Bein' Berean

New Blog

2008-12-11T17:50:00.002-06:00

If you are doing the Jesse Tree, hooray for you! As you can see, I stopped doing this blog a long time ago, but I still love it and may come back and clean it out and start over. I just loved the name. But I was having a hard time finding time to write...

I am however, putting my Jesse Tree stuff on another blog and that is all it will be...

Jesse Tree
How we do Christmas Eve
How we do Christmas Day
What about presents???

If you do it differently, that's great...but if you are looking for ideas about how to keep Jesus' birthday and the presents thing separated, maybe this will spark your thinking to something even different than what we are doing...

I am mostly doing this so that if our kids want to continue this tradition that we started a few years ago, they will have a place to find it on the web.

But that will be it for this new blog. Unless I get some new Jesse Tree ideas...

And I will warn you that I have not been great about putting these every day. Why did I wait until the holidays to start posting these???

"I'll just post as I do them...that should be easy" I said to myself.

Sheesh....

So keep this site in case I get behind (again) but I am trying to get it all up here at the other one.

Thanks for reading...

Jesse Tree 20 21 22-Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph

2006-12-22T12:52:00.000-06:00

Tonight we will spotlight Elizabeth

As someone who had a baby at 39, I love the story of Elizabeth...and Sarah...If course it's not the same, but they make me smile.

Here is her story...and here, where she does kind of a little praise/prophecy thing. And here, although it was in yesterday's story too, is the birth of her baby, etc.

We are eating

terriyaki, because it takes a long time to make before you actually eat it...(marinating overnight)

buns (like a bun in the oven)

mashed potatoes because sometimes when you are pregnant you can only stand white bland food.

and tootsie pops (a fun surprise inside:-))

The ornament is a grandma doll (like Polly Pocket size) with a baby rubberbanded on.
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Saturday we will spotlight Mary

Foods for that day-
Hamburgers

Fries

Pop
(because they are teen foods and Mary was supposed to be about 14)

Angelfood cake (because God found favor with her)

The ornament is a lily.

The story is here. There is more, of course, but that's all we are doing today.
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Sunday we will spotlight Joseph

Sunday is also Christmas Eve and we always go to Chuck E Cheese or Incredible Pizza on that day. Kind of a kid party thing...for Jesus. Celebrating Christmas Day too, but it's different.

So we will do that for part of that day and then for dinner we will have

PBJ circle sandwiches (I have a Pampered Chef item that does this, but you can also buy those frozen ones).

And BLTs because bacon kind of looks like a ruler which one might use in carpentry.

We also eat those honey BBQ corkscrew looking fritos...because they look like a screw.

And those big pretzel rods dipped in chocolate.

The story is here

And the ornament that we use is a ruler.

We pretty much end our Jesse Tree here...we are either usually out of town and this year, since we are going to be home, we are going to try something new. I am envisioning something like the Amazing Race, where at certain points of the story we will play a game, sing a song etc. I'll let you know how it works out.

Thursday Thirteen #20 AND Jesse Tree #20 Zachariah

2006-12-21T06:19:00.000-06:00

Kind of funny coincidence that the 20th day of our Jesse Tree would fall on my 20th Thursday Thirteen.

Thirteen Things about Jesse Tree #20 Zachariah

1. Today we start the New Testament folks for our Jesse Tree, beginning with Zachariah.

2. Zachariah was a priest.

3. He was married to Elizabeth and they were both old.

4. They didn't have any children, which was a big deal, but they had kind of made peace with it, since there was basically no chance of having kids at this stage of life.

5. Zachariah one turn in life to go into the Holy of Holies to take care of the incense and whatever other things need doing in there was on this day (in the story) . It was probably the high point of his life as a priest.

6. He went into the chamber, and was focusing on the tasks he had to perform, when an angel appeared.

7. Gabriel (the angel) said, (as angels do in the Bible) "Don't be afraid." Seems that they always have to say that. Sometimes they don't say it and I guess those people are supposed to be afraid, like here.

8.He told Zachariah and he (Zachariah) and Elizabeth were going to have a baby and name him John, but Zachariah didn't believe it.

9. So, as a sign, Zachariah was unable to speak until John was born.

10 For the Jesse Tree, we use a pad a pencil for the ornament, because Zachariah was unable to speak.

11. We are using multicolored jello squares for the ephod, which is fancy breastplate that the priests wore.

12. And corn dogs (beef:-)), because of the oil in the temple (since you have to fry them).

13. And Laffy Taffy for the dessert, since it is hard to talk with it in your mouth.

Tomorrow is Elizabeth...thanks for stopping by.:-)

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Jesse Tree #19-Ezekiel

2006-12-20T15:08:00.000-06:00

Focusing on Ezekiel today...Not the part about "Ezekiel saw de wheel" although that will be part of the clue as to who this is (did I ever say that I usually make the kids guess who it is based on elements in the dinner?)

So tonight we are having

Wagonwheel pasta (which they do NOT have at my Walmart and I had to go to Albertson's to get it)

Smoked Sausage cut into wheels

(no dry bones)

green beans

popovers (for the story) (nothing inside)

cotton candy (for the story) (because it vanishes when it hits your tongue)

Our story is based on Ezekiel 10, where the glory of God leaves the temple.

Here is some additional info from Early Jewish Writings

In a vision dated to 592 B.C.E., Ezekiel was transported back to the temple in Jerusalem. There he witnessed a variety of improper activities. The religious leaders of Jerusalem were secretly worshiping foreign gods in the temple compound. Women were devoted to Tammuz, the Babylonian fertility god. These activities were an outrage to Yahweh. In consequence, he got up to leave the temple. Ezekiel's description of Yahweh's departure utilizes the throne-chariot imagery of chapter 1. The "glory of Yahweh" mounted the cherub-powered vehicle.
In stages Yahweh exited the temple, stopping at certain points, including the threshold of the temple and the east gate of the courtyard, as if reluctant to leave.
Hovering over Jerusalem, then over the Mount of Olives east of the city, finally Yahweh was gone. The people had driven away Yahweh by their corrupt practices. He would no longer be there to protect them, and they would be taken into captivity.
This is the message that Ezekiel brought to the exiles: Jerusalem would fall, as punishment from Yahweh.

Sad, but it kind of paves the way for the birth of Jesus.

Ornament for today will be a "cloud" which represents the glory of God.

Duh and Jesse Tree #18 Jeremiah

2006-12-19T13:42:00.000-06:00

Well....forgot to say that Isaiah also prophesied about Jesus' birth and here.

OK, sorry about that...can't believe I did it.

Today we are studying Jeremiah the prophet. We have a little bottle of salt water because he was called the Weeping Prophet.

We have an arch book that talks about him called, Jeremiah and the Fall of Jerusalem and the Bible story can be found here, here, here, here and here. I am not sure why we do Jeremiah, except that our original Jesse Tree had him. He is great and all, but so is Elisha and we don't have anything about him. May rethink that one...anyway, this year, it stands.

For our dinner, we are having...

donuts because they represent the hole that he was thrown into

sausage...because I had a different idea that involved sausage and then came up with the donuts, so that is where we are with it.

May make scrambled eggs as well, to signify the destruction of which Jeremiah prophesied.

Popcorn for dessert...salty. tears...

Tomorrow is Ezekial...and that will be the last story before we get to the regular Nativity story.

Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Jesse Tree #17 Isaiah

2006-12-18T12:54:00.000-06:00

We are doing Isaiah today...he prophesied about Jesus' death and probably some other things...I need to do a study on him sometime....but not today.

For our food (and we are thinking orange for the burning coal, things that are hot, etc)

Sweet and Sour Chicken...has that orange sauce, carrot coins...white rice, which could be purity
Hot fudge cake (hot)

My kids will never guess it based on that stuff, but so many of these stories have to do with fire...and I am not allowed to run the grill by myself:-)

For the dessert, one could also do chocolate cupcakes with orange frosting, or if you reeeeeeaaaaaallllllyyyyy think ahead, you could save the Oreos from halloween and use them. But we love hot fudge cake at our house so there you go. Just the Pillsbury one, or I think Betty Crocker has one, too.

For the ornament, we just took (surprise) a charcoal and painted it orange.

Here is the passage we will be using...and this one is the prophecy about Jesus. I know it's kind of heavy, but we still use it. It's kind of amazing to think of Isaiah saying all of that so far away from when it really happened.

Jesse Tree #15 The Fiery Furnace

2006-12-16T10:48:00.000-06:00

No mistake on the numbering...I missed yesterday...stink. My friend, Hester, had her baby and I was running some errands toward that end. The baby was 3 pounds 8 ounces and looks beautiful...:-)

If you read Thursday's post, I put a little bit there for it...

Moving forward...

Today is Shadrach, Meshach and Abdnego. I love yesterday's story about Elijah and the prophets of Baal and I love this one too...soooo dramatic!

So this is what we are eating...

hamburgers and 1 steak (for the surprise...like the king was surprised when he saw the Fourth Man) My kids like hamburgers but they love steak so that will be fun.

Mashed potatoes in a hill for the furnace.

salad...just because.

Now for the dessert...I found some bags kind of like grab bags at Albertson's a couple of weeks ago...with their single candy items...don't really know what is in there (hopefully no vampire teeth or witch's nose or whatever...) but again, the act of looking in and being surprised...there is supposed to be candy in there too...

If you can't get those, you could do funnel cakes or fireballs or hot tamales...just something physically hot or hot tasting.

We have a little film canister that we glued wooden matches around for our ornament.

Here is the story. You could also watch The Veggie Tale version, which we may...

PLANNING to be here tomorrow. The story is Daniel and the Lion's Den.

We are having slices of ham with Mac and Cheese around the perimeter (squint your eyes and it might look like a lion:-))...and mixed vegetables...fruit rollups with the tattoos on them for the writing on the wall (That was actually before the lion's den incident, but I love that story) and the story is here in case I am not.

Jesse Tree #13 Tower of Babel

2006-12-14T14:12:00.000-06:00

Please pray for my friend, Hester...she is pregnant and is all puffy...high blood pressure, etc. I know the name for it but don't know how to spell it. Anyway, they are going to take the baby tomorrow with a C section. His name is Eli.:-) It's her first baby. Thanks....
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And now, on to the Jesse Tree

The kids loved it, I missed it, so I am picking it up...

Food for us is...

Cheese Pizza (Italian)
Chips and Cheese (Mexican)
Stir Fry Broccoli with Sesame Seeds (Chinese)
Fried Rice (maybe) ) (Chinese)
Cheesecake

and maybe some Milk of Magnesia after all that cheese...

The ornament is a Lego building.

The story is here...

In case I don't make it in here tomorrow...

The story is Elijah and the prophets of Baal. My personal favorite.

We are having

Pork roast (the offering...I know it wouldn't have been pork)
Tater tots (for the wood...sort of)
Gravy (for the water)
Some vegetable
Dessert-those haystacks that you make with chow mein noodles and butterscotch chips and marshmallows, I think. They look kind of like the altar for burning, right???

The story is here

Jesse Tree #12-David

2006-12-13T13:55:00.001-06:00

Today we are going to talk about David during our Jesse Tree time.

For our food, we are having...

hot dogs, cut into disks to replicate the five smooth stones

biscuits, rolled out to about twice their size, dipped in melted butter and then dredged in Parmesan cheese for shields (like the one King Saul gave to David to wear) baked about 7 minutes, I think (keep an eye on them)

asparagus for a spear

Rold Gold pretzels...the cheese ones...for praying hands

For the dessert (and remember some are better than others...) we are using
little gingerbread men for David
the Keebler Elf sandwich cookies for Goliath and
m&ms for the stones...

The story of David and Goliath can be found here. Or if you have it, you could watch VeggieTales Dave and the Giant Pickle.

We made a little sling with a stone a few years back for our ornament. You could just use 5 stones...whatever would represent the story to your family.

See you tomorrow...we will be doing Babel, because my kids missed it and we weren't going to do one tomorrow because of a school program. Instead, I decided to back up and do it.

Jesse Tree #12-David

2006-12-13T13:55:00.000-06:00

Jesse Tree #11 Samuel

2006-12-12T13:23:00.000-06:00

Today we are spotlighting Samuel...

Here are the foods we are using...

Ravioli (frozen...cheese and meat) for a pillow (since Samuel was sleeping...this is the "kid Samuel")

Spaghetti Sauce (canned)

Salad (bed of lettuce with some other veggies)

Fried Pies from the Dolly Madison outlet store...also the Wonder outlet store...not the Hostess outlet store...I knew as soon as I saw the words Dolly Madison that it was that one because of the Peanuts characters that used to be on the wrappers...they do not open until 9:00 AM and that did not work for me so I still have to get those.

The story is found in most children's Bibles, and usually just tells the part about Samuel hearing God's voice...such a sweet picture. We usually stop short of the actual message that Samuel was given to convey, at least on this night....Anyway Samuel is awesome, one of the prophets that really doesn't have anything said that was bad about him ever. Yea Samuel! Here is the story from the regular Bible. This is the sweet one. For the complete. more complicated and grown up story, start with Hannah (his mother), Eli (the priest's) awful sons, Samuel's hearing of God and the message God gave him here.

Our ornament is a little bed.

Happy Jesse Treeing!

Jesse Tree #10- Joshua..also Plague list and food for tomorrow...

2006-12-11T10:16:00.000-06:00

I have to say that Amazing Race was the biggest rip off ever...EVER.

It was like Phil said, "Those beauties are gone so let's just end this as fast as we can...I am so done with this season." Totally worthless...shame on you Amazing Race people.
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OK, on to Joshua...

but first, an update on the plagues...

1. blood-raspberry sauce to go around the brownie
2. frogs -chicken wings without the wingtip (we did our buffalo style, and with just butter and salt after frying for the kids)
3. gnats-couscous
4. flies - raisins (thanks Don:-))
5. animals dying-cook a hot dog (beef;-)). Cut into 1 inch pieces. Set one on each plate like a little tower. Before eating the meal, tell everyone to knock it down (symbolic of animals dying)
6. boils (wanted to use those butter mints you get at a wedding, but didn't think of it soon enough...used M&Ms instead)
7. locusts/crops decimated-used sugar snap peas...I thought they looked kind of locust-ish, but Darth said that it was the crops....works for me.
8. darkness-brownies
9. hail-little scoop of ice cream.
10. death-crescent rolls unrolled...keep the two triangles together to form a rectangle. Bake for about 5 minutes at 375. We said this was a shroud.
You can get 4 of these out of a tube...they are pretty big.
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OK...today we are doing Joshua...

For the food we have

Chicken-because he was afraid.
hashbrowns-for the flax that the spies hid under.
waffles-for the wall
pomegranate-for the red on the wall from Rahab.
fudge-set up in a wall fashion for the wall...with a tiny bit of red for Rahab's window.

The ornament is a ram horn that we made from Sculpey, but I think another great one would be just a red cloth strip tied to a branch of the tree.

We have a video of this story (Greatest Heroes of the Bible-Hannah Barbara) that we will probably watch. There is also an arch book called Jericho's Tumbling Walls that is pretty good. Or just read it out of a children's Bible story book.

The actual Bible story is found here...

My kids love this one...the story and the fudge.:-)

Tomorrow

Samuel-

Food items (in case you are working ahead)

Frozen ravioli (for the pillow) and spaghetti sauce

salad (This is a stretch but I am going to use it...a bed of lettuce)

May try for a bread item...maybe half of one of those big breadsticks? Wish I could think how to put a face on it....it could be Samuel...we'll see about that.

I was going to use turnovers, but those never really "go over" at my house, so we are going to use those Hostess Fruit pies...they used to have chocolate and I may try for that. I am going to the Hostess Bargain Bread Store to get these tomorrow.

This is the story of Hannah and Samuel if I don't get back in here tomorrow.

Jesse Tree #7 Baby Moses, #8 The Plagues, #9 The Ten Commandments

2006-12-08T12:24:00.000-06:00

Well...this is interesting...I had not followed Paul's stories through and just now I found out that he ends his timeline of Old Testament at the Joseph story.

So...today with Moses (Baby Moses) I did find this and apparently some work went into it, but once I was in I couldn't get out short of Control/Alt/Delete...so be warned about that.

If you liked reading Paul's renditions of Bible stories, you can email him and tell him here (scroll to the bottom of the link)

On to Baby Moses...

For dinner, we are having

little smokies wrapped in crescent roll dough (from the dairy section...you know Pillsbury crescent rolls?) (for the baby)

shoestring french fries (for the reeds in the water where Moses was hidden)

peas (no reason...I just have some)

those icky baby bottle candies where you put the bottle part in your mouth and then turn it over and dip it into something sprinkly...I hate stuff like this (if you don't know what I am talking about, look on the checkout at Walmart), but once a year I can stand it and the kids always love stuff like that.

We will probably watch the Veggie Tale that has the story of Baby Moses on it. If I find the exact one, I will come and amend this, but that is what we will probably do. Here I am again...The Veggie Tale with the story of Miriam and Moses is Duke and the Great Pie War. There is also a story based on Ruth and Naomi on this DVD.

We have a little basket that we will put on the the tree.

Next year if we do the Tower of Babel...you know, the one I left out and got heat for from the kids...we may leave out Baby Moses, but for this year it is in.

Here is the Biblical account...

Tomorrow is the Plagues, then Sunday is the Ten Commandments.

For the plagues, we are going to have chicken wings...I mean frog legs...I think if I take off that pointy piece of the wing I can talk my kids into thinking they are frog legs, don't you?

So frog legs,
would like to do grits for gnats, but I don't know if they would eat...
flies
animals died
boils
hail
locusts
death
brownies for darkness...if you are a real chef, you could sit them in a pool of raspberry sauce for the blood...My kids would probably love that idea.

If you have any thoughts for the above, let me know. No REAL locusts or anything though...just symbolic, thank you very much :-).

Here's the Bible passage.

At this point, if you wanted to, you could watch The Prince of Egypt. They pretty much end the story with the people leaving Egypt....actually I have to laugh at the end of that movie because it shows Moses coming down the mountain with the Ten Commandments...it's kind of a happy ending...but if you read the biblical account, he is about to walk down to Aaron and all the people dancing around a golden calf....and he burns the calf and grinds it up and makes the drink it...anyway, not really so happy about 10 seconds after the movie ends.

The ornament is a paper towel roll with little symbolic things from each plague...the paper towel roll to signify Moses' staff.

Sunday...the 10 Commandments.

We are eating cheesesteak sandwiches cut in half to look like the stone tablets.

Those big pretzel rods for the staff.

and Take 5 Candy bars with numbers written on the back...1-10:-)...you will need 5 bars (they have 2 small ones in each package)

The Bible story is here...

A few years ago we made little "stone" tablets from Sculpey. Decorated with Roman Numerals 1-10. We use one of those for our ornament.

whew! OK, probably too much for one day, but I am just thinking about this weekend and I don't know if I will get back in here...maybe...

Have a great weekend and don't forget to watch the finale of Amazing Race on Sunday night...woohoo woohoo!

Thursday Thirteen #19

2006-12-07T09:08:00.000-06:00

We are doing a Jesse Tree this year...to see more, scroll back a few days...anyway, today is Joseph. Thanks for visiting!

Thirteen Things about Jesse Tree #7 (Joseph)

1. We are spotlighting a different Bible story/character every night until Christmas...tonight is Joseph, son of Jacob.

2. We always have some kind of dinner food or dessert that supports the story.

3. Tonight we are having spaghetti (for the bowing grain) in Joseph's dream.

4. and meatballs (for the dream cows that ate each other)

5. and corn (for the dream corn) in Pharoah's dream.

6. and breadsticks (for the grain that Joseph kept track of)

7. and a multicolored cake---divide white (or yellow) cake batter into 3 bowls, color with food coloring and carefully pour into pan, trying not to mix the colors...we will also color white frosting---(for the coat of many colors)

8. For the Jesse Tree ornament, we have some wheat that I bought a few years ago at Hobby Lobby in the floral section that has some colored fabric tied around it. We kind of just stick it in the tree.

9. The story can be found in the Bible:-)

or

10. (because we have small children), we like to use Paul's Bible stories. They are fun to read even if you don't do the Jesse Tree.

11. This year I also got a copy of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmond.

12. I used to have such a huge crush on him.

13. "....and they call it....Puppy Love-------....." (swoon:-))

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂs easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Jesse Tree #6 Jacob

2006-12-06T14:26:00.000-06:00

We are doing Jacob today. The first year we did it, the only food related thing we had was

candybars

which I carefully (painstakingly) took from their wrappers and mixed up so that when everyone chose they were tricked. This year we are opening them but leaving the correct ones...tricky, huh?

This year we are also having

chicken fried steak (as the meat that was specially prepared for Isaac)
ramen noodles (for the soup that Esau traded his birthright for)
carrots (good for your eyes...Isaac was blind ya know...work with me here)

The story is here (Paul's version) and here (the Bible).
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Tomorrow is Joseph...we are making a cake with many colors:-), so make sure you have a white cake mix, a can of frosting and some food coloring or sprinkles. And spaghetti and meatballs (frozen is what I am getting).

See you then!

Jesse Tree #5 Isaac

2006-12-05T13:26:00.000-06:00

Sooo...Isaac today!:-)

ram ornament

blackened chicken
french fries (looks kind of like wood, right?)
still balking on the vegetable.
smores

My kids told me last night that they were disappointed that we didn't do the Tower of Babel. I forgot about it. They didn't. Should have been right before Abraham if we were going to do it. If you want to add it in for next year yourself, here is the story from Paul or the Bible and we generally just pick foods from different countries so whatever you like. The only lament I heard yesterday was the missing cheesecake for that night's dessert. So Chinese noodles, tacos, meatballs, sushi...whatever you do that your family likes.

For the Isaac story...which is tonight for us...

Paul's story or the Bible

See you tomorrow...

Jesse Tree #4-Abraham

2006-12-04T12:44:00.000-06:00

I was asked recently, "What is a Jesse Tree?"

I am not sure that we do it "right"....kind of like when we watched the VeggieTale Esther to celebrate Purim. I am sure there are those who would not be able to sit through that "ceremony":-), or our Passover, which we have also worked around to suit our family.

A few years ago, we decided that for our family, we would use the bulk of December to celebrate the coming of Jesus as a baby to the earth. After making that decision, we found the some things on the Jesse Tree at Domestic-church.com...if you scroll down, you will see the pdfs for the pictures of Jesse Tree topics.

We do one every day. We used to do it from the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, but Thanksgiving moves, ya know:-)...so now we start on December 1. We also used to blackout dates that we knew we would be gone in the evenings...but we don't do that anymore. That way it is consistent every year.

On the above Jesse Tree page, Catherine Fournier (who has a pretty cool Jesse Tree) describes the Jesse Tree this way:

The Jesse tree is a symbol of Jesus' family tree.

It also takes us through that first long Advent which lasted from the Fall to the Incarnation.

I don't think our Jesse Tree follows Jesus' family tree very closely...some of it is in His lineage, some not. What we try to keep in our minds is the reason He came. He created a perfect world and we messed it up...and keep messing it up over and over with our sin. So God sent Jesus to bring the gift of wiping our sinful slate clean with His death and resurrection. We simply have to admit we need it and accept it, and, with His help, turn from our sin. We will sin again, but with God's gift, He doesn't see our sin anymore, because Jesus' blood covers it. That's the way I see it anyway.

So, on with the Jesse Tree!

Today we are doing Abraham...the promise of lots of descendants, all that.

The menu will be
Roast (the calf)
Rhodes rolls for the bread.
green beans
tiny pasta that I found in the Latino part of Walmart.
AND (I forgot to say this yesterday) star shaped cookies that we will frost tonight.

Here and here are Paul's pages for Abraham if you want to use them...there are some in between, but this is the part we will do.

or this if you want to use the Bible

Our ornament is a long dark piece of paper covered with stars. We just kind of set it in the branches.

Tomorrow we will be remembering the near sacrifice of Isaac.

We will be eating

blackened chicken (with Paul Prudhomme's seasoning) (fire theme)
baked potatoes (fire theme)
peas (just because we need a vegetable)
s'mores (fire theme)

Our ornament is a ram that I made (yes I did) out of Sculpey, which you can find in the Craft Department at Walmart. Or use the picture from the site above (domestic church) or get a ram from the Toy Department in the little cheap toys where you can get a bag of farm animals for 88 cents. Whatever works for you. :-)

A Weight Lifted...

2006-12-04T06:23:00.000-06:00

I told a friend recently that I wanted to only post edifying, spiritual things until Christmas, such as the Jesse Tree stuff, but then I was met with a temptation to digress with the Amazing Race last night...

So all I am going to say about it is that a feel as though a weight has been lifted and that my heart is singing...I will be able to watch the final episode in a relaxed way, knowing that whatever happens, based on yesterday, I have already won.

My prayers on this issue have been answered. :-)

Back later with Jesse Tree, I hope.

Jesse Tree #2 & #3

2006-12-03T09:33:00.000-06:00

For anyone who ever looks at this blog, you know that I don't always get things done in the timeline that I set for myself. And so, even though we did actually do the Jesse Tree last night, I did not have an opportunity to give a report on it or even tell you what you needed if you were going to do it.

Sorry sorry sorry...really...if you were doing it I hope I didn't mess you up.

So, anyway, here was last night's Jesse Tree event...

The story was the first sin.

We had
ribs from Swadley's (for the making of Eve)
applesauce (for the forbidden fruit)
rice (for the food that they had to work for now, because of sin...because you have to cook rice...)
and crescent rolls.... just "because".

For the dessert, I wanted to have Cowtails (the are a long piece of caramel) for the snake, but I couldn't find them this year. I will need to do some planning ahead next year, because I do like those.

Darth suggested, after the fact, that we could have candied apples/caramel apples (again capitalizing on the fruit idea) and maybe we will next year.... this has always been a work in progress in the 6 years that we have done it.

What we actually DID this year was use gummy worms...which everyone liked just fine.

For the story, again, you can use Paul Dallgas-Frey (I am spelling his name correctly today...sorry Paul) who has a story about the making of Eve, the original sin, and consequences of their sin. Or you can just use the Bible which is great. Or whatever you and your family would enjoy.

We made a pomegranate and a rubber snake hot glued on a few years back, so that is what we use on our tree.

Now....for today.

We are doing Noah today...so
fish sticks
potato boats
some veggie
animal crackers
and blue jello.

Our ornament is a rainbow that the kids colored and a fake dove I bought at Hobby Lobby one year, hot glued on.

The story is actually this in the Bible, but if you use Paul's stuff, you may want to start with this one and follow through the flood (ending with a Rainbow and a Promise)

Tomorrow (in case I don't get in here until the afternoon or something) we are doing Abraham...

For the ornament we used a black piece of paper with sticker stars (kids like to do it...just the office kind, not a scrapbook kind of caliber)..ours is about 2 feet long and about 6 inches wide. We kind of weave through the tree.

And the food is
tiny pasta (like orzo pasta) for the stars in the sky
a veggie
some big piece of meat (probably not a whole calf...)
and some bread...if you are really industrious, you can make your own (not happening here) or make a loaf of frozen bread (like Rhodes). The smell would add to the senses in the story.

Planning to check in tomorrow...Happy Jesse Treeing!

Jesse Tree #1-Creation

2006-12-01T06:35:00.000-06:00

Happy December!

Today is the first day that we are going to do the Jesse Tree. We will do something for it every day this month up to Christmas Eve.

For Creation, we will make Rice Krispie Treats in the shape of the world.

To do this, make a batch of regular Rice Krispie batter :-), then separate into two bowls. Use blue food coloring for half and green for half.

Let it cool a bit...you have some time. Then take a blob of blue and a blob of green and mold them together into a ball.

Squint your eyes a bit. See? It's a representation of Earth!

For our tree (which already has the lights on it, but no ornaments) make some kind of Earth...Styrofoam ball, cutout of paper colored like Earth, just something. Hang it on the tree.

If you have a Bible storybook of the creation account, you can read that. Or you can access my friend

Paul Dallgas-Frye's Bible Stories for Children...Creation Story

If you follow the link through, there are a few pages with the creation story, and Paul does a great job here.

Or you can just read the Creation account from Genesis 1

Happy Jesse Treeing!

Go to Your Rooms...I Don't Even Want to Look at You.

2006-11-27T10:50:00.000-06:00

I know it is sad that my last blog was about Amazing Race and so is this one, but I really do hope to get some Jesse Tree Stuff on here starting Friday...watch for that.

But I HAVE to say...

I am disgusted with EVERYONE on Amazing Race...

Alabama
you were going to Yield the Beauty Queens, so don't shoot them the bird when they do it to you and say things like "I don't know how they can sleep at night"...you were going to do it if you got there first, too.

Rob and Kimberly
WHY didn't you yield the Beauty Queens???

Model Addicts
You SAID, "We'd like to have the final three be us, Alabama and Rob and Kimberly." You were first to the yield. You did not yield them. You stink.

Beauty Queens
I never like you.

Producers
WHY was it a non-elimination round? You stink you stink you stink.

Phil
Stop hugging them. You stink. You were glad that they weren't eliminated.

Go to your rooms all of you and don't come out until Sunday. I don't want to even look at you.

A Moment of Silence

2006-11-20T06:59:00.000-06:00

For the loss of the Chos on Amazing Race. I really liked them, but I guess the good thing is that sometimes the producers kind of help you not to feel bad for the ones leaving by showing you how ridiculous their strategy is. When the Chos and Alabama and Kentucky were all united, that was kind of sweet in a weird way.

But when you are last and next to last, (Chos and Alabama) you can't wait for each other...the last team is going to LOSE...don't you people get that? Well, I guess now you do.

OK, so here is my latest list

Rob and Kimberly win it all...

The Beauty Queens get knocked out in the next round (not happening, but I can dream and there IS a YIELD this time)

Model Addicts or Alabama could win I guess, but I can't take those

Beauty Queens...and I really would like Rob and Kimberly to win...they have grown up alot on this show...

Time to Thanksgiving shop!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2006-11-13T09:35:00.000-06:00

As a birthday present to myself, I am going to try to knock out some things this week I have been procrastinating....

1. My cuz had asked about going to see the Nutcracker and I had not gotten back to her...it has been about 2 weeks at least...maybe more...I don't want to think about it. Anyway, took care of that.

2. Going to clean out the bathroom cabinet. Things keep falling on me.

3. Getting the trademark for our Scripture Song writing company going. Thanks, Mom, for the $$ to get that going.

4. Going to clean out Todder's scary scary closet this week.

5. Going to get all the Jesse Tree things together. Hope to get that on the blog as we do them....starting December 1. If I am really good, I will put them one day ahead...

6. Find a song to sing for December 17th...hope to get that today. Tired of worrying about it.

7. Going to find the Scriptures for the next Women's study so I can at least be thinking about them.

8. Clean off the laundry room folding table....it is such a joke right now.

9. Get the CD's that I borrowed back to the nice lady who keeps letting me borrow things even though she knows I am awful about returning.

10. Maybe maybe maybe get the family reunion pics from 2 summers ago printed.... Stop laughing. That would be huge...

Thursday Thirteen #18

2006-11-09T06:08:00.000-06:00

Thirteen Factors as to Why This Won't Be Clever This Week

1. We are kind of looking at buying a house dowtown...so our realtor came to look at our house and tell us what we needed to do to sell it, if we decided to do that.

2. So lots of last minute cleaning...

3. 2 missionaries from Prague stayed with us most of the last 5 days.

4. The Fall Festival for the kids' school was last Friday and that was kind of all encompassing (because I can usually only speak to one extra thing at a time)

5. Sang in church Sunday, so had to kind of worry about that.

6. Lots of special cooking this week for our company. The kids loved that, and probably Greg did as well.

7. I think my nerves got the best of me this week and I had some kind of stomach problems in the middle part of all of that...

8. Led the choir last night which is always fun but also nerve racking for me...our regular guy is really good.

9. Helping Darth with school and school projects...they seem to all be coming down at once...I don't remember 5th grade being this involved, but it's probably good.

10. Just my general lack of time management skills.

11. Laundry laundry laundry...

12. More dishwashing than normal...

13. Todder...I might as well use her as an excuse...she can't read so she won't know:-).

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A Picture of 1 Corinthians 10:31

2006-11-08T13:28:00.000-06:00

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection
(from The Practice of the Presence of God)
(parenthesis mine for clarity)

Everything was the same to him…
every place…
every job.

The good brother found God everywhere…
as much while he was repairing shoes as while he was praying with the community (of Believers).

He was in no hurry to go on retreats, because he found the same God to love and adore in his ordinary work as he did in the depths of the desert (where he spent his time alone with God).

Brother Lawrence’s means of going to God was to do everything for the love of Him.

He was thus indifferent about what he did.

All that mattered was that he did it for God.

It was He (God) and not the activity, that he considered.

Brother Lawrence knew that the pettiness of the deed would not diminish the worth of his offering, because God, needing nothing, considers in our works only the love that accompanies them.

Kentucky out, CEE, Next Projects and Doins'

2006-11-06T12:41:00.000-06:00

Hmmmm...OK, so the groups on Amazing Race are not falling off in the order that I would have liked....but as long as the still all leave I am not going to be picky.

Kentucky out....now the Model Addicts, the Beauty Queens, Alabama...out out out. We'll see...

On to other things...we are keeping a couple of missionaries from the CEE (Central Europe) at our house until Thursday. To see what they do, click here. They are at a conference at Portland Avenue Baptist Church (not my church). Wish we could have had them come and speak at our church. Apparently there are things that you can do right here if you are computer/media talented...and they have some real specific prayer programs, too. All that is at the site also, if you are interested.

We are starting the process of purging our house...just too much stuff and although it has been organized from time to time, we are, again, in a state of disarray.

Also getting ready for the big holiday week in our home (next week). Todder has her birthday, then moi:-), then it is our 20th anniversary (and how can that be when I am only 30 years old???) and then Mango's birthday....Whew! Makes me tired to think of it, but it will be fun.

Guess that is all I know for now. Hopefully this week I will think of something profound to say ...later.

Amazing Race-Not-So-Amazing Week

2006-10-30T16:09:00.000-06:00

First of all....I am not sure how I feel about Dave and Mary getting yet another non elimination...I like Dave...I hope I don't too often sound like Mary, but probably I do...So I guess we'll see if they can pull that one out of the fire next week and if the Cho Brothers (who I like but I think are taking this "6 Pack" thing a little too far) come to their aid again (to their own potential peril).

I DO think that the beauty queens' true colors are coming out...and I am not surprised at what we are all seeing. Remember, pretty is as pretty does, girls.

Too many mean people on this time...I am ready for

the model addicts to go home
the beauty queens to go home
the Alabama girls to go home...

how many teams are there?

Ready (almost) for Dave and Mary to go home. Dave is the redeeming factor there.

#1 pick is the Chos and #2 is Dave if he can win alone. If not, Rob and Kimberly and I can't even believe I am saying that but at least they are not nasty.

OK, enough of that.

This is one of those weeks that I thought was busy until I realized how busy it really was going to be about an hour ago.

We will have two houseguests next week, which I think will be great, but also a little stressful since my children are not always the best...plus that means I have to "clean with purpose" this week:-).

So maybe I will blog again this week, maybe not.

But know that it's not you...it's me.;-)

Thursday Thirteen #17

2006-10-26T06:11:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things about My Recent Gardening Adventure

1 The first thing to know is that I am not a gardenener.

2. Much like the aspiring cook who thinks one can put salt or sugar in a recipe because they look the same, I really don't have a clue what I am doing with plants.

3. So, 2 weeks ago, I was a WalMart and thought that maybe I should get some pansies...

4. I got purple and yellow, because we are kind of Vikings fans (in addition to being Sooners).

5. I brought home the flowers, and felt pretty good about myself, envisioning a completely transformed front door area, alive with splashes of color.

6. I did not notice the clouds that were gathering...

7. Once home, todder and I took the flowers to the are in which they were to be planted.

8. We fought over who was going to use the shovel...she cried.

9. As I began to move rocks (the previous owners liked those decorator stones and used about 1.5 tons in all the beds of our front and back yard--ugh) to expose the dirt, I found that plastic that prevents weeds.

10. Under the plastic, I found a tiny bit of dirt and another 3 inches of rocks. I had no additional dirt.

11. It began to rain.

12. 2 weeks later, I finally had another opportunity to plant the pansies, which were all wilted and sad looking.

13. Armed with a bag of dirt, I pushed the rocks back...yes, now there is a big hill of rocks toward the back of my flower bed. And I planted those near-dead flowers. Darth (10 years old and having never seen flowers in our yard) commented how pretty they looked, As they lay horizontally on the dirt with the mountain of rocks in the background. And I watered those flowers as if they might be alive....Someone told me you can't kill pansies. We'll see.

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Names of God Part 2

2006-10-25T13:30:00.000-05:00

OK....when I found the Sacred Name Bible, I thought that they had pretty much done what I talked about in the above post....I thought that they had gone through the King James and simply inserted the three main names of God instead of the coded stuff (LORD, Lord, GOD, etc).

But then I looked at it again today, and checked some of the verses against Strongs and it appears that for the most part (maybe all, but I can't say that), John Hurt has changed the words "God" and "Lord" to the specific Hebrew names...very cool, I think.

Apparently, there are people who think that if you speak a particular name of God, it has some kind of magical quality, and therefore, there is some controversy with the whole Sacred Names thing (and I think that movement is actually called "Sacred Names" with an s)...in looking at this site, it does not seem that Mr. Hurt is going there....so don't you go there either.

God is not a genie in a bottle and just because you know that one of His names is Jehovah Rapha (the Lord, your healer), He is not compelled to heal a disease.

BUT I do think this is useful, because the names are right in the text.

You can use it for free online or download the software for a nominal fee.

There are other features there as well. To view the entire site, click on the HTML Bible in the sidebar.

Names of God Part 1

2006-10-22T20:50:00.000-05:00

Although this is probably not a new thought, I have theorized that when we read "God" or some variation in the Bible, there might be more to it than just "God"...you know, there are all sorts of names for God, like Jehovah or Jehovah Jirah, and a bunch of others that I don't know.

And I have wondered if maybe sometimes "God" means Jesus and sometimes "God" means the Holy Spirit, or the Father...now this is just wondering, mind you, but I found kind of an interesting thing in my journey:-) to investigate these matters.

The Institute for Religious Research published an article that talks about the King James Version of the Bible and the code it uses to denote the three most prevailent names of God. I thought this was very cool. I am lifting some parts, leaving out the illustrations and just telling you the facts...go read the article if you want more detail.

A code system in the King James Version Bible designates which divine name(s) is used in a given passage. If you look at the KJV text carefully, you will notice that Deity is variously referred to as "God", "GOD", "Lord", "LORD," or some combination of these terms. These different English words and spelling variations were used by the King James translators to designate the various Hebrew words and names for God in the Old Testament. As has been noted, the three primary Hebrew words for God are Elohim, Jehovah (or Yahweh), and Adonai.

Elohim
This is a general Hebrew term for Deity that designates God as our Creator and the object of all true worship. It occurs 2,570 times in the Old Testament. The King James translators rendered this Hebrew word as "God." Notice that God in this instance is spelled with a capital "G" and with the letters "od" written in lower case. It is thought by many scholars to be related to the Hebrew word El, meaning "strength," "mighty," or "the Almighty."

Jehovah/Yahweh
When the name Jehovah (or Yahweh, as modern scholars believe it should be written) is used in the Hebrew text, it is written as "LORD" in our English Bibles. Notice that all the letters are capitalized. In some instances Jehovah is also written as "GOD." Again, with all the letters capitalized. Wherever you see the words "LORD" or "GOD" in the Bible written in all uppercase letters, you will know that in every case it is the word Jehovah (or Yahweh) that has been translated from the original Hebrew text of Scripture. Jehovah is the personal name of God, and speaks of Him as the holy, self-existent God who hates sin but provides redemption. According to the standard Hebrew- English lexicon of the Old Testament, this name for God is used c. 6,823 times in the Old Testament.

Adonai
When this word is used in the Hebrew text of Scripture, it is written as "Lord" in the King James Bible. Notice that it is spelled with a capital "L" and lower case "ord." It means "Sovereign," or "Master," and emphasizes the Lordship of God. This word is used more than 300 times in the Old Testament as a designation for God.

This does not, of course, envelope all the names of God, but I thought that was pretty forward thinking of the King James group of translators. And I guess they were the only ones to think of it, because I don't see it in in any other translation. More on names of God later....

Thursday Thirteen # 16

2006-10-20T15:20:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things That I Am Thankful For

OK....wayyyyy too much negative thinking in my week, so here is my attempt to accentuate the positive...

1. I am thankful that I don't have to work.

2. I am thankful that my children are all healthy.

3. I am thankful that I am healthy.

4. I am thankful that I have a husband and that he, too, is healthy and working hard.

5. I am thankful that people seem to like the work he does and want him to participate in more facets of that work.

6. I am thankful that alot of my family lives close (within 90 minutes).

7. I am thankful that I have options to do extra things, even though sometimes I let them stress me out.

8. I am thankful that I get to sing at Swadleys every 2nd and 4th Saturday.

9. I am thankful that I have so much stuff that I need to go through it and get rid of some of it.

10. I am thankful that I can sometimes choose what things to fixate on and what things to let go of if I will just think about them before diving in.

11. I am thankful for my Body and Soul class because doing Body and Soul has made me feel stronger.

12. I am thankful that I have a number of people in my life who love me.

13. I am thankful that when I think to let Him, God keeps me focused and gives me purpose in my life.

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Just the Facts

2006-10-16T13:37:00.000-05:00

OK, I stink...I haven't posted for weeks and today isn't going to be much better. But I wanted to just let you know I am still alive, watching Amazing Race, etc...

Glad the boyfriends are gone, wondering how long the Kentuckys will be there...that was a close one for sure. And who in the world would choose that rice thing once you looked at it and saw how long it would take?

My best girlfriend Sherri, reminded me that the holidays are coming upon us and found a really good site if you are thinking you might want to do a Jesse Tree this year...but you need to get started so it will be ready...click here to get started or here just to read about someone who did it last year (this actually is a cute blog and I plan to read more of it later....)

As part of my 101 things to do in 1001 days, I am learning to do cryptograms....my grandmother used to do them all the time in the newspaper. I found this about a week ago and it was fun, so if you want to learn how to do one, click here.

And finally, my step dad made a video of Grafted In (our country gospel band) a few weeks ago. I gave a copy to Kenny and he somehow was able to make a YouTube of one of the songs. You can't really hear me (I am singing the lower part) but you can see me and my washboard prowess:-) and hear Kenny singing one of his best songs. AND if you are really alert, you will notice that I look afraid before you push the arrow...like I am trapped in there or something....funny.

OK, that's it for now. Thanks for sticking with me and visiting now and then. :-)

Thursday Thirteen #15

2006-09-27T22:21:00.000-05:00

Looking for the Daniel Song? Click here...

Thirteen Things I Love About Fall
1. Cooler weather
2. Shorter days (yeah, I like the longer days too, but I like the variation)
3. Drinking hot drinks anytime..not just morning coffee.
4. Daylight Savings time.
5. Birthdays (mine:-), Mango's and Todder's....all in the same week.
6. Our anniversary...
7. Looking at all the pretty leaves.
8. All of the cooking and baking.
9. Clothing with more coverage.
10.Going to the pumpkin patch
11. Hayrides
12. Those funny gourds, tiny pumpkins and colorful ears of corn that they sell for table decor.
13. Thanksgiving

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Amazing Race 10 Episode 2

2006-09-25T22:43:00.000-05:00

One of those pretty teams needed to go home...I think it was a mistake from the beginning to have the cheerleaders and the Miss America wannabees on the same show.

Better to have a senior adult couple or something and ONE team of beauties.

Just my thought.

But now, no worries...one pretty team went home.

Now, heeeeeere's something a little interesting...

I tried to link you to the video clip from the online Amazing Race site about Duke (but I am a cybermoron and couldn't get it to work)...you should go and watch it.

It appears that Duke, under the guise of "getting everyone's e-mail (in a little notebook/autographbook type setting) so we can stay in touch" may have been trying to get information from everyone so he could trip them up on reservations and stuff later.

"hmmmm...." (she says with a lifted brow:-))

You Can't Please Everyone, So You've Got to Please Yourself

2006-09-23T10:47:00.000-05:00

OK, not really...but some people like the song on here and some don't. So on Thursdays, if I remember (because of Thursday Thirteen), I will take it off. You can get to it through the sidebar, though...even on Thursdays:-)

I will play the song all other days for awhile, and we'll see how it goes...

Thanks for your understanding and happy memorizing:-)!

Daniel Memory Song Update

2006-09-21T06:59:00.000-05:00

(Please see my Thursday Thirteen below.)

I had the memory verse song for the Daniel study playing on my blog, with mixed feelings about it, since you couldn't choose whether to listen or not if you were looking at the blog. With the exception of TT, I think most people who come here either want to hear it because they are memorizing for the study or because Kenny and I wrote it and they would like to hear it.

But I am huge on respecting other's choice to listen to music or not (really :-)), so I am taking off the embed that loops the song, at least for today. If you want to hear Daniel 2:20-23 (and I would love for you to), please click on the title to this post, and it will take you to Kenny's site.

Thanks and sorry for any disruption to your TT fun today:-)

a

Thursday Thirteen #14

2006-09-20T20:50:00.000-05:00

These are not original with me...see link in title. But some are funny...sort of.

Thirteen Great Fish Tunes to Celebrate "Fish Amnesty Day" (Sept. 23rd)

1. Sea Eeled With A Kiss

2. That's a Moray

3. Clam Every Mountain

4. It Haddock Be You

5. Heart And Sole

6. Salmon Janet Evening

7. This Scampi Love

8. Roe, Roe, Roe Your Boat

9. A Dream Is a Fish Your Carp Makes

10. You Don't Send me Flounders Anymore

11. You Get The Bass Of My Love

12. You're Shrimply The Bass

13. What's It All About, Algae?

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Memory Verse For Daniel Bible Study

2006-09-18T20:56:00.000-05:00

(please see below for Amazing Race thoughts....)

If you are taking the Beth Moore Daniel Bible Study and are trying to memorize the verse that Beth wanted you to memorize (that would be Daniel 2:20-23) my friend Kenny and I have put it to music. You may even be able to hear it as you are reading this.

If you learn stuff like Bible verses more quickly when there is a tune with it, let me know. I will try to get the mp3 to you in your email. No charge, and if it helps you (you can just connect up here to listen if you want to, but if you are really computer smart you might be able to burn yourself a copy if I sent it to you) please tell me.

:-)

Amazing Race 10 Begins

2006-09-18T16:29:00.000-05:00

Bilal and Sa'eed-I know that there are those who will be glad that they are gone, just on principle, but I thought that was awful the way they got booted and it wasn't even a pit stop. Boo Amazing Race Idea People.

David and Mary-They won't win...but I think they are great. She is so much loving that she has a voice in this. And their accents and mannerisms make me smile. Go David and Mary!!!

Duke and Lauren-OK, so the disappointing secret is out...she's gay. I can't even imagine what he is going through with that, as it was clear that didn't fit with what he had always hoped for for her. I hope they are able to come to some kind of happy place in their relationship. They did a good job last night.

Dustin and Kandice-"Yes...I'm Miss California and she is Miss New York." I always watched Miss America, and the party line was so often the scholarship factor, but these girls are not shying away from Beauty Queen labels...They did a good job, too. But for me to really get behind them, all this Miss America stuff is going to have to stop.

Erwin and Godwin-Not sure...soetimes they seem good...sometimes I think they are trying to be the new hippies...how about those water guns?

Kellie and Jamie-these two shoud have been on another Amazing Race...because they may be cheerleaders, but how do you compete with Miss California and Miss New York? They did well, though.

Lyn and Karlyn-liked them...I guess because I could almost replace either one at any time...I hope they do well.

Peter and Sarah-what to think about her disability? There was some griping that she was "using" it to get ahead, but I think there are going to be some times when she really will be at a disadvantage...and if they don't fix that hydrolic thing, it could be soon. That Peter...don't you just want to give him a smooch? He is so supportive and good to her.

Rob and Kimberly-so far so good, but I can sense that there is going to be some sniping in the not too distant future.

Tom and Terry-this is almost more than I can take.

Tyler and James-what to think here? I am not sure yet.

Vipul and Arti-I hated this...I thought they would be good, but now they are gone. I liked them. Oh well...moving on.

You KNOW you have been waiting for this....

2006-09-16T15:40:00.000-05:00

Amazing Race is back....Tomorrow night 7:30

I can't believe it is on Sundays now...

Here's what I found out so far. Straight print is the writeup (or my opinion of it) Italicized is the preshow interview. Yellow means I am hoping they won't last.

Bilal and Sa'eed-Muslim best friends (both male)...
In watching the pre-show interview, they seemed nice enough...they are hoping to give Muslims a positive face by the way they deal with other teams....

David and Mary-married parents
David is a coal miner...they are pretty country-fied. Met while working at McDonalds. Have not traveled abroad, but have been learning phrases...Could like them...

Duke and Lauren-father/daughter
Apparently had a fallout earlier in life, and were estranged. They are hoping this will help them to bond. Neither has traveled overseas. This was kind of a boring interview.

Dustin and Kandace-best friends (both female)
Met at the Miss America competition. One is now a Rockette. These girls are way too much on cutiepie...They are starting in the hole with me, I think.

Erwin and Godwin-brothers
These two could be cute or annoying...I think that they think they are funny. We've seen that before and it could go either way.

Kellie and Jamie-cheerleader best friends
I don't know...we already have Dustin and Kandace...do we really need these two? They both want to be on television...No travel abroad...One knows some Spanish...the other knows "Hola". Sigh...I don't think they will be my pick.

Lyn and Karlyn-best friends (both female)
These are some nice girls...I don't think they have a chance. No study abroad, no real command of languages...are planning to "wing it"

Peter and Sarah-Iron Man competitors, friends, she has an artificial leg
Lots of discussion about her leg. Fluent in German and Spanish. Think they have a distinct advantage over the other teams (I don't see how this could be, but am open to being convinced)

Rob and Kimberly-bartender/cocktail waitress, dating, living together..I have to say this...in the write up it says that their relationship has experienced some rocky moments, but they decided to move in together. hmmm.
In the preshow interview, I did not get anything from it that made me feel better. I don't think they will get along. I am not sure how prepared they are beyond maybe some working out.

Tom and Terry-dating (both men)
I don't know if they will make it past the first week. They say that they are already doing the Amazing Race by living in NYC.

Tyler and James-best friends Lost touch but found each other again while in drug rehab
These are the male version of Kellie/Jamie/Dustin/Kandace. Oh well, what's good for the goose....

Vipul and Arti-married...first Indian American team to run the race. Speak many languages.
Preshow video-I like them...he is wearing a tacky shirt, but they seem even and pretty normal. I don't know how in shape they are but they seem to be...

Well...I know what my first impressions are (and you never get a second chance to make a first impression:-)) and who I am going to be rooting for initially. But I can be fickle, so who knows?

I'll be back with my own report of how it went on Monday.

Thursday Thirteen #13

2006-09-14T16:03:00.000-05:00

I am not smart enough to know how to make my 2996 post stay at the top, so please scroll down if you want to read about Tim Reilly. A special special guy. Thanks...

I know people did this last week and I missed it so here is mine...

Thirteen Things I Like about Me

1. My haircolor. I love the stripey red and blonde in with my regular color. Thanks Steve!

2. My singing voice in jazz, contemporary, opera, country (sort of:-))

3. I like that I am able to get up early and like it...It's my favorite part of the day.

4. I like that I have overcome some of my self made obstacles, like learning how to conduct, writing music....stuff like that. When I learn to do something I think I can't do, it makes me more courageous to try the next "impossible" thing.

5. I like that I am able to coordinate a meal so that it is all ready at the same time.

6. I like the little laugh lines around my mouth

7. I like that I am able to let the phone ring and not feel the need to get it if I am busy.

8. I like that I am exercising now...

9. I like my sense of humor.

10. I like that I am in a kind of stable place now...I am comfortable with who I am...I haven't always been that way...even up to last year.

11. I like that I can be different than other people and it doesn't bother me.

12. I like that my relationship with God is not a pigeonholed part of my life. There was a time when that was the case.

13. I like that I will usually follow through on what I say I will do even if the circumstances change and it is difficult for me to do.

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I Remember Timothy E. Reilly...

2006-09-10T11:44:00.000-05:00

Link to 2996 project

Here is a link to pictures of Tim.

These are thoughts from those who knew Tim the best... If you said one of these things, it's not that I didn't want to credit you, but I wanted this to be like we overheard you talking about Tim or to him. :-)

Thoughtful
He is the one who so generously let Mo (his baby sister) live at his apartment at various times, he is the one who cooked us so many Sunday night dinners and took us out to his favorite restaurants, he is the one who threw us a fabulous engagement party, he is the one who gave Mo away at our wedding just a few weeks

For years, Tim Reilly surprised his mother when he brought home unexpected guests to Thanksgiving dinner. Claire Reilly Walcovy would scramble to set an extra place at the table, and fretted there wasn't enough food...Typically the people he brought over didn't have a place to go.

Inviting
Tim radiated warmth and generosity. At your engagement party, I was a bit concerned that John and Mo would be the only ones I knew well. Soon after we arrived, Tim removed any concerns I had by introducing himself, welcoming my girlfriend Jenny and I, and taking time out to talk to us and find out about us.

He invited me to a few insurance functions. You know how fun those can be. But with Tim being Tim, I always enjoyed myself. I remember so many good times with Tim.

Tim's friendships were legendary and extraordinary. His warm and easy going personality and love of life made and maintained devoted friends from his grammar school days into his professional life. It has also been said, "Friends are ones chosen family," Tim had one of the largest extended families that I know of.

Magnanimous/Munificent

One perfect example of this selflessness occured following the death of my beloved mother. Hal had wanted me to continue with my studies and finish graduate school on time. I kept that promise to my mother. My family had prior committments and were unable to attend my graduation. I was wallowing in self-pity that graduation day. Feeling quite bad for myself, I dutifully walked to the podium and accepted my degree. Upon taking hold of it, I looked out over the crowd only to see Timbo and his infectious smile beaming with great pride. He had taken the day off from work and driven to Boston to be there for me. His generosity did not stop there this May day. He pulled out a checkbook and wrote a check for $1,000 for my 1980 Dodge Aspen, a car which he did not need. The Aspen was maybe worth $100, but Timmy knew I was short cash. I dont think that car ever made it back to Brooklyn.

He spent his money on his family and on taking people out to dinner and picking up the tab at the bar.

Outdoor Sportsman
Tim was as competitive as they come and sincerely enjoyed the sporting life. Tennis and skiing were two sports that he excelled at. He was co-captain of his college tennis team at Stonehill. That is until he found GOLF! He loved that game like no other. His clubs were always in the car or with him on his business trips. He played all over- Australia, Bermuda, Ireland and the States. His most memorable experiences were playing at Old Head in Ireland and at Winged Foot this past summer with the Holy Family "Boys".

Toastmaster
The "toastmaster" of the family, Reilly "played the role of an ambassador" during family get-togethers, and always "knew how to meet and greet people."

"His toasts were always from the heart, throwing in a few Irish proverbs [in his toasts] for good standings."

He loved to make toasts. Last Thanksgiving, he raised a glass to Maureen's engagement, a nephew's success on the football field, a cousin who died and his mother, whom he had saved from a near fatal car accident.

Humble
He was selfless, always putting the needs of others in front of his own. He was generous. Most of the time, his generous deeds went unnoticed. TR5 never fished for the recognition that so many of us seek for doing good deeds.

Yankee fan
He was a die hard Yankee fan and had the knack for getting tickets to all of the big games, even if it was sold out. He was able to get passes to his company and client's corporate luxury boxes. He was simply amazing.

Entrenched in family
The only time I saw him disappointed was when he was not the first with family gossip. Tim was the telegraph of the clan. . A role he took very seriously.

Tim loved his Mother as sons do. He traveled extensively with her and enjoyed every minute. And somehow I do not think it slowed him down one bit.

Timmy was very compassionate and caring to all he touched. Family was everything to him. He would make all the family functions and just enjoy getting to know all his cousins, which is difficult at best.

At 40, he lived in what had once been his grandmother's one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn Heights, still furnished with her old couch, table and chairs.

Of all the members of this large family I think Tim was the glue. Be it good times or bad. He was there.

As the 4th sibling of the six Reilly kids, he played a pivotal role in a family that lost their father when Mo (the youngest) was just six months old...

Role Model
Tim truly knew how to make the most of a moment. Tim was a man of compassion, a man of integrity, a man of determination, a man with a sense of humor, a man with a sense of family, and man with the desire to make the world a better place for the ones he loved.

Your wonderfully subtle way of making the people you were with feel vital and important was your gift to us. You were a master at preserving your friends’ fragile egos. You had an uncanny ability to recall events of the past, always providing the appropriate poetic license to give our lives more significance than might be warranted, but always appreciated.

Encouraging
His outpouring of love was the life preserver that kept me afloat in my hour of greatest need and deepest pain. He had an uncanny knack of picking me up, repairing me and sending me back out with my head held high. He made me believe in myself. He made me happy to be alive.

Illustrious actor

My fondest thoughts of Timmy is when he did the Colgate commercial. My family and I gathered around the TV to watch. His cousins got a big kick out of seeing their cousin on TV.

Loving
A true friend in someone who loves you unconditionally despite all your character flaws, in fact loves you more because of them. It is someone who advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably.

I can honestly say I never saw Tim get angry. I also never heard him say a bad word about anyone.

Tim had the honesty he needed to look inside himself and discover what was really there, and also to see how his actions affected other people. He rid himself of pride that stands in the way of love. He knew not just the joy of love but the responsibilities that come with loving and being loved.

Laughs
I remember never meeting Tim that he thrust out his cheek to me and saying “ put one right here”.

Tim was a very special person to his family; his stepbrother and sisters, and everyone who meet Tim on his/their journey through life. The smile, the hand shake, and the arm around your shoulder that Tim used to bring you closer to him. Sometimes a quick wink with a hug, as if Tim knew your inner most thoughts, sometimes with family, a whisper in your ear: "I love you." or "Have you got twenty dollars?"

Young at Heart
He was such a good guy to those young boys (his younger cousins) who would go to his dorm room in O’Hara Hall early on a weekend morning and wake him up. Not realizing that the weekend nights of a college man meant long weekend sleeps. Tim never complained, indeed he entertained them all day.

"The King of the Beach".He knew everyone and everyone knew him. He would soak in the sun during the day and feast on lobster at night. Then he would lay himself on the couch when the day was done until the next day would dawn.TIM WAS SIMPLY THE BEST!

- The "bop", a low five (or big greeting) and a big smile

- Never missing a gala affair or party

- Never knowing when and how he would arrive (definitely fashionably late!)

- Always having an extra ticket to a Yankee, Giant, or Knick Game.

- Always having "some place we had to check out" after the game.

- Never knowing how and when I was going to get home.

- Always having a great story that needed to be told

- Always having some friend "you had to meet"

- Great pride in his own family and sincere interest in your family (he never would forget to ask about your family members)

- A band we had to hear and a pub we had to visit

- His love of Brooklyn and NYC

Full of fun, energy, being with family and never wanting the party to be over!

Thursday Thirteen #12

2006-09-06T22:40:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Random Thoughts about Angela

1. My inlaws sent home Wednesday after being here for a week. My kids really enjoyed them.

2. Does anyone know when Amazing Race cranks back up?

3. I have been going to my Body and Soul classes faithfully, only missing once because Todder was sick. I think it is helping me get my bumps and bulges kind of smoothed out.

4. There is also a Bible Study/Prayer time that meets after Body and Soul on Thursdays...My friend Kenny and I put the memory verse (Philippians 4:8-9) to music...those of you who read regularly know that I love doing that so I was pretty excited about getting to do one for the girls at the church.

5. Now I am working on Daniel 2:20-23 for the Beth Moore Bible Study on Daniel at the church. Hoping to record it next week.

6. I am so tired...company for a week can wear you out.

7. There is tons of laundry to do, and clutter clutter clutter. Hope to get that under control before the weekend.

8. But we did get the lamppost fixed in the front yard...and put up a light next to the door that matches it. It looks really nice.

9. Finally saw Because of Winn Dixie. It was OK, but not worth all the fuss I heard about how great it was. I kind of thought that about Napoleon Dynamite, too...

10. I need to make a grocery list/menu list for next week. Any good recipe ideas anyone?

11. Mango lost two teeth last week. We watched Toothless (a tooth fairy movie) to celebrate it. The elevator scene scared one of our children (not saying who). Guess that takes me out of the running for Mother of the Year for 2006...

12. Here was something that I thought was a good idea. We had a little leak in the bathroom above our bedroom and had to make a little hole in the ceiling to fix it. My mom suggested that instead of calling the dry waller (?) we put a vent grate there. It looks great and if there are any other problems with those pipes, we will know it right away. And we didn't have to try to match paint. Cool huh?

13. I have really been enjoying Revlon Color stay lipstick. It comes in a double sided tube with one side color and one side slick clear stuff. Once you put the color on, it's there for the day...And it doesn't get on your teeth.

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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The Dinner Guest

2006-08-30T14:25:00.000-05:00

My sweet friend, George Mensah, sent this to me...I don't think he wrote it either, but it is a sweet story.

Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter.
She picked it up and looked at it before opening,
but then she looked at the envelope again.

There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.
She read the letter:

Dear Ruth:

I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday
afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit.

Love Always,
Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on
the table.

"Why would the Lord want to visit me?
I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."

With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty
kitchen cabinets.

"Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to
offer. I'll have to run down to the store and
buy something for dinner."

She reached for her purse and counted out its
contents. Five dollars and forty cents.

"Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least."

She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.

A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced
turkey, and a carton of milk...leaving Ruth with grand
total of twelve cents to last her until Monday.

Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her
meager offerings tucked under her arm.

"Hey lady, can you help us,lady?"

Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she
hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the
alleyway.

A man and a woman, both of them dressed in
little more than rags.

"Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife
and I have been living out here on the street, and,
well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda
hungry and, well, if you could help us Lady, we'd
really appreciate it."

Ruth looked at them both.

They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she
was certain that they could get some kind of work if
they really wanted to.

"Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman
myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread,
and I'm having an important guest for dinner
tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."

"Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway."

The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders,
turned and headed back into the alley.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar
twinge in her heart.

"Sir, wait!"

The couple stopped and turned as she
ran down the alley after them.
"Look, why don't you take this food.
I'll figure out something else to serve my guest."

She handed the man her grocery bag.

"Thank you lady. Thank you very much!"

"Yes, thank you!"

It was the man's wife, and Ruth
could see now that she was shivering.

"You know, I've got another coat at home.

Here, why don't you take this one."

Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the
woman's shoulders.

Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the
street...without her coat and with nothing to serve
her guest.

"Thank you lady!
Thank you very much!"

Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front
door, and worried too.

The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't
have anything to offer Him.
She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But
as she did, she noticed another envelope in her
mailbox.

"That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice
in one day."

Dear Ruth:
It was so good to see you again.
Thank you for the lovely meal.
And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.
Love Always,
Jesus

The air was still cold, but even without her coat,
Ruth no longer noticed.

Updated Sidebar

2006-08-29T13:44:00.000-05:00

Sugarcreek site is updated (see sidebar)...really nice...you can access many sermons on the same page. Enjoy!

Faith is...

2006-08-21T10:58:00.000-05:00

I heard this a few years ago in church and it really helped me, because I am simple and need concrete thinking...so I thought it might be something you would like to read...

Faith is not presumption, it is not walking on thin ice, going out on a limb, doing something crazy, wishful thinking, or even positive thinking. Faith is the trusting response to the revealed will of God.

Faith is demonstrated by trusting in a promise God has made to me. When I believe in a promise God has made, my faith guarantees that I will get it.

To me, this says that "faith is believing what God said in His Word" and the more we know about His Word (in context and correctly interpreted, of course:-)), the more empowered we are in our faith.

This is one of the reasons I love Scripture memorization. If you can repeat to yourself what God says in His Word, that supercedes whatever other thoughts you might have about a situation (my thoughts...)

What do you think? What do you think faith is?

Thursday Thirteen #11

2006-08-16T07:13:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things I Still Want/Need to do Before the Start of School (Next Wednesday)

1. Make sure there are an adequate number of clothes that fit Darth and Mango.

2. Get Mango's hair (which is down to her waist) trimmed up about 6 inches so that I can...

3. Practice French braiding her hair. I really really want to be able to do this so that I can give her hair a break from "the ponytail"...

4. Cull the toys in the playroom.

5. Label all school supplies.

6. Clean out the van. We drive about 25 minutes to school each way and it looks like I am driving a garbage truck.

7. Supervise the straightening of Mango andDarth's rooms...once school starts it is just a pipe dream to really get their rooms clean.

8. Purge the hooks where the backpacks, light jackets, etc should be...I still have winter stuff there...such a procrastinator.

9. Move the few (and it really is a few) things in the garage that are preventing me from putting the van in there. It is a billion degrees here in the afternoon and at best, the van cools to about 85 on the ride home. I need to give us a chance of cool by not having the van outside at 2:30 in the afternoon.

10. Getting the kids back to the "school" bedtime...

11. Getting myself back to the "school bedtime"

12. I need to get an exercise outfit for the class I signed up for (twice a week...hope I can do it:-))

13. Laundry laundry laundry...but when is that not the case?

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Back to School...(8 more days...)

2006-08-15T14:56:00.000-05:00

Ever seen this commercial? I was disappointed that it wasn't the whole thing, but I laugh every time I see it. That dad..those kids...

hee hee hee....

The Body of Christ:-)

2006-08-11T16:24:00.001-05:00

I had a thought about the Body of Christ the other day...

You know, when you think about a body, you think about

arms
legs
hands
feet
elbows
knees

Or maybe

eyes
ears
mouth
nose

Or maybe

lungs
heart
brain

So let's say someone elbow in the Body of Christ and someone else is a lung. An elbow can take alot of abuse...you can cut it, burn it, bang it....and it's no big deal.

But a lung....if you cut your lung, or get smoke in your lungs or something...now that is serious, or it can be.

Some things regenerate...like skin. And some, like an eyeball, do not.

Oftentimes when I hear something that differs from what I thought Scripture said, I kind of get a feeling of "I better go and look that up, because that's sure not what I thought."...Even if it is a minor point.

Or if someone says something like, "I think Noah might have said to his sons on a really hot day (insert a thought here)."

And I think, "That makes me uncomfortable that that person is adding to Scripture."

But it might not bother someone else at all...

I heard someone take a Scripture out of context the other day...not a big deal one...not one that anyone would miss salvation over...and I heard someone say that Paul did something that he didn't when he was Saul. No biggie I guess, but it hit me like a bucket of cold water.

Maybe that makes me, like, a nose hair in the Body of Christ...you know...kind of sifting out the stuff that shouldn't go in. And if it gets too long, it's kind of unsightly and ugly. :-) You wouldn't want a whole Body of nosehairs, but I guess there need to be a few.

Aren't you glad you stopped by?:-)

See you next week.

Thursday Thirteen #10

2006-08-10T05:40:00.000-05:00

I can feel myself getting crabby...I am helping with another VBS this week...choreography for the elementary aged children. Not my best thing...And it makes me feel about 100 year old in the afternoon...I am soooooo out of shape (I guess...I didn't realize it until now.)

Anyway, in an effort to adjust my attitude (since there are two more days of this), I am focusing on the good of this week.

Thirteen Things to be Thankful for this week...(as my attitude is deteriorating...)

1 No one is sick.

2. Todder is a year older and much better able to tolerate the nursery this week than she was this time last year.

3. Greg is in town this week (I think last year as I did this VBS, he was gone...)

4. Our air conditioner is fixed in the upstairs.

5. It only cost us $150.

6. The kids enjoyed camping out in the living room (even Todder) for the 4 days that it was NOT working.

7. I have not made a fool out of myself yet with my shmokin' dance moves (as far as I know)...

8. Today is Thursday so only 2 more days (including today) of potential #7.

9. I did use this week as an excuse to eat carbs, which was kind of fun at first but now I am going to stop that.

10. No car problems.

11. So far, my mega-grocery-shopping of last week has held out and I haven't had to go back to Wally World.

12. There wasn't really anything else that demanded my attention this week, which is nice...(go to VBS, lead music, go home and fall apart)

13. This little adventure into the world of "movement" has reaffirmed to me the need to get on an exercise program...which I am starting next week with Robin Wall...I am pretty excited about that.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Spirtual Gifts

2006-08-08T06:58:00.000-05:00

My friend, Kristina, sent me a link to this site.

I haven't done one of these kinds of inventories in a long time...but I have grown and matured (???:-)) and thought maybe things had changed for me. There was a little fluctuation in my previous rankings, or it may have just been my mood today, but it was kind of fun.

According to this survey my gifts are

Administration 20

Teaching 18

Prophecy 17

Exhortation 16

Shepherd 14

Serving 13

Giving 12

Showing Mercy 10

Evangelism 8

And quit laughing...it says you don't have to be organized to be administration.:-P

Took me about 15 minutes to answer the 108 questions...

If you take the survey, let me know how you came out.

Apparently, I have no mercy...;-)

Thursday Thirteen #9

2006-08-03T06:36:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Venues of Employment

1. Montgomery Wards 1980 Christmas and 1981 Summer-I worked as a sales associate in the Shoe department, in Children's and in the Women's clothing. I can remember a few times going back to see if we had a certain size of shoe (when it was closing time or close to it) and just standing back there...then returning to say we didn't have it. I was 15/16 at the time, and didn't always have the best work ethic.

2. Sears-1984 This was a summer job, stocking for a new store opening. You could wear whatever and as long as you liked those who were stocking with you, it was pretty good...

3. Oral Roberts University on campus employment- 1984 I felt a little guilty that my parents were paying so much for college, so I thought I might get an on-campus job. I am not sure that they even know about this. I had no office skills, so the only job that was open when I looked was cleaning the bathrooms on my floor. That lasted exactly one day. Ugh and Ugh.

4. The Uniform Shoppe- 1986 (note the "e" at the end of "shop"...makes it almost seem fun, doesn't it?) When I knew I was getting married, I got this job. I worked it my senior year in college and the following summer. Not hard, but oh-so-boring...The shoppe :-) was in a mall, and almost nobody came in there. Of course, I had to look busy, but how many times can you clean a display?

5. Broken Arrow Assembly of God Church- 1987 I graduated in 1987 with a degree in Elementary Education. I don't remember why, but there were no jobs to be had. This was a brand new school (coming out of this church), was not accredited and the first grade class was the oldest. We did everything...stayed with them at lunch, did their PE and Music, recess...no breaks at all. Good experience and gave me something to compare all future teaching jobs to.

6. Discoveryland! Summer 1987 and 1988-This is an outdoor theater that does Oklahoma! every year. I was the Box Office Manager. This was a pretty good gig, as we just took orders during the day and money at night. By the time the show started, we were closed up and counting the money and able to leave by 9:00. Monday-Saturday.

7. Grove School 2nd grade 1988-1990-This was my first (and second) year of teaching at an accredited school. They paid me as a 2nd year teacher until it came out that I hadn't been "certified" (this was just ignorance on my part...I thought that they would know that my former teaching job was at an unaccredited school).

So while the job was great (teachers for special classes, lunch break, planning period) there was a period of time when they garnished my check so tht my salary would reflect first year teacher. That was tough since this was med school time for my husband.

At this time, I also drive a school bus in the morning and afternoon. A big bus...:-)

8. Riverfield Country Day School- Summer 1989 I was co-teaching a class of four and five year olds. This was a pretty good job, as we did alot of field trips, swim lessons, etc. There was always a theme for the week.

9. Monte Cassino Middle School- 1990-1992 5th-7th grade music. I had enough music credits in college that I could teach music if someone wanted me to, and they did.

Of course, most of my experience was performance, so that is what we did. Show after show after show...

I didn't have kids then, so I spent alot of time on my job. This was probably my favorite (pay) job of all time...and almost $7000 more than my previous job. I felt like I had hit the big time.

10. Riverfield Country Day School Summer 1991-Bus Driver and Kitchen Help. The previous summer I actually had a class, but this summer, all I did was cart kids back and forth to swim lessons, and help get snacks and lunch out...and wash the dishes. I really liked this because for the most part, it was a break from kids.

11. Baltimore Actor's Theatre and Conservatory- 1992-93 Greg was doing his internship this year, so we were in Baltimore. This was a small school for children with an emphasis on the performing arts. I taught 4th-6th grade school subjects and a drama class for 1st-3rd grade. I also did shows on the weekends with the grownups.

12. Facillitator at Harvest Fellowship-1994-95 This was kind of an artsy church...interdenominational...had 200 people when we started attending and grew to about 1000 in that year. I was in charge of all children's ministries (getting workers, materials, etc), helping the music leaders, and helping the men's ministry people. When I found out I was pregnant with Darth, I gave my notice...it was good timing.

13. Mom-1996-present This has been a great job. Kind of long hours, but good perks:-)

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Don't Say I Didn't Warn You

2006-08-01T13:52:00.000-05:00

This is going to just be some rambling I am afraid...but I hate looking at my SBC Yahoo Homepage where I have an RSS feed to my blog and it says "No items in the past three days". So here is my post to get rid of that.

This week I am in a semi-panic mode because I am leading the music for another Vacation Bible School session. I love to do it, but it requires some physical coordination, and those who know me personally know that I am not:-). But I am getting better all the time...I think.

Usually I buy groceries for a week. But this week I will be buying for 2 weeks (I hope) because once VBS is over for the day, I am pretty much done.

I have been keeping meal plans (dinner only) on my sister page Bein Berean's 101 in 1001, because I am compiling a rotating menu. I think I have enough to rotate my summer menu 3 times, but if I have left out something delicious please let me know (if you go and look over there and don't feel compelled to do so...I don't even have all 101 things on there yet:-)), bearing in mind that I don't know how to use the grill and the main dish can't be really starchy.

Oh, and my husband is "allergic" to fish....

yeah...right.

I also worked on my 2996 Project today (bloggers remembering the lives of people from September 11). Timothy E Reilly is my person (see sidebar), and as I look at the comments that people have written about him (remembering times past) I have to say that it seems he was a wonderful person. I still have about 75 more notes to look through to gather my info, but I am feeling pretty good about what I have. If you would like to sign up for the 2996 project, click here. I don't think that they have enough people even yet, and if it was my relative or husband, I wouldn't want them to be left out.

Another thing I had on my list (and I still have time...my 1001 days is up April 1 2009 I think:-)) that I tried to do last weekend was learn how to solve cryptograms. My grandmother used to do that all the time. She said that it helped keep her mind sharp. I thought doing them would remind me of her, and it does, sort of. In the way that my attempting to play the piano by ear would make me think of her...It would make me think "How did she DO that????" I felt the same way with the cryptograms. But I am not giving up.

Anyway, I need to go and practice the Artic Edge school age songs some more (for those who knew that I did a VBS already, I did the 3-year-old classes...not quite the same thing:-)). And I am counting it as exercise time...two birds with one stone (and it does make me tired...whine, whine)

Have a great day.:-)

Thursday Thirteen #8

2006-07-27T05:48:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Singing Jobs and Venues

1.Dorabella in the opera “Cosi Fan Tutti” Oral Roberts University 1985 (that makes me feel reeeeeaaaaaallllllyyy old)

2. Mary, Mother of Jesus in the opera “House By the Stable” Oral Roberts University 1985

3. Alto, soloist in “Promise” (college music ministry group, traveling the Midwest (first time to Iowa:-)) Summer 1986 Oral Roberts University.

4. Alto and soloist in “Ladies and Gentlemen of Jazz” (small ensemble in college) 1985-87 Oral Roberts University.

5. Alto, soloist, music leader in “Lifeline” (college music ministry team, traveling the western part of the US….including Hawaii for three weeks… )Summer 1986 Oral Roberts University.

6. Tulsa Opera Chorus (“Madame Butterfly”, “HMS Pinafore”) 1990 and 1991 Tulsa Oklahoma.

7. Alto soloist for the 250th Anniversary of the writing of Handel’s “Messiah” Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1991.

8. Various roles at the Baltimore Actor’s Theater (a dinner theater) Baltimore, 1992.

9. Worship Team/Ensemble leader at San Antonio First Church of the Nazarene 1993-96.

10. Music Leader, “Servant’s Song” (church ensemble) Council Road Baptist Church 1999-2003.

11. Worship Teams Facilitator-Council Road Baptist Church 2000-2003

12. Songwriter of Scripture Songs-in approximately 2002 I started feeling that this was something I should be doing and I did do a bunch of these for my family…but about every 6 months I feel a strong pull to organize this and do a group of songs that follow the same theme, get some accompaniment behind them and disperse them to people who might like to memorize scripture in this way.

If I were to really decide to do it, I would want to get a lot more stuff on there musically and produce it in a really professional way. My motivation, time and opportunity just haven’t met up at the same time yet. It is on my list of 101 Things to Get Done in 1001 Days, though, so I hope to do it in the next couple of years… (BTW...this site is still a list in progress...I don't even have my 101 things listed...just a few. But it has helped me to stay motivated to get somethings done.)

13. Grafted In- We started our band in late 2002, I think. Recorded some original songs (not country), but did not make a formal CD.

Then, through a series of events, we decided to add some people and do gospel music. Now we have 2 CDs (click the red), and we sing at Swadley’s BBQ on the 2nd and 4th Saturday nights most months. We also sing churches and anywhere else that wants us to play gospel music.

There it is! My illustrious musical career (for the most part). Guess I won't quit my day job:-)

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On the Other Side of the World

2006-07-25T06:53:00.000-05:00

Well, here is what James and Michael have been doing while I have been trying to dig out from vacation debris.

It is exciting to think about what is happening there, to me anyway. I will be praying for them and I hope you will, too.

Meanwhile, I will be making a trip the Wally world to day to pick up school (and other) supplies...I can't believe it is time for that already, but they are cheap now.

Have a great day:-)

Tempation vs Testing

2006-07-24T15:13:00.000-05:00

I sang at the Truck Stop Sunday morning. I do that from time to time...usually about 3-4 times a year. The pastor and his wife (Jim and Jackie Cary) are the sweetest most caring people I have ever known.

But the thing that really stuck with me this time was the Sunday School lesson (and yes, they still call it that:-)).

The man who does the music there (Dan) also does the Sunday School lesson.

And the lesson yesterday was about temptation and testing. I probably should have had a pencil, but I didn't, so this is just the part that I remember.

He talked about how in school, testing is to see what you know. But that God knows everything, so He doesn't need a test to see what you know. That the testing is for us, so that we can kind of see where we are in our Christian walk.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Temptation, on the other hand, is from Satan. If you do a search on temptation at Bible Gateway (or similar) you will find that there is no place that talks about God tempting people. In fact, James 1:13-15 says

When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

although it does say that He will allow it to a certain degree.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

The point was that testing comes from God, so that you can see for yourself how you are growing in the Lord, while temptation is there to make you fall.

Anyway, I thought that was interesting and something I hadn't heard in a long time.

New CD is in!

2006-07-21T10:27:00.000-05:00

My mom is going to ground me forever...

Our new CD ("Precious Memories") is in and I haven't sent her one yet. If you want to take a look at it, it is at Amazon. The old one ("Country Gospel Favorites") is there too.

If you buy one and want us to send you an autographed copy (I know this sounds like I think we are big stars, but some people like that kind of thing...) email me or post in the comments on this post that you want that.

And if you buy one (and like it), make sure to post on the customer reviews at Amazon.

I'll send it out Monday, Mom....sorry...it's been crazy here.

Thursday Thirteen #7 Our Summer Vacation

2006-07-19T11:38:00.000-05:00

Darth was born in San Antonio, where he spent the first year of his life. This past Spring, he began to feel "homesick for the place of his birth" so that is how we lighted on San Antonio for the vacation this year. Here are some of the details...

Thirteen Things #7 Our San Antonio Vacation

1. Sweated...hot hot hot.

2. Even though the Clarion is supposed to be the upper level hotel of that group (Sleep, Comfort and Clarion) DON’T BELIEVE IT about the one in Universal City It was run down and not that clean…ick.

3. It DID get us fairly close to our next stop (Thursday), however, which was Schlitterbahn. If you like waterparks with thrill rides, this is a great park. They also have some kid areas where you can take the smaller kids (and Mom) to hang out.

We stayed at the resort, and it was worth doing. We went to the park, our room opened at 4:00, we schlepped our stuff in at that time, put Todder (and Mom) down for a nap and the others went out for more water park time. When Todder awakened, we went back out again for more rides. Closes at 8:00PM.

4. Then we had kind of an “open” day (Friday). We used to live in San Antonio, so we visited some of our old haunts. We visited Rio Rio Cantina (not as good as we remembered) and Republic of Texas (still good)…

Also the Alamo.

Someone told us that it would be better to see the IMAX about the Alamo and then go, and I think that was a good way to do it. It helps to put some personality with the names and when you see the actual Alamo and the names carved in it and all, you feel more of a connection.

There is also a Davy Crockett ride (I first typed Davy Jones…wonder where else I have been lately?:-)) that we did not do, but had planned to. If anyone has been, tell me how it was.

There is also a boat ride and a dinner boat ride on the river. We didn’t think the kids would like it so we didn’t sign up for it, but probably should have. They were a little disappointed about not doing it.

5. Saturday, we went to Fiesta Texas (Six Flags) . Now I know I am going to sound like an old person here, but it was not as good as it was before Six Flags took it over. It used to be a show park with rides (and I am not a ride person) and the shows were excellent. Now there are so many rides, it is difficult to see the shows and do all the rides you want (which for me was about 2, but there were others involved). Also the whole Bugs Bunny thing really watered down the Tex-Mex flavor of the park.

6. That being said, the show we saw (Rockin’ at Rockville High----I will not say that the Bugs Bunny Show was really a show…my kids liked it though…surprise) was very good and funny. Make sure you see it if you go. There was one of those extreme bike and skateboarding shows that we saw (not for me) and it probably was good if you like that kind of thing. The final show of the night is good. A laser and fireworks show that is projected on the side of a rock cliff. Try to sit at the top of the hill so that if people sit in front of you, they are “below” you. You don’t have to be close, but high is good.

7. Food at Fiesta Texas –If you want variety, go to the German section. In the old days, they only had German food there, but now it’s everything (Mexican, Italian, American, German). They used to only have German music over there too…sigh…oh well….moving on.

8. The great thing there (and it may be this way at all Six Flags parks) is that if you bought a souvenir drink, they gave you an arm band and you could refill for free all day. Which at 1000 degrees Fahrenheit , was many times. AND they had people who only did the refills, so you didn’t have to stand behind the guy who was trying to order dinner for his eight kids. They also had a Flash Pass (5 passes for $10 which would get you to the front of some of the more popular rides. That night we stayed at the Rodeway Inn about 2 miles from the park (they say three blocks…).

9. Here are some other characters who were at the park…The whole Justice League, Scooby Doo rides and stores…in the stores there were also Disney characters, Sponge Bob, Peanuts characters (????)….that park is fun and all and the kids really enjoyed it, but it used to be much more representative of San Antonio…the German part, the Mexican part, the country music part…it’s all still there, but now all this other stuff too (whine whine whine….I just can’t get over it.)

10. Sunday, we had another open day. We went around to the hospital where Darth was born, and then to the Marketplace. Marketplace is close to the Riverwalk (kind of) and is kind of a Mexican open market for home décor, Mexican clothing, spices, etc. There is an inside part that is more a souvenir mart of ANY kind, but the outside part is more the Mexican part. Lots of food, music and LOTS of stuff to buy. Good prices too, mostly. While we were there, we ate at Mi Tierra . That is a famous place to eat Mexican, and they are open 24 hours a day, so you can go whenever. TIP- go put your name on the list about an hour before you actually want to eat. Then shop for a little while and come back. The wait was looooooonnnnnng.

11. Monday (our last real day there) we went to Sea World . We got the Ultimate Seafari package, so we had to go early…8:15 at the Education office. With this package, you get

a continental breakfast,

a tour of the dolphins (petting them),

seals (you get to feed the seals and dolphins…I think you can do this later, too, but there are lots of people then),

sting rays (petting them) ,

whales (no petting or feeding J),

the little animal hospital dealie,

prime seating at the first Shamu show,

petting something that looked like a kimono dragon and a boa (with pics on both)

and

a flashy lanyard that gets you to the front of the line at the scary rides.

Oh…and two free beers each for the adults (this mattered not to me...).

The tour was from 8:15 to about 12:45 including the breakfast and the Shamu show. Then you are on you own like a regular person except the ride thing and the beer. I think it was worthwhile to do. BTW, while I think that Fiesta Texas has somewhat deluded it self over the years, SeaWorld has really gotten better. Probably the best day for me.

12. As an aside, there is also a week long stayover camp where the kids get to help with the animals. Sounded like it would be quite an experience if you had the $$$$.

13. We stayed at a different hotel every night, so that we could be close to whatever we were seeing the next day or so that we could get there quickly after the event closed. A little crazy, but for us it was worth it.

We liked the RiverCenter Marriott (on the Riverwalk) because it was convenient to the Riverwalk and very nice, but I would have to say that our best hotel experience was at the Omni .

We stayed there the night before we went to SeaWorld, but it would be better to stay there the night before Fiesta Texas (closer to that park). They had a deal where the kids got a little bag with Shamu (or Tweety), some cookies, some crayons, a postcard, a slinky, a watch to hook on the belt loop. I know that sounds dumb to think that was a big deal, but it made the kids feel special. They apparently also have some other perks like a bag of toys to play with while at the hotel. There is a good breakfast buffet that comes with the room.

Try to get Frank for your waiter…when you are finished eating, he will bring you a big “to go” coffee if you ask… freshly perked.

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Thursday Thirteen #6

2006-07-06T05:45:00.000-05:00

Some things worked out for the Fourth of July and some did not.

My best girlfriend's family had some extended family stuff of their own so they were unable to come:-(, but my mom and stepdad came, and I was reminded how happy it makes me to spend time with her.

Thanks Mom. I love you.

Thirteen Things I Love About My Mom's Visits
1. She asks about me and how I am doing. This is not just conversation filler. She is really checking on my quality of life (perceived and real) and she remembers what I told her from the last exciting installment :-)and asks about that, too.

2. She sees jobs that need doing and does them without my asking, like loading the dishwasher or wiping the counters or getting rid of that scary thing in my refrigerator that's been in there since Easter.

3. She is a good sport (and Grandma). Todder wanted to ride the Merry Go Round at the carnival and even though my mom has some motion sickness issues, she did it with a smile...like she enjoyed it.

4. She volunteers to bathe the girls in the evening, in the guest bathroom. The change in scenery and participants is fun for them and I enjoy the break.

5. She puts all the kids to bed, which they love. (Sometimes Grandpa does this, too...so that he and Darth can have some "man time"...but I digress).

6. She french braids the girls' hair (repeatedly)...

7. She looks after me...

8. She acts like every meal I ever make is the most delicious thing she ever ate.

9. We often say the same things, or say to one another "I was just going to say that."

10. She does a "make ready" on the guest bedroom before she leaves town.

11. She notices all the things that go well and comments on them, and ignores anything that doesn't quite go according to plan.

12. She thinks my husband is wonderful.

13. She is so cheerful even when she doesn't feel it. It is a contagious feeling when she visits our home. Everyone just seems calmer and happier.

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Thursday Thirteen #5

2006-06-29T05:57:00.000-05:00

OK, so I probably shouldn't put this on here, but my friend Kenny (who has done TT a couple of times and not had much response) has put a new cut from our band on his site...it is mostly me, so if you have time, go listen and put a comment in his blog so he can see that TT people WILL visit him...) Thanks :-)

And now one with the show!

Thirteen More Things to Do Before July Fourth

1. Clean out the guest bedroom (otherwise known as "The Big Storage Room for Christmas, Passover and Easter Decorations") and the guest bathroom

2. Clean the carpets (I am about ½ way on this, and besides the stains that will NEVER come out, the amount of dirt that is in the water when you dump it is positively disgusting. It is amazing that we haven't all contracted some disease...).

3. Last shopping for food and party décor (MUST do this before the weekend, when everyone else will be shopping).

4. Pick blackberries (we inherited about 15 feet of blackberry vines when we moved into this house. It is really great to have your own private crop of blackberries, but these have thorns a-plenty. I am picking these daily and I look like I got in a fight with a cat and lost.)

5. Supervise the cleaning of Mango and Todder’s rooms (translation…make them stay in the room while I give them things to do and then do most of the cleaning myself. Normally I wouldn’t go to all this trouble, because these are not the common areas of the house, but since people will be here for the bulk of the day, there will be more opportunity for looking around…)

6. Spray the perimeter of the house (outside) for bugs…June bugs mostly…they never seem to understand that they hae to go once it is July.

7. Assemble the food (see last week’s TT)

8. Supervise the cleaning (AKA "shoveling out") of the gameroom. If I were to go upstairs and topple over every shelf of the toys that should be on them, it could not look more awful at this point. For a general idea of how it will go, see #5, and add Darth to those who will be involved.

9. Move the fencepost snowmen off the front porch. OK, I know this sounds ridiculous, but at Christmas time they were really cute in the flower beds…then around March, they were moved to the corner of the front porch. I think that since the temperature averages in the 90s at this point and people will be coming through the front door, it is time to find a place where the Krempl Snowfamily can vacation out of sight.

10. Here is a tip…if you want to use those vinyl tablecloths for your tables, unfold them now and let them hang now. Then you should have less fold marks. I bought some really cheap gingham looking vinyl ones (white and blue…Dixie brand, I think) at the checkout at Walmart and hung them up yesterday, clamping them on a skirt hanger. The wrinkles seem to be gone.

11. Fourth of July puzzle. This works for any holiday or get together, really. Some people just aren’t talkers and they like working on a puzzle. We used to do this for Christmas too…and we even did some of those 3 D ones (by “we” I mean Greg and some others…I am not a very good puzzler but I do generally get a few pieces in). I am looking tomorrow for a fireworks one or one of those nostalgia/picnic looking ones…

12. Cookies for decorating. This is an addition to the food from the TT last week. Thought about it and my kids would probably like doing this. I am going to just do circles, probably, with white icing and get blue and red in the tubes…and some sprinkles… Then we will also get the added decor of red and blue teeth:-).

13. Hopefully, all of this will be mostly done by Monday evening, so we can all enjoy the day on Tuesday...hoping to only have patriotic toenail painting left to do. Realistically, I will probably be doing last minute stuff…seems like there is always a plethora of that...

Have a wonderful July 4th!

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Clearing Out for the Fourth

2006-06-26T13:46:00.000-05:00

Go over and look at Ken's blog...he has our CD cover on his blog...the CD finally got finished (the proofing etc) last week, so it's gone to press...:-) There is a picture of us at Swadley's, then scroll down into the "Baptism" post...that's where the CD pictures are. Post on there and tell him you want a song playing in the background that is Angela:-).
**********************************************
There are about 3 times a year that I get kind of serious about cleaning...

Thanksgiving/Christmas
Passover/Easter
Fourth of July

On last week's TT, I did make a list of things that I needed to find for the Fourth of July....that was kind of fun.

The cleaning is not the fun part, however....and this is one where we have to clean the inside, the outside, and the extra bedroom (AKA "room that usually gets everything thrown in it when people are coming over")

Oh...AND the toyroom...which is usually a disaster (and my usual stance for that room is "If the kids can take it, so can I..." I just never go in there), but if it is hot on the Fourth (and when would it not be?) sometimes people like to go in there and play foosball or something.

They probably don't like to play anything...they just want to check all the rooms and make sure that they are clean.

So anyway, I started cleaning...

I started with the laundry room...

That might seem like a bizarre choice, but I HATE cleaning when it is just moving something from one place to another, knowing that it will get moved again because it doesn't really belong there. So I start with the laundry room and work out...throwing things away as I go. I am so glad we have one more trash pickup day before the Fourth...maybe two...do they pick up trash on Monday?

So today and tomorrow, closets, hidden areas, etc etc...

Then I will have room to put stuff that is "out" in a good spot...rather than a pile under my bed or something.

All this to say (and I knew you were wondering) I may not be real regular about posting this week...I am going to try to do Thursday, and maybe some other days, but I need to make a dent in some of this in the hidden spots of the house or my mom is going to have to sleep in the kitchen when she visits...

Ahhhh the holidays...:-)

Blogging Chicks

2006-06-23T09:24:00.000-05:00

Woo Hoo! In another attempt to be cool and hip and "with the girls:-)", I have now joined

Blogging Chicks...

Look in the sidebar for the little chick:-)

Isn't that the cutest name? I don't know exactly what all that means, but wanted you to know...it is a girl thing, so NO BOYS ALLOWED...

Have a great weekend...:-)

Thursday Thirteen #4

2006-06-22T06:39:00.000-05:00

Hey! Go over and check my friends Don and Ken...second and first thursday thirteens, respectively...Way to go, guys!

Thirteen Supplies to Locate for the Fourth of July

We live in a small town...and the big holiday claim to fame there is the Fourth of July...there is a parade on Main Street at 10:00 am July 4th that we always attend, and since you have to get there early, we bring breakfast.

We can also see the fireworks display from our backyard (mostly...not the low ones), so we have dinner at home and watch the fireworks while having dessert. It is a fairly big deal...so I am starting to get things together now.
1. Old Navy T-shirts for this year (bought...get these now if you are going to do it...the good ones sell out early)

2. Breakfast items for the parade down main street (muffins, low carb muffins, little bottles of orange juice, thermos of coffee, splenda, sugar, cream, bottled water, napkins, paper plates, straws)(buy)

3. Patriotic fans for the parade...sometimes I can get these at the party supply store...they are usually broken by the end of the parade, so new ones almost every year.(buy)

4. Red paper plates and cups (buy)

5. Blue table cloth (find)

6. Food-

brisket

potato casserole

slaw

rolls

fauxtato casserole

fruit salad

deviled eggs

vegetable plate with dip

jello flag dessert (for no carb eaters)

blackberry cobbler

ice cream

(buy)

7. Drinks-

Diet Coke with Splenda

lime juice (for Diet Coke)

little bottles of root beer and cream soda

tea

Diet Rite Raspberry and Peach

(buy)

8. Poppers...the pull ones and the throw on the ground ones (buy)

9. Glowsticks, preferably in red and blue (buy)

10. Bug spray (find...I think)

11. Patriotic CD (marching band patriotic, Lee Greenwood)(find)

12. Lawn chairs (beg, borrow, find)

13. Patriotic decorations for the dinner, etc, for ambiance. (find)

BR />

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Believing God

2006-06-20T06:48:00.000-05:00

Before I start my blog, I wanted to update you on my friend Sherri's dad, Joe...remember we prayed for him a few months back? He was having some heart issues...Now the doctors are saying that he has congestive heart failure and pneumonia...he is in the hospital...pretty weak. So remember our trigger...coffee (a "cup of Joe")...if you are drinking your coffee (or just if you think of it) say a prayer for Joe, please...thanks:-).

OK, so I admit it...sometimes it takes me a little while to "get with the program"...

I didn't get boot cut jeans until last winter and now I see that the pencil cut jeans are coming back...

Our phones still don't have call waiting...

I still use hot rollers in my hair if I want it to look like something.

I still often wear 3 shades of eye shadow, even though according to iVillage, it should only be 2...

and I didn't start listening to Beth Moore until last fall...

There was a study called "The Patriarchs", which sounded to me like it might be a little more "Bible" than some of the others (this was all in my own little world of "opinion without facts"...thinking that Beth was not quite spiritual enough for me...) and I took it at my church...

And I have to say that while I am still not to the level of "Bethmania" that some have about her, I did enjoy it...it spoke to my heart and I learned some things...

So this summer, I am taking "Believing God" online.

Some of the other adult females in my family are taking it as well...we are kind of loosely doing it together.

We were supposed to get the first lesson done last week, but most of us fell short...the computer wouldn't load it, things came up that were pressing, etc.

I am not sure that any of us completed Lesson One.

I am still working on it (shshsh)....but it is excellent. :-)

So I am telling you about it now, because if you have not taken it, it is fun and encouraging you will learn and become empowered, spiritually...and it can become very personal to you...Beth kind of speaks in a personal, fun way.

I am kind of thinking that may be part of the reason I didn't get lesson one completed...(besides my own disorganization:-))...so that if there were some who might want to take it, they would feel encouraged to do it.

You can do the online video 12 minutes at a time. All the lesssons are there...no books to buy...you print it all out from the site.

If you haven't done it, and you are a Believer, I think it will edify you and build your faith...I think it costs, like $25.00, which if you took it at a church, bought the book, paid for childcare and gas, would probably come out about the same.

If you have been feeling like your life is missing a "little something" but you don't know what, I encourage you to give it a try. As of today, if you sign up now, I will be one hour ahead of you (I have completed the introduction:-))...

Let me know if you do it.

At least go to the site and listen to the short video before you make up your mind:

Beth Moore-Believing God Online Study

(OK, I just watched the invitation video and she is much more personable on the lectures than this looks...she has dogs, she loves coffee...she really is fun...don't let this put you off if you were thinking about it.)

do it do it do it....it will be fun to do together...

Thursday Thirteen..."Dad Jokes"

2006-06-15T06:09:00.000-05:00

Thirteen "Dad" Jokes (For Father's Day)

Dad Jokes are typically told to children by their fathers, and are characterized by the 'groan factor'. "They're marked by two distinctive features:a) not funny in the first place and b) become even less funny via endless repetition."
1. "Well, here's my dinner - but what are the rest of you going to eat?" (upon the a big slab of ribs being placed in the center of the table)

2. I'm starving!" and Dad says, "I'm Dad! Nice to meet you."

3. "I'm tired" and Dad says, "Hi, I'm Dad! Nice to meet you."

4. Repeat with "cold".

5. Repeat with "thirsty"

6. Or "Dad did you get your hair cut?" And Dad says "I got them ALL cut."

7. . You're struggling to do something that's obviously giving you grief. After watching for a while, your Dad asks "Can I give you a hand?"

(clap, clap, clap)

8. At the cemetary... "People are dying to get in there"

9. Sighting a "Stop Ahead" sign, he puts his hand on your head.

10. (to his child) "What was your name again?

11. (to his child) "so...married yet?"

12."How do you feel, Dad?" "With my hands..."

13. "Got your nose..." (while holding thumb in fingers)

Go by and visit my friend Don...he has a new blog and said he was going to do a Thursday Thirteen....

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What Happened to "G"?

2006-06-13T14:01:00.001-05:00

So...because if I smell a bargain I have difficulty resisting it, I bought 60 movies at Blockbuster...Yep...60.

Actually, more than 60, I think.

For $2.99 each.

All VHS.

All previously viewed.

I happened in the Blockbuster down the street to rent a movie, and saw a little sign...

Clearance $2.99

Apparently, they were getting rid of some of their older VHS movies. You know they are not getting VHS anymore...it's all going to DVD. Probably for the best.

I looked at the movies and there were a few that we had seen that I knew my kids liked...

"The Goofy Movie"
"Swiss Family Robinson"
"Madeline"
"Justice League"
"Pippi Longstocking"

and a few others I can't remember.

So I took them to the check out, and asked the girl if the other stores were doing this too. And she told me where the real gold mine was...about 15 miles away. So I bought the movies in my hand, and purposed to go to the "other" store the next day.

Quietly...

No need to alert everyone else...

I drove to the Blockbuster...walked in...and there it was..the motherlode.

Everything from the old "TeenAge Mutant Ninja Turtles" (movies 1 and 2) to Cody Banks (movies 1 and 2) to "Blue's Clues, the Movie".

I bought everything that I thought my kids might ever want to see...thinking "This is cheaper than renting!" I even got some stuff that was kind of iffy to me...thinking that Greg and I would watch those first and make sure that they were OK.

So the other night, we decided that rather than rent a movie ourselves, we would watch one of our $2.99 stash...

The newer "Freaky Friday".
Rated PG...mild thematic elements and language.

The old one had Jodie Foster smoking at one point...

So I thought "maybe not for the younger two, but maybe for Darth (I am now using my alias names for my children, remember?)

...so we are watching...and there are some kind of unnecessary things, probably enought to nix the whole movie for them all...and then, there is a scene

where the (girl) teenager's pants

hung
too
low

(in the style of the stereotyped plumber)

and she yanks them up...not aghast and embarrassed, but with a big sigh, like"How many times is that going to happen?".

What is with THAT?
Did anyone rating this movie want to mention THAT in case I didn't want my 10 year old boy seeing it?

Then we watched "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"...together

Rated G

The back cover states (and I am picking around here for the sake of length)

"uplifting, thrilling story with a heart touching message that emerges from the comedy and song"

Emerges from the comedy and song....hmmm.

Here is the phrase that needs to be bolded and italicized and underlined...

"the evil guardian Frollo"

I mean...

"the EEEEEEE-VIL guardian Frollo"

and then this...

"Heroes, villians, comedy, suspense, music---it's a joy to hear and a wonder to behold...Children will adore it"

hmmm...

Did I mention the evil guardian Frollo?

Frollo is a nightmare...

he chases (on horseback) a woman (running) until she trips and has a fatal fall.

He almost drowns her baby...

he keeps Quasimodo in the bell tower and fills his mind with poison.

When he sees the heroine for the first time (dancing ;-))...he later has an episode where he is clearly out of control in his lust for her. Not like the villian twirling his moustache and telling the damsel "Marry me" while he ties her to the railroad tracks... No...it's a creepy kind of a deal.

Frollo looks for her all over the town...the town is being burnt down and in case you wondered if the people had run away, there is a scene where he locks a family (with children) inside their house and sets it on fire.

Toward the end, he finds her, and as he is practically drooling on her, he forces her to choose him or being burned at the stake. Not surprisingly she chooses the fire.

It was pretty dark, I thought. It all comes out OK in the end, but that one won't make a repeat play at Krempl Family Movie Night, I'm afraid.

(you may be wondering why I didn't just shut the whole thing down...and I probably should have. I had a little hint that things might get a little dicey when the evil guardian Frollo was walking though a hall that had about 300 grim reaper types standing on either side...I sent them in to get their dessert then (when he was having his "moment" about esmerelda...the converations in the tower seemed to blow past them...they didn't seem to get the fire part...they were actually watching for the gargoyles for most of the movie...thankfully)

Anyway, it is just interesting. My kids see probably 10 rentals a year...so we haven't had that much motivation/opportunity to see what is out there.

But I am glad that we saw The Hunchback...because it reminds me that there is never really a time that we can think, "Well, that's probably OK."

Maybe when they are 30 they can see it again...after all, I was 40 when I saw it for the first time. :-) But they will have to go and rent it...this copy is going in the trash.

Shall We Dance? Part 2 2/3

2006-06-09T21:47:00.000-05:00

Kristina had posted few days back that the dance had in fact, been moved....

Today (this evening) I received official word that:

1. the dance is no longer on our property
2. they secured another place
3. the church is not paying for it.

I don't know what this means for the long term, but for now, this can be discussed without a pending date on the calendar, forcing the issue.

Thanks Norman and Chris, for working with us, and helping everyone to get what they needed.

Thursday Thirteen for VBS Week

2006-06-08T15:21:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things Angela Loves About Vacation Bible School

1. My kids love to go.
2. It keeps us from just floating day to day, at least for that week.
3. Cookies
4. Snowcones
5. The special teacher room with the "good snacks"
6. Seeing people work with kids that don't usually work with kids.
7. The changing theme every year.
8. Hugs
9. Revisiting my school teaching days...sort of.
10.Meeting new friends.
11.The T Shirts
12.The synergy of working with a group of people for one outcome.
13.Teaching the kids about Jesus in a fun way.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

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I Am So Proud of You!

2006-06-05T21:12:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for information about the Christ Centered Singles Dance fof June 17, 2006, see Shall We Dance Part 1, 2 and 2 1/2 (scroll down).

But I want to take a moment and thank those who have been a little bit vocal (in a respectful way) about the upcoming dance. Some have talked to those who make these decisions, some have emailed them. Some have posted on the blogs (look at the posts on my last blog...even a new post-er:-) :-)), but not many, and I would like to take a moment to tell you how to do that, in case you have never posted on a blog before.

HOW TO POST ON A BLOG

If you decide you ever want to post on a blog, go to the bottom of the little story of the day and there will some words like:

posted by angela at 9:18 PM 3 comments

To post a comment, just click on the COMMENTS (it probably will have a number in front of the word "comments".

A little screen will pop up with the things people have said about that particular little story (blog).

At the bottom of those, there is a box that says LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS....it may be up on the side. Type your comment there.

Choose your identity...if you are a blogger, pick that one.

If not and you want to leave your name, pick "other".

If you want to be anonymous, that's OK too, but I could just sit here and type anonymous comments :-), so it's better if you sign your name. If it gives you a big hassle, just choose anonymous, but sign your name in the box with your comment. That will work, too.

Then where it says word verification...with some strange looking letters. Retype those in the box. (I think that keeps spam out or something)

Then push Login and Publish.

That's it!

Now you can post on Rick's blog, James's blog, Chris's blog, Kenny's blog, this blog...don't you feel empowered?

In fact, you could

post about the dance on this blog, or Ken's...

then go to Rick's blog and read his latest post, which I found very interesting (I had no idea there was so much going on), and post on that...

go to James's blog and read the current blog or look at some others on his...

and go to look at Chris's blog...

and post on ALL of them. It's good practice for you.:-)

And I want you to feel empowered, because if you feel any which way about this dance issue, you should respectfully say how you feel. How will those guys know how we feel if we don't tell them?

Remember, you can always email them, too...or call...or snail mail. Or a note under their door at church...or in the offering plate.

Now you have been equipped, so get busy!:-)

Shall We Dance? (Part 2 1/2)

2006-06-03T21:18:00.000-05:00

Well, there has been a little flurry of activity surrounding the dance for June 17th in the CUBE.

Some have said that "people won't have a problem with it..."

Some have said that "this is going to blow up bigger than anyone might think...it might split the church"

I don't know what is going to happen....probably somewhere in the middle.

They'll have the cleanest dance that there ever was...

The Hokey Pokey to 75 verses of "El Shaddai" or something...

Spotlights on everyone...

Some people will think it's OK from the git-go...

Some will spy on it or ask someone who went for a report and then decide it wasn't a big deal...

Some people may leave the church as soon as they hear we are having the dance...

Some may kind of look around for awhile and then slip away to a more conservative fellowship...

Apparently they are going to have it, though.

I'm trying not to take it personally... some of the people who are pushing for it are people that I love and have alot of emotional investment in.

But I look at my church, which we chose in part because it was Southern Baptist, and at the turnover it has experienced over the last few years...

and I think, "We have tried to be supportive of our church home of the last 10 years, even through all the changes that have come down. We may not have liked them all, but we loved our friends that were still here and we hoped that things would kind of eventually settle out."

You know...there are more gray areas than just dancing....and I know many of you are nervous to say anything...but remember...

Silence is permission

You can respectfully tell people how you feel about this.

And if you don't, they are just going to figure that you think it's OK.

Call the church.
789-3175

E-mail the church.

James Hunt-Singles Minister
jhunt@councilroad.org.

Rick Thompson-Senior Pastor
thompson@councilroad.org

Norman Behymer-Executive Pastor
behymer@councilroad.org

Send a note in the offering plate.

Post on my blog (just hit the comments link under this post)...or Ken's...

But don't just sit and gripe to yourself or with your little group of friends.

You still have time.

I don't think it's right to have a dance at a Southern Baptist church without support from the members in the church community building..

And I don't think it's right to have activities that people won't (don't feel they can) come to because they think it's wrong.

I am fine with dancing....

But do it somewhere where everyone feels like it's OK.

Shall We Dance? (Part 2)

2006-05-31T08:46:00.000-05:00

If It's Not Fun for Everyone, It's Not Fun
(all italics are mine)

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall." Romans 14:19-21

(James Hunt's thoughts on this passage)
"He further instructed that we should all "pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another (v.19)...and that "it is not good to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles [context = stumbles means causes someone to stumble into sin] (v.21).Paul didn't say that he quit eating meat or that he quit drinking wine. That wasn't his point. The point - don't use your freedoms to another's spiritual detriment.Spiritual detriment / hindrance is the the issue on the table...not the comfort level of subjective preferences." James Hunt

I (Angela) am wondering about "pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another." (v.19).

Here's a thought...

"Everything is permissible", but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible", but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Corinthians 10:23-24

or said another way:

"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth." 1 Corinthians 10:23-24

John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

"All things are lawful for me"
All sorts of food are lawful to be eaten, every creature of God is good, there is nothing common or unclean in itself, polluted or polluting; and so things offered to idols may be lawfully eaten, but not as such, or in an idol's temple, or before a weak brother; to do which is contrary to the honour of God, and the edification of the saints: and therefore

"all things are not expedient;"
to be done always, and in all places, and before all persons. The apostle suggests, that though they might be lawful to him, and he might make use of his liberty in eating them; yet they might not be expedient, or of service, but on the contrary hurtful to others; and which therefore ought to be judged a sufficient reason for the omission of them:

"all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not;"
though things of an indifferent nature may be lawfully used, yet they do not always tend to the edification of others, which should be consulted; and when this is the case, they ought to be disused. This is observed in answer to an objection taken from the doctrine of Christian liberty, allowing the free use of all the creatures, and disengaging men from an observance of the distinction of meats and drinks which the apostle grants; and yet argues from his own example, and the edification of the saints, that this is not always to be closely pursued; but believers should forego what they have a right to use, when the peace and welfare of their fellow Christians require it.

Matthew Henry
He (Paul)gives a caution against abusing our liberty in lawful things. That may be lawful which is not expedient, which will not edify. A Christian must not barely consider what is lawful, but what is expedient, and for the use of edification. A private Christian should do so even in his private conduct. He must not seek his own only, but his neighbour's wealth. He must be concerned not to hurt his neighbour, nay, he must be concerned to promote his welfare; and must consider how to act so that he may help others, and not hinder them in their holiness, comfort, or salvation. Those who allow themselves in every thing not plainly sinful in itself will often run into what is evil by accident, and do much mischief to others. Every thing lawful in itself to be done is not therefore lawfully done. Circumstances may make that a sin which in itself is none. These must be weighed, and the expediency of an action, and its tendency to edification, must be considered before it be done. Note, The welfare of others, as well as our own convenience, must be consulted in many things we do, if we would do them well.

Here are the bookends to the Romans 14 passage used at the beginning of this blog.

"Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. 14As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convincedfood isno foodis unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

It is a general belief among Southern Baptists that social dancing, with all its trappings, is wrong. I plan to talk a little about this in my next post. But notice that Paul does not say, "Try to talk your brother out of this belief." Sometimes things are sins for one and not for another. And in our denomination, as a general rule, people don't approve.

Look at the words of Matthew Henry again:

"Those who allow themselves in every thing not plainly sinful in itself will often run into what is evil by accident, and do much mischief to others."

So, if it is fine for James and a group of the Singles in our church to dance, meaning that they do not feel that this opens the door to other naughty behavior for them (and that could absolutely be the case), I believe that these words from Paul apply:

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. Romans 14:22 NIV

said another way,

You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by doing something they know is all right. Romans 14:22 NLT

or like this,

What you believe about these things should be kept between you and God. You are fortunate, if your actions don't make you have doubts. Romans 14:22 CEV

So here is a question. We all (James, Rick, Kenny, Kristina, me) belong to the Southern Baptist denomination. As such, we can expect a few things (at least right this minute)
1. No wine at the Wednesday night dinner
2. No speaking in tongues at the Sunday morning service
3. No "falling out" in the Spirit.
4. No "night of miracles" healing service.
5. No praying for the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues.
6. No snake handling.
7. No sprinkling baptism.
8. No prophetic word by church members in a worship service.
9. No social dances (see first sentence of the Oklahoma Baptist University position on dancing and Southern Baptists)
10. (if you have others, post them, and I will add)

If any of these were to change, it would seem that (because we and a few thousand other people joined Council Road Baptist Church with the understanding that it would have the values held in most Southern Baptist Churches), everyone should be made aware.

As I have stated before, when the CUBE was in the "idea" stage (and we were being asked to pay for it, as a gift to the community), there was no mention to the congregation that it would ever be used for social dances.

Maybe a Sunday night meeting that was well advertised to all with opportunities for questions after the presentation would be in order.(??)

In fact, if there was going to be a change in the character of our denomination (and it was obviously beneficial to the entire body to do so), it would seem that maybe a meeting with BGCO members would be a good idea. Not to get a "yea"or "nay", as I think our churches are run autonomously, but for support, as I think it would be an uphill climb to convince some of the pillars of the church that this was a good idea.

I found this(below) kind of interesting, when I was trying to get the real scoop on the topic of dancing in our denominations.

Christ Centered Colleges and Universities in Our Area

Southern Nazarene University
"Our sponsoring denomination, the Church of the Nazarene, has established principles designed to develop Christian character and promote growth in holy living. Therefore, these serve as guidelines for community life at SNU. Specifically, entertainment (including media productions) that promotes the violent, the sensual, the pornographic, the profane, or the occultic should be avoided.
Also included is an expectation that SNU students avoid social dancing. SNU and its member organizations are not to provide, sponsor, or conduct social dances on or off campus. Attendance at establishments or activities at which such behavior is the focus is prohibited."(SNU Student Handbook)

Oklahoma Baptist University
"(6)Dancing
The traditional position of Oklahoma Southern Baptist churches is reflected by University policy which prohibits dancing on campus. University organizations may not sponsor dances off campus." The Green Book- OBU Student Handbook

Oklahoma Christian University
"Many expectations of OC students are biblically based. Others expectations, while not necessarily based on scripture, are necessary for the good of the entire community. These expectations enable the community to function and operate peaceably and in harmony with each other and the mission of the University.

Undergraduate students are especially susceptible to certain temptations in today's society. For the sake of a healthy lifestyle and their Christian influence (Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 14:19-22a) we believe that students should completely avoid these temptations at all times and in all places.We take the following expectations quite seriously and are diligent in enforcing them on campus or at any University-related event."

"9.Dancing on campus or at University sanctioned activities."

These college students are not supposed to be dancing socially. I do not know whether the Singles Ministry in our church is inviting the University students, but after looking at our church website, it is evident that the University Ministry falls under Singles.

If this activity, being held at our church, is beneficial to the Body of Christ, maybe our church leadership should go before these Christ Centered schools and explain their position, so that the students would have the opportunity to participate in this church activity.

Again, I will say that I think dancing is a gray area. I think it is not an individual choice (a freebie from God), but something that is between the individual and God. Apparently Paul felt the same way when he said (about issues of liberty):

"So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God." Romans 14:22a

If, after thinking about it, praying about it, searching out the Scriptures, a person feels that God has given His blessing on that person attending social dances with Christ centered sacred and secular music (or any other kind of dance, I guess), he/she should be able to attend such an animal at an institution where the members believe it is beneficial and edifying for all Believers to attend and dance in the spirit of fellowship. (All Believers who have not signed a code of conduct that ways they aren't supposed to dance socially.)

I think that this was the situation when the dance was at the Warr Acres Community Center. I don't understand why it is now being sponsored by our church, at the CUBE community center. Maybe they should have the dance there...

Coming Soon!
Shall We Dance? Part 3

Shall We Dance? Part 1

2006-05-26T00:15:00.000-05:00

OK...for many of you, this will be a dry and boring read. Sorry about that. I was going to post it on James's site, but the blog (Ex-Fundamentalist Goes Dancing) seems to be gone. The original post that sparked this discussion is here.

So I am posting it here.

I think James has alot of Bible knowledge, that he is fun, that he knows how to reach people for the Lord.

I think that the singles who would come to the Christ Centered Singles Dance are grown-up Christian people. I don't think that they are coming to these dances as a pickup event. To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing unseemly at the Christian dances in Warr Acres and it would be reasonable thinking that we could expect the same at the CUBE.

I think all the people who are heading this up are well-intentioned people and that they are not trying to "put anything over" on anybody.

I want those of you who fit into one of the above categories to know that I am not mad at you. I am not trying to ruin your fun. I am not judging you and I hope you will not judge me.

What I will say is that having a social dance on the church property runs all over me...for a number of reasons...and I am trying to sort them out.

So...here is the first (yes, I said first) installment of "Why I Think We Should Not Have a Dance at the Cube".

I have taken all the verses that I could find regarding dancing and looked them up. Next, I looked up "dancing" in Strong's for each verse...
Then I put the verses under each "dance" word catagory, so that there would be some kind of order. In doing that, I found that there was not any real benefit in knowing whether the dance word in Hebrew was "chuwl" or "machowlah"...so no real insight there.
Finally I made comments under the verses...

If I was more creative/computer-blog savvy I would have used different colors, fonts, etc for the different parts...sorry..I'm just not that good.

(Revisory note...color added for your reading pleasure:-)!)

And a one, and a two....

MACHOWLAH- (STRONG'S 04246) dancing, dance (Beit Tehila-a dance company/dances)

1. "Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them:
"Sing to the LORD,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider
he has hurled into the sea." Exodus 15:20-21

This was a dance by the women only, a spontaneous act of celebration and joy, to praise the Lord...("Sing to the Lord...")

2. "As they returned home, after David had killed the Philistine, the women poured out of all the villages of Israel singing and dancing, welcoming King Saul with tambourines, festive songs, and lutes. In playful frolic the women sang,
Saul kills by the thousand,
David by the ten thousand!" 1 Samuel 18:6-7 (also 1 Samuel 21:11 and 1 Samuel 20:5)

This was a dance by the women only, a spontaneous act of celebration and joy for Saul (the king provided by the Lord as was spoken through Samuel) and David (the giant killer), who had killed Goliath with God's help.

3. "Jephthah came home to Mizpah. His daughter ran from the house to welcome him home dancing to tambourines! She was his only child. He had no son or daughter except her. When he realized who it was, he ripped his clothes, saying, "Ah, dearest daughter, I'm dirt. I'm despicable. My heart is torn to shreds. I made a vow to GOD and I can't take it back!" Judges 11:34-35

Jehpthah was dancing in celebration for the return of her father, at their home.

4. "[ Friends ] Come back, come back, O Shulammite; come back, come back, that we may gaze on you! [ Lover ] Why would you gaze on the Shulammite as on the dance of Mahanaim?" Song of Solomon 6:13

(Mahanaim-two camps, a place near Jabbok, beyond Jordan River, where Jacob was met by the "angels of God," and where he divided his retinue into "two hosts" on his return from Padan-aram (Gen. 32:2).)

This is not actually a reference to the dancing of the Shulaamite or a dance of Jacob, as far as I can tell...if this is the deciding factor in having dances at a Baptist church property, let me know and I'll look at it some more.:-))

5. "When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD." 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry."

"When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain." Exodus 32:5-6,19

This is actually all the people..not just the women. And notice that it is happening under the heading of a festival to the Lord. Aaron said it was
to the Lord (Strong's 3068-Jehovah)...
to honor the Lord....
The party line was that this was for the Lord, yet they used a worldly outlet,
focusing on a pagan symbol..

It was anything but honoring to the Lord...it was the type of thing the pagan culture would have used and done.

MACHOWL-dance, dancing (STRONG'S 4234)

1. "You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy," Psalm 30:11

This is obviously a tribute to God as a reason for the dance.

2. "Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp." Psalm 149:3

Praise God's name. Dancing to the Lord. Playing music to the Lord. The focus is the Lord.

3. "Praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute," Psalm 150:4

Again, praising God with the instruments and dancing. Not just any old words or focus. This does appear to mean everyone (men and women, but tradition holds that they probably didn't dance together), but it is a praising of God.

4. "I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful." Jeremiah 31:4

Again, this is a dance of the joyful for what God has done for them.

5. "Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow." Jeremiah 31:13 (see below)

"Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow." Jeremiah 31:13

Although this could be a dance-for-all (everyone together) it would appear that the men were dancing together as were the women dancing together. This was to the Lord, in praise to Him for turning their sorrow to joy.

6. "...joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning." Lamentations 5:15

The dancing that had been performed out of joy was gone...no reason to dance because things were so bad.

CHUWL (as it pertains to dancing) (STRONG'S 02342) -to dance 2) to twist, writhe 3) to whirl, whirl about

1. "'But look, there is the annual festival of the LORD in Shiloh, to the north of Bethel, and east of the road that goes from Bethel to Shechem, and to the south of Lebonah.'20 So they instructed the Benjamites, saying, 'Go and hide in the vineyards 21 and watch. When the girls of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing, then rush from the vineyards and each of you seize a wife from the girls of Shiloh and go to the land of Benjamin.' Judges 21:19-21

(This was probably a part of the Feast of the Tabernacles.)

(A quote from Commentary and Critical Explanatory on the Whole Bible)
"The dance was anciently a part of the religious observance. It was done on festive occasions, as it is still in the East, not in town, but in the open air, in some adjoining field, the women being by themselves."

CHAGAG (STRONG'S 02287) to hold a feast, hold a festival, make pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim-feast, celebrate, dance, stagger 1) to keep a pilgrim-feast 2) to reel

1. "And when he had brought David down, behold, the raiders (Amalekites-men) were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah." 1 Samuel 30:16

Not that it matters:-), because they weren't part of God's people, but this was a men-only dance (not meant in a sexual way), and obviously not to God, since they were Amalekites.

ORCHEOMAI (STRONG'S 3738) to dance

1. "Herodias's daughter provided the entertainment, dancing for the guests. She swept Herod away. In his drunken enthusiasm, he promised her on oath anything she wanted." Matthew 14:6-7 (also Mark 6:22)

(Commentary by Matthew Henry)

"Here we have, (1.) The humouring of Herod by the damsel's dancing upon a birth-day. It seems, Herods birth-day was kept with some solemnity; in honour of the day, there must needs be, as usual, a ball at court; and, to grace the solemnity, the daughter of Herodias danced before them; who being the queen's daughter, it was more than she ordinarily condescended to do. Note, Times of carnal mirth and jollity are convenient times for carrying on bad designs against God's people."

"Carnal mirth"...wow...Well, for those of you young pups who don't know what "carnal" means, here's the definition from Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary:

Carnal-Enjoyments that minister to the wants and desires of man's animal nature are so called (Rom. 15:27; 1 Cor.9:11).

2. " 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge and you did not mourn.'" Matthew 11:17 (also Luke 7:32)

While this, of course, is not really about
children,
flute playing,
dirge singing,
dancing
and mourning,
it is interesting that when Jesus elaborates on this story, he talks about eating and drinking, not dancing...saying,

"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners.'" But wisdom is proved right by her actions." Matthew 11:19

The point here is not dancing. It is that whether it was an approach like John the Baptist (austere) or Jesus (open, loving) people always had some kind of criticism.

KARAR (STRONG'S 3769) (Pilpel) to whirl, dance a) whirling, dancing (participle)

1. "David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might," 2 Samuel 6:14(also 2 Samuel 6:16)

One person (David) dancing before the Lord in spontenaity.

PACACH (STRONG'S 6452) to pass over, spring over a) (Qal) to pass over b) (Piel) to skip, pass over, to limp

1. "So they (the priests---men) took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made." 1 Kings 18:26

Men only, dancing in praise to their pagan god.

RAQAD (STRONG'S 7540) to skip about a) (Qal) to skip about b) (Piel) to dance, leap c) (Hiphil) to make to skip

1. "Why do the wicked live on,
growing old and increasing in power?
8 They see their children established around them,
their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their homes are safe and free from fear;
the rod of God is not upon them.
10 Their bulls never fail to breed;
their cows calve and do not miscarry.
11 They send forth their children as a flock;
their little ones dance about." Job 21:8-11

2. "...a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance," Ecclesiastes 3:4

Raqad...Happy skipping....
The Job passage is speaking of wicked people, so I guess the dancing of the children is not "praise to God"...

And the second passage seems to just be a collection of opposites and the seasons for each...

CHOROS (STRONG'S 5525) a band (of dancers and singers), circular dance, a dance, dancing

"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing." Luke 15:25

This does not ever say that it is just women dancing...
nor does it say that the dancing is to praise God...
It is a family celebratory event in the father's home, however.

Not on the church property

In a nutshell, when the Bible refers to God's people dancing, it usually is referring to the women. Jesus may have danced but it doesn't seem likely... and He never said He did.

It does not seem to me that the Bible is silent on this issue at all. It gives many invitations for dancing as a praise to God with Him as the focus.
Singing to Him.
Dancing to Him.
Playing intruments with Him in mind.

Then there are instances of dancing within the family. Children dancing for the parents...A dance celebration in a home to welcome a long lost boy.

And finally, the examples of dancing
...with impure motives as Salome danced for the king to get what she wanted.
...Or the Israelites...God's people...dancing in praise to another god.
...Did they think they were dancing to God, as Aaron had told them?
...Or did they know that they were participating in a pagan ritual?
...Or... did they think it was kind of...both?
I don't know how you could look at a golden calf and focus on God. But more on that later.

The instances that refer to people dancing in praise of another "god" (whatever occupies one's time and thoughts and it could be anything...drinking, immorality, lost love, your new pick-up) or for the approval of men, had results that were not God-honoring.

But skipping seems to be OK:-).

Please understand that if these social dances are held off the property and are not sponsored by our church, I have much less issue with them. Then I would not have to explain to my children why they could not attend a church sponsored event (figuring that if people buy into the idea of Singles Dances at the church, dances for the Youth will follow).

The Bible does not say "Don't dance socially."

And on issues such as these, we (the grown-ups) are given freedom to make up our own minds.

But if it is a gray area, why have it on the church property?

COMING SOON...

two more posts dealing with this idea of a dance at the Cube and why I think it is not a good idea.

Thursday Thirteen #3

2006-05-25T17:24:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things That Make Me Feel Great About the Day

1. Getting my nails done
2. Getting my "new (hair) growth" covered
3. Reading a magazine from cover to cover
4. A Diet Coke with lime from Sonic
5. Clean sheets on the bed
6. No sniping between my children
7. Food on the grill
8. New sparkly jewelry (real or fake)
9. Knowing I am going out on a date with Greg
10 Writing a new song/getting one recorded
11. A day/weekend with nothing on the schedule
12. Talking with my best friend
13. Watching Amazing Race

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Celebration:-)

2006-05-24T05:33:00.000-05:00

Well, today is the last day of school for my kids...I will be out all day at assemblies for them, which means I can't work on my "dancing dissertation", but there's always tomorrow. The kids are wayyyy beyond excited, but also I catch them being kind of melancholy,too. Guess change is like that...if it's good, you look forward to it, but if what was going on before the change was good, that makes you a little sad. Feelings are a complicated thing, sometimes...

Anyway, for anyone who was wondering, the Christ Centered Singles Dance is on the calendar at the church...June 17th....And if all goes well, I am hoping to have something here on Friday...I am working toward that end, anyway. Keep checking back if you are interested.

No Amazing Race tomorrow:-(...but last week was exciting....you know, it doesn't always work out in a nice neat package where the naughty people lose, but when it does, it's kind of fun...:-)

Another Meme

2006-05-22T17:10:00.000-05:00

I may not continue any of these, and frankly this week, I am working on my response to James Hunt on his blog for the dance at the Cube, so I may not have alot of spare time to give thoughts on my own blog....but I wanted you to know I am still here...and this was the question for today on the Monday Madness site:

How many simple things have you learned to appreciate more, for one reason or another? Please list them and feel free to elaborate on each.

1. My mom...when I was young, I just kind of took her for granted. Now that I'm a Mom (and a woman) I see how great she is and how lacking I really am. She has a really helpful, gentle spirit and an even temper. And she is wise.

2. My faith...As I look at this world and all the crazy ideas out there, it is comforting to know that God never changes...that His Word never changes...

3. Pets...we have had them and not had them, and while they are alot of work, there are times when you just want to sit in a chair with your dog or cat. It is comforting and relaxing.

4. An evening/weekend at home with all of my family present and no agenda. Seems we always have something to do or something to get ready to do.

5. Using my talents...sometimes I don't get to use them, and when I can again it always feels great.

Have you got any of these?

Friday Feast

2006-05-19T19:33:00.000-05:00

Trying this today...thought it might be fun...

Feast Ninety-Four

Appetizer
What is the last thing you had to have repaired?
The catalytic converter on the van.

Soup
If someone gave you $2,000 with the stipulation that you had to spend half of it on yourself and give the rest to charity, where would you spend the $1,000 and which charity would receive your remaining $1,000?

Just for me???? Probably a week at The Greenhouse Spa in Arlington Texas. I went there for a weekend once, and it was probably the most pampered and self absorbed I have ever been.

We have a friend who is a missionary...he only goes places when he gets the money or someone's mileage points or something...but he does impact alot of people...so I would probably give it there.

Salad
What is one of your favorite songs from the 1980s?
You're the Inspiration-Chicago (swoon:-))

Main Course
You enter a pet store. Which section do you go to first?
Puppies...of course...is there another place to look first?

Dessert
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how athletic are you?
-3 :-)

If you want to try this, too...the link up site is here

Thursday Thirteen #2

2006-05-18T06:22:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things that I Have Tried in the Past and Would Like to be Proficient at/Consisten With

1….Getting everything clean at once
2. Putting away decorations once a season has passed.
3. Calligraphy
4. Knitting/Crochet
5. Original music stuff...working my music program, playing piano by ear
6. Landscaping our yard
7. Quilting
8. Scrapbooking
9. Bible/Bible culture maven
10.Getting my own cool signature "look" that is unique and current, but doesn't make people roll their eyes because I am trying to look too young.
11. Cake Decorating
12. Meal rotation for the entire year (I could add other things, but then it would be a no brainer to grocery shop, cook, etc, if I needed it to be).
13. Being in the moment with my family.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Remember to Leave a Comment:-)

Pet Peeve Wednesday

2006-05-17T12:52:00.000-05:00

Man, wouldn't THAT be great? Thinking to yourself every week, as things happen, "Ooooo, just wait until Pet Peeve Wednesday...then I'm gonna cut loose with this one!" :-):-):-)

Actually, I thought about doing a Procrastination Wednesday...FlyLady does that. Maybe if you fulfill your thing that you procrastinated, you could air a pet peeve as a reward...Have to think about that.

But this week, I don't have time...I am preaching to the choir, I mean, leading the choir this evening in the rehearsal...and I need to have some time to get myself in a real knot about it. So this will just be quick.

"As my apprentice, you're never fired".....God

OK...I have a couple of issues with this...

1. God didn't say that. Why do people always think they need to come up with something clever to "sell" God? Here's another..

"Don't make me come down there"...God

What does THAT mean? That we could make God do something? And as a believer, I WANT Him to come down here...but I digress.

2. Here is the definition of an apprentice.

1. One bound by legal agreement to work for another for a specific amount of time in return for instruction in a trade, art, or business.
2. One who is learning a trade or occupation, especially as a member of a labor union.
3. A beginner; a learner.

So what are we apprenticing for? God's job?

I get the connection to the TV show...I just think it's a weak link, and why not just say

"There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears." Phillipians 1:6

You know...a real thing from God's Word...

Amazing Race tonight!

A Little Whine Before Dinner

2006-05-16T06:21:00.000-05:00

So did you come here yesterday wondering where I was?:-) (Don't answer that...) Since there are a mere 8 days until school lets out, my children decided that they hadn't spent enough sick-time at home and needed to get some more in before May 24.

This is actually a sickness that I think I wouldn't mind having, if I had to be sick.

Fever
Headache
A little discomfort in the eyes
Tired

Where is the coughing?
The upchucking?
The general achiness?
The 25 gallons of mucus that seems to endlessly pour from one's nose?

I am signing up for this one next year...because with the fever, it's undeniable, but there's no other real downside.

So, in case I forget to say so tomorrow, don't forget that the Amaaaaaaaazing Race is on (tomorrow...not today)....The BIG FINALE! I will be at choir (and you probably should be, too) when it really shows, so I am going to set my VCR. It will be a melancholy evening, since there are two teams that I would have liked to win competing. And that icky Eric and Jeremy.

Since I did the Thursday Thirteen last week (Thursday;-)), I have visited a few other blogs...and I must say that while there are some that are a little more ...something....than I would want, there are some really pretty ones...interesting.....with features...like

100 things about me

Wouldn't you like to know 100 things about me?
(actually, some of these were good...)

Or places where you can look up all of my blogs on a certain subject....like dancing;-)...or all of my Thursday Thirteens...

I don't know if these are "pay" blogs, but maybe...When summer comes (for us in 8 days) I may have to investigate it. Or work on Vacation Bible School stuff...which is the first full week of June.

I went to a field trip last Friday...The Track and Field for the elementary school. My son, whom I will be referring to as "Darth", because of his love for Star Wars (I wanted to use "Handsome", which is kind of his Mom-given nickname, but he can read, and if he ever looks here, I would be in big trouble...but just know I am thinking that in my heart. Wish he liked Hans Solo...then I could just call him "Hans"...oh well, moving on.)is in the 4th grade, and being with those parents is not too bad. We are pretty close to their ages.

But when we went to watch our middle daughter, from this point forward referred to as "Mango" (because of the joke she and Greg have about her shampoo choice) in her kindergarten class, we were almost the oldest parents there. All these cute moms and dads with hip haircuts, wearing hip clothes, hip sunglasses...and all I could maybe be the most hip on was in fact, actual hips (maybe...I'm not ready to concede to that yet:-))

I have felt this before...and as much as I am enjoying all of the wisdom and mellowing (you know...all the inside stuff AND YES I DID SAY MELLOWING) that I feel I have done in the last 10 years, I can't say that I am ready to embrace this "look" of my outward appearance. I think I need to exercise..you know...tone up (have I said that before? It usually takes a few weeks of thought and discussion before I actually embark on some big lifestyle thing...it was the same with Atkins.)

"And it will only be worse when 'Todder' (this will, from this moment on, be the "name" for our youngest, as when you ask her if she is a baby, she says "No, my a todder") gets to kindergarten in four years." , I wail to my poor husband. While he is sympathetic, I think he thinks I am making too much of it (imagine!). And he thinks that some of what those young pups were wearing was "goofy"...

Yep...we're old.

But the real question is "Why do I care what they think?" Obviously, Greg thinks I am worth having around in my present state :-). My children think I am "soooooo pretty" (thanks, Todder and Mango) except when I am wearing my glasses and then I "look old" (thanks Darth---sigh). I think it is maybe the way I feel that I am regarded by those tanning-booth-strap-showing-smooth-skinned- younglings...like you might treat someone's mom...

"Yes, Mrs. Cleaver..."

It's probably not that way at all...probably just me. I was going through a few TT blogs yesterday and spent a little time at Loose Leaf Notes...Colleen and I were talking about blogs and how it feels when you don't get a bunch of hits and she said, "I think sometimes blogging can trigger our high school popularity program. You know, like no comments can feel like not getting picked to play."...

I think she's right. When we can control our environment, we can choose to be alone or with "our" group, but when we are out in the general public, we are subject to those feelings of the high school popularity contest. It's probably good to have those feelings come to the surface, though...because if they can come to the surface, they must have been somewhere deeper...hiding. Then we know on a conscious level that we have them and can decide whether to deal with them.

So, I am purposing...

to only take from the current trends the things that I think are cool and make me feel good about the change. Not silly or like I am trying to look 19...

to make sure I don't make any "goofy" changes that Greg doesn't find particularly attractive...

to think about who (and Who) will probably be in my life five years from now, and view their opinions as more important than those (real or imagined) the trendy passers-by...

But I still will start some kind of exercise pretty soon...Maybe when school lets out....in eight days.

All About Me:-)

2006-05-13T06:45:00.000-05:00

OK, I just want to make sure that my big stories of interest don't get buried if you are looking for them...so If you want to read about the Singles Dance concept, click here. If you want to read about my romantic keeper of a husband, click here.

Now, on to the list that Kristina sent me at the beginning of the week.

I...am a child of God and a part of the Bride of Christ
I want...to act more like it.
I wish...my first impulses in most situations were ones that I would want others to emulate.
I hate...change.
I am..."the mom"...not the first in command in any venue, but I like to be the second.
I miss...my grandmother.
I hear...music in my head when I try to memorize scripture.
I wonder...if the things I think are so important now will matter in a year...five years...twenty years...
I can't imagine...not being able to sing or speak.
I regret...the times that I am not "in the moment".
I am not...easygoing:-)
I sing...whenever I get the chance.
I dance...ummmmmm..... no
I cry...when I am frustrated or feel betrayed.
I am not always...regimented.
I do have...many things to be thankful for.
I would...love to start over in the rearing of my children with what I know now.
I make...lots and lots of lists.
I write...when my thoughts are jumbled.
I confuse...the immediate with the improtant.
I know...that if I keep my priorities in line, I am a happier, more relaxed person.
I should...be exercising.
I start...lots of projects, but have difficulty with the follow-though.

Thanks Kristina...no one has ever asked me to do a list like that before...:-)

Thursday Thirteen and location of Baptist Boogie and Engagement Post

2006-05-11T06:57:00.000-05:00

1. If you are looking for Baptist Boogie, scroll down to Tuesday May 9 post...not to be confused with May 9 1986...you will have to scroll wayyyyy down..
2. If you want to read the sweet story of my engagement anniversary, scroll down to Wednesday May 10 post.
3. Kristina :-) I am planning to do the list you sent me on Friday...

Thirteen Things that will make Angela go off her low carb diet

1…. Fried Okra
2. Apple Pie (any fruit pie)
3. Chocolate Pie (not that pudding kind...the melty brownie kind of one.)
4. Sourdough bread with Olive Oil to dip
5. Bread Pudding
6. Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy
7. Biscuits and Gravy
8. Key Lime Pie from Charleston's
9. Nicolette's Birthday Cake
10. Banana Bread
11. Apple Dumpling with that Cinnamon Sauce
12. Mocha Latte
13. Pecan Pie

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

I want to remind you that this is something that ANYONE can do. And their thirteen may not be edifying...I am just trying to do a little networking. There were a few nice people who responded to my thirteen (or lack thereof) last week, BUT please do not link onto these and think they are all people that I know...I do not. Proceed at your own risk...and if after one full run (today) I decide that this is just not going to be worth it I will not do it again. Thanks!

I am using Mr. Linky today...Please leave a comment with your link. Thanks!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

May 9, 1986

2006-05-10T09:26:00.000-05:00

OK, so I haven't talked about this, but there was something afoot this week.

I was supposed to go to a "meeting", but there was kind of a dress code and it was going to be a nice place for dinner...I kind of nosed around about it, but didn't get very far.

Seemed odd to me...

we were going talk about the Christmas Program, but at a nice restaurant...

and have folders (of all things)...at the table...

while eating...

at the fancy restaurant.

???????

Couldn't picture it...but "Point of the Blade" Pastor Norman has many times made things work where I saw no way...so I went with it.

Not sure who was coming besides Norman, his wife Denise, and me...

and Hester, I thought.

Hester (the admin.asst/general superhero)had been sick for a long time. And I felt that making her put together a bunch of folders with whatever else she had going was unnecessary. So...I offered to help.

She turned me down.

I worried that I might not be dressed appropriately.
And worried and worried...all week.
Poor Greg (my husband)...but he was a good sport. Let me get new shoes, some jewelry, etc. What a guy.

So the day before the Big Day comes...and I get an email (with some names of others) about the meeting.

"This is great!" I think to myself. "I will just be really junior high and see what some of them are wearing..."

So I email two of them (Suzy and Sarah) and get a response...nice...but they don't ask what I am wearing...

The Big Fancy Eating Place Meeting Day comes...I pretty much designate the day to Getting Ready...

That evening, Norman and Denise come to fetch me to the BFEP...I guess they are aware of my directional sense...

All along the way there is chatter chatter chatter about Christmas Plan 2006. Norman even has me get into his briefcase and get out "The Folders"...each labeled with a name...I give Denise to her and place mine on my lap.

Chatter Chatter....

When we arrive at the restaurant, Norman looks for a place to park...

(This restaurant, BTW, is not your standard "Thanks for Working With the Worship Ministry Dinner" place. It is fan-SAY. I wonder if I am dressed up enough. I think I am more dressed up than Norman and Denise so I decide I must be OK.)

Norman says, "I'm just going to let you girls out at the door", to which I think, "Well, good, because my hair won't make it in this wind".

Denise gets out, complains about her purse being too big to mess with and turns to put it back in the car. It was about the size of a tote that a teacher might take to school with her planner, graded papers etc, and don't get on to me about this reference because I used to carry one of those very bags but not to a BFEP...

So I wait for her. And I open the restaurant door. She walks in and I get the other door...she says, "After you..."

So I walk in. And she stays in the breezeway. So here I am, with a folder in my hand, standing in a fancy eating place and I see her standing in the breezeway through the frosted glass.

The hostess asked me if I have a reservation. "Well, I guess," I say. "But I'm actually with those people" and I gesture my head to the door. And I look over there and I no longer see a blurry form of Denise.

I see...

nothing.

The hostess stands there a minute and lets me stand there a minute (I am just figuring that Norman forgot his briefcase or something) and then she pulls out a HUGE bouquet of roses...and tells me that she will lead me to my table.

So she takes me through the labyrinth of rooms to a secluded table. And my sweet Greg is sitting there....

"What's going on here?" I say sweetly, feeling a little conspicuous with my folder and rose tree... (BTW, I was not holding said "rose tree"...the hostess was...I was holding my purse and a folder for a Christmas music planning meeting.) The hostess offers to take the HUGE Miss America type bouquet back to the front. I see no alternative, since there would be no room for food on the table...

He gestures me to sit, which I do.

"Are Norman and Denise coming?" I ask.

"I hope not" he says.

"What is going on?" I ask again.

"I just thought this might be a good time to reflect on our last 20 years together." he says.

Now here are two points of interest...
1. It is not our anniversary.
2. Before the birth of our first child (actually the night before my mother was coming to be here for the birth of our first child) I said to Greg (as we were watching TV)

"You know, this is our last night as a couple...tomorrow my mom will be here...then the baby will be here...we won't ever be "just us" again..."

You know...kind of reflecting...

Then he says, "Yeah...I guess you're right."

The end.

No "Oh, let's go out to dinner or a movie, because this will be our last opportunity as a couple..."

No "Well, what could we do that would make this final night special?"

Nothing... "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Sheesh.

So you can bet I brought that up a few hundred times.

So this was going to be a "time of reflection..." hmmmm

Greg says, "I would kind of like to go through each year and talk about what were the significant points."

Greg knows I can hardly remember last week, much less 1998...and I remind him of that little endearing quality of mine.

"It's OK, I made a list" says he.

A list of the high points of the last 20 years...wow.

So we eat dinner...work through the list...

At dessert (yes I had dessert...it was a special occasion:-)) we are at about 1988, then 1987...then at 1986 I think "May 1986...what was that????"

And I figured it out!

I was getting ready to go on a college Music Ministry trip for the summer. And before I left, Greg proposed...

"This is the day your proposed!" I blurt out.

"The happiest day of my life" he says...

I know...so sweet.

But THEN he pulls out a box. From BC Clark. And inside was a ring...but not just any ring...

See, about 5-6 years after we got married, I lost my engagement ring...I don't even know where or when. Why I took it off, I don't know.

I probably left it on the dresser and knocked it off and vacuumed it up the one time I vacuumed while we were in San Antonio...I just don't know. But it was gone. Good and gone.

I beat myself up about that alot.

Even as late as last week...

You know, he had got the diamond and put the ring together himself with a setting that he bought (he was kind of a jewelry maker in high school).

Anyway, I was thinking about it AGAIN last week.

Inside the box was a ring that bore a striking resemblance to my engagement ring. A yellow gold setting with an emerald cut diamond. Not exactly the same, but similar. This one has a couple of tapered diamonds flanking the sides of the main one, but it's very similar. And it makes me think of when we were 19 and 20, not even out of college, never been on our own, Greg not even started in medical school yet. We were babies...so young.

An evening to reflect on our married life together...and the 20th anniversary of our engagement.

So, you schemers, here's my thanks in order (I believe) of your involvement:-)

Norman
Denise
Hester
Tim-Sarah-Suzy

Thanks for helping Greg to pull it off...it was incredibly fun and such a surprise. You're the best.:-) Well, Greg's the best...you're the second best.

Baptist Boogie...

2006-05-09T05:26:00.001-05:00

This didn't seem to be getting much play where it was, so I copied it and brought it over here to the highway which is my blog...if you are a Southern Baptist, I just wondered what you thought of it (the concept or any part of the article). It's from the website of James Hunt .:-)
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An Ex-Fundamentalist Goes Dancing

Well, I finally did it! The first time ever in my ministry that I promoted a dance.

I know, I know, I'm a little old fashioned...a little behind the times. Even during the 10 plus years of youth ministry I never had a dance.

I used to preach specifically against dancing! It was, after all, the first step toward pre-marital sex, or so I thought. How could a godly person be pure and holy if they were shaking their thing?

This past Saturday night our singles went to a "Christian Single's Dance" at a local community center. I promoted it...I went...I danced.

No bumping and grinding...no lewdness or impropriety was found. Instead, I saw people dancing and laughing together. It looked like a fellowship of people having a good time.

Now, I'm going to go over the top. We're going to host a Christ-centered Single's Dance at our new facility. We hope to put up the multi-colored globe light and get down and boogy...in a conservative fashion that would make momma proud, of course!

I kind of like my new-found freedom! In the words of Chuck Swindoll there's been a "Grace Awakening" in my life. I love it!

Interestingly, I'm finding that the farther I get away from the Pharisee that I used to be...the more at rest in Jesus I'm becoming. Again, I like it!

It's refreshing to finally be on the side of grace. It's a thing of abundant life to finally be free to dance! Thanks, King David, for paving the way. Thanks Jesus, for coming in the spirit of the flute and the dance. I'm finally appreciating your party!
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PS...(angela speaking)...The put-a-sheet-over-her-she-has-her-dress-up-over-her-head-police have arrived (Mike and Sherri:-)) to inform me that apparently we (people from our church) have been participating in these dances since before the paradigm shift. So, no yea or nay from them, just info. So it may be "new to you (and me)" but it is not "new"...

Half-Hearted Early Saturday Morning Attempt

2006-05-06T08:03:00.000-05:00

OK, I am going to try to put the Mr. Linky deal here this morning...if you see it, you will know I got it.

Thursday Thirteen testing...oops, sorry!

2006-05-04T07:27:00.000-05:00

OK, so I thought I might want to do this Thursday Thirteen thing. I even had a little Thursday Thirteen thingie up here...But when people started looking at it, I realized that I was going to have to enter each of their addresses into my post. And for those of you who know me, that will take me until NEXT Thursday, even if only 6 people come and check on me. So if you came here to read my thirteen, I am sorry...I think I am just going to bow out of that idea. If you want to leave your address or whatever, I will try to put them in this evening, because I think that was the arrangement. It does look fun, but I can see that it isn't going to be something easy for me to do. That's what happens when you get old...you try to keep up and it just doesn't happen. And I did try to figure out the Mr. Linky thing...I guess I need a tutorial or something.

1.Carmen
2.tlc
3.Moogie
4.angie (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!...be patient with me; I am still trying to figure this all out:-))

Now...that being said...I want the three of you who actually read this regularly to know that these sites and opinions in this Thursday Thirteen thing may or may not be ones that I would lead you by the hand to find. Much the same as if I were to hand you the remote to watch my television. So link up at your own risk. But I do think this could be a nice way to meet people and if I get some help on the Linky thing I may try it again...

And for those who are looking for my comments on the Amazing Race last night, I figured out that it was a non-elimination about halfway into the show. Next week is a one hour show, and then I am thinking the next week is the final week. So if next week is not the final week, we have to have 4 teams next week and the ONLY way that will happen is if no one was eliminated. Which was good because BJ did not have shoes on at the end when everyone was running to the mat. They would have deserved to lose, I'll just say right now. No shoes...sheesh.

Muffin Tops

2006-05-03T13:42:00.000-05:00

OK, I was trying to think of something to write about that would be somewhat edifying. But I came across this phrase the other day (which probably means it is on it's way out it's been around so long)...and I can't get it out of my mind...

"muffin top"

Know what that is? It's if you are like me and trying to wear a lower rise jeans (because you can't come to terms with your middle-agedness) and if they don't fit you around the middle, part of your middle hangs over the top of the jeans...looking like the top of a muffin.

I was totally aghast at that....that there is a name for it, I mean. And so descriptive...I mean, that is just what it looks like.

Eeeeeeeek! I can hardly bear to think of it.

I have one pair of jeans that kind of does that...at least they look like they do that when I am looking at me in the mirror... Guess those are going in the "bub-bye" pile.

You know, I was reading another blog today...and noticing that the proprietor of the blog never references me in their blog, even though I know that they know me and know that I have a blog...

I wonder why that is...:-):-):-)

AMAZING RACE TRAILER:-)
Speaking of older people:-), Fran and Barry got the boot last week on Amazing Race. I know Ray and Yolanda make alot of errors, but let's pull for them and pull against Jeremy and Eric (and if you are watching, you know why) and those icky MoJo people. CBS tonight 7pm central time...

You Set My Heart A-flutter:-)

2006-05-02T11:10:00.000-05:00

OK, so nothing against doctors or anything:-), but when you get someone to the hospital because you think that they might be having another heart attack and the doc says (not a quote) "It's heart flutters...we expected that he might have some of that" WHY DON'T THEY TELL THE FAMILY SOMETHING LIKE, "You might think he is having another heart attack, and certainly you should get him here like that's what it is because what if it is(???), but it might be "heart flutters" and that's not fatal. And we'll just give him some medicine for it if that's what it turns out to be" before he leaves the hospital the first time???????

Just seems like that might be something the family might want to know.

Anyway, Joe was having heart flutters...not a heart attack....Probably the best present Sherri will get all day (it's her birthday..."Happy Birthday, Girlfriend!!!").

Check back later...I may have something else when MY heart stops fluttering (glad you are OK, Joe:-) XO)

Please Pray

2006-05-02T06:37:00.000-05:00

Sherri's dad, Joe, is having another heart attack. They are driving back to Tulsa now (6:30 am). If you are reading this, please stop now and say a prayer for Joe and the family. Thanks...

Thanks a Thousand:-)

2006-05-01T12:46:00.000-05:00

Well, over the weekend, my hits made it over 1000...that is pretty cool...even if it is just my mom visiting over and over to get my numbers up (Actually, it was sitting at 998 and I did just go back a couple of time to make it go to 1000...nothing big happens...it's like one of those video games that you finish and all it does it roll credits...there should be a TA-DAH or something).:-) So, I wanted to draw everyone's attention to that, and to say thanks for your prayers for (coffee) Joe. I am sure he could still use any prayer you might offer up on his behalf, but he did go home yesterday.

My Grandpa (flowers) Bud is still in the hospital, and I think if he ever entertained the thought of just getting up and walking out of there over the last few days that is over:-). They took him on a "walk", which was just down the hall, and I think it was plenty for him. Greg said he looked good, though, which is good to hear.

I feel as though I am sitting at the top of the big hill on a roller coaster today...the final rehearsals for Swan Lake are the this week. I am one of the wranglers for my daughter's class tonight. Actually I was shocked that no one had signed up for tonight (you HAD to sign up for one sometime this week) because it is the shortest one. The curtain call, then the prologue (which is her big moment) and then we can go home. If you wait until later in the week (Thursday-Friday) you have to stay to the bitter end, because they run it all in order. I think God just kind of saved today back for me.

Last year the girls just ran amok when they were not on stage.

So this year, at least on MY watch, I am going to have something for them to do and then I am going to be the antithesis of the KoolAid mom and make them SIT DOWN in the room. I will have crayons and coloring books like everyone, but I am also going to experiment with pipe cleaners and beads so that they can make a little "creation" without glue, paint, etc. If you have ideas of other crafty things like this (non messy and not too difficult), they would be welcome. I think someone else is bringing a video one night.

So tonight, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday we will be Swan Lake-ing it...ours is such a life of culture (not:-)).

I Know I'm Not Supposed To Be Here Today...

2006-04-29T16:36:00.000-05:00

but I have been home with my girls and working hard on THE LAST SONG OF THE CD...I had it ready, I thought, but when theory came to reality, it wasn't right...so I had to revamp it. Anyway, I have been working on it the whole naptime of my girls (Greg took the boy child to visit Grandpa Bud (remember Bud-flower, Joe-coffee) and I am here by myself, for the moment.

Any-who, I had seen a blip about something I have no time for called the Thursday Thirteen. No time...but it sounded fun and so I thought I would give it a whirl. I am about as good at working my blog as I am driving in unknown territory:-) so as I was reading the directions, I thought, "The girl who wrote this thinks I might know something about how to work my blog...she isn't explaining it to a three year old like I need her to"...so I pasted what they had in my template.

Now as I look at it, I think it is supposed to just go in my Thursday post. But I am afraid to move it for now. So if you want to look at my "creation", it is at the bottom of the page. And Thursday I will just cut and paste it into my post. Probably late...that is ballet performance and field trip day;-)...

Just wanted you to know what was going on. OH and BTW, my Grandpa Bud is out of ICU...still a little tired I think, but out of the ICU is good. Joe is on a floor also...he is getting some medicines that if he can tolerate them today, he may actually go home tomorrow...Yea! Thanks for your prayers...

Kinesthetic Learner

2006-04-28T09:06:00.000-05:00

For my fellow Elementary Education major readers, I am a kinesthetic learner...Not really a visual learner, not so much an auditory learner...I learn the best by experiencing things...especially if I am tired. And I am kind of tired right now. I have a cold, or allergies, or something...my grandfather had his surgery yesterday (remember, Bud-flowers...Joe-coffee:-)---Joe looks better, by the way...and who but God would put my best girlfriend's dad at the hospital where I was going to be?) and I went up and back for that....this weekend looks to be busy, next week looks to be kuh-RAZY busy...so my attentiveness to spiritual matters is not at its highest, I don't think...

But yesterday, as I was coming home from Tulsa, there is a spot on the highway that makes a Y...you can get on the turnpike (which is what I wanted) or you will take another non-pay road. For those who don't already know this, one of my obvious deficiencies is that I could not navigate my way out of a paper bag. So when I passed the right part of the "Y", I was a little concerned about how to get back to where I needed to be. Then I saw a sign that said 44W (my turnpike road)...

"Ahhhhhh," I thought..."I think I can still get on and be OK..."

I drove and drove...and I wondered if I had missed it.

And I drove.

Then I whizzed past a sharp turn that had no warning signs that it was coming that said "44W". I almost couldn't believe that was it. But as I drove a little more (and into a town), I realized that had to be it. I didn't see the turnpike anymore, which had been alongside of me...So I turned around.

As I drove back, I thought, "I kind of know where the turn with the sign was, and there will be one coming this direction, too."

As I approached the turn, there was no sign. But I really felt that was the turn, so I took it. As I made the turn, I saw a blur of 444444444444444444WWWWWWWWW...but the actual road wasn't right there...I had to go down an industrial road and around a factory...and again, I wondered if I was even going the right way.

But then I saw another sign for 44W and eased onto the turnpike.

With almost no gas.:-)

Not too far down the road there was a gas station. I got my gas, and with a full tank and a carb-laden snack, I headed home...the rest of the trip was uneventful.

So, as I was thanking God for helping me to get back on track, I thought, "How many times do I just get distracted and miss the "right" way? And how many times does God help me get turned around and find the way back? And how many times do I have to just have faith that the turn is the right one? And when I am just about to give up, how many times has God given me what I needed and more besides? Pecan pie and a Diet Dr. Pepper...how much better can it get for a non carb eater (normally...)?"

Don't get crazy...look to God...have faith that He will lead me...I'll probably have to learn it again tomorrow...but it was a good reminder for yesterday:-)

Have a great weekend...

Coffee and Flowers

2006-04-26T06:18:00.000-05:00

OK, so a few thoughts before I go to be with my family for my grandpa, which I am so thankful to be able to do. If Greg hadn't been able to work his schedule around, I would have needed to be here for the children, and he did...:-)

Found 3 moths in the kitchen. Guess there will be a little upkeep for a bit on that deal. I'll leave the vaccuum cleaner out for Greg. I think that their days are numbered, anyway, unless they have learned how to eat through a ziploc bag.

Sherri's dad's blood pressure is still low, so please continue to pray for him.

My grandpa's surgery is Thursday, so pray for him

Hey...I was talking to a kind of smart friend of mine the other day, and she was telling me about a book she read that talked about ways to help kids remember Scripture. I didn't really get all of it, but one of the things was to pair it the Scripture with an object.

OKOKOK you don't get all that, but here is what I would like for you to do, and I will talk more about that another day.

IF you drink coffee, sometimes people call that a "cup of Joe"...ever heard that? OK so if you drink coffee, say a prayer for Sherri's dad when you do it, because his name is Joe. Or if you see it in the store...or on a menu.

IF you see a flower, say a prayer for my Grandpa Bud (see??? Flower? Bud? Bear with me here...)

Just if you think of it. Thanks... :-)

I will be missing Amazing Race tonight, so don't tell me who is the last team to arrive...I will watch it later...:-)

Have a Heart...:-)

2006-04-25T09:08:00.001-05:00

OK, so one crisis down (with Kenny...he commented on my last blog and I talked to him this morning...be is back to causing trouble in the studio...) and now I have something else...

My best girlfriend, Sherri ('s) dad went in for a procedure (not heart related) and had a heart attack. He is a strong guy, but right now he is in ICU. Please keep him in your prayers...he is a special guy (his name is Joe).

Aaaaannnnnnnnndddd, my grandpa (Bud) is also having some heart stuff. Actually, his heart is great (I've always thought that:-)) but the arteries need some work, so he is going in the hospital on Thursday. I will be out of pocket probably Wednesday-Friday for that.

So if you could keep those two in your prayers for a bit that would be great. The more the merrier...(praying...not having heart stuff...you know what I mean.)

Extra-Update on Ken (don't forget to read Matthew 6:20 post below)

2006-04-24T18:22:00.000-05:00

Out of surgery...if he eats something, he can go home. I think he feels good. Thanks for your prayers.

Matthew 6:20

2006-04-24T13:01:00.001-05:00

QUICK REPORT-Talked to Kenny...his pain meds are wearing off, but the surgery is still a "go". Hopefully he will get to go home tonight or tomorrow. May hear something this evening. If I do, I will post it here...
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But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

You know, when I used to think of moths, I thought of the butterfly's ugly stepsister who flitted around lights at night. And if I thought of them in the vein of distruction, it was with the idea of clothing...but generally I felt sorry for them, didn't kill them, tried to put them back outside so that they could flit around the lights in the evening.

So when a couple of relatively tiny moths got into my kitchen, I didn't think too much of it. At least they weren't disgsusting flies, right?

Then, within the week, I saw a few more in my cabinet. Hanging upside down like bats. "Well, a couple of moths flying around in the kitchen is one thing, but I can't have a whole moth family" I thought to myself. So a squashed them...which was pretty easy, because they were sleeping.

But then there were more...I made quick work of them, but they seemed to keep appearing. Finally one day, I decided that I was going to have to bite the bullet and go through that cabinet. So I took EVERYTHING out...looked in everything. Found what I think were their breeding grounds (ick), threw those away and put everything that was OK in ziploc bags. You know...so that any living moths would have no food.

I still was kind of in a state of disbelief...I had always been kind to moths. They are soft, they don't sting...I never thought of them as spreading disease (I'll have to check on that one)...how could they turn on me like that?

But although that cabinet stayed clean, the story was not over....somehow, word(?) got out that we had a walk in pantry in the laundry room.

For a couple of days I knew that they were there...but I had so much to do, I just couldn't make myself go through all the pantry stuff...after all, it was a PANTRY...instead, I just got out the vaccuum and sucked them up. And by the way, that works really well. They are so dumb they just hang there and wait and it seems that either it kills them or they can't find their way back out of the hose.

It didn't take care of the problem, though. They kept re-appearing...it was like a nightmare movie or something. And Friday/Saturday, there was all that stuff with Kenny and I just wasn't thinking "moth patrol" and when I went into the pantry Sunday, they were MOCKING me...not behaving themselves hanging from the ceiling...NO NO...they were flying around, flitting on things...

They had picked the wrong day for that. So I got out a trash bag and started looking through everything. Found their little hidey-holes, threw out some stuff, put the rest in ziploc bag and SUCKED UP THOSE RENEGADE MOTHS!!!!

I will never look at moths the same way again.

So here is the application (besides the obvious)

1. All the food was worthless if I had not secured it in some way as to keep bad stuff from ruining it. The same thing is true with our treasures, whatever they are. We may be thinking that we are using them completely for the Lord, but it doesn't hurt a thing to stop every once in a while and see if there are any parts of our treasures that are being messed up by other things (using them for ourselves in some way, using them for some improper purpose, etc)

2. If we find that there are moths in our treasures, don't short cut the process of getting rid of them. I used the vaccuum cleaner, but I also bought some "moth traps" from the Home Improvement catalog. It did catch some of them, but it did not eradicate the problem. It was not until I took the time to go through all my stuff that I was able to rid us of the moths completely.

3. If we have other areas of our lives that are not properly sealed up, the corruption can simply move from one area to the other (like from my cabinet to the pantry), so we need to be mindful of that.

Wasn't that icky??? :-) but it's over now...moving forward....:-) :-)

Update on Hoyt:-)

2006-04-23T16:22:00.000-05:00

Kenny has a kidney stone...it's lodged, so it won't come out on its own, and they are doing surgery on it tomorrow at 2:30. They say that he will feel great afterwards...hope so. Thanks for your prayers.

News Extra-No Grafted In Tonight (April 22, 2006)

2006-04-22T08:32:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are local, we play at Swadley's BBQ at 39th and Rockwell every 2nd and 4th Saturday night. Gospel music. If you look at my links, you will see some information about our band.

Anyway, our co-leader, guitar man, emcee, etc, Ken James, had some stomach issues this week. But not like what you might have or I might have...pretty serious, because he has a history of digestive stuff and had big surgery about 10 years ago in the areas that seem to be causing problems now. He was out of town at meetings all week, and finally went to the doctor yesterday afternoon and the ER last night.

He is in the hospital now. They are getting all the stuff out of his stomach and trying to figure out the next step. His lovely wife, Janice, is at his side...and I am so glad for that. The only thing worse than being sick is being sick in a strange place without those you love there to comfort you.

So anyway, please say a prayer for him and for Janice...and if you know anyone who was going to Swadley's tonight to see us (or anyone who knows Ken and Janice), pass this news along.

What To Do When You Don't Know What to Do

2006-04-21T14:02:00.000-05:00

First, I want to say that here is something I would like more of: I would really like to be around more of the Titus women of our church. The ones who are really spiritually grounded, have been through some stuff, have good sense, and know how to pass it to the rest of us. I do know a few, but it just seems that when I am around them, I leave thinking "Man, I sure wish I could just hang out with her for a week or two and gather up more of those pearls of wisdom."

I'm not dumb and I have friends who are about my age who aren't either, but there is something to be said for just being on this earth, going through many events, mellowing, following things through to the end...just some things that you have to have been here awhile to be able to do.

So all that brings me to a really great Bible Study I was at yesterday. The text was from Job and his awful life and his "friends". And a wonderful Titus woman from our church taught from her own life and heart and I almost couldn't keep up with all the great things she was saying. Her lesson was on "What to do for People Who Have Lost a Loved One" (my title, not hers). So, these are not my words....they are Nita's. Nita Nita Nita. Not Me(-tah...just trying to make a rhyme so that you would remember:-).

So here is the condensed version of what she said...

1. Take the initiative, because people in mourning can't think. You are not being intrusive. They need to feel the support of those who love them.
*send flowers
*bring food...if you know the family, stay and eat.
*send a heartfelt note. You won't make them feel worse
*make calls for them
*make a list of who called, who brought food, etc.
*clean something...bathroom, refrigerator, make the beds

2. Be there emotionally for them
*Don't avoid talking about the person. Call him/her by name. You won't make those who are grieving more unhappy or "remind" them. That's all they can think about anyway.
*Know that sometimes grieving people have to talk and talk and talk. It's their way of dealing with it.

3. Things to say...
*"I love you"
*"I'm praying for you"
*"Do you want to talk about it?" (If they don't, assure them that the time will come when they will, and when they do, you will be available.)
*Tell how you felt about the person.
*Tell about shared times with the person, the rememberances, even funny things.
*Be yourself. Don't feel the need to "know everything" or have all the answers.

4. Things NOT to say.
*"It was God's will."
*Don't try to explain why it happened.
*"Buck up, you've grieved long enough...it's time to go back to normal" (for these people, there is no normal anymore...they have to re-find their way)
*"I know exactly how you feel."

See?? Wasn't that good? I always want to do things, but am not quite sure what to do, what is too much, what is not enough, etc. Yea Nita!!!!

Something for Everyone

2006-04-20T13:58:00.000-05:00

OK...maybe not everyone...but for those who are following Amazing Race and those who aren't, but liked yesterday's post.

First, AMAZING RACE

I really really thought there for a split second that Eric and Jeremy might lose and be off the show. I was so excited...if that happened, there would only be pretty OK people on the show. But they were able to save themselves at the end.

THEN my team of BJ and Tyler looked like THEY might lose...which they did. But it was a non-elimination, so they are still in there.

Maybe for the best that Eric and Jeremy weren't last...I don't know if I could have stood it if they lost, but then got to stay. I probably would have thrown something at the TV.

NOW for you few few people who are not following the greatest show on TV...here was the other kidism that I forgot to put on my list yesterday...

According to my middle child, she and her little sister were sharing a bowl of (drum roll, please)...

MOUSTACHE-ios (pistachios)

And see, I am so naughty...I never correct that stuff. This same child called the kitchen the "chicken" forEVER...I just loved that one.

I have something very practical tomorrow...would have put it today, but I have to do a little picking up...we are having a "friend" over this evening (18 month old)...enough said. :-)

Kid Talk

2006-04-19T12:46:00.000-05:00

I guess the biggest expense we have had in our married lives is our children. And they continue to be, in every way...time, money, focus, upkeep...the list goes on, but I won't.

They are great, most of the time...

Well, actually I would say that they are "good" about 50% of the time...

"Really good" about 20% of the time...

"Great" (now here I mean the kind that brings a proud tear to your eye and you just want to grab them and hug them) about 7% of the time...

"Slightly toady" (the kind that makes you roll your eyes--you know, arguing, messy rooms, huge pile of socks behind the door, last minute notification of cookie baking for school) about 18.5% of the time...

and

"In-danger-of-being-sold-to-the-gypsies-if-the-price-was-right (as my friend, Sherri, would say)"about 4.5% of the time.

But sometimes they are just funny. At least to us...and I am not saying who said what. Unless the gypsies ask...

1. "Is Del City in the same time zone as Bethany?"

2. "How come when the electricity went off, the batteries are still working?"

3. "If my (I) do (insert any naughty activity here...) Mommy 'pank me"

Maybe not Reader's Digest worthy, but this was free, right:-)?

Set your VCRs...Amazing Race tonight...