Keyboard Update

Currently the keyboard that I spilled Coke on is drying. We put it through a rinse cycle in the dishwasher and have it propped up near one of the heating vents in the house to help the drying process along.



The report on its condition is this: The keys are working! They are no longer sticky! I'm waiting at least another day before I plug it in and see how it works. I have to make sure it is completely dry before I fire her up.

I Am a Sinner and a Saint

Katie makes me out to be much more than I am. I am so faulted it's pathetic. Here's a self-assessment of some of my faults, I...



- am very impatient. VERY!

- can be way too critical of others

- am stubborn (my staff informed me of this today as a matter of fact! LOL)

- hate putting my laundry away and have a problem with piling my clothes on my dresser.

- don't pray enough

- eat out too often

- am addicted to the internet and Battlefield 1942 online.

- can be easily irritated at the constant chaos of children in the house.

- spill Coke on keyboards

- am often too quick to anger when simple things do not work right, or I can't find something (like a remote control).

- hate going to the doctor (I have to be in immense pain or feel death coming on)

- worry too much about finances

- panic if I am invited to someone's house for dinner (because of my eating disorder...which is simply the fact that I am a very picky eater and that's a whole other post.)

- am terrible about sending out greeting cards on appropriate holidays/birthdays.

- have a very low tolerance for stupidity (which is so not Christlike!)

- form opinions about people according to the condition of their teeth.

- have rebellious tendencies

- PRIDE - I have a MAJOR pride problem!



There's a lot more wrong with me, but it is nice that Katie is able to "forgive" all the faults and manage to see a bit of Christ in me. That right there is yet another miracle God performs in me daily!



I am a sinner. I am a saint only through Christ.

I Hate Blinds!

I went through ALOOOTTTT of trouble replacing old blinds in the livingroom window because the ones hanging there were broken. Well, the ones that replaced them just broke. They are really wide and we have support brackets across the middle to keep them from breaking. The problem isn't there. The problem is pulling the string to open and close the blinds. I opened them today and the weight of the blinds caused the string pulley area to snap...just like the last set of blinds. I hate blinds! It's time to think of another form of window treatment!

Keyboard in the Dishwasher

While I was blogging the last post, the keyboard began to do some very strange things. At the present moment, I am typing on our old keyboard and the new one is in the dishwasher.......yikes!

What a Way to Start a Day

I just got back from a trip to visit my family last night. Gracey (my car) was riding pretty rough. She needed an oil change and is due for her 80,000 mile tune up. I also took her for a ride down a pretty muddy gravel road and she looked a mess. I woke up this morning to the phone ringing. Sue called from work to tell me that she had taken Gracey and left Jeepers with me today because Gracey was at Firestone getting a tune-up and oil change...then she added "And I'm also getting her cleaned...did you go mudding yesterday or something?" LOL. An 80,000 mile tune up....wow! I was waiting until later on in the year when finances were a little better. She thought it needed to be taken care of now and she took care of it. I have tears in my eyes as I write this. I don't know what I ever did to deserve such a friend. I only know that I see Jesus every day when I look at Sue. He lives in and through her. She doesn't believe it sometimes. She says that she doesn't behave very Christlike sometimes but, neither do I. Even the best Christians often tend to behave very human. But, every day when I walk around this house and drive my car and see the blessings all around me that God has provided through Sue who selflessly sacrifices daily for my family, I can see that He still "walks with me and talks with me" just like he did with Eve in the garden. He just wears a different suit of skin. I see him through many others daily as well but, it is through Sue that I have seen Him more in my life than anybody else and I don't think she will ever realize or could ever know the impact or the difference she has made. I don't think she can imagine the legacy that will be left behind long after we are gone because of the difference she has made in my life and the lives of my children. God has been using her to make a big difference. He had a work to do in us and she was one of His very important carving tools. I praise my God for saving us and for sending us such an awesome gift in sending His Son to die so that I can be saved by His grace. I praise Him for my salvation and for sending me and my children the awesome friend and sister that I have in Sue. I am blessed beyond anything I could ever put into words.



Thank you, Lord.

I Didn't Learn My Lesson

I didn't learn my lesson. I am sitting here with a Coke on the computer desk.

Preaching to the Baptist's in the Back

Church was great today! It was soooooooooo good to be back in fellowship!



The message was on being optimistic. It contained a lot of stuff I needed to hear about looking at situations with optimism. We saw a film clip from the movie "Alive" about the Uruguayan soccer team crashing in the Andes and how those that survived 70 days in the wintry mountains had optimism keeping them going. Paul, our pastor, shared about how Caleb came back to Moses with a spy report and said "we can take that land", but the others advised against it out of fear. Paul said that if we don't look at things optimistically, the outcome isn't very optimistic!



He used an analogy about a bunch of grapes. When you open the fridge to eat some grapes, sometimes in that bunch, there is one grape that looks rather "malignant" he said. I chuckled at that. He asked "what do you do with that bunch of grapes? Do you throw them all away? He said, "no, you remove that malignant grape and throw it away and then enjoy the rest of the grapes." Paul explained that often times we get so fixated on that one tiny malignancy, that we don't enjoy the rest of life.



Paul talked about how we need to learn to be optimistic in the face of many turns in life, including: Challenge, Adversity, Failure, Change and God's Work. It was a great message.



At one point Paul said "hey, I just thought of something...everyone stand up and turn around." So we all obliged and then he went hustling back into the sound booth at the back of the church. It was funny because on his way back up the aisle he said "everybody watch me, oh, I'm in a hurry, I have to go to the bathroom!" LOL Anyway, once he was back in the booth, he started preaching from there! He said, be optimistic about this change...those of you who normally sit in the back are now in the front. HA! This is one way to preach to the Baptist's in the back! and those in the front are now uncomfortable with being in the back." It was an interesting illustration for us today.



It is amazing how God speaks through His people and can use humor to do it! I was laughing a lot during this message today, but it really spoke to me.



There is nothing, absolutely no situation that God can not handle. What appears as a boulder of trouble weighing me down, is a BB bouncing around in the boxcar that God just sent off with all my problems.



The whole point? Don't let what you see control you, let God work.

Christmas

Christmas 2003 was a good one. I slept most of the day, but managed to enjoy the kids having a blast at Christmas. It seems like each Christmas I spend sleeping because the retail season just wears me out!



Katie and the kids are away for a few days and I have been enjoying my time here alone. I have enjoyed doing my bible study and playing my computer games. Today I went to the movies and it was so fun. I sat there in glee as I got to pick my own seat...literally too! There was me and an elderly couple in the theatre to see Master and Commander. I sat in the second row middle. I love it up close! I like to get sucked right into the picture, the movie itself if you will. I also knew that Katie probably wouldn't enjoy an action film such as that, especially one that takes place on the high sea because she has a tendency to get that motion sickness thing going on with that "virtual" movement stuff. So, I enjoyed the movie and savored the popcorn too! Yum! I love movie popcorn. I am so glad that it has been declared healthier for the human body than broccoli. (In my dreams)



I had a nice Christmas and was happy to receive the gifts that I did. My parents are wonderful gift givers and this year I actually recieved some gift cards to WalMart. I like gift cards. I spent about half of the sum today. I decided to use the gift given to me to buy the kids some bookshelves for their rooms. They don't have any. Their rooms contain a bed, and a dresser. Tiffany's dresser has some broken drawers that I wish I was skilled enough to fix, and Justin has only a box spring and mattress, no bed frame at all. Because they have no bookshelves, all their toys and other things like books, and knick knacks simply lie on the floor. I got tired of that and decided to use some of my gift to get them some nice decent furniture for their rooms. Kids aren't going to care about bookshelves because you don't really play with them, but I know I will enjoy having their rooms with some stuff up off the floor! I guess it was all selfishly motivated! LOL



Now if only I would get motivated to put the shelves I bought for myself together so that I can get my room straightened up! LOL

I Spilled Coke

Help! I spilled Coke all over my keyboard. I'm surprised the keys are still working...albeit a little sluggish.



I'm such a dork!

Remembering to Trust

I read a short devotional from Nicole Johnson . In it she was talking about how we do not forget how to ride a bike once we learn. She explained that our muscles have memory and even if we haven't ridden a bike in years, as soon as we swing our leg over the bar and sit on that seat, hanging on to the handle bars, our muscles remember what they need to do to balance and to ride that bike.



She talked about emotional memory too. How we remember certain wonderful things about our childhood, and can just as easily remember the bad. It is actually possible to feel the same emotion as in that specific memory.



The she talked about how we often struggle to trust God. Nicole Johnson suggests that we learn to rely on our "trust" memory of sorts. Remember how God came through for you the last time? Think of those times that the bill got paid when you didn't see how it would be possible. How that situation at work came to fruition and all is well. Remember how you prayed for someone you love and God worked it all out? God earned your trust. Remember all the times He earned it. He never fails you. Johnson says we have "trust memory". The more we use it, the more we will learn to trust Him. By meditating on those times in the past He carried you through, you will learn to trust Him during those future crises that may come your way. Once you learn to trust, you won't forget how and pretty soon it will be like getting on that bike again!



I thought that was kind of neat!

Can't Stop Pounding the Nails

Well, sometimes I just feel like a failure at everything. I am not the friend I want to be. I am not the person I want to be. I am not the Christian I want to be.



I'm not sure this is a good thing, the fact that I am constantly worrying about my Christian witness. It is one thing to be conscientious, but I think I obsess. I obsess to the point that I am always thinking to myself, what is the "right" thing to do? Or, how could I have done that...I've blown it now, this is why people don't come to know Christ, because of people like me.



I can't stand that I make mistakes and totally blow it sometimes. I did recently when I spoke careless words and hurt somebody. They would never confront me, but I know I was in the wrong. It's been bothering me. Today I talked with this person and apologized for speaking words that hurt and for even thinking them. I was wrong and I asked for forgiveness. It all ended ok, but I can't take back those words.



My mom taught me once that sticks and stone may break your bones but words will hurt more. I believe it to be true. You can put a cast on a broken arm (or maybe not in my grandma's case), and it will heal, but that word that pierced a heart still hurts and it won't go away. I feel like such a loser.



I always feel guilt. Katie says I am right to feel conviction, but wrong to always feel guilty. That I am not perfect and I will make mistakes. I get sick of screwing up! "Guilt is not from God", she says, "condemnation is straight from the enemy!" I know this to be true, but it's hard. I want to please God. I want God to smile on me. I want to arrive in His Kingdom in Heaven and have Him look into my eyes and say "well done my good and faithful servant", but I am not deserving of these words. I know that Jesus' perfection is what God will see, and does see, when He sees me. I know that Jesus takes my place. I know that my sin is nailed to His cross. Sometimes I really hate that. I hate that my sin put Him there, hanging on a tree, and I still can't stop pounding in the nails.

Christmas

Interesting Christmas for my family this year. I got an email from my ma yesterday telling me how my Gram (maternal grandmother) fell while placing gifts under the tree and broke her arm. It was a bad break but with her age being 87 and her osteoperosis (sp?), the medical people decided to immobilize the arm, rather than insert a pin which would require surgery. I am sad to learn that it is my Gram's right arm because she is a crossword puzzle person and writing will be difficult. Her mind is sharp as a tack and those crosswords keep it fine tuned! She is also an avid reader. I think she has read every book in the library...twice, maybe even more than that!



Then today I learned that my sister Dawn, who is moving to Las Vegas, picked up the trailer she was going to use to move her things. She planned on hauling the trailer behind her car. Today, on the interstate, after she picked up the trailer, the U-Haul people apparantly didn't hitch it up correctly and it came loose, smashing into the back of her car. She is okay, thank the Lord, but her car is not good. Obviously this is NOT a good thing and has put a dent, literally, into her moving plans. I am just thankful she is ok and wasn't involved in any serious accident when the incident occured.



All this helped to make this holiday very memorable for my family!



It's nice that this season is coming to a close. I posted some good sales numbers and my staff worked very hard. I appreciate them very much. We had fun today too! I kept announcing every now and then in my "NASA" voice "T-minus two and a half hours remaining...". My assistant insisted that a "watched pot never boils" and I kept on announcing "T-minus one hour and 14 minutes." Shortly after that I announced "T-minus one hour and 25 minutes remaining" and said "OH NO! TIME IS MOVING BACKWARD!" LOL This day did seem to last forever and then my company requires us to stay until all this stuff is done. Every year I say "It's Christmas Eve, when the paperwork and sales reporting is done, we go home." When Tiffany finished the paperwork, I said "let's go!" and we all dropped what we were doing and left the store. My staff couldn't believe I had them just drop what they were doing, but I think it is wrong to keep them there longer than need be. I'll get the stuff done Friday, hopefully, and I don't want to be a scrooge! I think it is ridiculous to stay late on Christmas Eve.



I have a great staff to work with. We have so much fun! There are those not so good days, but for the most part I've got good people working for me. It's a treat to be with good people and enjoy our work. It can be overwhelming at times, but when we all work together, we are successful.



I am happy that I will be going back to a five day work week. I have been working six day work weeks and putting in 55-60 hours a week. I'm exhausted. Being on five day work weeks again will be a welcome relief and will allow more time for God. I plan to use my time a bit more wisely when it comes to my intimate time for Him. I really need Him, and I have just about knocked him out of the picture. I'm ashamed. But, I'm ready to recommit!



That's all for now. Merry Christmas! He Lives!

Earthquake

Found some interesting stuff at Maps of Recent Earthquake Activity in California-Nevada. Nothing like a natural disaster to provoke interest in something.



Why is that?

The Last Christmas

A sister in my church was recently diagnosed with lukemia. She was given 3 months to live without chemo and a year with. She has many other health problems and I have recently heard that aside from diabetes, she has also suffered from a stroke. We have some of her things here that we were keeping in storage temporarily until she found a permanent place to live. She found an apartment just before she was admitted into the hospital. She's been there for several weeks and will be there for several more.



I don't want to give too many personal details because I don't know how she would feel about it. I think that it is safe to say that she has had a very hard life and has been very depressed lately. Things have appeared to be quite hopeless even though we know that with God all things are possible. Now, it seems that God is calling her home. From the most recent report, it seems she is failing fast.



As I watch the news and see all the Christmas related commercials and conversations on t.v....I can't help but wonder what goes through her mind as she lays in that hospital bed. She has no blood relatives with whom she has a relationship..only the church. The hospital is a long drive and we ( the church family) are trying to visit her as much as possible. I wonder if she is lonely. I wonder if she wants to be alone. I wonder if she thinks "This is may last Christmas on Earth." I wonder if she thinks about Jesus and being with Him...if she anticipates it...if she is afraid...or is she sad when she thinks about how she will not be here next Christmas?



What is it like to KNOW the time that God has chosen? I know there are some benefits like being able to say your goodbyes and being able to make the last moments count and planning your last days and making arrangements for what you will have left behind....but, what does a person think about when they are alone? Does she talk to Jesus? Does she cry? Is she thankful? Is she at peace?



I wonder if she believes that she is dying or if she believes that she is going to get a miracle and live? Is she? Who knows?



I can't imagine what it would be like in her shoes. I don't feel comfortable asking these things. I want to go see her. I did go and see her last week but she was very sick and I don't even know if she remembers my visit. Sue and I stopped in with the kids. She had just begun chemo. Things looked a bit brighter then but now, her body is just not cooperating. It's almost easier to know what to say at a funeral than it is to know what to say when your friend is dying. I feel afraid when I see her...what if it's the last time this side of heaven? What if I say the wrong thing? ( I'm gifted that way.)



I just wonder...what would it be like if I knew that this would be my last Christmas. Talk about a flood of mixed emotion. Please pray for my friend. I know this must be so difficult for her. Pray for us as we attempt to minister to her needs. Thank you.

Jeepers

Jeepers, my jeep, is an awesome vehicle that I inherited. It is not often that people inherit $35,000 jeeps with less than 6,000 miles on them. I was blessed, and still consider myself blessed that I have a nice vehicle to drive. I must say though, that I have learned something valuable through my experience with this jeep.



I have learned that $35,000 does not necessarily buy quality.



I could never afford to drive a jeep like this if I were to buy one right out. Sometimes I miss my old $10,000 pick-up.



I have had this jeep for a little over two years now and I have just crossed 42000 miles. I have had one problem after another. The major problem was with the brakes which I noticed as soon as I drove the thing home to TN from Ohio. It took me a year of convincing the dealer down here that there was a problem and I was expecting Jeep to cover it.



I had a problem with the rear passenger side door lock that was taken care of before the warranty ran out at 35,000 miles. I also had a problem with water leaking in the headlamp and therefore causing the headlights to blow. They took care of that without cost to me, which they should have, but now I have yet another broken thing...now the driver side door lock is making a horrendous sound and the diagnosis? The mechanism needs replaced, it is covered under "warranty" after a $100 deductible. Oh brother. I don't understand why with a $35,000 vehicle I have had the thing in for small things that I don't think should "break" after such a short time/mileage.



My little pick-up needed repairs now and then, but they were your basic maintenance things. I drove that thing to 180,000 miles! For an additional $25,000 toward a vehicle's worth, I expect better I guess. Should two lock mechanisms need replaced in such a short time? I've already had the brakes replaced! Seals busting out on the headlamps? What's next? I know, the power windows. I hate power windows. The simpler things in life just don't seem to break as easily. Give me my crank!



I do feel blessed to have a vehicle, and a nice one at that. I also feel blessed to have the $100 to pay the deductible today because I can't stand broken things and want it fixed. I guess I just want value.



If Daimler/Chrysler says the Jeep is worth the $35,000 price tag, then I expect $35,000 worth of product. In my estimation $35,000 should not buy these sets of problems for at least five years!



My own words just came back to haunt me. Katie just responded with a saying she has banned from this household. I used it rather inappropriately toward her the other day, which inspired the banning, and she is now showing me how ineffective it can be. She said "suck it up." LOL



That's the last time that will be used in this household.

My Christian Walk

I haven't been to church in weeks. I hate that. It's amazing how being out of fellowship with other believers can really take its toll. My spiritual life is weakening. It is not good. I want to feel holy!



This time of year the retail business is in full swing. I love it! Sales and selling, people buying and I thrive on making a person's shopping experience in my store pleasant. Many people are dragging around a lot of "stuff" and come into my store looking very tired. I try to keep smiling, keep my associates smiling so that the fatigue in the faces of the shoppers won't manifest itself in any ugly way. On the underside of my name tag lanyard, I wear a little note to remind me of my purpose. Katie sent it to me via another associate a few years ago when I was feeling down, it says "When you walk in His Light, the lost will see Him more". I try to always remember that.



Problem with retail is that at this time of year, when life gets hectic, working keeps me away from fellowship. I miss my brothers and sisters. I miss worshipping with them. I miss watching the Spirit move during service, which is why I am pining for this upcoming Sunday. I will work the late shift, which will allow for me to attend church. I am part of the body and I feel a need to be ATTACHED! LOL



Only a little more than one week and life will begin to settle down again. Whew! Another holiday season will be over! I seriously need to re-evalutate my commitment to Him, and some things will need to change. I look forward to what He will lead me to do.

Make-A-Flake

I created some snowflakes. It was fun. I was sent to the site by a friend who emailed me the website. Try it here!











I think I did better on my second try!



Here's Katie's creation, I think she has a gift!

Wedding Song

Someone found my site doing a song search: Google Search: "when two or more are gathered in his name" wedding song. They were probably looking for the Wedding Song by Paul Stookey, from Peter, Paul and Mary called "There is Love".



Beautiful song. I'll have it played at my wedding.

Spam Squad to the Rescue

This is good.



I am curious to know, however, how much business spam does bring in for people. Do people really "click here" for information about penis enlargement? Is it possible that someone actually reads the "ad" and says to himself "hmmmmmmmmmm, I think today is the day I will become a real man!"



Do people really put thousands of dollars into the account of the foreigner who needs to raise money for the organ transplant for his daughter?



I figure spamming must actually bring in business or it probably wouldn't exist, it would be pointless. What's worse? The spammer, or the one who actually responds in a positive way to spam!?

Britney Spears

Found this quote at Plugged in Online

Don't Look At ME!



"These parents, they think I'm a role model for their kids, that their kids look at me as some sort of idol. But it's the parents' job to make sure their kids don't turn out that shallow. It's the parents who should be teaching their kids how to behave. That's not my responsibility. I'm not responsible for your kid."

- Britney Spears

I would agree that Britney Spears is not responsible for "your kid." But, if, as she contends, it is parents who are responsible for their own kids...WHAT THE HECK WERE HER PARENTS DOING OR NOT DOING THAT SHE TURNED OUT "SHALLOW"?



Just a thought.



*Katie just added: Kids imitate their "idols", they are their "role models". Kids do not look to Britney Spears' parents as their role model!



**Another thought from Sue: LOL, Katie, that was funny! Whether entertainers intend to or not, the fact is, they are in the public eye and they are watched. Kids will imitate, emulate, and idolize popular figures. It is the parents' job to raise kids with morals and values, but entertainers do have a responsibility as well, not in raising kids, but in upholding common decency and an acceptable moral code (I'm not going to debate what or who decides what is moral). If anything, many entertainers demonstrate how NOT to behave. We often see those in the public eye in the news because of drug addictions (Robert Downey Jr.), divorces (Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman), and controversies (Dixie Chicks), to name a few, which are consequences of the lifestyles they have chosen to live, good or bad.

I Love My Parents

I received this lovely card from my mom. I am so blessed.



Today is my adoption anniversary and each year I remember it as a very special day when God gave me a family.



Here is what the card read:

"In a couple of days (today), Pilar (my newborn niece) will be 4 months old, just the age you were when you became ours. Wow! I pray that every child can bring as much joy to their parents as you have brought to us. God bless you." Signed "With all of our love on our special day, Mom and Dad"

Newsworthy

I am in a dress.



A black formal.



For the symphony.



I haven't worn a dress since....ummmmmmmm, well....I'm not sure. It's been that long.



The framily wants to take pictures.



ugh

Christmas Blessing 2003

Every year since I have been a single mom, I have recieved a special Christmas blessing. This year, I have had many wonderful blessings from God. But, the very special blessing that God did for me for Christmas happened today and he used Sue to do it again. Sue has the gift of giving. There is no doubt about it. She enjoys using the blessings God gives her to bless others...and she does this on a regular basis.



This year, due to the lack of child support, I was having to trust the Lord for Christmas for the kids. Sue has been worried as to what I was going to do for them. The kids drive her crazy, but she loves them deeply. She always wants them to have a nice Christmas and she always helps to see that happen. But, this year, it just wasn't looking good. I kept telling her that I was just going to have faith and that this is my problem and she shouldn't worry about it.



I always tell her that if God wants her to provide for me and the kids, that He will provide for her to provide for us. If He doesn't do that, then it isn't for her to be concerned with...it's my responsiblility. Well, I guess God wanted her to be concerned. Today, right after I got off the phone with Child Support Services and got the usual run around, I prayed, "Lord, I have done good to have faith up until this point, but, it's getting down to the wire and time is running out. I know that you always seem to come through at the last minute, but I have to ask your forgiveness because I am losing faith. I am beginning to feel that you are just not going to come through this time." When I finished, there was still a faint glimmer of hope. "There is still time left...God can still pull through," were my thoughts. But, honestly, I was beginning to "worry." I'm so human.



Then, not five minutes later the phone rang. It was Sue. Her voice was shakey and it sounded as if she was crying. I started to panic. Then she said, "I wish I had faith like you."



I was thinking, "Yeah riggghhtt!!! If you only knew!"



Then she went on to tell me that she had gotten a bonus that she was totally unexpected and that it would take care of Christmas for the kids. It touched my heart so deeply that God blessed her in such a way and her first thought was not of herself, but somebody else....my children.



Just when I think I can't take life anymore. Just when I get to the point where I say, "I don't want to do this anymore, this it too much!" God sees that I am teetering on the edge of "more than I can handle" and he lifts the load enough for me to get relief and refreshment and rest in Him...to gain strength for another day, another trial...and to "keep on truckin'" through the trials of life on Earth....ever striving for the day when I will sit at the foot of the throne, casting crowns at the feet of Jesus, crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!"



Nobody will ever EVER be able to convince me that there isn't a God who isn't interactive in the lives of His children every moment of every day. And nobody can convince me that He doesn't dwell in the hearts of His people. He comes to me through them...I see Him in people like Sue. I could write a book on countelss testimonies like this in my personal life alone. God is faithful. His promises are true. He fulfilled the Old Testament Promise in the New Testament when He sent His Son to be born in a manger. Christ...Emmanuel...God With Us...and He Is With Us! He knows our thoughts, our needs and our hearts desires...even before we do. He hears our cries and He answers. He is the Provider! He is my Father, Husband, Brother, Lord, Friend, Comforter, Healer.....He IS!!!!!!!!!!



Joy To The World! The Lord Is Come! Let Earth Recieve Her King!

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room! And Heaven and Nature Sing!

Tis the Season

Retail retail retail!



I got a call from a customer:



"Do you have the Boyz II Men Christmas CD?"



"I have the Boyz II Men Christmas Collection for $9.99"



Rudely, in a stern tone the caller said, "I SAID, DO - YOU - HAVE - THE - Boyz II Men Christmas CD?"



So I repeated in a tone that revealed my irritation "I said I have the Boyz II Men Christmas Collection for $9.99. It is a Christmas CD by Boyz II Men. The Boyz II Men Christmas Collection."



*click*



Yesterday I had an older gentleman come in and it was apparant to me that something was not all right with him. He had a speech impediment that made it difficult for me to understand him. He would alsoo get easily frustrated with me as I worked to help him find the song recording he was looking for. He kept telling me something about "Yumah, but I spelled it with an "A", but on the record they spelled it with a "U". I tried different spellings but was having little success. He kept telling me how he wrote the song back in the 60s, but he couldn't tell me who recorded it. He couldn't remember. He got upset that he "drove all this way for nothin'". He finally got distracted looking for another song. He wanted "Rainy Night in Georgia" which I found for him by Brook Benton. He was telling me that he wrote that song too. I asked "Were you in Georgia when you wrote it?" He said "no, Memphis". (It is not difficult to believe that songwriters from that time would ventrue into my store which is in the next nearest larger city to Memphis.) I then confirmed "so, you wrote 'Rainy Night in Georgia' and you weren't even in Georgia?" and he got very irritated by that and got down right mean when he said "You have no reason to know that, It is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" So I just said "I'm sorry, I was just interested in your songwriting motivation is all."



I came home to find out who the real songwriter for "Rainy Night in Georgia" was and learned that it was NOT the man in my store today. Poor guy, is probably very confused.



Have to love retail this time of year. We get all kinds!

God Still Blesses

It's retail season. Life goes at a very fast pace for a retailer like me. Days buzz by and I get exhausted and I LOVE IT! It's a SUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGE! An bonifide ADRENALINE RUSH!



I haven't been spending time with God like I should. I'm ashamed of it too. My attitude has been pretty bad around the house and I know a lot of it is do to stress that could easily be relieved if I would talk it over with Him and let Him deal. I'm a control freak I guess.



Even when I feel furthest from my Father, He still chooses to smile on me. The other day a woman came in to recruit people. She has tried to recruit me before to work at Lenscrafters, but this time she wasn't looking for management people, just associates and technicians and was "spreading the word". In our conversation I asked about employee discounts because I could use new glasses. Mine are about five years old now and my prescription could use an update. She said "How's 50% off?" I said "that's great!" and she then gave me one of her cards that guarantee a "friend or family member" 50% off frames and lenses. She only gets 6 cards to hand out a year and chose me today. I am blessed!

Celebration and 24 Hours Without Pain Medication

I am celebrating that I have gone over 24 hours without the need for pain medication! Woohoo! I think the storm of the previous migraine has ended. I am hoping that it was the last. I do believe that God wants to heal me....it's the when part that concerns me! Anyhow, for now I feel good. I have my contacts in again which is something I can't do when I'm suffering from migraine. Sue plays in the symphony Saturday. I pray that I feel this well for that. I have a busy month ahead. I have finals until the 9th and relatives coming in from the 11th to the 16th. I can't wait! Then I have to bake a cake for about 100 for the awards banquet for WRAP which is on the 18th! OH my life! Anyhow, I love the hustle and bustle but in the mean time I forgot to leave time to decorate and shop for Christmas! I'm sure glad Santa will take care of that. What a relief...ummm...anyhow..



I invited my friend, Jeanie to come to the "WRAP" banquet as my guest. I told her it was the "Academy Awards of WRAP" banquet (because it is a formal banquet). She thought I meant the "Academy Awards of Rap" and looked at me really funny because she knows I am not a fan of rap music. I knew immediately what she was thinking and I started cracking up as I cleared up what I was talking about.



Anyhow, after the 18th I hope to finally get some much needed time to relax and enjoy the remainder of the Christmas season....all seven days. But, since I imagine it will be spent rushing around trying to get shopping done and gifts wrapped...oh well isn't that how it always goes? There's never enough time to reflect on what it's really all about is there? Ahhh but, there is...there's the tape player in the car and the church services and well, I think the fact that my job at the WRAP banquet is to say the blessing.........THAT MAKES CHRISTMAS VERY SPECIAL FOR ME! That was a gift from God. I have no idea why they asked me...except that my precious Lord wanted to bless me through it. I think I am looking forward to that part of the evening more than anything. WRAP is a secular organization. To have the opportunity to invite God to be a part of such an event is an awesome gift. Wow, I'm just jabbering on.



I'm sure at the symphony I will hear beautiful music about the birth of our King. I will get to reflect on the meaning of this holiday season then as well. So, maybe all the business will not take away from the Holiness of it all. In fact when I really think about it...My finals..they are because of the calling He has placed on my life. I am involved with WRAP because of the calling He has placed on my life. Sue is in my life because of Him and her being a part of the symphony is a blessing from Him. And she will be blessing Him by playing music that will glorify Him and using a gift He has given her to do it. Wow, He is in it, all around it, through it...He will be a part of the season in all of the activities that keep me busy. I am excited to share this time with Him.



Our church is also doing our first dinner theater this year with our new theatre group. That will be a Christmas dinner theatre...and this Sunday is our annual Renewal Banquet Celebration at church when we renew our Covenant membership. It's the biggest celebration of the year. This is truly an awesome time!



I remember when I was little and I realized that the stories I believed about Santa were just legends. Something magical about Christmas was lost after that. But, then I received Jesus and as I grew in my relationship with Him, each Christmas season began to have a new kind of meaning...better than magic...reality! The story of Jesus is the TRUTH, not a legend. And that will never change. I learned the real story about St. Nicholas and the real story about Jesus. St. Nicholas was said to be a man who loved God and loved with God's love. Jesus is that Love...God's gift to us...Christ.....Emmanuel...God With Us.



Somebody told me this week that Christians on Earth are seeing the closest thing they will ever see to Hell. The lost on Earth with those Christians are seeing the closest thing they will ever see to Heaven. That leaves room for a lot. I wondered...What part of Heaven do the lost see through Christians? And, shouldn't that motivate Christians to want to strive that much harder to reach out to the lost and set a better example through the lifestyle that they live? I know it sure did put a spark of motivation in me to work a little bit harder, and have a little more mercy and compassion on those who need to know Christ's love.



Wow, I sure did go off on a rabbit trail. Oh well, I need to leave it as it is and go back to studying for my final exams. Thank you so much for all your prayers. I will continue to keep all of my beloved prayer warriors up to date as God is graciously answering!



It's all about Him!