My Day Off January 28, 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Random thoughts

How do you like my unbirthday gift? Some very dear friends thought of the Harley Girl in me and gave me these sheets I LOVE THEM!! Got my motor running and gave me spring fever--or should I say riding fever!!!
Thanks Guys


The second picture is of the book that represents the class I am taking with some others from FFC. I was told that if I took the Perspectives class my life would change forever. Then Monday night we were told that if you are getting comfortable with where your life is right now get ready because it is about to change!! Now wait a min. I have had so many changes in the last two years I want to be comfortable for a little while!!! Then I saw the video on Mila's blog about Jamacia and last week on New Orleans and my heart is really being tugged on. So many people needing so much help, but what do I have to offer? That is what I keep asking, what is it that I am supposed to do, where is my place in all of this big wonderful plan that God has to bring glory to his name? The answer to those questions are yet to come, I only know that I want to go, I want to be used by God I want to serve him. I want to be brave and bold, I am not like that on my own so I know it will be a "God thing" when it happens!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

The monster trucks were BIG and TOUGH. THEY COULD BURN RUBBER LIKE NON OTHER AND THE WHEELIES AND DONUTS WOW!!! Those are just a few of the comments I heard last night. We had really great seats 6 rows up right in the middle right where all the action was, Thanks Mike! Needless to say my boys had a ball and I enjoyed just watching them and being with them. Just another reminder of how special life is and that we should grab on to each and every moment. I heard on the news this morning that at an event in Washington I think just like the one we attended a 6 year old boy was killed by flying deberis from a truck that broke apart. You never think about the danger to the spectators until it happens. Once something like that happens then people go into blame mode and trying to see who is going to pay for the loss of life or injury. Life is like that there is danger and death around every corner and many times we look for someone to blame or pay the price. Guess what? the price has already been paid!!! Jesus died on a cruel cross all alone just to pay the price for all our mistakes, all the danger in this world, all the loneliness and pain. Think about it THE PRICE HAS BEEN PAID now all there is to do is accept the comfort, protection and saving grace that is offered! That is power more awesome than any monster truck and I am so glad that I can reach out and grab it.

I am really pumped and ready to serve my Lord. Today's message was all about keeping our eyes on the Savior, trusting him to catch us, to lead us, to protect us. I don't want to ignore him or pretend that I don't hear him, I did that for far too many years. I also do not want to live in fear of what might happen or what I might be asked to do. I think that is some of the dirt from yesterday that I need to wipe away,FEAR of what God might want me to do. After today I am excited for what the future may bring starting with tomorrow, no starting right now I am giving thanks in everything, it's all about HIM not about me. Oh yes New Orleans look out Farmland is heading your way and you can't stop us!!!!!

Hugging the Commode!

Today I was hugging my commode and not because I am sick ----well that is not entirely true I was sick this morning, I've been sick for weeks now but this was the second time for dry heaves gross isn't it?!Brought back memories of morning sickness--no! no! no chance of that!!=:) Anyway back to the hugging, I was scrubbing with Lysol trying to get rid of the germies that have invaded my home. While down on my hands and knees I heard in a very plain voice "You have to hug the the dirt to get rid of it." What? What on earth does that mean? Why was that spoken to me? Does it have something to do with missions since that is on my mind? Is there something in my life I need to look at? Anyone have any thoughts? As this develops I will sure fill you in.

For now I am going to get ready to take my grandsons to a Monster Truck Pull. I have no idea what I am getting into but we have a chance to go for free and they are really excited. I will take pictures.
I'm off!!!

They say that it is going to get bitter cold tonight so I have been trying to keep the fireplace going, trying to remember all the things that you are supposed to do when the temp. drops below freezing. Open the cabinet doors, to allow heat to the pipes, let the water drip, keep curtains closed, make sure your sidewalks are clear etc. Bringing in the wood tonight at 10pm it is hard to believe that the weather is going to be so dangerous in just a couple of hours. I looked down my walk and saw the snowmen and lights I had uncovered earlier were again covered with a blanket of soft snow they were so beautiful so I took pictures, then went out on the deck to measure the snow my ruler shows just a little over and 5".
This made me think about things in life that seem so beautiful but yet are so deadly. Sometimes we do things that seem innocent thinking that it won't hurt us. We let little things sneak in and make a home in our lives and before we realize it we are in trouble. God has provided us with all we need to stay out of trouble but we ignore his word cause we want our own way. Just some thoughts on our "private" life, don't know about you but I think I will take a look at some things that seem innocent in my life and make sure they truly are innocent.

weapons of mass destruction!

I'm sick! I didn't know how sick until yesterday when I made an unexpected trip to the office of a doctor I didn't know but I was desperate! I walked in with no voice, coughing and runny nose. I walked out with a mega dose of antibiotics ( 1,ooo mg twice a day!) nose spray and orders to rest. Here we go again me and this rest thing, I have been in bed for 2 days now and am climbing the walls. Against my better judgment I am going back to work tomorrow. I got to thinking about the meds I was given and what the doc told me later that I may develop a rash, a yeast infection, another secondary infection all just to get rid of a serious upper respiratory infection!! Is it worth the risk? Well yes I am sick and I want to feel better so I will risk the other infections to get rid of this one.
Sometimes life is that way too, you have to take risks to move forward, to win the race or get the golden ring. Risk taking is scary you don't know what is out there sometimes you don't know which path to take. Sometimes we make bad choices and then we pay with more problems, sometimes we choose right but have to endure even more pain to achieve the prize but it was worth the pain. So is the decision to follow Jesus there have been times when I wondered if it is worth it but you know what? The reward of eternal life in Heaven, the idea of seeing my dad, grandparents, aunts and uncle, and of course Glen makes it all worth taking the risk. How about you is it worth taking the risk?
By the way my next weapon of mass destruction is the big Clorox bleach bottle!!!!!

Preparing

Strange title I know but that is what I am doing Preparing. For what? I am not sure but God knows. I am looking at this year very differently than any other, again I don't know why just am. I am starting out with not feeling good, I again have laryngitis, which once I get this I usually carry it for several weeks uck!!!! My chest is so tight it is hard to breath, thankfully I don't have a fever so I don't need the doctor (good thing since I still don't have insurance and I sure can't pay them on what I make!!!!) I think I am going to turn into a Chamomile Tea bag!!
Back to preparing for 2009, I have started reading the book of James for the 3rd or 4th time in preparation for our trip back to New Orleans. Charles challenged us the first year I went to read that book and see if we remained the same inside. I read it and I changed and each time I read it I change again. My desire to help and care for the people gets stronger and even though there are lots of other places I would like to visit on my week's vacation I can't see myself going anywhere but New Orleans. Because of my experiences there I have been able to speak of my faith much easier and have witnessed at times that have really surprised me.
Second I am preparing for Growth Group, God has taken a group of women who need encouragement and courage to be women of God. We are learning how to share and pray out loud. We have learned that we are special and that praying is just talking to our Father and telling him how we feel and what we want. I have learned that it is good to speak out loud even when it is just me. That speaking the desires of my heart seems to make it more real, that God really hears me. I am looking forward to see where this group goes, I would like to see them be more willing to reach out to others who need love, help, encouragement etc. I think God has something special for these women, can't wait to see what!!!
Lastly there is preparation in my personal life, things that I want, things that I would like to change, places that I would like my personal life to go. People that I would like to see return to God and some that I want to find him for the first time. Grandchildren that need guidance in their lives, to make much better choices than they are making right now. The teen years are so hard, do you remember? I sure do.
For the moment I am taking one day at a time really one hour at a time, we will see where I go!

Am I getting old or have I just Lived?!?!

DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN....?

All the girls had ugly gym uniforms? Mine was red and one piece!!

It took five minutes for
the TV warm up?


Nearly everyone's Mom was
at home when the kids
got home from school?

When a quarter was
a decent allowance?

You'd reach into a muddy
gutter for a penny? I still do a penny is a penny!

Your Mom wore nylons
that came in two pieces? Oh dear that's how I started out!!

All your male teachers wore neckties and female teachers had their hair done every day and wore high heels?
You got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, without asking, all for free, every time?
And you didn't pay for air? And, you got trading stamps to boot?
Laundry detergent had free
glasses, dishes or towels hidden inside the box? I got lots of glasses and towels this way! How exciting to open the box and see what surprise you had.!!!

It was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents?

They threatened to keep kids back a grade if they failed. . and they did?

When a 57 Chevy was everyone's dream car...to cruise, peel out, lay rubber or watch submarine races, and people went steady? Those chevys were great parking cars too!!

No one ever asked where
the car keys were
because they were
always in the car,
in the ignition,
and the doors were never locked?
Stuff from the store came without safety caps and hermetic seals because no one had yet tried to poison a perfect stranger?

And with all our progress, don't you just wish, just once, you could slip back in time and savor the slower pace, and share it with the children of today?

When being sent to the principal's office was nothing
compared to the fate that awaited the student at home? I dreaded coming home lots!! Yes I was known for not keeping my mouth shut!
Basically we were in fear for our lives, but it wasn't because of drive-by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! But we survived because their love was greater than the threat.

Send this on to someone who can still remember
Laurel and Hardy,
Howdy Doody & the Peanut Gallery,
the Lone Ranger,
The Shadow Knows,
Nellie Bell ,
Roy and Dale,
Trigger and Buttermilk. I really wanted to ride with Roy Rogers how cool would that have been?

I am sharing this with you today because it ended with a double dog dare to pass it on. To remember what a double dog dare is, read on. And remember that the perfect age is somewhere between old enough to know better and too young to care.
How many of these do you remember?


Candy cigarettes
Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water inside
Soda pop machines that
dispensed glass bottles
Coffee shops with
tableside jukeboxes
Blackjack, Clove and Teaberry chewing gum Clove was my favorite

Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers

Newsreels before the movie
P.F Fliers
Telephone numbers with a word prefix...(Twilight 7-7328).
Party lines

Howdy Doody
Hi-Fi's
45 RPM records
78 RPM records!

Green Stamps Oh the stuff you could get I got a high chair for my baby!!!
Metal ice cubes trays with levers
Roller-skate keys
Cork pop guns
Studebakers
Washtub wringers-- My first washing machine!!
Erector Sets- these things cost a fortune today!!
15 cent McDonald hamburgers

5 cent packs of baseball cards - with that awful pink slab of bubble gum
Penny candy

25 cent a gallon gasoline - What a bargin!!

Do you remember a time when...

'Race issue' meant arguing about who ran the fastest?
Catching the fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening?
The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was 'cooties'?
Having a weapon in school meant being caught with a slingshot?
'Oly-oly-oxen-free'
made perfect sense?
Spinning around, getting dizzy, and falling down was cause for giggles? I still do this but not on purpose now!!

The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team? I think this one is still good today.
Baseball cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle?

Taking drugs meant orange-flavored chewable aspirin?

Water balloons were
the ultimate weapon?

If you can remember most or all of these, then you have lived!!!!!!!


Pass this on to anyone who may need a break from
their 'grown-up' life . . ..I double-dog-dare-ya!

Happy New Year!!

This is the first day of the rest of your life, what are you going to do with it? That is the question that I ask myself often. Some days I think I make pretty good choices but others...... well....... We all make good and bad choices and we just have to live with them and move on. How did you spend your New Years Eve? I for the first time in about 13 years went out with friends. It was the first time that Parker James and I did not spend New Years together in his short 8 years of life. I don't think it bothered him any but Grandma gave it some thought!! I went to a dance with a girlfriend and had a wonderful time but as I looked around the room I saw so many lonely people. You can see it in their eyes and faces, they are lost and wonder what are they going to do with themselves now that they are single again? I hurt for them because it is like they don't have anything to live for, I know how that feels, after 2 divorces and a death of a spouse I too asked that question more than once. But I found answers!!!! Jesus showed me lots of reasons to live grand children, children, mom, friends, church, New Orleans.... need I go on?!?!?! Life is all about choices and what we do with them. I told a friend today that "Sometimes life sucks,but at least I get to experience it!!" I want to experience all that life has to offer me in 2009 I would prefer that it be all good for once as the last 2 years have been rather rough but what ever I am looking forward to new and exciting adventures!!! With that said I am ready to ditch the cold, ice, wind and snow and get right in to summertime!!!!