*sigh*

I'm house sitting still. Honestly, it'd be nice to have this over and done with. I don't mind, but I've been house sitting for the last three months, essentially. I feel bad for Karen because I'm pretty sure all she wants is to be back home.

I know that's all I want.

Yesterday my mom and I went to see Sahara. It was actually quite funny and good. I was surprised, seeing as Christene didn't seem all that excited by it and Dena wasn't too impressed with it (at least as far as I could tell).

I've been craving chocolate all week, with good reason as to why. Stanley is visiting again, and he's been showing me no mercy.

Chocolate milk especially has been a weakness of mine.

*sigh*

I'm tired of cats. I want a dog. A little dog, all my own. A fuzzy little buddy who will follow me around and sleep at the foot of my bed.

*sigh*

I've decided that I really like to type. :)

I've now watched 3 Mariners games this week. Makes me all happy. We've won 2 of the 3 I've watched, too. Dad's going to the game on Tuesday so that he can get an Edgar Martinez collectible statue. He's excited about it. Mom's a bit upset that he didn't ask her to go with him or at least meet him there. He then asked her to go to one of the games against the Yankees, to which my mother replied that she'd have too much trouble trying to arrange it.

Dad's going to be sitting in one of the sections behind home plate and a little towards first base.

On the first level.

REALCLOSE to the action.

Dena and I leave on Friday for Spokane. I'm going to have to stop off at the bank before we leave town so I can deposit my paycheck.

Oh, I'm boycotting my cell phone because I used 200 more minutes than my plan allows and ended up with $100 extra dollars charged onto my bill.

I can think of better uses for that $100 than paying my cell phone bill. I'm thinking I'm going to pay three-quarters of it and then pay the rest the next time around. We'll see how that works.

And, my friend who actually reads this, I have gotten your phone calls, I just haven't been able to call back! :)

I've been watching my dad's Rocky and Bullwinkle Season 2 discs. It's been interesting cuz I haven't watched the show in so long. I didn't realize, though, just how many bad puns were in the show.

What's really bad is I've been walking around using bad puns, too. At least in my head. I've been trying to be good about not saying them outloud.

Although people look at me strangely when I start laughing for no apparent reason.

All right, I must get going & take a shower. I'm having a lazy Sunday. :)

Maybe I'll clean the litter box first.

*scampers off*

Shake it, shake it....

All right, so I've finally been nagged by my friends long enough to actually try to update this thing.

:) I don't really mind. :) It's kinda nice to know that there are people around who want to hear from me every once in awhile.

I was starting to say that not a whole lot has been happening, but I made myself stop because I think that's one of my cop-outs that I tend to use frequently. Just something I say to help fill space on my journal.

Let's see...I've been to Pullman. It was a relatively disappointing trip. I had fun and enjoyed spending time with my friends who I haven't seen in awhile, to be sure. However, there were just a few little things...enough to make me wish that things hadn't really changed at all.

I saw Peter. It was hard, I'm not going to lie. I didn't talk to him. We kind of ignored each other, actually. I'm not even sure he was aware that I was there, but if he was, he didn't acknowledge it and I didn't acknoweledge him. Zac knew something was up with that, so of course he kept asking me over and over again. I finally just told him I didn't want to talk about it and he (thankfully) left it at that.

I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole thing that happened. On the one hand, my heart is aching so much and is really and profoundly hurt by the way things ended. On another hand, it's kind of a relief because now I don't have to worry about Am I annoying him? Should I just stop? Should I e-mail him this? Should I not? And on still another hand, it's all good because I think I was ready to let go.

It doesn't stop me from wanting to remove all trace of him from my computer and from the pictures in my photo albums...

*sigh* Friendships with members of the opposite sex were never meant to be smooth.

Scratch that, they were initially meant to be smooth, but then dumb ol' Eve had to go listen to that ruddy serpent.

harrumph.

I can tell that I haven't been getting fed spiritually cuz my emotions are everywhere right now. I'm ready for saomething to change...I'm just not sure what.

I'm house sitting again. It was kind of funny on Saturday night when I was spending the night at the house. I fell asleep on the couch. Somehow it's more comfortable to sleep on the couch than it is to sleep in the guest bed room on the owner's old bed. At any rate, I was sleeping on the couch, blankets piled high. The cat (who just gets called "Kitty") is a crier. Meaning she follows you around meowing at the top of her lungs. And if you sit down, she just comes, sits/lays on you, and meows even more. She had finally managed to settle down long enough to sleep. She would get up, wander around the house a bit, and then plop herself down on me (rather roughly). She would then proceed to knead me, her little claws poking through the blankets. I would finally become aware of what was going on, tell her in a rather grumpy voice to knock it off, and when she didn't, immediately start thrashing until she would get the hint and go flying onto the floor. From there, she would usually come over by my head, poke her face into mine and meow loudly.

Tempted was I, to just throw her in the bathroom and be done with her for the evening. However, it occurred to me that she'd probably meow even more loudly...and the bathroom echoes, so the sound would be amplified (of course).

So every hour or so, the process would be repeated, her meowing, laying on me, meowing, kneading, me grumpy-voiced, and then thrashing all over.

I'm surprised I didn't end up with whiplash or injuring myself in other ways.

:oP

All righty, I need to go. I need to start doing call backs and see how people are liking their customer service.

Toodles!

The great debate...

Swiped from one of my Live Journal friends...

Click here for a map of the U.S. with statistics about how much of the population in each state says "Pop," "Coke," "Soda," or "Other."

It's quite fascinating.

Ugh...wasting time at work again.

Toodles!!!

On a side note, this is the first post I've made on here in eons. I really must do better about updating.

*nods*

Voices from beyond...

Funny event for the day:
I was sitting in the office when all of a sudden I heard a voice coming from my leg. I was kind of weirded out and stood up. I couldn't figure out what was going on. And then I remembered I had my cell phone in my pocket. Pulling it out, I noticed that it was on and said that I was talking to someone. As I was pulling it out, I heard a male voice say "Clarky? Hello....?" sounding very confused.

I swear, I thought I was hearing voices in my head and that I was hallucinating. There were a couple of people playing with phone rings earlier this week that sounded like human voices...and then my boss brought her parrot in the other day and she (the bird) sounds just like a human at times.

Crazy times. :)

P.S. I've forgotten just how much I love Rascal Flatts.

*sigh* I must never forget again.

*nods emphatically*

Running Just to Catch Myself....

Sometimes I feel like I don’t really have anything all that interesting to say. I just kind of live life day in and day out, not realizing that at times my daily “routine” or my daily life could actually be of some significance to others. Whenever I receive an e-mail from my grandmother on my dad’s side, I’m reminded of this. She is always asking me questions about what I do with my time. At times it’s kind of tedious and like “Well, Grandma, how can you actually be interested in this? It’s just the boring things I do everyday...” but then I remember that she loves me and because she loves me, she has a vested interest in me. And because of that interest, she wants to know what goes on in my life. And when I write or talk with her, suddenly the day to day things seem that much more important. And I remember just how significant doing things like writing in a journal or contacting the people in my life on a regular basis are, not being afraid or unwilling to write about the things that occur throughout the day, but embracing them because they are a part of my day, a part of my life.

I was thinking about all of this stuff while I was working on answering the questions in Becoming a Woman of Excellence by Cynthia Heald. The chapter we were focusing on this week has been about discipline, one of the things that can bring us closer to God. And she broke down discipline into several categories (disciplining our mind, our emotion, our body, and our time) and went through each one, providing a verse or two and a series of questions about each.

It was when she had me focus on the discipline of time that I became most…convicted, I guess. My management of time has been on my mind quite a bit lately. As some of you know, I’ve grown addicted to a couple of different TV shows (CSI [the Las Vegas one, not NY or Miami] and Alias, just to name a couple) and so I’ve spent quite a bit of time watching these, renting DVDs from past seasons and watching them so I can have more background on the characters and their experiences up to the point they’re at in the current season.

Well, after awhile I started feeling uncomfortable, my heart kept telling me something was wrong and that I needed to simply take a break from watching those shows, or at least not watch them for the same amount of time that I had been spending with them. So, I started checking out books from the library.

This coincided with the beginning of the new year, when I joined up with 50bookchallenge (a community on Live Journal) and gladly took up the challenge of reading 50 books within a year (for those of you who are curious, I’m starting book 14, so I’m kind of ahead of schedule). I began going to the library frequently, checking books out and trying to discover new authors. I really started plowing through the books and now find myself at the point where I can easily read a book within 2-3 days because I spend my free time reading it, especially at work.

Now I find my free time consumed by the books that I choose and am constantly reaching for a new one, standing in front of my pile of books I already have checked out at the library with my checkout list in hand so I can read the books that are due sooner before I read the books that are due later. It’s kind of funny that I stand there for so long looking at them and plotting in my head which ones to read next.

But, such is the nature of obsessions. And that’s what I’ve decided this is, just another obsession, another way to spend my time without necessarily having to use that time to focus on God (which was the whole point of not watching as much TV).

So, I’ve come up with a plan. I’m going to sit down and schedule out my time. To some extent, I’m going to schedule out my free time so that I don’t end up spending more time than I should doing one activity or another. It seems rather neurotic of me, but I’m trying to develop new habits and this was one of the ways I’ve been considering for a few days and was actually suggested in Becoming a Woman of Excellence. Well, not the whole planning out my free time, but planning out the day and writing down a “To Do” list (which is a habit of mine already). :)

Right now, it’s nice because I can see what my days are like. As time progresses, I suspect that I’m going to make adjustments and include more things in my daily routine and write those things down. I’m kind of vague at the moment about my free time and how it should best be spent. I’ve made a list of things to do each day and thus far have incorporated one into the schedule already. I hope to figure out where the other ones will fit in on my schedule.

I’m hoping that this will help give me some direction as to what I’m doing each day, and it gives me some smaller goals that I can meet throughout the week. Here’s my list of daily activities:

Daily:
***Devotionals/work on Bible study
***Read at least 1 chapter from a non-fiction Christian book
***Clean apartment (at least one small part like my hand dishes for the day or one part of my room)
***2 hours of “Me-time” (read, talk on the phone, watch movie, etc…)
***Make “To Do” list for the following day

Seems like a reasonable list. I know there are things that I’m going to add to that list from time to time. I’m also hoping that I won’t be an incredible Nazi about these things, that I will be willing to be flexible with them. Initially, though, I’m going to make my schedule more regimented and gradually back off.

Some other things I’m going to do:
***Memorize 1 verse per week, starting with suggested verses in Becoming a Woman of Excellence as a guide. I’ve already started this by taping a note card with my first verse on the little shelf my monitor at works sits on. I may end up moving it elsewhere, but at least in this spot, I’m guaranteed to look at it more than once a day. :)
***Continuing to limit my movie/TV intake and instead of reading just any book, read at least one chapter of a Christian non-fiction book (already listed, I know, but it’s all good)
***Be more consistent with my journaling (this will happen somewhat naturally as a result of me spending more time in the Word)

All righty, I’m going to stop here and leave you with the lyrics to a great song that reminds me of just how much time I tend to waste day in and day out (but in a humorous way!). :)

Running Just to Catch Myself
By Mark Schultz
From his album Stories and Songs

I am driving, I am late for work,
Spilling coffee down my whitest shirt,
While I’m flossing and I’m changing lanes, oh yeah.

Now I’m driving through the parking lot,
Doing eighty…what the heck, why not?
Watch it lady, cuz you’re in my spot once again.

It’s early to work and here’s a surprise
I got a McMuffin for just 99 cents today
I think they ran a special!

I can’t stand still
Can I get a witness?
Can you hear me anybody, anybody?
I think I am running just to catch myself.

Maybe someday I could fly away—
Go to Key Largo or Montego Bay.
Sport my Speedo, maybe grab a tan.
A dream vacation, wild elation.

Now I’m running straight into my boss
And he’s angry, oh, and he calls me “Ross.”
Which is funny, cuz that ain’t my name
And that’s lame.

I’m still running, running very late
For a meeting. Wait, that was yesterday.
Guess I’m early for the one next week,
Oh how sweet!

I can’t stand still
Can I get a witness?
Can you hear me, anybody, anybody?
I think I am running just to catch myself.

I get on the ladder I corporately climb.
I wave at my life as it passes me by everyday.

My name’s not Ross…

I can’t stand still
Can I get a witness?
Can you hear me anybody, anybody?
I think I am running just to catch myself.

Life in my cubicle is discreet
Life in my cubicle is neat.
I’ve got some pictures of my friends,
Some sharpened pencils…where’s my pen?

Ten o’clock I’m in a meeting...
Paper cut, I think I’m bleeding.
Check my hair, it’s still receding.
Hey what a life.

Break for lunch there’s nothing better,
Run outside and don my sweater
Like Fred Rogers “Let’s be neighbors.”
I’ve lost my mind.

I’m overworked and underpaid and non-appreciated.
It’s just a perk of being middle class and educated

One…spinning circles in my chair.
Two…Win a game of solitaire.
Three…and I ponder where my stapler’s gone.
Four o’clock I stare at the door
And I stare at my watch
Then I stare at the door.
I stand on my desk like I’m going to war,
There’s just one thing that I’ll be needing…
Grab my paycheck as I’m leaving.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhhhhhhhhhhh…

It’s five o’clock, it’s time to go
There’s crowds to fight and horns to blow.
It’s talking fast on my cell phone—
Hey, watch out! That’s reckless driving!
Five o’clock it’s time to leave—
To hit the couch and watch TV,
Set the clock and go to sleep.

It’s 8AM on Monday morning
Again and again and again and again and again!

Driving around, nowhere to go.
And so I hang with my lady
And I chill with my bros.
It’s okay, in my Cabriolet.

I can’t stand still
Can I get a witness?
Can you hear me, anybody, anybody?
I think I am running just to catch myself.

When I meet God I will have a question.
*4 drum beats* Just forgot my question.

I think I am running just to catch myself.

Oscars

So, I thought before the actual awards show came around, I’d make a post about my picks for Oscars this year. :) I have some down time at work and it’s been relatively quiet today (good thing, I need to recuperate from yesterday).

My choices for Oscars will be in bold font, just so y’all know. I’ll try to put some reasoning to my pick under the category. :)

Best Picture
The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby
Ray
Sideways

I chose 2 for this particular category because I have to give my love to Finding Neverland, it was just really well done. However, I’m not going to cry and get upset if it doesn’t win...as long as it goes to Million Dollar Baby. I haven’t seen it, but from what my parents and friends have been saying, it’s an amazing movie and it’s totally worth the Best Picture category. :) I also wouldn’t be incredibly upset if Ray won cuz I have a soft spot for that movie, despite the fact I haven’t seen it yet.

Achievement in Directing
Martin Scorsese for The Aviator
Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby
Taylor Hackford for Ray
Alexander Price for Sideways
Mike Leigh for Vera Drake

Again, I just have this gut feeling about Million Dollar Baby and Ray that say that they’re gonna be the top contenders for this particular category. I’m hoping to see them this weekend and if my opinion changes, I’ll get back to you. :)

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Don Cheadle for Hotel Rwanda
Johnny Depp for Finding Neverland
Leonardo DiCaprio for The Aviator
Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby
Jamie Foxx for Ray

Honestly, if I absolutely had to choose between the two, my heart would go for Jamie Foxx because he had to take on such an enormous task with becoming Ray and it proved that he could really act, not just goof around. Stereotypical comment, I know, but it’s how I feel. Not that comedy takes any less skill than acting in a drama-type role (haha, ironic, right? Acting is Drama....ok, I’m done).

But, I also have much love for Johnny Depp because I loved Finding Neverland so much and he really did do an amazing job with that.

Best Supporting Actor
Alan Alda for The Aviator
Thomas Haden Church for Sideways
Jamie Foxx for Collateral
Morgan Freeman for Million Dollar Baby
Clive Owen for Closer

Okay, I’m really not sure about this category because the only movie in this grouping that I have seen was Collateral and I didn’t really like it all that much. I love Morgan Freeman, but not having seen Million Dollar Baby kinda puts a kink in the works as far as me picking him. And I love Alan Alda in M*A*S*H and ER when he was a guest star on that....but I haven’t been too impressed with the things I’ve heard about The Aviator and I’m not sure I’ll even see it....*sigh*

Tis a dilemma, I tell you what.

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening in Being Julia
Catalina Sandino Moreno in Maria Full of Grace
Imelda Staunton in Vera Drake
Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby
Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Catalina did well in Maria Full of Grace...well, she wore a look of concern most of the time and did very well with that....Kate Winslet did well in Eternal Sunshine....and I haven’t seen the others. So, if it were solely between those two, I’d choose Kate Winslet because I feel like she had a more dynamic character and performed her part well.

Although, part of me has a soft spot for Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby and I would pick her over Kate, despite the fact that I haven’t seen the movie yet.

Argh...I need to go see that movie so I can be more informed. :oP

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett for The Aviator
Laura Linney for Kinsey
Virginia Madsen for Sideways
Sophie Okonedo for Hotel Rwanda
Natalie Portman for Closer

No opinion. I haven’t see any of those movies and the only one I’d be remotely likely to see is Hotel Rwanda although I am curious about The Aviator.
Best Original Screenplay
The Aviator by John Logan
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind by Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry, Pierre Bismuth
Hotel Rwanda by Terry George, Keir Pearson
The Incredibles by Brad Bird
Vera Drake by Mike Leigh

Um...yeah...the only one I’ve seen (Eternal Sunshine) is one I wouldn’t choose. I think primarily because it was twisted and strange. Kinda silly of me, huh?

Best Adapted Screenplay
Before Sunset by Richard Linklater, Kim Krizan, Julie Delpy, & Ethan Hawke
Finding Neverland by David Magee
Million Dollar Baby by Paul Haggis
The Motorcycle Diaries by Jose Rivera
Sideways by Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

Love, love, love that movie! It was sooooo well-written and done. :)

Best Animated Feature Film
The Incredibles
Shark Tale
Shrek 2

I chose Shrek 2 because it’s the only one I’ve seen out of the three...I doubt Shark Tale is really all that well done, anyway...and, although, I would like to say The Incredibles, that wouldn’t really be an informed decision.

Good thing I’m letting myself feel free to change my opinion as time progresses and I see a few more of these movies.

Achievement in Art Direction
The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events
Andrew Lloyd Weber’s the Phantom of the Opera
A Very Long Engagement

Torn is what I am. I loved how Finding Neverland was done. The sets were beautiful and the shots that were chosen enhanced the film so well. But, A Series of Unfortunate Events was also incredibly well done...

If it came down between the two.....*sigh* I’d rather not choose.

Achievement in Costume Design
The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events
Ray
Troy

Again, torn am I. If it came down to the two, though, I would pick Lemony Snicket because the costumes were quite amazing. Especially after reading the descriptions given in the books. :)

Best Achievement in Score
Finding Neverland
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events
The Passion of the Christ
The Village

Hand’s down. I loved the music. I can’t wait until I get paid on Friday. I am so going to get the soundtrack. :)

Well, my friends, those are my picks. I’ll update as I see more movies and see if my opinion has changed any.

Yay Pepito!

My friends, I'd like to introduce you to my new pet!


Pepito is a water-loving penguin who loves diving off of iceburgs in search of some nice, tasty fish. When he's not dodging the odd walrus or polar bear, he can be found with the rest of his penguin family, chatting about the weather. :)

Scattered plant thoughts.

Today has been a plant-filled day. Well, sort of. During the sermon today, Pastor Dave brought up one of the illustrations that Jesus used to talk about life with Him and what it is like. He spoke of a vine and how we are the branches. Pastor Dave switched it a bit to remind us that we are really like electrical appliances and that, if they had been around then, Jesus might have spoken about them instead of a vine. I personally think that the vine works all right because it’s a natural object and natural objects can be a lot easier to understand by a broader audience than an electrical appliance, but whatever. J

Point…and I did have one. So, Pastor Dave was talking about the passage in John 15:1-11 the whole “I am the vine, you are the branches…” thing. In her study, Becoming a Woman of Excellence, Cynthia Heald uses those same verses. She uses them to focus on abiding and what that term means. Basically, to abide means to spend time with or in. The point she makes is that, if Jesus is indeed a vine and we are branches, we can’t grow unless we are attached to Him (verse 1-4 focus on that in particular). Pastor Dave made a more modern version of the same point by saying that we are like electrical appliances and if we aren’t plugged into the right power source, we won’t be able to function properly (he even used this analogy for a sermon series that also became the theme for the children’s VBS thing we did a few years ago).

The thing about being a branch attached to anything, though, is that it takes time to grow. I mean, you don’t just plant a seed and suddenly it becomes a branch. You can’t even plant a branch in the ground and expect it to become a tree/vine. Doesn’t work that way. It takes time, nourishment, sunlight, etc…. So, wouldn’t you think that it would also take time for us to grow, too?


In the Old Testament book Habakkuk, the prophet Habakkuk is complaining about how long he has been sitting around, watching the wicked seemingly win time after time and how tired he is of it. He asks God essentially “HEY! Are you doing anything up there? What’s going on? In case You were wondering, they’re still being naughty down here and I, for one, am tired of letting them get away with it. You might want to start doing something about it…soon!” God’s reply is simply this:

“Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that the herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”
--Habakkuk 2:2-3

He says that the timing isn’t right yet. Things may not seem to be happening right now, but something is going to happen and Habakkuk just needs to be patient.

God does not open paths for us before we come to them, or provide help before help is needed. He does not remove obstacles out of our way before we reach them. Yet when we are at our point of need, God’s hand is outstretched.

Many people forget this truth and continually worry about difficulties they envision in the future. They expect God to open and clear many miles of road before them, but He promises to do it step by step, only as their need arises.
--From Streams in the Desert Jan. 6 devotional

This suggests that God’s timing in difficult circumstances isn’t what we would necessarily term “convenient.” But, when are difficult circumstances ever “convenient”? I think that this devotional can also lend itself to being short-sighted in that it seems that God only clears the path that is immediately before us. What we don’t realize is that, in reality, God does see farther down the path and chooses to wait to clear the path until we are ready and have come to that point.

He sets things in motion long before the problem arises in our lives and times it so that the problem is gone through and He solves it at the precise moment we need His help.

It’s kind of like when you set out to cook a meal and you try to prepare several parts of the meal, each one began and ended so that all of them are finished and ready at the same time. Pancakes, eggs, and bacon all prepared and ready to be served in much the same way that we go through life. We have a problem like having lost our job, and later we are presented with a new job, only to find out that in order for us to have this new job there were connections made in our past. Not only that, but the timing of the opening we then fill is served to us on a platter at the same precise moment we need it.

What does this have to do with the earlier analogy of the vine and the branches? Good question. J We are all in the process of growing somehow. We are all changing in different ways, whether for better or worse is sometimes hard to see. If we are attached to the “true vine” (Jesus…see John 15:1) it is ultimately for our better.

The discouraging thing is when we find ourselves attached to the vine and we don’t appear to be producing any fruit.

Ah, my friends…fruit, like any other part of the growing process (going from seed to baby plant to branch) is something that takes time. And the interesting thing about fruit is that most (I’d dare to say all, even) plants do not bear fruit constantly, all throughout the year. They bear them at certain times of the year and the remainder of the time simply store up the energy and the strength to produce fruit again in the right season.

Look at Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the man
Who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Or stand in the way of sinners
Or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And on His law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in season
And whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
--Psalm 1:1-3

This passage says that if we meditate, that is, choose to spend time with God, we will become like a tree that is planted by water. We’ll get filled with all of the nutrients and water we need in order to grow strong and healthy. But catch this: we will also give out fruit at the right time… “In season.”

My friend, if you are going through a time of discouragement because you don’t see the results of the work that you’re doing for and with the Lord, you needn’t be so discouraged. You may just be in the stage of creating your fruit and it’ll make itself seen at the right time.

Something else to consider: fruit is meant to be shared and spread around. It’s not meant to be left on the plant. It’s so cool to realize that one of the reasons we bear fruit is to see it ourselves, but the other reason is to share it with others. In nature, trees bear fruit in order to attract animals that will carry the fruit around and leave the seeds elsewhere in hopes of generating more of the same type of plant. Just think, your fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, etc…are all meant to be shared and taken in by others so that they can in turn grow them.

Neat, huh?

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends, with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
--II Peter 3:8-9

Tidbits & other weird things...

These were all taken from Tidbits, a free newspaper that publishes all kinds of fun and random facts. :) My comments, for those who are interested, are in italics...


Russia (1/20/05): A pregnant Russian woman went into labor in the middle of a parachute jump. Marija Usova gave birth to a baby girl minutes after landing from the jump in Moscow. She had ignored warnings when she decided to arrange the jump when she was eight months pregnant. Halfway through her jump she suddenly felt an enormous pain and realized she had gone into labor. She managed to control her descent, although she said she was close to passing out at times, and landed safely where she immediately began to give birth, local media reported. Doctors on hand rushed to her aid and helped deliver the baby. Usova said the last words she remembers hearing were, "It's a girl," before waking up in a hospital. She said "I wanted my baby to have the beautiful feeling of flying throug the air and free-falling before it was born and give it something really unusual. I was already in the air when I suddenly felt a massive pain. I realied that it had already started. I cried out: 'Oh God, help me!' and kept my legs tightly together but beyond that there wasn't much more I could do. I just kept thinking that my baby had to survive this. But every second of that descent seemed to take an eeternity." She said that she had decided to name her daughter Larisa. "It means Seagull in ancient Greek."

This one is just for Sarah cuz she's from the same area as the person in this bit.

Washington (1/7/05): An armed robber held up a gas station in Poulsbo, Washington and then went back to ask for directions. The 22-year-old man, from Vancouver, Washington got away with cash after holding up staff at knifepoint. The robber took off in a red Honda car and police from four towns gave chase, say reports. After a 100 mph chase through winding roads, the man lost his pursuers but had no idea where he was. He pulled into a gas station to ask directions to Seattle; unaware it was the same one he'd just robbed. Attendants alerted police who caught up with the man and arrested him soon afterwards.

How dense can you be? That's all I want to know. Granted, stopping at a gas station to ask directions is a good idea...one of the few males I've heard of actually doing that, even....lol, maybe that's why guys don't stop for directions. ;)

Somewhere in England (?/?/??): One of the local Members of Parliament (Gillian Shephard) paid a visit to the prison in Norwich, England to inspect the place and after her tour, the Governor showed her to her chauffeur-driven car\, whereupon it was discovered that the chauffeur had inadvertently left the keys in the car and he was unable to open the doors. There was much embarrassment until the Governor of Norwich jail came up with a splendid idea. "We have plenty inside here who are doing time for car burglary. Shall I get one?" Gillian nodded her assent. Enter Justin, doing a few years for suchcrimes, and he was invited to display his skills to the advantage of Mrs. Shephard in order to save her any further embarrassment. With that, Justin picked up a large stone and hurled it at the windshield, shattering it in a million pieces. Surrounding press and cameramen had to hide behind trees and other cover to conceal their laughter. Apparently, Justin, though a frequent offender, had a "simple anad dynamic approach" to theft. Not for him the sophisticated business of bits of wire or lock picks, etc.... By way of explanation he later said that all he was ever after was the property inside the vehicles.

heehee....

Germany (1/20/05): A German school has come under fire after it started charging pupils money to use the toilet. Students at a secondary school in Sprockhoevel can choose to use the old toilets for free or pay 10 cents to use a new luxury toilet with marble sinks. Marcel Hafke, a member of the Young Liberals in the province, has called for an end to the policy. He described the toilet toll as "heartless" and said: "Second-class peeing should not be allowed."

lol....I don't know why I found that one so amusing...I just did. Emphasis on Marcel Hafke's comment is mine.

Canada (1/7/05): A Canadian policeman had to look twice after booking identical twins for speeding on the same day--in the same car. Officer Chris Legere pulled over an 18-year-old woman, from Akwesasne, for driving 96 mph in the morning, reports Canadian Press. Hours later, the same car was stopped by Legere for travelling at 92 mph in the opposite direction. He thought at first he'd caught the same person twice but an identification ch3eck showed that it was her twin sister. "They don't only share the same birthday, but they share the same offences," said the officer. "They'll be splitting speeding fines, too."

Sometimes I wonder about people.

In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the first minimum wage in the United States. The new law, considered controversial at the time, established a 25 cent-per-hour minimum wage and a maximum 44-hour workweek for minors.

So, that's who we have to thank for all that shtuff...the now $5 and some change federal minimum wage. It's interesting that minors at the maximum level worked more hours than most adults are allowed to put in. Legally, if a person is between the ages of 16 and 18 and is still in school, you cannot have them work more than 20 hours per week and they are not allowed to work beyond 10PM on school nights, 11PM on nights when school is not in session. At least in Washington, FYI.

Florida (1/24/1907): In Ormond Beach, Florida, Glenn Curtiss, an engineer who got his start building motors for bicycles, sets an unofficial land-speed record of 136.29 mph on a self-built V-8 motorcycle. An automobile would not surpass that speed until 1911.

My, how times have changed...

Germany (1/17/05): Police in Germany are hunting pranksters who have been sticking miniature US flags into piles of dog poop in public parks. Josef Oettl, parks administrator for Bayreuth, said, "This has been going on for about a year now, adn there must be 2,000 to 3,000 piles of excrement that have been found during that time." The series of incidents was originally thought to be some sort of protest against the US-led invasion of Iraq. And then when it continued it was thought to be a protest against President George W. Bush's campaign for re-election. But it is still going on and the police say they are completely baffled as to who is to blame. "We have sent out extra patrols to try to catch whoever is doing this in the act," said police spokesman Reiner Kuechler. "But frankly, we don't know what we would do if we caught them red-handed. Legal experts say there is no law against using feces as a flag stand and the federal constitution is vague on the issue.

lol, lol, lol.....I realize, as an American, I should be insulted at this particular deed of disrespect towards my country...but the fact that legal experts were looking into what could be done to punish the perpetrators was just too funny...And what did they expect? The people who wrote the constitution to write "Do not disrespect the nation's flag by sticking it in a pile of feces"? Good grief...

What do kittens, rabbits, wolves, hedgehogs, cheetahs, and pandas have in common? They're all born blind.

Just a random fact to throw in there.

I'm not sure who Joachim Heinrich was, but he must have been a golfer. It was he who defined a "golf cart" as "a method of transporting clubs that has one big advantage--it can't count."

heehee

A "clue" originally meant a ball of thread. This is why one is said to "unravel" the clues of a mystery.

I love learning about phrases and how they originated...even different meanings to commonly-used words fascinates me.

My comments, for those who are interested, are in italics...

Well, I'm off to waste more time dinking around doing other things! :)

Toodles!

Humdrum Update

Well...I've started a new job. It's not really all that exciting. Well, it can be exciting. Like any time I start a new job, I'm absolutely paranoid about doing ANYTHING wrong. So far, I've made plenty of mistakes, but I'm trying not to punish myself for it too much because I am new and no one really expects me to get everything right the first time.

So, I'm working at the Computer Tutor, a small business that helps people with their computers by setting things up, troubleshooting, ordering parts, putting computers together, etc...It's amazing to me just how complex being a technician is and just how much they're expected to know right off the top of their heads. You have to want to learn as much as you can because there are new things constantly coming out, being published, being rewritten, with new problems and new solutions everyday.

It's amazing.

The job I have as a receptionist isn't really all that exciting, but it's nice enough. I mean, I answer phones and set up appointments and screen the phone calls that come in for the other people that work there. Most of what I do is sit around wondering if there is something else I should be doing.

I try to avoid doing things like checking my e-mail and using the computer to play games like solitaire while I wait for the next thing to happen because I feel I'm on company time and therefore shouldn't be using their materials for personal things like that. I especially avoid messenger programs because they're such a source of distraction (never mind the fact that all of the technicians hate them with a passion because they install so much additional crap onto your computer).

I'm house-sitting now. I'm currently using the computer at the house I'm house-sitting for (shh! Don't tell). I'm about to head to bed real soon, though. I'm basically taking care of the cat that lives here while her owner is off elsewhere. It's really not all that bad. I get to spend the night i I would like, I managed to convince my dad to buy me groceries (although it really didn't take all that much persuasion) and I get to live in an actual house for a little while.

We're ignoring the fact that instead of driving 5-10 minutes to get to work, I'm going to drive anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes, meaning I have to get up even earlier.

My body hasn't fully recovered from having to get up early this week. I'm actually going to head to bed really soon.

I think I already mentioned that. *glances through entry* *shrugs* Maybe not.

You'd think after having to sit in front of a computer all day that the last thing I want to do is sit in front of a computer longer.

And actually, you wouldn't be all that far off. :)

But, since I really only get to deal with the appointment program and occasionally looking something up on Google or the Yellow Pages web site, I kind of want to use a computer for other purposes.

All righty, I'm boring myself. I'm going to go snoop around and see where I'm going to spend the night...get things set up and go read until I zonk out. :)

Toodles!

It's Your kindness, Lord, that leads us to repentance....

Your Love
Open up the skies of mercy
and rain down Your cleansing flood.
Healing waters rise around us.
Hear our cries, Lord, let them rise.

It's Your kindness, Lord, that leads us to repentance.
Your favor, Lord, is our desire.
Your beauty, Lord, makes us stand in silence
for Your love, Your love is better than life.

We can feel Your mercy falling,
You are turning our hearts back again.
Hear our praises rise to Heaven
and draw us near, Lord, and meet us here.

It's Your kindness, Lord, that leads us to repentance.
Your favor, Lord, is our desire.
Your beauty, Lord, makes us stand in silence
for Your love, Your love is better than life.

Open up the skies of mercy
and rain down Your cleansing flood.
Healing waters rise around us.
Hear our cries, Lord, and let them rise.

How Deep the Father's Love

How deep the Father's love for us!
How vast beyond all measure,
that He should give His only Son
to make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss!
The Father turns His face away
as wounds which mar the Chosen One
bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross,
my sin upon His shoulders.
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there
until it was accomplished.
His dying breath has brought me life.
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything--
no gifts, no pow'r, no wisdom.
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death, and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart:
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart:
His wounds have paid my ransom.

The first song spoke to me today while I was listening to it. Not really sure why, but it did. Lately I have felt myself connect with songs asking for God to rain down His mercies, His kindnesses, His love, and His grace. Essentially, asking God to rain down Himself.

Not really sure why...

Well, okay, I have an inkling. I'd rather not share it in this forum, though.

The second song is a hymn that really has spoken to me. Something in it connects to my heart and it makes me want to weep every time I hear it because God's love towards me overwhelms me so when I think about it. The person who wrote the song expressed in words (which can be so inadequate at times) the feeling of awe that comes with knowing what God sacrificed for all of us.

I've kind of entered into a mode where I don't really want to speak to anyone cuz I have so much on my mind right now.

I start work tomorrow, which somehow seems trivial while at the same time, so vastly important. I'm nervous, and then I'm not...it comes and goes.

My heart hurts...and I think I know why. Parts of it are simple: I miss my coworkers and the kids at Heritage. I also miss my friends in Pullman. Other parts are much more complex and perhaps that's why my heart weighs so much more heavily.

The Message of the Arrows, a chapter from the book The Sacred Romance is very much on my mind right now. A lot of the pain I feel stems from a place in my heart that I've chosen to close off because it was/is so painful. It's the part of me that chooses to love and give myself without abandon. Hurts that I have pushed too deep are surfacing again...confronting me not only in the wee hours of the morning, but in the broad light of day.

A friend of mine broke off our friendship in a rather callous way. I'd rather not go into details. Suffice it to say that I thought I was handling it pretty well...Until this weekend. I got the idea in my head to begin hanging pictures in my bedroom. I wanted to make my living space look much less bare and more like someone actually lives here. So I gathered a bunch of pictures, determined to put them in frames and hang them. As I went about the task of choosing which pictures to hang, I came across a picture of myself with this person. It was one of my favorite pictures, a memory that I cherish very much....

And it was all I could do to keep from tearing the picture into small pieces and throwing it away. I was confronted with an animosity I have never felt towards a person before. Very rarely have I been hurt so bad in the past that I wanted to erase all memory of that person. And yet, here I was, steeping in my anger and frustration. I couldn't even really look at the picture. I knew what it contained, and I quickly removed it. To give myself the benefit of the doubt and as an act of faith that God will help me to forgive, I kept the picture whole, but I hid it behind another picture as I was sliding it into one of my photo albums.

I gave my heart wholly to this person and they chose to throw it back to me. I knew we had grown apart, if we were even all that close to begin with. I knew that it was time for me to really let go...and I thought I had...until this person wrote to me and treated me so cruelly. It wasn't really mean-spirited, that wasn't the intent of their heart...it was more that they treated me as if I was so slow to understand that they had to repeat the same thing over and over again in order for me to truly comprehend what was going on.

Just for the record, I am not dense. I knew something was coming. I would have gotten the picture if you had chosen not to respond to my e-mail. And for me, that might have been a less painful way to go. But you chose not to go that route. And yet, at the same time, rather than being honest with me and keeping it short and to the point, you felt the need to expand upon your initial thought. And that was what hurt the most.

And my heart is now so tied up in knots that I don't know what to do. I normally don't have a problem forgiving others, but this is so hard. And add to it the loss of my job, the loss of kids I loved with all my heart, the loss of friends I invested so much in...my heart feels as though it has nothing left to give. I'm torn between wanting to give to those I'm around and not wanting to give because the pain has been so incredible.

And yet, oddly enough, the only times I feel less pained are the times when I'm starting to invest in people again.

Lord, my heart is so much in pain that it physically aches. I feel the pit in my stomach that says I'm not filled with love. Lord, now I understand why songs about You raining down Your love upon us click so well with my heart. Lord, I come before You tonight, asking You to step in and fill me with Your presence, with Your love so much that there isn't room for anything else. Give me the strength to overcome this pain, give me the strength to forgive. Lord, give me a compassionate heart, one that does forgive and offer grace. Give me peace.

Lord, most of all, give me...You.

The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
--Psalm 145:14

Happy Birthday, Christene!

Today was my roomie's birthday. It was an interesting day, to say the least. As I was starting to fall asleep last night, I heard rain pounding on the roof and the wind howling. I peeked outside to see if it was freezing rain, but it was so hard to tell. Freezing rain would mean I'd have to get up early in order to drive my roomie to work cuz her car isn't the best for winter conditions.

Anywho, I got up and checked out in the back. All appeared to be okay, just a bit wet. I went and snuck out to the front porch and see how the roads were and they were perfectly fine, (again) just wet. I poked my head into Christene's room to let her know that I had heard rain last night, but no worries...everything looked okay.

As I was laying in my bed, I kept thinking of all of these things I wanted to do for Christene on her birthday, things like decorate her classroom and bring cookies in for her kids. I couldn't fall asleep because all of these thoughts kept running through my mind about how I would have to get up earlier than what I had reset my alarm for. So finally I gave in, rolled out of bed, got dressed, and rushed out the door before she even left for work. I made a stop at Albertson's for a few decorations and cookies, and rushed over to her work. I had a few of the kids that were already there help me put the cookies and napkins away while I hung the sign. Then, I hung around, talkiing to Rainy (one of the teachers) and hanging out with the kids.

Goodness, I miss those kids.

Christene eventually showed up and the kids were telling her about how they got to put her cookies away. She kept looking really confused and then one of them said "Miss Erin put a sign up in your class for your happy birthday!" So everyone trucked down to her classroom to take a look. I stuck around until after 8 (after the kids had eaten) and then returned home. I changed again, climbed back into bed, and fell asleep, dozing off and on until noon.

After eating lunch, I ran some errands and bought some more stuff for later tonight (things for dinner a couple of presents for Christene). I baked some cookies, cleaned the apartment, and decorated it (hung a banner on our front porch with some streamers, and hung some streamers above Christene's bedroom door). It was great fun. :) Eventually I cooked dinner. Christene came home with Rochelle (one of her friends from church). Dena showed up later and we all ate, talked, and then ran off to see Elektra.

It was an all right movie.

Afterwards, we went to Dairy Queen, had some ice cream, and hung out. We were joined by a bunch of other people for the movie, too. When we got into the theater, there was only one other person. By the time the movie started, there were two more people in the theater. It was weird, watching a movie with such a small crowd. I've grown so used to going on the weekends when the crowds are considerably larger.

Went to Dairy Queen....got really tired and my stomach started telling me that ice cream wasn't such a good thing for it. Came home, grabbed a movie, returned it, got the next Alias DVD, watched one episode, and now here I sit.

All righty, I'm tired (I think), so I'm going to head to bed.

G'nite world!

An LJ vs. Xanga vs. Blogger Challenge!

All righty, cuz I'm a nut...I thought I'd post an entry as a challenge to my friends among my various journals (some of them cross boundaries, but it's all good). So, without further ado....

All righty, my friends....I'm going to put your brains to the test. :) It's going to be a fun one, no worries. Behind the cut that you're about to see, you will find a list of movies. The titles of these movies have actually been changed slightly. Each movie (made in the 1990's) has had it's title reworded with words that are synonyms. Behind the cut there will also be an example.

Your task is to figure out what the actual title of the movie is based off of the reworded title. I'm going to post this entry on some of my other journals and we shall see which web site's readers are the quickest....or at least the ones with the least amount of things to do.

Post your answers by replying to this entry or e-mailing me (MaamPeppy@aol.com). Don't worry about having the answers for each and every single one...I missed 2 when I did it. :)


Your Example: "The Loony College Instructor" is really "The Nutty Professor"

Need another example? "The String-Player Upon the Top of the Building" is really "Fiddler on the Roof."

Ready now?

Here we goooooooo!

1) Residence Without Company
2) Good-Lookin' Lady
3) Female Sibling Play Part
4) Big Town Raincoats
5) Wide Awake in the Seahawks' Home
6) High Card Minnesota Pol: Dog or Cat Sleuth
7) Child's Plaything Tale
8) Prevaricator, Prevaricator
9) Grown Boys Wearing a Dark Color
10) My Closest Pal's Nuptuals
11) My Uncle's Son Price, to Pals
12) The First-Year Student
13) February Second
14) Texas City Forces: Worldwide Guy of Intrigue
15) The Soon-to-Be Wife's Dad

Prizes of some sort to those who can tell me all of them (without cheating by looking at someone else's answers)...but especially to those who can get numbers 6, 8, 11, and/or 14

This puzzle was taken from a Dell Variety Puzzle Magazine published for February 2004. :)

Carrying my loads...

Good grief...I think I'm dysfunctional or something. I couldn't find the link for how to update this post and then, suddenly, it was right in front of me...not quite blinking in nice big orange letters, but still...it was there. I swear, sometimes wearing glasses isn't enough to make me see properly.

So, because my Live Journal is down, I'm going to update here.

Plus, I need to broaden my horizons a bit and post other places more frequently.

So...what's new in my world....

I have a job! I'm going to be working as a receptionist for the Computer Tutor, a small company that repairs computers and offers occasional courses in how to use them. :) So yay! I get to be a geek! :)

Well, okay, more than I have been.

I've spent the day doing really nothing at all. I went ahead and checked my e-mail this morning, took a very long shower, got dressed, and dinked around. Watched How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, pined for a bit, got songs stuck in my head, started the slow cooker up and did my Bible study lesson for this week. It was a pretty good lesson....sometimes I wonder if maybe it would be more of a benefit to the people going through the study, though, if the author would actually define Christian-ese terms.

Ah, something I wanted to post on Live Journal:

We have a lot of pickup trucks in teh part of West Texas where I live. Those pickups have an extra-heavy set of springs called "overload springs"--and they work! A good old pickup truck can carry quite a load of stuff. But, if you took every load that pickup would ever carry, and put it on the pickup all at once, it would collapse.

It can carry loads fine, one load at a time.

Jesus puts it this way, "Let today's troubles be enough for today." And that's the way we are made, too--to carry on day's troubles at a time.--Paul Faulkner from "Don't Worry About Tomorrow" on heartlight.org.

I love the stuff from heartlight.org because it's some challenging, good stuff. :) I often need to be reminded that I shouldn't carry more than one day's worth of burdens. My shoulders were never meant to bear that much weight.

And, this story from Max Lucado:
Many years ago a man conned his way into the orchestra of the emperor of China although he could not play a note. Whenever the group practiced or performed, he would hold his flute against his lips, pretending to play but not making a sound. He received a modest salary and enjoyed a comfortable living.

Then one day the emperor requested a solo from each musician. The flutist got nervous. There wasn't enough time to learn the instrument. He pretended to be sick, but the royal physician wasn't fooled. On the day of his solo performance, the impostor took poison and killed himself. The explanation of his suicide led to a phrase that found its way into the English language: "He refused to face the music."

Taken from his book Just Like Jesus

I was thinking about something else earlier this week. Body language....and what my body language communicates at various times.

This occurred to me Tuesday night when I was at Joy in the Evening, the women's Bible study I attend at my church. I went over to the welcome table to check and see if my name was on the list for the right class (fortunately, it was). While I was talking to one of the women who were checking lists, I had my arms crossed across my chest. Later, I was thinking about this and it occurred to me that it probably gave off the impression that I was closed-off...stand-offish...rude....angry.....all kinds of other things. But if you were to watch my face while I was talking to her, you would have seen that I was actually quite happy and content (smiling and shtuff like that).

I actually was just a bit cold and was right by the doors. :)

Anywho, so I was thinking about that after our corporate worship session was over and we had split into our groups. During worship, I try as much as possible to not cross my arms across my chest. It makes me feel like my body is getting closed off and is a reflection that my heart is the same way. It makes me feel like I've been angry at God for some reason and unwilling to admit it. I don't feel like I can receive God as freely if my arms are crossed.

Weird, huh?

So I do other things with my hands (usually have them in my pockets, clapping, or raised...I also like to pretend I know sign language and so sometimes I'm signing) while we're singing. I often wonder about other people and if their body language is a reflection of what's going on in their heart. Someone who is standing with arms raised, head lifted to the sky seems a lot more receptive to God and Him pouring out Himself upon the person...facing Him head on and inviting Him to bring what He may. Although, I know also that God pours Himself just as fully on those who kneel before Him with their heads bowed.

Perhaps body language doesn't really reflect the heart's condition during worship....but it certainly makes me wonder. :)

Okie doke, that was actually all for tonight. :)

Toodles!

Yay newbies!

All righty, my friends...I decided to create this journal over here at blogger.com so that I can comment on my friend's website without having to post anonymously. :) And I'm a nerd who happens to enjoy having quite a few journals (2 Xangas 1 Live Journal and I think another journal, but I don't really remember). :oP

A bit about me? Right now I'm waiting for my next job opportunity to come so that I can leap upon it. That makes it sound like I'm not doing anything to find a job. I have been searching, but it's time ot upgrade and intensify my search. I've been too narrow-minded for too long. I've been refusing to compromise on what I want, wihc has made it even more difficult.

And the cat has been roaming around my desk chair in circles, meowing at me as if to say "C'mon, you dope! You need to pay attention to me!" She already did something in the kitchen that she wasn't supposed to and I'm afraid to go and check out. :oP

I picked her up and plopped her on my lap where she is now happily kneading my leg before she actually decides to lay down. And there she goes...well, she's laying down at least, but she's still kneading me.

Good grief, this entry is boring. :oP

All righty, I'm done, I'll talk/type to y'all later. :)