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!