:
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we’d be held.

This hand is bitterness.
We want to taste it, let the hatred numb our sorrow.
The wise hand opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we’d be held.

If hope is born of suffering.
If this is only the beginning.
Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we’d be held.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Jacksonville

We, our friends, family, and the church at large have suffered a great loss this past week. A beautiful, and incredibly unique girl has passed from this realm....

I was there when she was born.... she was radiant, glorious and vibrant with supernatural Life. It was 1/1/00, the new millenium,.... such a strange yet exciting time and I was so blessed and thankful to be a participant! So many came to meet her...spent time in her house, fellowshipped with her, ate with her, watched her in amazement as she grew so quickly, and were awed by her freedom and the sheer strength of her voice. She freely proclaimed her Lord to any and all who would hear with wisdom beyond her years. It was obvious that She was born for Him and His purpose alone.....though young, she sacrificed everything to share His Life with others.....and I was priviledged to be there...to partake...

but this world takes its toll....

After a time, sickness crept in...some discerning ones saw her struggle...others had no knowledge but only noticed that her radiance was dimming. She no longer reached out to the far ends of the earth with her glory, she no longer raised her voice high proclaiming her Lord as she once had. She became tired, sluggish, her face clouded with pain.....until one day her earthly father looked at her and knew the truth....she was slipping away.....
She departed this life on Sat. May 20th, 2006.
She was 6 and a half in earth years, yet timeless in God's eyes.
I was blessed to have known Her.
Good bye my lovely one!

**********************************************************
I post this tribute
.....To her earthly father, to all those brothers and sisters who suffer her loss, to all who stand for something they see deep in their spirits, though it be but a dream for the present... to those who fight to climb that mountain and stake a flag even just a little bit higher up the precipice, those who are the pioneers of the faith who are among us even now, always striving for higher ground........May I steadfastly stand in your company......we are still climbing toward the Light!



President Theodore Roosevelt
Speech at the Sorbonne Paris, France April 23, 1910
"The Man In The Arena"

It is not the critic who counts;
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,

or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly;
who errs,
who comes short again and again,
because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;
but who does actually strive to do the deeds;
who knows great enthusiasms,
the great devotions;
who spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
and who at the worst,
if he fails,
at least fails while daring greatly,
so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls
who neither know victory nor defeat.

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Misc Stuff

OMG did you see the finally of 24 last nite?!?!? I missed all but the last half hour, which is a sin in my house... my kids were calling and updating me as the night wore on...(I know...we're weird:)) What's gonna happen to Jack? Will next season be in China? I heard they were thinking of relocating for next year...what about Chloe having an ex-husband?? ....and can you believe we have to wait til Jan 07 for all this?!?!
Now tonight and tomorrow I'll be missing American Idol!!! What a bad TV week to get a PT job!! Hey, guess what my temporary PT job is?? Manning phones in a call center answering questions regarding the theft of Veteran's information that you heard about on the news yesterday! How exciting is that? to actually be part of the news...so to speak. :) I like call center work and I'm hoping to eventually get on at this place permanent PT...like 12 hours a week or something...they usually have 24 hour shifts so anytime you can be there is workable( I like 2 6hr shifts so I don't tie up every day of the week) and they pay much better than a mall job or something like that. Also its usually pretty easy, you just take info, provide courteous customer, answer certain questions from a script, etc. and I don't mind phones...I know some people hate em...but i have worked crazy jobs where the phone rings off the hook to the tune of 180 calls per day for 2 employees along with regular job stuff and it doesn't bother me...I can do that and a couple of other things at the same time. :) this project only lasts a couple of weeks but they will have others. Unfortunately I am signed up to work a lot of days over these couple of weeks but I'll live. I have my foot in the door at least.

Another guess what??
My Katybug and Jadabear are coming for the holiday weekend!!!! Yay!! 4 whole days! I can't wait! Definitley NOT working while they are here!We talk to them almost every day (thank god for cell phones!) but Jada is growing sooooo fast! Her Poppy is planning to take her out on her bike on the Silver Comet trail and boy is he excited! lol (for those of you who know my biker husband...he can't wait!) :)

On another note...I have some dear friends in Florida who are going through some very difficult stuff right now....if you think of it, please lift them to the Lord...He knows who and what...

Monday, May 22, 2006

Monday Morning

Morning,
Had a lovely weekend to myself.....read a novel(the entire thing), slaved in the yard (yards are such hard task masters...the work is NEVER done! and now I'm sore all over)......sat in the sun and did nothing ( it was gorgeous here this weekend)....cleaned house a little bit......went yard sale shopping, (and found some great bargains too!) ....took myself out to eat...Mexican.....shopped.....watched a movie....took a hot bath (after aforementioned yard work)..., chated by phone with my kids, sis and mom....slept in....all in all Very Nice!....wow and pretty busy too looking back over it....:)

Oh yes, and I got a 2nd job! Well its only temporary but I'm hoping it will turn into permanent PT. For now its only for a couple of weeks but cash is cash, ya know....
What were you up to over the weekend?

Friday, May 19, 2006

LIF

Not feeling any lyrics today...or this week even.....til I happened here .
...she's a dear sister and friend...incredibly talented...incredibly spiritual,... beautiful. The lyrics she listed remind me of all that is important...I had forgotten this Keith Greene song....Take a peek.

Thank you Lord, that You are all I need and in You, I am all You need me to be. Amen.

Have a great weekend my friends!

Thursday, May 18, 2006

What to do?

Hubby to be out of town this weekend...mom's away visiting her sister....no kids....hmmmmm...2 whole days alone.....what shall I do??
Ideas anyone? You should know that I have absolutely no friends but you guys right now(everyone I know is out of state)...and funds are limited......haha..... Don't you just love my life??
Okay put on your thinking caps ...movies?, yard work?, reading,? reorganizing my house?, thrift store bargain hunting?, eating out?,...I'm up for suggestions......

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

The weekend

Back to work....
Lovely weekend....the wedding was all I told you it would be...beautiful fushia and citrus green colors. the bride carried fushia colored roses, the bridesmaids wore fushia, the accents were not yet colored hydrangeas (those greenish white blooms) and green apples...very pretty. The bride was lovely, the groom cried when she appeared....so sweet. They have been friends in the same church and schools since middle school.
the reception was a plated dinner for about 500, great food, fair band (this was not a musical, dancing crowd I guess. :)) huge cakes, bride's and groom's...we were seated with my husbands mom, aunts, uncles and cousins so the conversation was lively. My 3 yr old nephew was so overstimulated that I thought he was going to blow a gasket. lol He danced and ran around like crazy...very funny to watch and funny to watch his daddy chasing him too. lol
There was a candy bar for favors and fireworks to top it all off. Very snazzy and magazine worthy. I think it will be in Alabama Bride in the fall...the happy couple are in Jamaica for their honeymoon.(they had a 6am flight on Sunday...Yikes! who's idea was that?? :))
Mother's Day was very nice too. We had a big family cookout for all the moms...which is my sisters inlaws and mother inlaw. We visited for hours...Great fun!
I popped over to see my mom and my aunt, who is like a second mom to me, to round out the day...oh yes, my kids all touched base, except for Jeff who is in Europe and he sent his good wishes by e-mail.
Hubby and I had a leisurely drive home yesterday and here we are...back to the routine...

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Oh NOooo.....


Not Chris!!!!! I admit, I was less than thrilled over his performances on Tuesday nite and I did say to several friends that if I was voting someone off after Tues. it would have been Chris...ohhhh....I'm sorry...I didn't mean it!! I was just temporarily ticked off....really, I wanted Chris to win it all...well until Elliot kept getting better and better...but I just thought he was THE ONE.....Catherine should have gone.......boooo hoooooo.....
Seriously...I did cry when they made the announcement last nite and felt terrible for my lapse of loyalty....
but I was very happy to see Elliott in the top 2...he is really very deserving...but I will have a hard time seeing any of the semi-finalist as an American Idol...Taylor is destined for a good career, he's a born entertainer.....Cat should be on Broadway and Elliott...well maybe he can do as well as Clay Aiken at least...but Chris...he's a star! I hope he makes it somehow anyway!
This morning on our Christian radio station they played a clip of Chris leading worship with a Christian rock band called Absent Element...I knew I liked that kid...:) and I'm sure God is involved in this cut from AI....He directs the paths of His kids and just maybe Chris is one of them...

On to other crisises...(how do you spell that?)
Anyway....I love shoes....I really do...I have dozens and rarely get rid of any. I probably have 5 pairs of red shoes alone....of course, like jello, there's always room for more...:)
I got these great new white espadrilles....they are so cute and go with everything....skirts, slacks, capris...awesome....one problem...I have this hip that hurts if I wear flat shoes....and I have this foot that hurts if I wear high heeled shoes (curses on this age thing!!)....what's a girl to do??? I have to get it just right... not too low, not to high, just the right angle...its really a pain, and I mean that both ways :)...especially for a shoe luvin girl like me...
and now I find that my cute new white espadrilles that felt so right in the store are too angled...too high...I feel like I'm about to topple forward everytime I wear them....and my foot hurts if I have them on for long...not while I'm wearing them but if I take them off...even for a minute...ohh the agony!
Ladies, I refuse to be relegated to the orthopedic shoe look! "Difficult but fashionable" is my battle cry! I will wear them, and look fabulous in them...at least long enough to get from the car to my desk! lol

Interesting turn of events yesterday...my son is traveling in Europe with his band and wired some funds home to me to deposit in his bank account for him...we've done this before...no problem. Not this time...he emailed saying he had sent money by Western Union and strangely enough I was to pick it up at Gaby's Music and Video store....?? weird? yeah...
I called Gaby's (yes they did exist)...they don't do Western Union...they don't speak English...they hang up on me...3 times
Uh oh, I'm getting worried...I call WU...they've never heard of Gabys...the confirmation # I have is not WU...my son has no phone with him...I can't call him up and say GET BACK TO THAT PLACE YOU WIRED FROM AND GET YOUR MONEY BACK!!! NOW!!!
My husband calls Gaby's, they hang up...he has his Hispanic friend call...in Spanish...they hang up....(this place is in a very bad part of ATL, btw)
finally hubby gets someone on the phone who doesn't hang up...he just says..."I have money there, I'm coming to get it, right now"... they say "okay". We don't know if they even understand. Everyone in Europe says.."ok...no problem". He drives there first to make sure its safe, with his policeman friend's number on his cell ready to push "call" . This place is truly a strange place, very much like stepping into a foreign country (thank goodness my hubby is used to such surrounding and how to function in them) they do have videos for sale..new and used (no DVDs at all)...they also have snacks, shoes, jackets, magazines and American IDs...all offered in Spanish and bars on the windows...scary scenario....
Someone there does speak English..in person at least if apparently not on the phone. Of course they won't give him the money..my name is on the transfer....but thankfully there is a transfer...I was fearful that my son was going to lose his money...you know?? I meet hubby there and we get the transfer finalized...I walk out of there with over $1000 in cash...hubby walking behind me like a body guard...phone in hand. I get into my car, lock all doors and drive away while he waits to be sure I'm not followed by the nefarious looking men in a truck waiting outside just as we exit the building.....very scary indeed. Needless to say...our son will get a good talking to over this one... :) Even worse...when I talked to him today he said that the place he wired from said WU over the door....you just can't be too careful, now can you??

Saturday is my nephew's wedding...perhaps you all remember my mentioning it some time ago when we were in the throes of preparing for Bek's wedding. He and Bek are 6 weeks apart in age and their weddings are about that far apart too. Whooo hoooo...Its gonna be a shindig!!
To be held at a 4 star hotel, with a lay out in some Bride magazine and with 600 invitations sent out it will be a sight to see. I can't wait! and I'm really glad it wasn't mine to plan! haha Whew! I can sit back and relax...eat up...dance my heart out and visit with family and friends I haven't seen in ages...I'm gonna have a blast. Nothing to do but enjoy...
I'm wearing a gorgeous outfit I bought a couple of years ago for a big party that I have only worn once...Its Florida gorgeous...split on the sides flame colored chiffon... pants... ? maybe sort of, very flowing skirty kind of pants...floor length of course...chiffon flame colored tank top with a white and flame sparkly jacket over top...its a knock out and just a little bright. lol....I intend to be noticed in that crowd of 600+!...lol...Seriously...I was concerned a little about the... hmmm....shall we say, loudness, of my ensemble until it occurred to me that I don't remember hardly anyone's outfit worn to Beks wedding other than the Bride's... :) all eyes will be on the happy couple I'm sure, as should be and I'll just feel like a million dollars... and that's a good thing...:)

Monday, May 08, 2006

Grace and Peace

Almost all of Paul's letters to the churches in the NT either begin or end with "Grace and Peace". Now I get it....
Imagine these communities of believers...small bands of people, I'm sure very different kinds people, who have come to know Christ. They may have never known each other except for this experience of coming to Christ, they may have nothing in common but Him. They are thrown together in communal life, they have become The Church together....they are the only church in their city and the only ones who believe this strange story of a man dying, then coming back to life, then coming to live inside of them....they have no one but each other. They must stick together but their experience in Him is possibly their only commonality.
Now imagine the friction...the personalities...the power struggles....the financial inequalities.....the insecurities...Spirits are re-born, but souls take years of healing so these people are still people...with issues....
All this is a breeding ground for disaster.....misunderstandings...arguments....offended feelings.....every day, concerning every thing. These people live together, tightly in community...sharing their lives and their faith with one another...they bug each other and get on each others nerves even on the best of days....
The water that washes away the misunderstandings?....the oil that soothes the offences?.....that settles the arguments both large and small??
the only thing that can help you to lay it down when there has been no agreeable solution....
Grace and Peace

Friday, May 05, 2006

Who is Grace?

Grace
Definition: effortless beauty, a sense of fitness, a disposition to be generous, mercy coupled with kindness, honor or favor rendered by one who need not do so, Divine love bestowed freely, an excellence or power granted by God.
I'm thinking about grace a lot these days.....What? Am I in sin? Have I "fallen away"? No nothing like that....Did I tell a white lie or say a swear word? No small sins either, that I know of....then why am I thinking about grace?
I asked the Lord the same question... :) "Am I in trouble, God?" lol "Then why is grace on my mind" Then very clearly it came to me..."Don't you think you need Grace all the time, even when there is nothing wrong?"

Only Grace
There is no guilt here
There is no shame
No pointing fingers
There is no blame
What happened yesterday has disappeared
The dirt has washed away
And now it's clear

There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy
And believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone Without a trace
There's nothing left now
There's only grace

You're starting over now
Under the Son
You're stepping forward now
A new life has begun
Your new life has begun

There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy
And believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone Without a trace
There's nothing left now
There's only grace

And if you should fall again
Get back up, get back up
Reach out and take my hand
Get back up, get back up
Get back up again Get back up again

There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy
And believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone Without a trace
There's nothing left now
There's only grace
There's only mercy
And believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone Without a trace
There's nothing left now
There's only grace
So get back up, get back up again
Matthew West

What a great song! Sins are gone...nothing left...starting over....what happened yesterday has disappeared...there is no blame.....But do we believe all this stuff? Really believe it?

"Of course we do," you say. Of course there is grace in unlimited quantities for unbelievers who are coming to Christ, no matter what they've done,....or for new believers just starting out on their walk, they always stumble. Of course we believe it, it is the bedrock of the gospel. We hear this preached Sunday after Sunday...in every church, on every Christian televison program, in every Billy Graham crusade. He is a God of grace. He died so that we might have this grace to cover all our sins. We all know this stuff...

So what happens after we believe. Does the grace suddenly stop or slow to a trickle? Is the unlimited kind only for sinners coming to Christ for the first time or after you get really dirty again? What about me, what about us as believers? What happened to our God of Grace? Did He change? Did the playing rules change? I know...now we can't simply turn to Him and ask His Grace...we have to pay some penalty of shame, guilt, embarrassment, public humiliation....after all its only fair, right?
Somehow we seem to think....or at least convey in our actions, body language, words and deeds that while His grace is unlimited for "sinners", it is very limited for those of us who have already confessed Him as Lord. We don't rate as much grace as the heathen do 'cause we should "know better".
Why do we do that, why do we think that? How dare we! How dare we emasculate Jesus Christ!

He is the personage Grace. It is who He has always been. He did not "become" grace because of sin...He was already grace before sin ever entered the picture. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, He was the Lamb slain before the foundations of the world... "what?, was there sin in eternity past?" of course not...but grace was offered none the less from the Father to the Son and the Son now pours out to us that same grace...It is not something He provides or extends because His Father told Him to. Grace is not just a piece of the "Salvation" package. It is WHO HE IS! Just as He is Love...He is Grace. He cannot stop being who He is.
He is Grace when you first meet Him...and you are overwhelmed by Him...He is Grace when you stumble along as a new believer...He is Grace when you are tried and true, mature in the faith...He is new Grace every morning, every day, every single minute.
It is not what He does...It is Who He is!
He is
effortless beauty, a sense of fitness, a disposition to be generous, mercy coupled with kindness, honor or favor rendered by one who need not do so, Divine love bestowed freely, an excellence or power granted by God

Why then can we, His people, not exhibit this face of Jesus Christ and be grace...not only to the world but to one another?....if the Father can pour Grace into His Son before the foundations of the world, His Son who was and is sinless, and the Son can in turn pour Himself as Grace into our lives then surely by His effortless beauty and disposition to be generous we can do the same for one another. Our brothers and sisters in Christ who make up His very body on this earth are still in need of Him in the shape of Grace every day ...I know I am.... Actually in the giving, we pour grace back to the one who is Grace....wow!

Be GRACE to someone today...

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Knowing the Lord

If you long for practical means to better know your Lord, if you are tired to death of sitting on pews and listening or talking endlessly about knowing Him without actually doing it then this is worth a read....
Knowing the Lord

So are these...
Experiencing the Depths
Living by the Highest Life
The Centrality of Jesus Christ

Monday, May 01, 2006

I don't believe in coincidences

Do you? God is God, God is sovereign...He is in total control, nothing happens by accident and when He wants to get your attention He knows just how to go about it. One of His favorites is repetition...He says things several ways, several times, from the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses, right? If you remember my post of 4/26 and 4/28 you would most certainly note that I am feeling a desperation for Him...a need of His voice, His presence, His Life.....this morning I made the rounds of my favorite blogs and low and behold...I heard His voice....He is calling...."come closer, sit at My feet, gaze upon My face"....not to me only.... but to many believers whom I fellowship with in blogosphere....to you...
Check out these sites to see what He has been up to this past few days....
HeavenlyHeartburn
Godwardthoughts
JobsTale
GraceReign

These all give voice to His call to turn to Him, look at Him, BE with Him.....
I think I'm listening now...:) I haven't forgotten Him, I'm just easily distracted, are you? Its OK, He doesn't hold it against us...He is still there inside...waiting......

So many times we hear these sermons, exhortations to meet with God...but rarely accompanied with any practical means of doing so...reading your Bible?...yeah, that goes in one ear and out the other...praying?... yeah, my prayers sometimes feel as if they go about 3 feet and fall to the ground, then I get distracted and forget what I'm praying for...is there anything that WORKS? any way to just BE with Him? How many times have I heard this from dear hearted believers? Even felt this way myself....

Yes, there is,...there are a million simple ways to remember Him and I intend to start remembering Him again, turning to him again, right now - this very day. Who will join me?

I will do it this way....each time this week, that I flip on/off a light switch, I am going to remember Him. I am going to turn my heart to Him, think of His Light, His power, His illumination, whatever He impresses upon me.....
Perhaps only for a brief instant...perhaps longer.....but I will turn to Him, smile at Him, call His name...
He is there...waiting....
Are you In?

Today is the day...

Today is the day immigrants all over the US plan to make the rest of us aware of just how critical they are to our society. I am not against immigration...my own family immigrated here as did yours unless you are native American...which I am a teeny bit, so I guess I'm both...but I do have some thoughts on the matter which are summed up nicely in the quote below.

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Let us pray that our legislators figure out a way to handle this mess we now find ourselves in.