Has Anyone Ever Told You That You Look Like...

Do you look like a famous celebrity?

Are you ever mistaken for Julia Roberts?

Brad Pitt?

George Clooney?

Paris Hilton?

I'm not!

But I happened across a fun site where you can upload a pic and have a scan to determine which celebrities you resemble.

Check it out: MyHeritage face recognition - Find the Celebrity in You

(I honestly can't remember what blog I visited that eventually led me here, but thanks! I've been having fun uploading pics of everyone in the household!)

The Movies Were a Trip

Katie and I went to see Rocky Balboa today. I had seen it before and really thought Katie would enjoy it too, so we both went.

We arrived later than I had planned, so by the time we entered the theater with our popcorn and drinks, the lights were down and the previews were showing.

Having just come in from the lighted hallway, it took a minute for our eyes to adjust. Unfortunately, when we started to ascend the stairs, we hadn't given our eyes enough time to adjust to the darkness, so we were being guided by the lights on the steps.

I was in front, popcorn in my left hand, drink in my right. This theater has stadium seating so, the climb is fairly steep up the steps, however they are staggered. There is a step, then a longer platform, then the next step, platform, step, platform, step. My brain knows this, and my eyes could see the lights on the edges of each step.

But, eyes can play tricks!

Suddenly I was realizing I was taking a step up where there was no step! I stumbled but was able to catch myself before anything tragic occurred. Katie was behind me and I started upward again, but became disoriented by the lights and the fact that I was taking more steps where there were no steps!

It was as if there was an optical illusion and my brain couldn't comprehend the messages my eyes were sending it about where the steps actually were! I was stumbling around like a drunkard and feeling rather embarrassed by this because the rest of the audience (only two people, thank goodness!) had already adjusted to the darkness and I'm sure could see what a fool I was making of myself!

I stopped to get my bearing and asked Katie "can we sit here?" and she said "no". This was VERY disappointing to me because a seat sounded safe! I was reeeeaaaallly hoping to slide over into that row to safety, but nooooooooo, Katie can't sit that close because it makes her dizzy.

So, up I went again and this time I really lost my balance and went stumbling, only catching myself against the rail to my left. My popcorn went flying like hundreds of birds fleeing a tree when startled. Katie started laughing and I just started picking up popcorn!

"Can we please sit here?" and with an affirmative from Katie, we carefully made our way into that row of seats and found stability. It was still too close for Katie's comfort, but at least we were safe! and laughing at ourselves hysterically, just imagining what we must have looked like!

Then Katie confessed that she wasn't so much laughing at the sight of me stumbling around in the dark theater and throwing my popcorn around, because she herself was doing the same thing behind me! LOL

So, we were finally at ease enjoying Rocky and stayed until the very end. The other two movie goers had already exited the theater and when the lights came back up, Katie and I made our way safely down the steps, passed the scattered popcorn, and were finally on the floor at ground level. Whew!

We turned the corner to make our way down the hall and out of the theater when Katie doubles over laughing hysterically. She saw it before I did, but then I looked and saw a very large popcorn spill on the floor of the hallway. It seems that when I stumbled on the steps on the way in before the start of the film, the popcorn shower I initiated rained down over the banister and into the hall! LOL

We both had a great laugh over that! Oh boy. Oh, and I stopped by the concession area and got a free refill on my popcorn!

And when I got in the car, as I was settling in and putting on my seatbelt, I accidently got hooked up on my popcorn bag and flipped my popcorn AGAIN! Now there is popcorn all over my car!

It just wasn't meant to be! It bloggles the mind!

Soul Sisters

Found a great article at Christianity Today: Soul Sisters

Sally Miller and Cheri Mueller share about their spiritual journey as "soul sisters". Katie and I could've written this! Great stuff!

If you are wondering why we call this "Sisters' Weblog: It Bloggles the Mind!" well, first we are "soul sisters" like this article talks about. Second, it's a weblog that we've kept since September 2002. We use it to share about our lives in it. Sometimes it is just the silly things we do that boggle the mind, errrr, bloggle the mind, or we share about the mind boggling, errrrr, bloggling things that God is doing in our lives.

Sisters' Weblog is a peek at our spiritual journey as friends, as soul sisters.

25th Wedding Anniversary SURPRISE!

Recently our church family celebrated our pastor's 25th wedding anniversary. We threw a surprise party!

The church family parked the cars out behind the church in hopes that they would be hidden from view when the pastor's family brought him over. Everyone set up the "Big Room" with tables and food and waited for Chuck and Ann to arrive. There were maybe 60-80 people there all hiding in the dark of the room, patiently and excitedly waiting.

Their teen daughter had planned the event and both their children were in on the plan to get the happy couple to the church for the big surprise.

The youth pastor, Cody, stood out front and called Chuck at home (which is very near the church) to come to the church because he had "accidently locked his keys in the church building". The plan was for Chuck to come let him in. The pastor's kids were planning "a family night out" and so it worked out that Chuck would just pop over to the church to let Cody in while the entire family was enroute to "dinner". The kids, then "decided" to follow Chuck into the building, and his wife, Ann, decided to go in to since everyone else was. It was classic to have an entire church family, a good 60-80 people, give a surprise party and literally, Chuck and Ann had NO CLUE!

Wish I could have been there to see their faces! (I had to work) The good news is that the moment was captured digitally! Yay! So I did get to see it HERE! Woohooo! A bit of an explanation is needed so you understand what you will see in the .mov file:
Chuck entered the church through the main doors and the church family was poised to received him and his wife through the main doors into The Big Room (main sanctuary). Chuck though, took a different route down the side hallway. In the video you'll see him pass the open side door while the hushed crowd starts to giggle. Chuck peeks in the ajar door and SURPRISE! What a blast!

Katie, a cake decorator, provided the cake. She decided a nice wedding cake, to celebrate 25 years of wedded bliss, was appropriate, and highlighted it with the traditional silver for this special day. I think her cake turned out beautiful! Sad part was, it was short lived. Soon, this beautiful edible sculpture was nothing but crumbs. Chuck and Ann loved the cake and now a few have offered to help Katie start a business!

Well, it was a wonderful celebration and it sure was a lot of fun surprising Chuck and Ann. You can see more pics on Flickr by clicking here. Enjoy!

Joined For Life

I went to Nashville on a business trip and since I choose not to have cable at my home, I must admit that when I have the opportunity to stay in a hotel, I enjoy checking out what is on TV. I surf the many available tv stations rarely finding anything of real interest or entertainment value. When I do find something that holds my attention, it is usually Court TV, the History Channel, Discovery and last night it was The Learning Channel.

I saw a most amazing story of two teenage girls who are "Joined for Life". They are conjoined twins who basically share a body. Abby controls one side of their body and Brittany controls the other. They play softball, ride a bike, type and have recently earned their drivers license! It is the incredible story of two sisters who literally can not live without one another.

This video is just a sample of the lives of these amazing teenagers, and if you ever have the opportunity to see the entire documentary "Joined For Life: The amazing story of Abigail and Brittany Hensel" go for it. It is so encouraging and fascinating to watch. (Let me point you also to Nick, a man born without limbs, who has an intriguing life story as well.)



The other amazing thing I learned was that every now and then there actually IS something worth watching on tv!

Jackson Symphony Orchestra

Yay! I got a gig with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra! I'll be playing for the Broadway Pops concert on February 10th! Woohooo! Should be fun!

Christian Transparency

It is always interesting to see what brings visitors to one's blog. My post "I Saw a Lot of Naked Men..." sure gets a lot of hits (imagine that), but one post that garners a lot of attention is my post from August of 2005 on Transparency.

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Here is the repost:

The Christian is to live a life that is transparent. This means that the Christian should live their life out in the open, hiding nothing. We should go about our work and play in plain view of anyone, and avoid every kind of evil.

I Thessalonians 4:11-12 "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."

I Thessalonians 2:4b "... we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts."

We are to live in the Light, and when we live transparent lives, all becomes seen in the Light. The definition of transparent is "easily seen through", "free from guile", "candid or open". God sees all that we do, everything. Character counts to a Christian because integrity and character is built by what we do "in the dark", when men can't see. If we are alway conscious of the fact that God is watching, and that we will one day give an account for all that we do. "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight."(Romans 14:12, Hebrews 4:13)


This does not mean however, that we are not to have private moments at all. Of course a Christian has intimate details of life that are his/her own business, but those details are always to be within the confines of Biblical teachings, therefore approved by God. We need not point out the aspects of our life either, we should "make it our ambition to lead a quiet life...", because a life that is in the light will be seen naturally.

What it does mean is that we are to be ultimately accountable to God for our behaviors. Christians are instructed to "submit to one another", "confess your sins to each other and pray for each other" and "do not lie to each other". "We who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Because we, Christians, form one body, it is important that we are transparent with our lives, so that we can all "encourage one another and build each other up". If one of us is involved in sin, the entire body will be affected. One day our pastor gave a powerful visual of just this thing when he used this example: "Let's say I chose to sin and commit adultery"...then he asked his wife to stand up. After she stood, he had his children stand up. Then he had members of the leadership of the church stand, one by one. Then the friends of his family stood. Then the family of the people already standing were asked to stand. By the end of the illustration, the entire body of believers in that gathering place were standing.

Christians are to hold one another accountable. When we see a sister or brother falling into sin, we are to go to them and lovingly try to help them to see the error of their ways, and point them toward Christ who is the only One Who can fully restore them to the faith. If we say nothing, and we allow the sister/brother to stumble, unchallenged, we will be held accountable by God for that inaction. God gave us a voice to use!

Ephesians 4:25 "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body."

Christians who are leading transparent lives will invite intervention by another believer. By that I mean that the Christian who is transparent makes it obvious that they are sincerely trying to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. An observer would feel comfortable (maybe not the right word because the circumstance would be difficult, but they definately would not feel like "I'm not getting involved, it's none of my business") approaching the transparent Christian with words of caution or accountability.

Do not hide in the dark!

Ephesians 5:8-14 "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.

Be transparent! "...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

I don't believe living transparently means telling every person you come in contact with about each and every aspect or detail of your life. To me it is just what I do...I go to work I work hard. I uphold a certain standard of behavior, the same as I do at home. Different aspects of my personality may be prominent at work, as opposed to home life, or socially, but the foundational character that I have is the same. I'm a honest person, so at work I am trusted, as I am at home. I had a mentor/counselor tell me once that she sees me as someone who is the same at work, home, and at church. That to me, is part of being transparent, because people will see me as the same person in all environments.

Am I always successful at being transparent? No...but it is what I strive to be. Having an accountability partner like Katie really helps in that department too. She is very quick to point out areas of my life that need to be exposed and dealt with. It's scary, but very necessary.

Transparency is necessary in the life of a God-fearing Christian. "If you walk in His light, the lost will see Him more."

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Have you any additional thoughts to add on the topic of what it means to live a transparent life? Are there inevitable consequences for living your life out in the "open"? What about hiding how you live? Does anything good come from that? There are obvious challenges that come from living transparently.

People, including brothers and sisters in the faith, will form opinions about you based on what you share, it's inevitable. Will those opinions be accurate? And, will those opinions change how they deal with you?

Think about it, even if you aren't transparent, people still form opinions about you, and how accurate can that possibly be? They form those opinions on how little they know about you. I guess this is why we all wear our "stained glass masquerades" on Sunday. As Christians, we really need to learn to take those off, cast them aside, and love God and others whole heartedly!

I'm so thankful that God knows me, and chooses to love me. He is the One with Whom I can be transparent, and even when I try to hide, He sees all. (Psalm 139)

1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.