Misc. Monday..I mean Tuesday...

Feelin' pretty crappy this weekend...when will this "change o' life" thing ever finally happen??
Ahem...anyways...
Dinner out on Sat.... always love a date with my sweetheart....:) ...especially here...and wow what a crowd!! Does everyone on the planet go out for dinner on Saturdays?!? I think everyone in ATL does...thank heavens for reservations...and did I mention we dined in some elite company? we did see a gorgeous blue and silver Rolls Royce complete with chauffeur dropping someone very special off at the restaurant...:) couldn't tell who exactly...but we got a seat first!! ha!

Also over the weekend.....Weather was lovely!....hubby took me here for a long leisurely walk yesterday...(he's so sweet!)




I caught up on some of the wedding collage I'm STILL trying to put together...yes, I know they've been married for almost a year now...I can't help it, I'm a busy woman! :)


Played in the sandbox with Jadabear....she no longer thinks staying at Gigi's is a treat and threatens disobedience at random just as she would with a parent...sigh...(the novelty has worn off)
we also rode her Barbie Hot Cycle up and down the sidewalk ...(well she rode and I chased and pushed a little) ...she is getting very good at it...she is now in daycare 5 days a week and loves it!


Relaxed and caught up on my Prison Break and 24 last nite....
did Franklin actually hang himself?!?!?
Will Michael and Link ever be exonerated??
Not Sucre!!
and looks like T-bag will get his with that creepy ex-guard on his plane...
Yeah for Mario!
did Logan actually get saved?!?!
and would they really kill off two black presidents in two years?!?!
(now if I've lost you...you must not be a Prison Break or 24 follower..:))

and in my Oscar nod...congrats to Jennifer Hudson on her Best Supporting Actress win for Dream Girls...way to go girl!! I'll be trying to follow American Idol this year too...

gotta go...my diet Pepsi and paperwork are calling....

Stirrings

I have some things on my mind today....it seems the Lord is stirring in my heart again..(did He ever stop?) I'm not sure but it certainly feels as if He withdraws from time to time...perhaps He only wants me to come after Him for a while...He pursues me so vigilantly...sometimes it really should be my turn...

Here are some random bits and pieces of what is stirring around in my spirit...

My son...he is traveling with his band in Europe...which is common...but this week I have had him on my heart....praying for him daily...

Brittany Spears...I know, I know, should pop culture really influence my life?? she is a young woman in a great deal of pain...unsure of where to turn...obviously feeling very rejected and judged.....This week, watching her come unraveled...I have felt pain and the whisper of the Holy Spirit to lift her to the Lord...He loves her just as He loves me.

Philippians....my hubby and I are looking at it together...here is a portion that stands out...repeating a word I have heard, in various ways, several times this week...blameless...
Phil 2: 12-15 ...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

What an exhortation!...to be blameless and harmless...implying that we can and are...

Spring....I feel new life emerging...both natural and in my spirit...and though we do not, cannot live by feelings....it feels good! :)

LIF- same as last week..:)
I will lift my eyes to the Maker of the mountains I can't climb
I will life my eyes to the Calmer of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer of the hurt I have inside..
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes...to You!

I am feeling His call anew....I am lifting my eyes...and though I follow even when I do not feel (that is the faith part after all..)...feeling His call, His Spirit stirring in mine...is surely a welcome breath of spring!

Oh My Word!!!

The sun is shining, the sky is blue....the daffodils are blooming....its 55 degrees at 8:30am...going up to 70 for sure today! Could this be spring?!?! I surely hope so! Where else would you have a wind chill of 12 on Sunday and 70s later that same week...ahhh I do love living down south....:)

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.

Henry Van Dyke (1852–1933)
Fisherman's Luck (1899)

Only Southerners...

Got this via email and had to share...it made me laugh out loud! It sounds like a Foxworthy monologue...BTW..did you know that he (Foxworthy that is) has a store where you can buy???? ...ahem...Southern stuff???...LOL You'll find my ad lib in black italics...:)

_ Only a Southerner knows the difference between a hissie fit and a conniption fit, and that you don't "HAVE" them, you "PITCH" them____ and I've certainly pitched my share

Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens, turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., make up "a mess."
_____My Mamma sure knows

Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of "yonder."
_____ Yep

Only a Southerner knows exactly how long "directly" is, ... as in: "Going to town, be back directly."
_____ My Granddaddy said directly on a regular basis


Even Southern babies know that "Gimme some sugar" is not a request for the white, granular sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl in the middle of the table.
I said dugsh for sugar when i was a toddler... :)
____

All Southerners know exactly when "by and by" is. They might not use the term, but they know the concept well.
_____ Amen to that!

Only a Southerner knows instinctively that the best gesture of solace for a neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and a big bowl of cold potato salad. If the neighbor's trouble is a real crisis, they
also know to add a large banana puddin!
_____ Love me some banana puddin!

Only Southerners grow up knowing the difference between "right near" and "a right far piece." They also know that "just down the road" can be 1 mile or 20.
_____ or just past the hayrake....

Only a Southerner, both knows and understands, the difference between a redneck, a good ol' boy, and po' white trash.
_____ Ain't that the truth!...and believe me, they do all exist!

No true Southerner would ever assume that the car with the flashing turn signal is actually going to make a turn.
_____ Never assume anything!

A Southerner knows that "fixin" can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb.
_____ and I've used it in every way imaginable...

Only Southerners make friends while standing in lines, ... and when we're "in line," ... we talk to everybody!
_____ I know my sister sure does...lol

Put 100 Southerners in a room and half of them will discover they're related, even if only by marriage.
_____ well, its true..or at least we know their mamma's, neighbor's, brother

In the South, y'all is singular, .... all y'all is plural.
_____ Y'all got that?

Southerners know grits come from corn and how to eat them.
_____ and its not one at a time either

Every Southerner knows tomatoes with eggs, bacon, grits, and coffee are perfectly wonderful; that red eye gravy is also a breakfast food; and that fried green tomatoes are not a breakfast food.
_____ I tole y'all red eye gravy was good!

When you hear someone say, "Well, I caught myself lookin'," you know you are in the presence of a genuine Southerner!
_____ I personally have never "caught myself lookin"

Only true Southerners say "sweet tea" and "sweet milk." Sweet tea indicates the need for sugar and lots of it -- we do not like our tea unsweetened. "Sweet milk" means you don't want buttermilk.
_____ y'all all know how I feel about this subject

And a true Southerner knows you don't scream obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the freeway. You just say, "Bless her heart" ... and go your own way.
_____ "Bless her heart" is what Southerners say just before or after they make some fun or do some gossipin or backbiting

To those of you who are still a little embarrassed by your Southerness: Take two tent revivals and a dose of sausage gravy and call me in the morning. Bless your heart! And to those of you who are still having a
hard time understanding all this Southern stuff, ... bless your hearts, I hear they are fixin' to have classes on Southernness as a second language! And for those that are not from the South but have lived here for a long time, all y'all need a sign to hang on y'alls front porch that reads "I ain't from the South, but I got here as fast as I could."
sometimes it does feel like being a Southerner is like being from a foreign country...but a very nice one...:)

Have a great day!...and y'all come back now, ya hear?

Lyrics I Feel = LIF

I hope your Valentine week was good....but whether you received candy and roses...sweet nothings in your ears or nothing at all.....never forget...He holds all things together....and He will hold you together too...

Through several difficult days this week I found these lyrics to speak powerfully to me....I implore you to join me in lifting your eyes to Him who is forever the Lover of your soul.

I Will lift My Eyes

Bebo Norman

God, my God, I cry out

Your beloved needs You now

God, be near, calm my fear

And take my doubt

Your kindness is what pulls me up

Your love is all that draws me in

I will lift my eyes to the Maker

Of the mountains I can’t climb

I will lift my eyes to the Calmer

Of the oceans raging wild

I will lift my eyes to the Healer

Of the hurt I hold inside

I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

God, my God, let Mercy sing

Her melody over me

God, right here all I bring

Is all of me ‘Cause You are and You were and You will be forever

The Lover I need to save me

‘Cause You fashioned the earth and You hold it together, God

So hold me now

God, my God, I cry out
Your beloved needs You now...

More blessed to give....

Of all my Valentine memories one particular one stands out in my mind. It is the story of Christ and the Church, as told by mere mortals one Valentine morning a few years back....

The churches I have fellowshipped with are very hands on kinds of groups. We have no pastors or local leadership therefore the spiritual life, direction, and ministry of the church is determined and carried out by we, the members. It is a lot of work and responsibility but very sustaining and encouraging. We get to experience first hand, the Body of Christ being built together in visible ways. For this particular Valentines Day the sisters in our church decided that we wanted to do something special for the brothers...a church Valentine, if you will.
We decided on a Sunday brunch. We would keep our plans a secret from the brothers, decorate one of our homes and prepare food, both physical and spiritual, to feed them. Each sister was responsible to bring, not only a portion of the meal and help with decor, but each one was also to come prepared to minister to the brothers in some way...be it a song, a poem, a prayer, some portion of scripture, an encouragement...it could be anything that would bless them or speak to them... Our plan for the meeting (and this was our Sunday meeting) was that we would act and speak as the Lord and treat our brothers as the Bride of Christ. After all, the Church is not referred to as a soldier or an army but She is referred to as a woman and a bride and how often does an average brother in the church have the opportunity to experience what it feels like to be a bride? How often do they get a glimpse into the feminine characteristices of God's house that come so naturally to women?
With this in mind we prepared a beautiful meal complete with sparkling cider, chocolates, flowers, music, candles...everything a woman enjoys for romance. We also prepared to speak to them as if they were the Bride of Christ and we were the voice of their Bridegroom.
We began by putting on some sweet music and gathering together for prayer, as sisters. Our brothers were asked to wait outside as they arrived until eveyone was present.... At the appointed time, we sisters flung open the doors and welcomed them in, singing as we escorted them to their seats. The brothers were immediately overwhelmed and the looks on their faces ranged from surprise to anticipation to awe to tears. It seemed our plan was working and a wonderful meeting was in store for the brothers.
The sisters rotated in serving and sharing so that all during the meal some sisters were singing, praying, or otherwise ministering. There was no chit chat and the atmosphere became more and more charged until no one was left unshaken, brother or sister...For an hour and a half nothing was spoken other than words of love, appreciation and encouragement straight from Jesus Christ for these men who made up the backbone of our church family. May I just say that the effect was profound.... some brothers ate, some couldn't eat a bite and some broke down completely, sobbing in their plates...It was amazing and I think I can say that each of us, brothers and sisters alike, felt as if we had entered a time machine and been transported outside of this realm to a place where God actually does dwell among His people and does speak to their hearts. He was most definitly there that day.
As we drew near the end of our time together, one sister was appointed to be the final contributor...as she finished her part she instructed the brothers to close their eyes and worship their King to a taped song...and as the brothers worshipped...the sisters slipped away...like thieves in the night...out of the house... leaving the brothers alone with their Lord....

*****************************

But that's not the end ......
In an unplanned moment, the sisters in the kitchen had gathered up the leftover fruit, bread, cheese, cider and chocolates...once outside on the sidewalk we unanimously decided on a meeting of our own...almost as if we were propelled...in one accord we headed down the street to the garage turned meeting room where we often met as a church, singing and practically dancing as we went. Once inside, we flung down blankets onto the floor and laid out the goodies for a sponteanous picnic. We laughed, we sang, we worshipped and shared....all was forgotten in the awesome presence of the Lord!
What a time of communion it became...a glorious outpouring of the love of God on us, the sisterhood! I'm not sure how you feel about the Lord's Table...but let me tell you, we were at it! He was there in power and glory pouring Himself out in each of us, on each of us. It was an amazing time of encouragement and love from the Lord Himself flowing into our hearts.
Though we had attempted to share the love of God with our brothers as from the Bridegroom to His Bride, we incredibly found ourselves on the receiving end as well, in a wonderful moment of communion with our Lord and with one another..... caught up in the greatest love affair of all!

...and perhaps the lesson learned for me that day was simply this..."it is indeed, more blessed to give, than to receive."

• "He brought me to His banqueting
  table...His banner over me is
  love...."
  

My littlest Valentine..:)

Wear More Silk

I was forced to change over to the new blogger today so if you have problems with my site...that's why...they didn't give me the option..just said.."do it"...turns out its was very easy and seems to work very well...from my side anyway...

With V day in mind.....no not really...just doing regular maintenance on my marriage by checking this out....


Looks like fun... :)


What are some of the flirty, sexy things you have done to spice up your marriage or significant other relationship?...that you can put into print...tee hee



Update...guess I should include a tip or two of my own..:) I've been known to have an indoor picnic for 2 on a blanket by the fire...send balloons to work...leave a trail of love notes leading to a surprise...book a romantic weekend getaway in a themed B&B....

Your turn...:)

Superbowl past.....

It is amazing how much the Superbowl weekend has become a huge event in American culture...its like a non-holiday....I was out shopping yesterday and the closer it got to time for the game the more deserted the stores and roadways became...strange but kind of nice too...in a snow day kind of way...for me its sort of nice to think of thousands of Americans all doing basically the same thing, celebrating basically the same way...Its cool to be a part of the culture as a whole and like thousands, dare I say millions of other Americans, I spent the weekend chillin, running errands and watching Peyton Manning and company win their rings...Yay for Peyton! Isn't he just the most endearing thing? and isn't Tony Dungy a fine brother...always giving glory to God...even when the press tried to make his appearance and his win something racial...he made sure that everyone knew that while, yes, he was proud to be the first African American coach to win a Superbowl...that was not the most important thing...the most important thing to him was that God get the glory...and while personally I don't think God gives a hoot who wins the Superbowl...He certainly cares about His testimony and Tony Dungy did Him proud...He was clear that he is a Christian first...and a black man second...I couldn't be prouder of a brother in the Lord.

Now on to the fun stuff...
Which commercial did you like?? hmmmm?
I liked the Blockbuster one with the rabbit and guinea pig trying desperately to order a movie using the mouse...LOL...too funny!

And I liked the careerbuilder.com commercials...all of them...depicting how brutal it can be in the work place...it really is a jungle out there....:)

I thought all of the Budwiser commercials were totally stupid...except for the Paper, scissors, rock one...stupid but funny...who can't laugh at the guy actually throwing a rock and knocking the other guy out to win the beer.

the K-fed one wasn't too bad either...gotta appreciate people who can poke fun at themselves.


Did you watch?
What did you think?

Ms Barclay

When I was in the 6th grade we had an awesome teacher named Ms. Barclay. She had taught school as a young lady, married, had 3 kids and recently lost her husband. Though I didn't realize it at the time...she probably had to go back to work after his death...I didn't know any of that though..only that she was a new teacher in my school and I was assigned to her class. This was before the days of changing classes except for math so my classmates and I were stuck with each other and with her...all day every day. It soon became apparent that she was like no teacher I had had before....She allowed us to arrange our desks in creative ways...divided us into fun groups to work together on classwork...extended recess and did lots of other new and exciting things that I had never experienced before in school. I was assigned to a group of about 5 girls...some of them quite popular( but we didn't know that term at the time). We turned our desks to face each other in a circle and had tons of fun from there on. I can't be sure but I think we were Ms Barclay's favorites...We worked hard, made good grades, were eager to please and very sweet little 11 yrs olds...so when we concocted the idea of a Valentine's Day party...she agreed. Of course we had always had V Day parties in school, we exchanged valentine cards with our classmates and our moms brought in cupcakes and juice. (this was the old days people, when a card saying "Be Mine" only meant that you were friends and nothing sexual was implied). This, however, was to be a different kind of party!

I don't remember how it all come to be but somehow my group of 5 organized the whole thing and assigned everyone in the class to a duty.
V Day fell on a Friday that year and when the big day arrived so did we with cookies, cakes, candy, punch, music and of course valentines. I well remember, I made round cookies with pink or white frosting and a candy heart in the middle of each one. They were beautiful! In my memory it seems like it lasted all day but I'm sure the party was limited in time. We probably had lunch at our desks, which we always, did then it was on! Til school was out at 2:15 we partied...we pushed back the desks, put on the music, played games and chowed down on sweets til it was time to catch our buses home. The actual valentine card exchange is a ghost of a memory but the gay abandon of the day and the age remain vivid imprints in my mind, I mean Larry S. actually climbed on top of the science table to dance and sing Build Me Up Buttercup and Brown Eyed Girl!! I ate so much junk I was sick all weekend...LOL

So much in our lives was changing...we were growing up...it was the last time I can remember doing the traditional card exchange and the last time I can remember not knowing who the popular kids were or caring...we all grew up of course and moved on to Junior High and High School...many of us joining new cliques and rarely crossing paths the rest of our school years but forever that teacher, that group of classmates, and that day will live in my memory as one of the best school days EVER!! Thank you, Ms Barclay..where ever you are!!