Saturday, November 22, 2008
My Little Copycat
You know, it's really scary how kids pick up on things you do and start immitating you. Sydney has been doing that a lot lately! She has already started immitating me putting on my makeup, brushing my hair and teeth, etc., and yesterday she immitated two really funny things. First, she took Todd's electric razor, put it up to her chin, and started immitating the sound the razor makes when Todd uses it. The razor wasn't on, but she had the noise down pat! It was hilarious!! Second, right after that I was putting on some deodorant. I looked down at Sydney, and she had her arm up waiting for me to put deodorant on her, too! I simply told her that little girls don't need deodorant. She seemed OK with that, but there's no telling what else the little missy is going to start immitating! I'd better mind my p's and q's!! LOL!!!!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Sydney Lynne's First Trip to the Beach!
We took Sydney to the beach for the first time last week! We went to Destin, Florida, and it was so much fun! It was so nice to get out of town for a few days since we hadn't done that in about two years. At first, Sydney was not sure what to think of the beach. She did NOT like the sand and would NOT get near the water. By the last day she decided to venture out a bit, and once she walked on the sand for a while she LOVED IT!! Here are a few pics from that last day...
This first picture reminds Todd and me of Bo Derek in the 1979 movie "1o"!!
The water was a little cold, but Sydney didn't seem to mind too much. :-)
I love the shots of Sydney's little tushy as she strolled along the beach!
Checking out a feather with Daddy. Sydney loved the seagulls!
Such a beautiful sight- Daddy and Daughter. Soooo sweet!!!
I love these little feet!!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
First Thoughts on the Election
Well, as much as I wish it were not so, it looks like Obama is going to be our next President. I'm not surprised, but I was very much hoping for a different outcome in this election. As disappointed as I am, I am not one to drown myself in pity and stay upset about things. I like to stay positive! So, this is what I think about the outcome of this election....
I think this is God's way of telling us to get our butts in gear and get back to the FAITH that this country was founded upon. So many people have been so scared about what the future would hold if Obama were to be elected, and I admit I have also been scared at times. However, I see this more as a wake-up call from God. We have let our beliefs, values, morality, and basic common decency go down the toilet, and we can only do that for so long before it comes back to bite us. We CANNOT keep living like we have, folks! It's time to stand up for what we believe in and make this country strong again! Collectively we are facing the consequences of our actions, and our behavior has to STOP.
What do I plan on doing about this? First, I plan to get on my knees and pray for Obama. He needs all the prayers he can get as our next President. I would not trade places with him for the world. I pray that God will guide him, even if he does not seek His guidance.
Second, I plan to take these lemons and make some tasty lemonade! I refuse to get down about this election. I refuse to see only doom and gloom for our future. I am an AMERICAN for God's sake! I live in the BEST country in the world, and there are millions of people who would give anything to have the opportunities that I have. I plan on using the talents God has given me to be the best person I can be, and I plan on treating others with kindness and respect. GOD is in control of my life, NOT Obama, so I plan on reminding myself of that daily. I encourage you also to remember who is in control of YOUR life.
I think this is God's way of telling us to get our butts in gear and get back to the FAITH that this country was founded upon. So many people have been so scared about what the future would hold if Obama were to be elected, and I admit I have also been scared at times. However, I see this more as a wake-up call from God. We have let our beliefs, values, morality, and basic common decency go down the toilet, and we can only do that for so long before it comes back to bite us. We CANNOT keep living like we have, folks! It's time to stand up for what we believe in and make this country strong again! Collectively we are facing the consequences of our actions, and our behavior has to STOP.
What do I plan on doing about this? First, I plan to get on my knees and pray for Obama. He needs all the prayers he can get as our next President. I would not trade places with him for the world. I pray that God will guide him, even if he does not seek His guidance.
Second, I plan to take these lemons and make some tasty lemonade! I refuse to get down about this election. I refuse to see only doom and gloom for our future. I am an AMERICAN for God's sake! I live in the BEST country in the world, and there are millions of people who would give anything to have the opportunities that I have. I plan on using the talents God has given me to be the best person I can be, and I plan on treating others with kindness and respect. GOD is in control of my life, NOT Obama, so I plan on reminding myself of that daily. I encourage you also to remember who is in control of YOUR life.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Halloween 2008
We had a fantastic Halloween!! Sydney dressed up as Elmo ("Mo Mo" as she likes to call him), and we took her trick-or-treating at a few family homes. She did such a good job! She went right up to the door and waited patiently for family members to come to the door and offer her some yummy candy. It was like she knew exactly what she was supposed to do! Too cute!!
I took a bunch of pictures of Sydney in her Elmo costume, but they are all pretty much "action shots" because my child never likes to stop and pose for pictures. In almost every picture she has a sucker in her mouth that she is thoroughly enjoying! Here are a few pics from the evening...
Friday, October 24, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Cooked Through- A Lesson on Beauty
I received this devotional in my email inbox today, and I thought it was worth sharing. I know I am personally very guilty of caring more about my outer beauty than my inner beauty!
Despite the fact that I cook every night, my spiritual gift is definitely not in the kitchen.
Last night, I was running behind as I cooked burgers on the grill. I needed the meat to cook more quickly so, novice cook that I am, I figured that turning up the heat was a pretty good option. I cooked, I flipped, and I added cheese. I garnished each masterpiece with lettuce, tomato, and onion, and I waited for the compliments to rush in from my beloved family.
“Mom, why is my bun soaked?”
“Whoa, look at how gushy and red this meat is.”
My youngest tried to come to my rescue, “Well, from the outside, this burger looks amazing!”
The outside…I thought that if it looked good on the outside then surely the inside must look just as good.
As women, we can be so focused on our outward appearances that we neglect the meat of what God sees.
Each morning, we spend time applying our makeup and fixing our hair, but do we have the same resolve to prepare ourselves inwardly to face the day, every day? Maybe the shine from the lip gloss is imperative for the world, but what about the shine that God wants to develop from within?
We take time to dress in our stylish clothing and accessorize with our fashionista jewelry, but even with these condiments, we become like that burger—cooked on the outside but not yet ready on the inside. The pathetic truth is that quite often the necessity for personal grooming to look good to the world pushes aside the quiet times of grooming that would make me look better to God.
I have to wonder whether God looks at me some mornings and says, “Are you going out looking like that? Baby, you’re not ready. Why don’t you let Me help you?”
What I really need to realize is that it’s only man who looks at my outward appearance. The Lord is looking right at my heart. All the makeovers in the world will do nothing for my beauty compared with the daily heart makeovers that He wants to perform.
Next time I’m grilling burgers, I’ll be certain to leave enough time to cook them completely. And tomorrow morning, beyond the primping time, I’ll be certain to leave plenty of room for God to work as the Master Chef ensuring that I, too, am “cooked through.”
Despite the fact that I cook every night, my spiritual gift is definitely not in the kitchen.
Last night, I was running behind as I cooked burgers on the grill. I needed the meat to cook more quickly so, novice cook that I am, I figured that turning up the heat was a pretty good option. I cooked, I flipped, and I added cheese. I garnished each masterpiece with lettuce, tomato, and onion, and I waited for the compliments to rush in from my beloved family.
“Mom, why is my bun soaked?”
“Whoa, look at how gushy and red this meat is.”
My youngest tried to come to my rescue, “Well, from the outside, this burger looks amazing!”
The outside…I thought that if it looked good on the outside then surely the inside must look just as good.
As women, we can be so focused on our outward appearances that we neglect the meat of what God sees.
Each morning, we spend time applying our makeup and fixing our hair, but do we have the same resolve to prepare ourselves inwardly to face the day, every day? Maybe the shine from the lip gloss is imperative for the world, but what about the shine that God wants to develop from within?
We take time to dress in our stylish clothing and accessorize with our fashionista jewelry, but even with these condiments, we become like that burger—cooked on the outside but not yet ready on the inside. The pathetic truth is that quite often the necessity for personal grooming to look good to the world pushes aside the quiet times of grooming that would make me look better to God.
I have to wonder whether God looks at me some mornings and says, “Are you going out looking like that? Baby, you’re not ready. Why don’t you let Me help you?”
What I really need to realize is that it’s only man who looks at my outward appearance. The Lord is looking right at my heart. All the makeovers in the world will do nothing for my beauty compared with the daily heart makeovers that He wants to perform.
Next time I’m grilling burgers, I’ll be certain to leave enough time to cook them completely. And tomorrow morning, beyond the primping time, I’ll be certain to leave plenty of room for God to work as the Master Chef ensuring that I, too, am “cooked through.”
Friday, October 17, 2008
Where Was Obama Born??
I promise I am not a political "junkie," even though it appears that I am from all of the videos and such that I have been posting to my blog lately. I just feel like this information is really important, and I am appalled that people don't seem to care about any of it. I know McCain is no saint, but Obama is nothing but a FRAUD! Enjoy my latest video:
Where Was Obama Born??
Where Was Obama Born??
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Catholic Vote 2008
I am personally not Catholic, but I think this video can speak to all Christians concerning the 2008 Presidential election:
Catholic Vote 2008
Catholic Vote 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Interesting YouTube Videos
This guy is on YouTube, and he makes some REALLY good points! Take a few minutes and watch these videos:
Barack and Abortion- Good Points About Abortion in General
The Diddy Retort- I'm Glad I'm Not the Only Person Who Thinks Diddy Is an Idiot!!
Barack and Abortion- Good Points About Abortion in General
The Diddy Retort- I'm Glad I'm Not the Only Person Who Thinks Diddy Is an Idiot!!
The Past 7 1/2 Years
I received this email the other day and thought it was QUITE INTERESTING. Read and ponder....
Just think about these facts -- most of which you know already, but have perhaps forgotten in the hurricane of recent nonsense and bull...oney!!!
George Bush has been in office for 7 1/2 years. The first six, the economy was fine.
A little over one year ago:
1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high.
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon.
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%
4) The DOW JONES hit a record high--14,000+.
5) American's were buying new cars, taking cruises, vacations overseas, living large!
But Americans wanted 'CHANGE'! So, in 2006 they voted in a Democratic Congress and yes--we got 'CHANGE' all right. In the PAST YEAR:
1) Consumer confidence has plummeted.
2) Gasoline is now over $4 a gallon & climbing!
3) Unemployment is up to 5.5% (a 10% increase).
4) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $12 TRILLION DOLLARS and prices are still dropping.
5) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.
6) As I write, THE DOW is probing another low~~ $2.5 TRILLION DOLLARS HAS EVAPORATED FROM THEIR STOCKS, BONDS & MUTUAL FUNDS INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS!
YES, IN 2006 AMERICA VOTED FOR CHANGE...AND WE SURE GOT IT! ....
REMEMBER THE PRESIDENT HAS NO CONTROL OVER ANY OF THESE ISSUES, ONLY CONGRESS DOES.
AND WHAT HAS CONGRESS DONE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
NOW THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT CLAIMS HE IS GOING TO REALLY GIVE US CHANGE, ASSISTED BY THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS!!!!
JUST HOW MUCH MORE 'CHANGE' DO YOU THINK YOU CAN STAND?
LOOK AT THE FACTS, AND THINK ABOUT IT!
Just think about these facts -- most of which you know already, but have perhaps forgotten in the hurricane of recent nonsense and bull...oney!!!
George Bush has been in office for 7 1/2 years. The first six, the economy was fine.
A little over one year ago:
1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high.
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon.
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%
4) The DOW JONES hit a record high--14,000+.
5) American's were buying new cars, taking cruises, vacations overseas, living large!
But Americans wanted 'CHANGE'! So, in 2006 they voted in a Democratic Congress and yes--we got 'CHANGE' all right. In the PAST YEAR:
1) Consumer confidence has plummeted.
2) Gasoline is now over $4 a gallon & climbing!
3) Unemployment is up to 5.5% (a 10% increase).
4) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $12 TRILLION DOLLARS and prices are still dropping.
5) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.
6) As I write, THE DOW is probing another low~~ $2.5 TRILLION DOLLARS HAS EVAPORATED FROM THEIR STOCKS, BONDS & MUTUAL FUNDS INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS!
YES, IN 2006 AMERICA VOTED FOR CHANGE...AND WE SURE GOT IT! ....
REMEMBER THE PRESIDENT HAS NO CONTROL OVER ANY OF THESE ISSUES, ONLY CONGRESS DOES.
AND WHAT HAS CONGRESS DONE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
NOW THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT CLAIMS HE IS GOING TO REALLY GIVE US CHANGE, ASSISTED BY THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS!!!!
JUST HOW MUCH MORE 'CHANGE' DO YOU THINK YOU CAN STAND?
LOOK AT THE FACTS, AND THINK ABOUT IT!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Random Obama Thought
I watched the debate last night, and for the most part I was bored. One thing that really stood out to me, though, was listening to Obama talk about his concern over the people who haved been killed in Darfur, Rawanda, etc. Is it just me, or do you also find it interesting that Obama is so concerned about THOSE people dying, but he doesn't care about the THOUSANDS of babies who are killed through abortion every year?!?! Don't get me wrong. I DETEST hatred, killing, genocide of any kind, so I DO care about "those" people. I just find it interesting that Obama can be so concerned about killing of one sort and not of another........
Is God Trying to Tell Me Something??
I received two devotionals via email today that were very similar, and it made me wonder if God was trying to tell me something. Here is the first devotional I read from my Proverbs 31 (http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/) email:
Have you ever grown frustrated with God over situations in your life? Have you gone to Him and poured out those feelings in prayer?
If so, you’ll be able to relate to the prophet Habakkuk, who lived roughly 600 years before Christ. His book of the Bible begins with this complaint: “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save me. Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?” (Hab.1:2-3, NIV).
God answered Habakkuk by telling him to be patient and to watch, that He will do amazing things and usher in justice – but only in His timing.
Passionate, honest, gut-level prayers have been recorded through out the Bible. Habakkuk wasn’t the only one to complain. Moses, Gideon, and Elijah all questioned God. Job even cursed the day God made him and said, “I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.” (Job 10:1, NIV).
In his anguish, Job accused God of afflicting people for no reason (Job 9:17), overwhelming them with misery (Job 9:18), and not caring about injustice (Job 9:22, 24). Job even wondered if maybe God was laughing at the pain of the innocent (Job 9:22). None of these accusations are accurate – far from it – but we can sometimes feel that way in times of severe suffering or testing. God knows our deepest thoughts and feelings, so it’s futile to think we can hide them from Him. Better to come clean with how we really feel, get it off our chest in prayer, and hopefully clear the way to hear and receive God’s reply or comfort.
I’ve complained to God in the past for allowing my loved ones to die or fall deep into sin, for allowing valuable things to be stolen from me, for allowing my reputation to be unfairly tarnished, for allowing physical suffering in my body, or for not allowing what I felt I deserved. My goal is to be a woman of faith who can take such things in stride with Him. But when I’m losing that stride, I’ve found the best thing I can do is honestly take these feelings to God where they can be traded for His perspective and His comforting assurance.
Though God does not always change my circumstances the way I want Him to, He can and does change my perspective on those circumstances – enabling me to endure them.
God listens when we complain about injustice. He understands when we feel shortchanged or opposed. Read through the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and you’ll be reminded of just how much Jesus can relate to undeserved opposition!
Be honest before God in prayer today. While maintaining a holy respect for Him and thanksgiving for His saving grace, pour out the good, the bad and the ugly of your feelings. As Habakkuk, Job and others discovered, God can handle our intense emotions and questions. He may not explain Himself fully to us – perhaps because we can’t fully understand – but He will flood us with His love when we come humbly and honestly before Him and pour out our heart.
After reading that devotional, I opened up my daily devotional from Way FM (http://waym.wayfm.com/):
I don't even have the words to pray.
Have you ever sat down to pray, and didn’t know what to say? How do you pray when you’re angry with God? When circumstances are so out of control that you don’t even know what to ask for? Thankfully, God has given us the gift of His Holy Spirit.When we don’t know what to pray for, the Spirit will speak to God for us. God knows our hearts and minds, and exactly what we are going through. So even if you sit in silence and throw your hands in the air because you don’t know what to do, or if you just cry or scream, God hears you. He understands and knows exactly what you need.
Romans 8:26-27
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers harmony with God’s own will.
I don't know about you, but I found these two devotionals to be very similar. They both talked about crying out to God and being angry or not even knowing what to say or how to pray. For me personally, I THINK everything is A-OK in my little part of the world right now, but I do think a lot these days about the "bigger picture" of all the craziness going on in the world around me. There are times when I am at a loss for words when I try to pray to God about our current world situation. It just seems like there is SO MUCH to pray for that I don't even know how or where to begin. There are things that can make me sad, angry, and bitter if I let them, but I have to CHOOSE daily to hand things over to God because HE IS IN CHARGE. HE KNOWS what is happening in our world today. HE KNOWS how depserate people are all over the world. HE KNOWS the hell that people live in on a daily basis. I may not know how to pray about such things, but I can rest assured that GOD CARES and that despite everything HE IS IN CONTROL.
Have you ever grown frustrated with God over situations in your life? Have you gone to Him and poured out those feelings in prayer?
If so, you’ll be able to relate to the prophet Habakkuk, who lived roughly 600 years before Christ. His book of the Bible begins with this complaint: “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save me. Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?” (Hab.1:2-3, NIV).
God answered Habakkuk by telling him to be patient and to watch, that He will do amazing things and usher in justice – but only in His timing.
Passionate, honest, gut-level prayers have been recorded through out the Bible. Habakkuk wasn’t the only one to complain. Moses, Gideon, and Elijah all questioned God. Job even cursed the day God made him and said, “I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.” (Job 10:1, NIV).
In his anguish, Job accused God of afflicting people for no reason (Job 9:17), overwhelming them with misery (Job 9:18), and not caring about injustice (Job 9:22, 24). Job even wondered if maybe God was laughing at the pain of the innocent (Job 9:22). None of these accusations are accurate – far from it – but we can sometimes feel that way in times of severe suffering or testing. God knows our deepest thoughts and feelings, so it’s futile to think we can hide them from Him. Better to come clean with how we really feel, get it off our chest in prayer, and hopefully clear the way to hear and receive God’s reply or comfort.
I’ve complained to God in the past for allowing my loved ones to die or fall deep into sin, for allowing valuable things to be stolen from me, for allowing my reputation to be unfairly tarnished, for allowing physical suffering in my body, or for not allowing what I felt I deserved. My goal is to be a woman of faith who can take such things in stride with Him. But when I’m losing that stride, I’ve found the best thing I can do is honestly take these feelings to God where they can be traded for His perspective and His comforting assurance.
Though God does not always change my circumstances the way I want Him to, He can and does change my perspective on those circumstances – enabling me to endure them.
God listens when we complain about injustice. He understands when we feel shortchanged or opposed. Read through the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and you’ll be reminded of just how much Jesus can relate to undeserved opposition!
Be honest before God in prayer today. While maintaining a holy respect for Him and thanksgiving for His saving grace, pour out the good, the bad and the ugly of your feelings. As Habakkuk, Job and others discovered, God can handle our intense emotions and questions. He may not explain Himself fully to us – perhaps because we can’t fully understand – but He will flood us with His love when we come humbly and honestly before Him and pour out our heart.
After reading that devotional, I opened up my daily devotional from Way FM (http://waym.wayfm.com/):
I don't even have the words to pray.
Have you ever sat down to pray, and didn’t know what to say? How do you pray when you’re angry with God? When circumstances are so out of control that you don’t even know what to ask for? Thankfully, God has given us the gift of His Holy Spirit.When we don’t know what to pray for, the Spirit will speak to God for us. God knows our hearts and minds, and exactly what we are going through. So even if you sit in silence and throw your hands in the air because you don’t know what to do, or if you just cry or scream, God hears you. He understands and knows exactly what you need.
Romans 8:26-27
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers harmony with God’s own will.
I don't know about you, but I found these two devotionals to be very similar. They both talked about crying out to God and being angry or not even knowing what to say or how to pray. For me personally, I THINK everything is A-OK in my little part of the world right now, but I do think a lot these days about the "bigger picture" of all the craziness going on in the world around me. There are times when I am at a loss for words when I try to pray to God about our current world situation. It just seems like there is SO MUCH to pray for that I don't even know how or where to begin. There are things that can make me sad, angry, and bitter if I let them, but I have to CHOOSE daily to hand things over to God because HE IS IN CHARGE. HE KNOWS what is happening in our world today. HE KNOWS how depserate people are all over the world. HE KNOWS the hell that people live in on a daily basis. I may not know how to pray about such things, but I can rest assured that GOD CARES and that despite everything HE IS IN CONTROL.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
A Wee Bit of Jealousy
Many of you know that I used to work at Belmont University. I worked there twice. First, I worked in housing from 1998 to 2001, and I oversaw two residence halls. Then, I left for a few years and returned in 2004 to work in the Registrar's Office. While Belmont was a wonderful place to work, when Sydney was born I decided to stay home with her, so I quit my job there. I have since gone back to work part-time, but not at Belmont. I LOVE my current job, but today I must admit that I wish I was back at Belmont. I am also a little jealous of my friends who still work there. Why am I jealous today?? Well, it's because of the 2008 Presidential Debate that is happening on Belmont's campus tonight, baby!!
I am jealous of the excitement and energy on Belmont's campus today. It is such an honor and privilege to be asked to host a Presidential Debate, and I know everyone at Belmont is riding high with the "buzz" going on there today. Oh, I wish I could be a part of that buzz!! I tried to get tickets to the debate thinking that I could experience a wee bit of the Belmont excitement that way. But alas, no tickets were being given out or sold to the general public. Apparently, you had to be invited to attend the debate. Well, poo on that!!
I do wish all of my former Belmont co-workers much good luck today. I know there's a lot going on there, and I pray that all goes well. Enjoy the excitement, have fun, and think of me!!
I am jealous of the excitement and energy on Belmont's campus today. It is such an honor and privilege to be asked to host a Presidential Debate, and I know everyone at Belmont is riding high with the "buzz" going on there today. Oh, I wish I could be a part of that buzz!! I tried to get tickets to the debate thinking that I could experience a wee bit of the Belmont excitement that way. But alas, no tickets were being given out or sold to the general public. Apparently, you had to be invited to attend the debate. Well, poo on that!!
I do wish all of my former Belmont co-workers much good luck today. I know there's a lot going on there, and I pray that all goes well. Enjoy the excitement, have fun, and think of me!!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Weighty Issues
I have debated several times about posting about this. It's something that I will think, "Yeah, it's a good idea to post about this," and then as soon as I think that I will think, "Noooooo way! I don't want people to know my feelings about this!" Tonight I started thinking about it again, and I thought, "What the heck! Go ahead. It can't hurt." So, here goes.....
I am struggling with my weight. OK, it's out there. I can breathe a sigh of relief now. For those of you who have known me a long time (and maybe even not so long), you know I have always struggled with my weight. It is my constant enemy. Since college, my weight has been the one thing I have not been able to get control of totally. Oh sure, I will have times when I am doing well and keeping my weight under control. Then, other times my weight is controlling me instead of me controlling it. Now is one of those times.
After Sydney was born, I got back down to my pre-pregnancy weight pretty quickly. I was very happy about that! Steadily, however, over the past 18 months my weight has begun to start up the scale again, and I have now put on 10 lbs. Now, keep in mind that my pre-pregnancy weight was not ideal. Even then I was 20 lbs. heavier than I should have been. Now I am about 30 lbs. heavier than I should be. You may think 20 to 30 lbs. is no big deal, but on someone who is 5'1" it's a lot of extra weight to be carrying around. So, why did I let my weight creep back up after I got down to my pre-pregnancy weight? Why didn't I keep losing weight and get down to my "goal weight" once and for all? Good questions. I have been asking myself those two questions A LOT lately, and I am trying to figure out the answers. Here are a few of my thoughts...
First, I don't exercise enough. Now, I know the "experts" will say, "All you need is 30 minutes a day to exercise!" but let's be honest here. Between work, taking care of a toddler, taking care of a hubby, cooking, cleaning, the ENDLESS laundry, and let's not forget about spending time with God (another post entirely for another day!), there just isn't a lot of time left in the day for exercise. I know I am probably making excuses, and the "experts" would tell me I am "no good to anyone else if I don't put myself first," but COME ON! IT'S NOT AS EASY AS THE "EXPERTS" SAY IT IS!!!!!! I feel better since I got that off my chest!! I will be the first to admit that I do not enjoy exercising. I do not like to sweat (or "glisten" or whatever else you want to call it!). Also, exercise seems so daunting, like I have to do sooooooo much of it to see any results in my weight, that I just give up. I know, excuses excuses! I'm just saying that regular exercise is a struggle for me, that's all.
Second, I have started some weird binge eating lately. Now, I'm not talking about eating for hours on end, but I can easily down a whole bag of chips these days. It's like I start, and I can't stop. For you psycho babble people out there (and I can be one too sometimes!) I am not trying to fill some deep-seeded issue in my life. I don't have unresolved issues from my childhood that make me overeat. I am happy with my job, my marriage, and my child. It's not to the point that I need to join Overeaters Anonymous (I don't think). More than anything, I think it is stress. For all the reasons I gave for not exercising, I give the same reasons for overeating. I think maybe I overeat out of stress. That is TOTALLY possible!! Oh, and then there's also an added financial stress these days, but that is also another post for another day.
Some days are better than others in my weight struggles. I joined Weight Watchers a few weeks ago (for about the 20th time in my life), but so far not much weight has come off. I think (no, I KNOW) I am not as committed to it as I should be. I just have no motivation. Why is that?!?! What is wrong with me?!?! I know part of my lack of motivation is that losing my weight seems like such a big mountain to climb. I know there are people in this world who have needed to lose a lot more weight than I need to lose, and they have been successful at it. For me, though, 30 lbs. seems like soooooo much. I try to break it down and only think about 5 lbs. at a time, but for me it takes a looooooong time to lose 5 lbs. My body really likes being fat!! Even when I try really hard and keep on track with my weight loss efforts, it can easily take me 1 to 2 months to lose 5 lbs. It can be very frustrating!!
One thing I know for sure. I CANNOT go on like this! I HAVE to get this weight thing under CONTROL! If for no other reason, I need to do it for Sydney. I mean, what kind of example am I setting for her?? Besides, I want to be around for her for a VERY long time, and I need to get healthy in order to do that. I figure posting about my weight issues may help me stay more accountable. Since my readers will know about my weight issues, and several of you see me on a regular basis, maybe I will do better with my efforts to lick this weight thing. I am open to any advice if you want to share that with me! I know I am not the only person who struggles with their weight, but right now it is on my mind A LOT, and I really want to get this under control! Thanks for letting me share, and I will post about my weight again from time to time to let you know how I am doing!!
I am struggling with my weight. OK, it's out there. I can breathe a sigh of relief now. For those of you who have known me a long time (and maybe even not so long), you know I have always struggled with my weight. It is my constant enemy. Since college, my weight has been the one thing I have not been able to get control of totally. Oh sure, I will have times when I am doing well and keeping my weight under control. Then, other times my weight is controlling me instead of me controlling it. Now is one of those times.
After Sydney was born, I got back down to my pre-pregnancy weight pretty quickly. I was very happy about that! Steadily, however, over the past 18 months my weight has begun to start up the scale again, and I have now put on 10 lbs. Now, keep in mind that my pre-pregnancy weight was not ideal. Even then I was 20 lbs. heavier than I should have been. Now I am about 30 lbs. heavier than I should be. You may think 20 to 30 lbs. is no big deal, but on someone who is 5'1" it's a lot of extra weight to be carrying around. So, why did I let my weight creep back up after I got down to my pre-pregnancy weight? Why didn't I keep losing weight and get down to my "goal weight" once and for all? Good questions. I have been asking myself those two questions A LOT lately, and I am trying to figure out the answers. Here are a few of my thoughts...
First, I don't exercise enough. Now, I know the "experts" will say, "All you need is 30 minutes a day to exercise!" but let's be honest here. Between work, taking care of a toddler, taking care of a hubby, cooking, cleaning, the ENDLESS laundry, and let's not forget about spending time with God (another post entirely for another day!), there just isn't a lot of time left in the day for exercise. I know I am probably making excuses, and the "experts" would tell me I am "no good to anyone else if I don't put myself first," but COME ON! IT'S NOT AS EASY AS THE "EXPERTS" SAY IT IS!!!!!! I feel better since I got that off my chest!! I will be the first to admit that I do not enjoy exercising. I do not like to sweat (or "glisten" or whatever else you want to call it!). Also, exercise seems so daunting, like I have to do sooooooo much of it to see any results in my weight, that I just give up. I know, excuses excuses! I'm just saying that regular exercise is a struggle for me, that's all.
Second, I have started some weird binge eating lately. Now, I'm not talking about eating for hours on end, but I can easily down a whole bag of chips these days. It's like I start, and I can't stop. For you psycho babble people out there (and I can be one too sometimes!) I am not trying to fill some deep-seeded issue in my life. I don't have unresolved issues from my childhood that make me overeat. I am happy with my job, my marriage, and my child. It's not to the point that I need to join Overeaters Anonymous (I don't think). More than anything, I think it is stress. For all the reasons I gave for not exercising, I give the same reasons for overeating. I think maybe I overeat out of stress. That is TOTALLY possible!! Oh, and then there's also an added financial stress these days, but that is also another post for another day.
Some days are better than others in my weight struggles. I joined Weight Watchers a few weeks ago (for about the 20th time in my life), but so far not much weight has come off. I think (no, I KNOW) I am not as committed to it as I should be. I just have no motivation. Why is that?!?! What is wrong with me?!?! I know part of my lack of motivation is that losing my weight seems like such a big mountain to climb. I know there are people in this world who have needed to lose a lot more weight than I need to lose, and they have been successful at it. For me, though, 30 lbs. seems like soooooo much. I try to break it down and only think about 5 lbs. at a time, but for me it takes a looooooong time to lose 5 lbs. My body really likes being fat!! Even when I try really hard and keep on track with my weight loss efforts, it can easily take me 1 to 2 months to lose 5 lbs. It can be very frustrating!!
One thing I know for sure. I CANNOT go on like this! I HAVE to get this weight thing under CONTROL! If for no other reason, I need to do it for Sydney. I mean, what kind of example am I setting for her?? Besides, I want to be around for her for a VERY long time, and I need to get healthy in order to do that. I figure posting about my weight issues may help me stay more accountable. Since my readers will know about my weight issues, and several of you see me on a regular basis, maybe I will do better with my efforts to lick this weight thing. I am open to any advice if you want to share that with me! I know I am not the only person who struggles with their weight, but right now it is on my mind A LOT, and I really want to get this under control! Thanks for letting me share, and I will post about my weight again from time to time to let you know how I am doing!!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
A "Corny" Survey
So, I was driving down the road with Peeps today (that's Sydney for those of you who do not know), and she and I were sharing some candy corn. As I ate my candy corn, I started thinking about the way I eat it. I like to eat the white part first, then the orange part, and lastly the yellow part. I started wondering if other people eat their candy corn like I do, so I decided I would take a little informal survey on my blog. For those of you who wish to participate in my survey, I would like to know if you eat your candy corn all in one piece, or do you eat it in "sections" as I do? It's OK if you detest candy corn (some people do!), but if you like it, in what manner do you prefer to consume this delectible little treat??
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Waffle House Wedding
A friend of mine posted this video on Facebook, and I just had to steal it so I could share it on my blog. My favorite part of this video is the bride with the cigarette in her mouth. Priceless. Enjoy!
Waffle House Wedding
Waffle House Wedding
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
A Funny Gas Shortage Video!!
OK, so I saw this on my friend Stephanie's blog, and she gave me permission to steal it from her. This is a really funny video about the recent gas shortage in Nashville (just please ignore the few curse words). If you live in Nashville, you will totally "get" this video, and it will crack you up! If you don't live here, hopefully you can enjoy the humor anyway. Enjoy!!
Nashville Gas Shortage Video
Nashville Gas Shortage Video
Sunday, September 21, 2008
BIG Things at Church!!
Today at church Pastor Rick shared with us the plans for upcoming changes to the Franklin campus as well as the new location for the Spring Hill campus. It was SOOOOOOO cool!!! I cannot tell you how excited I am!!! The most amazing part of the Spring Hill campus is the children's area. It is bright, colorful, and so inviting for kids of all ages. When that part of the video was shown, I turned to my friend and said, "That is so cool that it makes me want to have another baby!!" I can't wait for Sydney to see this amazing area that has been planned for her and the other children at our church! What an exciting place to learn about Jesus!!
Pastor Rick challenged us today to begin praying about how we can give ($$) to the building project. I must admit that since Sydney was born Todd and I have not done a very good job with our tithing. I know the church needs our tithes in order to build buildings, create programs, do mission work, and more than anything lead others to Christ. My challenge is to begin FAITHFULLY tithing again. I will be honest and say that this is a little hard for me because money is so tight right now. I know, though, that God always has and always will provide for us, so I must remind myself of that. I want to become a CHEERFUL giver so that others may come to know Christ!!
If you would like to see the video that was shown today, please visit http://www.pclive.org/ and click on the 9/21/08 service. It may not be on the site for a day or two. I encourage you to watch the entire sermon part (although Pastor Rick does not do a lot of "preaching"). There are some really good testimonies that demonstrate why our church does what it does in an effort to reach people for Christ. I hope today's message at The Peoples Church excites you as much as it did me, even if you do not attend my church!!
Have a blessed day!!!!
Pastor Rick challenged us today to begin praying about how we can give ($$) to the building project. I must admit that since Sydney was born Todd and I have not done a very good job with our tithing. I know the church needs our tithes in order to build buildings, create programs, do mission work, and more than anything lead others to Christ. My challenge is to begin FAITHFULLY tithing again. I will be honest and say that this is a little hard for me because money is so tight right now. I know, though, that God always has and always will provide for us, so I must remind myself of that. I want to become a CHEERFUL giver so that others may come to know Christ!!
If you would like to see the video that was shown today, please visit http://www.pclive.org/ and click on the 9/21/08 service. It may not be on the site for a day or two. I encourage you to watch the entire sermon part (although Pastor Rick does not do a lot of "preaching"). There are some really good testimonies that demonstrate why our church does what it does in an effort to reach people for Christ. I hope today's message at The Peoples Church excites you as much as it did me, even if you do not attend my church!!
Have a blessed day!!!!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Live Like You Were Dying!!
Today we finished a month-long series at church entitled "Live Like You Were Dying." The series took a look at what you might do if you knew you only had 30 days left to live. Would you love deeper, speak sweeter, give forgiveness, embrace eternity?? It was an amazing series, but I must say that today's message touched me more than the other four weeks combined. Pastor Rick spoke about embracing eternity, and the service moved me to tears. I urge you to watch today's message when you have a chance. You can go to http://www.pclive.org/ and click on 9-14-08 to view the message. As of tonight, today's message is not posted yet, but it should be in a day or two. Once again, I urge you to watch the message. I urge you to take some quiet moments, watch the message, and really think about what it means to "embrace eternity."
Two things really touched me from today's message. First, Pastor Rick showed an interview he had done a few months ago with a member or our church who was dying of cancer. The man's name was John Reed, and he was diagnosed with cancer in his early 40's. Despite months of treatment and the doctors doing all they could, the cancer continued to consume John's body and eventually led to his death. John's view of his life and upcoming death was absolutely incredible. This man knew his purpose for living, and even in his last days he was praising and serving God. Can I get an AMEN?!?!?!
The second thing that touched me today was watching people give their lives to Christ. Our church does not always have an alter call after service each week, but we did today. After listening to Pastor Rick speak about changing our lives for eternity when we accept Christ, and then to see people come forward to do just that was so moving for me. I was in tears as I watched these people come forward and ask Jesus into their lives. It is so hard for me to put into words how much watching that meant to me. It leads me to tears thinking about it again now.
If you are interested in watching the entire "Live Like You Were Dying" series at our church, go to http://www.pclive.org/ and watch the 8/17, 8/24, 8/31, 9/7, and 9/14 services. I hope the messages touch your heart as they did mine, and I encourage you to live each day as if it were your last!!
Two things really touched me from today's message. First, Pastor Rick showed an interview he had done a few months ago with a member or our church who was dying of cancer. The man's name was John Reed, and he was diagnosed with cancer in his early 40's. Despite months of treatment and the doctors doing all they could, the cancer continued to consume John's body and eventually led to his death. John's view of his life and upcoming death was absolutely incredible. This man knew his purpose for living, and even in his last days he was praising and serving God. Can I get an AMEN?!?!?!
The second thing that touched me today was watching people give their lives to Christ. Our church does not always have an alter call after service each week, but we did today. After listening to Pastor Rick speak about changing our lives for eternity when we accept Christ, and then to see people come forward to do just that was so moving for me. I was in tears as I watched these people come forward and ask Jesus into their lives. It is so hard for me to put into words how much watching that meant to me. It leads me to tears thinking about it again now.
If you are interested in watching the entire "Live Like You Were Dying" series at our church, go to http://www.pclive.org/ and watch the 8/17, 8/24, 8/31, 9/7, and 9/14 services. I hope the messages touch your heart as they did mine, and I encourage you to live each day as if it were your last!!
Monday, September 8, 2008
My Job @ TheHopeLine
People often ask me about where I work, and I must admit that it is sometimes a little hard to explain. So, I decided to post about it on my blog for any of you who have wondered what I do for a living but were too afraid to ask. I will try to make this as simple and short as possible (yeah, right!).
I work for a ministry called TheHopeLine (yes, that is supposed to be all one word). It is a ministry that was created by Dawson McAllister. Some of you may have heard of Dawson, others maybe not. Dawson has been in teen Christian ministry for almost 40 years. He has spoken to literally thousands of teenagers and young adults over the years. Several years ago Dawson began a radio call-in show called DM Live. It is a call-in show for teens and young adults ages 13 to 25. When Dawson first began his radio show, it aired primarily on Christian radio stations. A few years ago, in an effort to reach more young people, Dawson decided to begin airing his show on mainstream radio. The show currently airs on over 80 "Top 40" radio stations across the country on Sunday nights (if you would like to know if DM Live airs in your area, please visit http://www.dmlive.com/ and look under "Affiliates"). Teens and young adults call in and talk to Dawson about any number of issues from alcohol/drug abuse, dating/relationship issues, parent issues, teen pregnancy, suicide, etc. On any given Sunday night you can listen to DM Live and hear callers talk to Dawson about all sorts of issues they are struggling with. Sometimes it can get pretty heavy, but a lot of these young people feel like they have no one else to talk to. Along with the DM Live show, Dawson recently began a nightly show called Dawson McAllister Late Nights, and it airs on several radio stations during the week.
In conjunction with Dawson's radio shows, he has TheHopeLine ministry. Teens and young adults ages 13 to 25 can call in and talk to a HopeCoach every night of the week, and they can also chat online with HopeCoaches. The HopeCoaches are trained volunteers who talk to these young people when they call in. They offer hope, help, and encouragement, and if callers are receptive they pray with them and present the Gospel to them. The ultimate goal of TheHopeLine is to lead young people to Christ. It's pretty awesome, and TheHopeLine has helped thousands of young people over the years!!
I went to work for TheHopeLine about 8 months ago as a support person for the training and recruiting of HopeCoaches. I assist HopeCoach applicants with the application and training process, and I basically do whatever my supervisors ask me to do! :-) It's a great job, and I am soooo blessed to work with such wonderful people. The future plans for TheHopeLine are incredible, and I expect the ministry to grow immensely in the coming years. Young people today need so much help and encouragement, and they deal with so many issues that you and I may have never had to deal with. It is heartbreaking what some of them go through, but the awesome thing about TheHopeLine is it offers them HOPE for the future through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. What could be better than that?!?!
If you think you might be interested in volunteering with TheHopeLine, just let me know! I would love to tell you more about the opportunity to volunteer with us!! You can even volunteer remotely from your own home!! Even if you don't feel called to volunteer, I ask that you please pray for TheHopeLine ministry. Satan attacks us daily in many ways, and we know he hates the work that we do. We serve an AWESOME GOD, though, so Satan will NOT prevail!! In these troubling economic times, our biggest prayer request right now is for our finances. We have soooo much work we want to do for Christ, but realistically we need the money to do it. Please pray that we will continue to receive the funding that we need to do God's work. Also, if you would like me to place you on our mailing list for our monthly newsletter, please email me with your email address at mryan@dmlive.com. You can keep up with what we have going on at TheHopeLine! Also, feel free to visit our websites at http://www.dmlive.com/ and http://www.thehopeline.com/. You may also want to check out http://www.teenhopeline.com/. This is a ministry through the band Seventh Day Slumber, and they are doing some awesome work with teens, too!
I hope you're now able to know a little about what I do for a living! Got questions about TheHopeLine? Just let me know!!
I work for a ministry called TheHopeLine (yes, that is supposed to be all one word). It is a ministry that was created by Dawson McAllister. Some of you may have heard of Dawson, others maybe not. Dawson has been in teen Christian ministry for almost 40 years. He has spoken to literally thousands of teenagers and young adults over the years. Several years ago Dawson began a radio call-in show called DM Live. It is a call-in show for teens and young adults ages 13 to 25. When Dawson first began his radio show, it aired primarily on Christian radio stations. A few years ago, in an effort to reach more young people, Dawson decided to begin airing his show on mainstream radio. The show currently airs on over 80 "Top 40" radio stations across the country on Sunday nights (if you would like to know if DM Live airs in your area, please visit http://www.dmlive.com/ and look under "Affiliates"). Teens and young adults call in and talk to Dawson about any number of issues from alcohol/drug abuse, dating/relationship issues, parent issues, teen pregnancy, suicide, etc. On any given Sunday night you can listen to DM Live and hear callers talk to Dawson about all sorts of issues they are struggling with. Sometimes it can get pretty heavy, but a lot of these young people feel like they have no one else to talk to. Along with the DM Live show, Dawson recently began a nightly show called Dawson McAllister Late Nights, and it airs on several radio stations during the week.
In conjunction with Dawson's radio shows, he has TheHopeLine ministry. Teens and young adults ages 13 to 25 can call in and talk to a HopeCoach every night of the week, and they can also chat online with HopeCoaches. The HopeCoaches are trained volunteers who talk to these young people when they call in. They offer hope, help, and encouragement, and if callers are receptive they pray with them and present the Gospel to them. The ultimate goal of TheHopeLine is to lead young people to Christ. It's pretty awesome, and TheHopeLine has helped thousands of young people over the years!!
I went to work for TheHopeLine about 8 months ago as a support person for the training and recruiting of HopeCoaches. I assist HopeCoach applicants with the application and training process, and I basically do whatever my supervisors ask me to do! :-) It's a great job, and I am soooo blessed to work with such wonderful people. The future plans for TheHopeLine are incredible, and I expect the ministry to grow immensely in the coming years. Young people today need so much help and encouragement, and they deal with so many issues that you and I may have never had to deal with. It is heartbreaking what some of them go through, but the awesome thing about TheHopeLine is it offers them HOPE for the future through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. What could be better than that?!?!
If you think you might be interested in volunteering with TheHopeLine, just let me know! I would love to tell you more about the opportunity to volunteer with us!! You can even volunteer remotely from your own home!! Even if you don't feel called to volunteer, I ask that you please pray for TheHopeLine ministry. Satan attacks us daily in many ways, and we know he hates the work that we do. We serve an AWESOME GOD, though, so Satan will NOT prevail!! In these troubling economic times, our biggest prayer request right now is for our finances. We have soooo much work we want to do for Christ, but realistically we need the money to do it. Please pray that we will continue to receive the funding that we need to do God's work. Also, if you would like me to place you on our mailing list for our monthly newsletter, please email me with your email address at mryan@dmlive.com. You can keep up with what we have going on at TheHopeLine! Also, feel free to visit our websites at http://www.dmlive.com/ and http://www.thehopeline.com/. You may also want to check out http://www.teenhopeline.com/. This is a ministry through the band Seventh Day Slumber, and they are doing some awesome work with teens, too!
I hope you're now able to know a little about what I do for a living! Got questions about TheHopeLine? Just let me know!!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Some Interesting Obama Facts
My mother-in-law also sent this email to me today. Go, Lynda, go!!
The Obama Tidal Wave
We are witnessing a political phenomenon with Barack Obama of rare magnitude. His speeches have inspired millions, and yet most of his followers have no idea of what he stands for except platitudes of 'Change' or that he says he will be a 'Uniter'. The power of speech from a charismatic person truly can be a powerful thing. Certainly Billy Graham had charisma. Both his manner of speech and particularly the content changed millions. On the extreme other hand, the charisma of Adolph Hitler, too, inspired millions and the results were catastrophic. Barack Obama certainly is no Hitler or a Billy Graham, but for many Americans riding on the Obama Tidal Wave it is just like a surfer who might be ecstatic and euphoric while riding a tidal wave, but the reality of the ride is what happens when it hits shore.
Just Some of What Defines Barack Obama:
He voted for partial birth abortion.
He voted no on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions.
Supports affirmative action in Colleges and Government (quotas).
In 2001 he questioned harsh penalties for drug dealing as being too severe.
Says he will deal with street level drug dealing as minimum wage affair.
Admitted his use of marijuana and cocaine in high school and in college.
His religious convictions are very murky.
He is willing to meet with Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Kim Jung Il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Has said that one of his first goals after being elected would be to have a conference with all Muslim nations. Why?
Opposed the Patriot Act.
First bill he signed that was ever passed was campaign finance reform.
Voted to allow law suits against gun manufacturers.
Supports universal health-care.
Voted yes on providing habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees.
Supports granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
Supports extending welfare to illegal immigrants.
Voted yes on comprehensive immigration reform.
Voted yes on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security.
Wants to make the minimum wage a 'living wage'.
Voted with Democratic Party 96 percent of 251 votes. (241 votes Demo, 10 votes Republican)
Is a big believer in the separation of church and state.
Opposed to any efforts to Privatize Social Security and instead supports increasing the amount of tax paid into Soc. Sec. Tax Increase.
He voted No on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax which now hits middle income brackets. Tax Increase.
He voted No on repealing the 'Death' Tax. Tax Increase.
He wants to raise the Capital Gains Tax. Tax Increase.
Has repeatedly said the surge in Iraq has not succeeded...which is not true.
He is ranked as the most liberal Senator in the Senate today and that takes some doing.
If your political choices are consistent with Barack Obama's and you think that his positions will bring America together or make it a better place, then you will probably enjoy the ride and not forward this Email. If you are like most Americans that after examining what he stands for, are truly not in line with his record, it would be prudent to get off the wave or better yet, never get on, before it comes on shore and undermines the very foundations of this great Country. We have limited time to save America or the Supreme Court as we know it.
Inaction is action.
If you agree this is important, pass it on. The mainstream media will not do it for you!
Bill Brown
Billy Graham Team, Retired
The Obama Tidal Wave
We are witnessing a political phenomenon with Barack Obama of rare magnitude. His speeches have inspired millions, and yet most of his followers have no idea of what he stands for except platitudes of 'Change' or that he says he will be a 'Uniter'. The power of speech from a charismatic person truly can be a powerful thing. Certainly Billy Graham had charisma. Both his manner of speech and particularly the content changed millions. On the extreme other hand, the charisma of Adolph Hitler, too, inspired millions and the results were catastrophic. Barack Obama certainly is no Hitler or a Billy Graham, but for many Americans riding on the Obama Tidal Wave it is just like a surfer who might be ecstatic and euphoric while riding a tidal wave, but the reality of the ride is what happens when it hits shore.
Just Some of What Defines Barack Obama:
He voted for partial birth abortion.
He voted no on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions.
Supports affirmative action in Colleges and Government (quotas).
In 2001 he questioned harsh penalties for drug dealing as being too severe.
Says he will deal with street level drug dealing as minimum wage affair.
Admitted his use of marijuana and cocaine in high school and in college.
His religious convictions are very murky.
He is willing to meet with Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Kim Jung Il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Has said that one of his first goals after being elected would be to have a conference with all Muslim nations. Why?
Opposed the Patriot Act.
First bill he signed that was ever passed was campaign finance reform.
Voted to allow law suits against gun manufacturers.
Supports universal health-care.
Voted yes on providing habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees.
Supports granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
Supports extending welfare to illegal immigrants.
Voted yes on comprehensive immigration reform.
Voted yes on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security.
Wants to make the minimum wage a 'living wage'.
Voted with Democratic Party 96 percent of 251 votes. (241 votes Demo, 10 votes Republican)
Is a big believer in the separation of church and state.
Opposed to any efforts to Privatize Social Security and instead supports increasing the amount of tax paid into Soc. Sec. Tax Increase.
He voted No on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax which now hits middle income brackets. Tax Increase.
He voted No on repealing the 'Death' Tax. Tax Increase.
He wants to raise the Capital Gains Tax. Tax Increase.
Has repeatedly said the surge in Iraq has not succeeded...which is not true.
He is ranked as the most liberal Senator in the Senate today and that takes some doing.
If your political choices are consistent with Barack Obama's and you think that his positions will bring America together or make it a better place, then you will probably enjoy the ride and not forward this Email. If you are like most Americans that after examining what he stands for, are truly not in line with his record, it would be prudent to get off the wave or better yet, never get on, before it comes on shore and undermines the very foundations of this great Country. We have limited time to save America or the Supreme Court as we know it.
Inaction is action.
If you agree this is important, pass it on. The mainstream media will not do it for you!
Bill Brown
Billy Graham Team, Retired
The Little Red Hen
My mother-in-law sent this to me today, and I LOVE it! Enjoy!!
The little red hen called all of her Democrat neighbors together and said, 'If we plant this wheat, we shall have bread to eat. Who will help me plant it?'
'Not I,' said the cow.
'Not I,' said the duck.
'Not I,' said the pig.
'Not I,' said the goose.
'Then I will do it by myself,' said the little red hen, and so she did. The wheat grew very tall and ripened into golden grain.
'Who will help me reap my wheat?' asked the little red hen.
'Not I,' said the duck...
'Out of my classification,' said the pig.
'I'd lose my seniority,' said the cow.
'I'd lose my unemployment compensation,' said the goose.
'Then I will do it by myself,' said the little red hen, and so she did.
At last it came time to bake the bread. 'Who will help me bake the bread?' asked the little red hen.
'That would be overtime for me,' said the cow.
'I'd lose my welfare benefits,' said the duck.
'I'm a dropout and never learned how,' said the pig.
'If I'm to be the only helper, that's discrimination,' said the goose.
'Then I will do it by myself,' said the little red hen.
She baked five loaves and held them up for all of her neighbors to see. They wanted some and, in fact, demanded a share. But the little red hen said, 'No, I shall eat all five loaves.'
'Excess profits!' cried the cow. (Nancy Pelosi)
'Capitalist leech!' screamed the duck. (Barbara Boxer)
'I demand equal rights!' yelled the goose. (Jesse Jackson)
The pig just grunted in disdain. (Ted Kennedy)
And they all painted 'Unfair!' picket signs and marched around and around the little red hen, shouting obscenities.
Then the farmer (Obama) came. He said to the little red hen, 'You must not be so greedy.'
'But I earned the bread,' said the little red hen.
'Exactly,' said Barack the farmer. 'That is what makes our free enterprise system so wonderful. Anyone in the barnyard can earn as much as he wants. But under our modern government regulations, the productive workers must divide the fruits of their labor with those who are lazy and idle.'
And they all lived happily ever after, including the little red hen, who smiled and clucked, 'I am grateful, for now I truly understand.'
But her neighbors became quite disappointed in her. She never again baked bread because she joined the 'party' and got her bread free. And all the Democrats smiled. 'Fairness' had been established.
Individual initiative had died, but nobody noticed; perhaps no one cared...so long as there was free bread that 'the rich' were paying for.
EPILOGUE
Bill Clinton is getting $12 million for his memoirs.
Hillary got $8 million for hers.
That's $20 million for the memories from two people, who for eight years, repeatedly testified, under oath, that they couldn't remember anything.
IS THIS A GREAT BARNYARD OR WHAT
The little red hen called all of her Democrat neighbors together and said, 'If we plant this wheat, we shall have bread to eat. Who will help me plant it?'
'Not I,' said the cow.
'Not I,' said the duck.
'Not I,' said the pig.
'Not I,' said the goose.
'Then I will do it by myself,' said the little red hen, and so she did. The wheat grew very tall and ripened into golden grain.
'Who will help me reap my wheat?' asked the little red hen.
'Not I,' said the duck...
'Out of my classification,' said the pig.
'I'd lose my seniority,' said the cow.
'I'd lose my unemployment compensation,' said the goose.
'Then I will do it by myself,' said the little red hen, and so she did.
At last it came time to bake the bread. 'Who will help me bake the bread?' asked the little red hen.
'That would be overtime for me,' said the cow.
'I'd lose my welfare benefits,' said the duck.
'I'm a dropout and never learned how,' said the pig.
'If I'm to be the only helper, that's discrimination,' said the goose.
'Then I will do it by myself,' said the little red hen.
She baked five loaves and held them up for all of her neighbors to see. They wanted some and, in fact, demanded a share. But the little red hen said, 'No, I shall eat all five loaves.'
'Excess profits!' cried the cow. (Nancy Pelosi)
'Capitalist leech!' screamed the duck. (Barbara Boxer)
'I demand equal rights!' yelled the goose. (Jesse Jackson)
The pig just grunted in disdain. (Ted Kennedy)
And they all painted 'Unfair!' picket signs and marched around and around the little red hen, shouting obscenities.
Then the farmer (Obama) came. He said to the little red hen, 'You must not be so greedy.'
'But I earned the bread,' said the little red hen.
'Exactly,' said Barack the farmer. 'That is what makes our free enterprise system so wonderful. Anyone in the barnyard can earn as much as he wants. But under our modern government regulations, the productive workers must divide the fruits of their labor with those who are lazy and idle.'
And they all lived happily ever after, including the little red hen, who smiled and clucked, 'I am grateful, for now I truly understand.'
But her neighbors became quite disappointed in her. She never again baked bread because she joined the 'party' and got her bread free. And all the Democrats smiled. 'Fairness' had been established.
Individual initiative had died, but nobody noticed; perhaps no one cared...so long as there was free bread that 'the rich' were paying for.
EPILOGUE
Bill Clinton is getting $12 million for his memoirs.
Hillary got $8 million for hers.
That's $20 million for the memories from two people, who for eight years, repeatedly testified, under oath, that they couldn't remember anything.
IS THIS A GREAT BARNYARD OR WHAT
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Something GOOD Financially!!
If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will remember where I was griping about some extra cell phone charges from AT&T back in July. Well........ I am happy to report that when we got our phone bill this month, it was only $66!! I guess AT&T decided it wasn't very nice to rip us off, so they made up for it this month. I HATED writing a check to them for $415 last month, but this month I will LOVE writing them one for $66! Thanks, AT&T! And thank you, God, for providing our every need!!!!
They Grow Up So Fast!
When I gave birth to this precious angel, I had no idea she would grow up so fast!! It seems like just yesterday she was born. It's hard to believe that almost 17 months have passed since Sydney Lynne came into our lives on March 19, 2007. This is Sydney Lynne now......
She started her first day of preschool yesterday. She will be going to school on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 am to 3 pm. I know it's very hard sometimes for parents to see their children grow up and become more independent. With Sydney, however, I am so excited to see how much she is growing and changing with each passing day. She is sooooo excited about school, and I know she is going to have a great time! My challenge is to preserve this and all other memories of her as I have the honor and privilege of being her mother. I pray I do a good job! Here are a few more pics from yesterday:
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Amazing Adventures
My newest addictions are Facebook and reading blogs. I am finding old friends, and I am discovering all that they have been doing in the past 10, 15, almost 20 years (yikes!). It is absolutely amazing to me what some of my friends have been up to.
Some of my friends are stay-at-home moms with 2, 3, 4, even 5 kids (whew! I do well with just one!). Several of these friends have blogs about their families, and I love reading their stories. Some are funny, others are thought-provoking, and some challenge me in my own quest to be a "good" mom. I am learning a lot from these friends and their stories!
One of my old church youth group friends is a pastor in Harlem (NYC!). How incredible is that! He says he and his wife love it there, and I can only imagine the adventures they have had. I wonder if I could leave the comforts of my home in Tennessee to travel to NYC and minister to people living in Harlem.......I wonder.
Another friend and his family are embarking on mission work in the Middle East. How scary! I am amazed by the faith and courage they have to go to an area of the world that is so dangerous for Americans. I pray that they stay safe and that God uses them in mighty ways. I know He will!
When I read about my friends' lives, I think about how mundane my life often is. Don't get me wrong. I love where I live, I love my family, I love my job. But honestly, my life doesn't have a lot of adventure. I am not out trying to find a lot of excitement, but when I discover what my friends' lives are like, I am reminded of how big the world is and how I could be doing so much more. I guess I need to open myself up more to the possibilities God has for me so I can see where that takes me!!
Some of my friends are stay-at-home moms with 2, 3, 4, even 5 kids (whew! I do well with just one!). Several of these friends have blogs about their families, and I love reading their stories. Some are funny, others are thought-provoking, and some challenge me in my own quest to be a "good" mom. I am learning a lot from these friends and their stories!
One of my old church youth group friends is a pastor in Harlem (NYC!). How incredible is that! He says he and his wife love it there, and I can only imagine the adventures they have had. I wonder if I could leave the comforts of my home in Tennessee to travel to NYC and minister to people living in Harlem.......I wonder.
Another friend and his family are embarking on mission work in the Middle East. How scary! I am amazed by the faith and courage they have to go to an area of the world that is so dangerous for Americans. I pray that they stay safe and that God uses them in mighty ways. I know He will!
When I read about my friends' lives, I think about how mundane my life often is. Don't get me wrong. I love where I live, I love my family, I love my job. But honestly, my life doesn't have a lot of adventure. I am not out trying to find a lot of excitement, but when I discover what my friends' lives are like, I am reminded of how big the world is and how I could be doing so much more. I guess I need to open myself up more to the possibilities God has for me so I can see where that takes me!!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Cherished Moments
One of the reasons I started this blog was to share stories about my daughter, Sydney Lynne. Now, I do not want this to be a "Sydney Blog," so don't worry. I will not always just talk about her. I do want to share some things about her from time to time that you might find interesting, though. I had two such occurences in the last 24 hours.
First, I bit of a funny story from yesterday afternoon..... this might be a "you had to be there" type of story, though. Sydney and I were in the car on the way to Publix to purchase a roast to cook for dinner (yes, I was going to buy the roast on Sunday, but you know what happened if you read my last blog post). When I have Sydney in the car with me, I try very hard to listen only to Christian music. I usually listen to Christian music when I am alone, too, but I really try to when she is with me. Yesterday was a day when I decided to listen to secular music instead, though.
For those of you who know me well, you know I love 80's music. Duran Duran is my all-time favorite group, but I like almost all 80's music, including some heavy metal (I know, strange coming from "little miss goody two shoes"). On the way to Publix yesterday I had the radio on a station that plays a lot of 80's music, and the song "Paradise City" by Guns 'n' Roses came on. If you know this song, you know it starts out kind of slow, "Take me down to the Paradise City where the grass is green, and the girls are pretty." After singing this phrase a couple of times, these guitars start goin' to town, and it's kind of heavy (not quite ACDC type heavy, but still a little heavy). Well, at this point in the song I looked at Sydney in the rear-view mirror, and what did I see??? My 16 month old daughter was head bangin' in the back seat!! I just about died laughing!! I said, "Peeps, are you back there head bangin'?" to which she laughed and continued to head bang even more! She and I did a little head bangin' to "Paradise City" until the song was over, and it was sooooo much fun! It's a good thing my mom was not with us, though. She would NOT have approved!!!
The other moment I want to share with you happened at 2 AM this morning. I was sleeping soundly when Sydney awoke and was crying. Apparently, she had lost her paci and could not find it. I try to keep extras in her bed for this very reason, but last night she could not find any of them, even with her nightlight on. After a couple of minutes (I wanted to wait and see if she found a paci before going into her room), I decided to go and help her out. When something like this happens in the middle of the night, Sydney usually wants me to get her out of bed to rock in her big pink rocking chair (sometimes she decides she wants to go downstairs and munch on some animal crackers or fruit loops before returning to bed, but she didn't do that last night). After rocking Syd for a while, I put her back in the bed, and she drifts back off to sleep.
Last night as I rocked Sydney in her big pink rocking chair, I cherished that time. While I was very sleepy and wanted to return to the comforts of my own bed, I knew how special this time together was. She is growing up sooooo fast, and sometimes I just want to stop the clock and hold her back. I know I can't do that, but it's during these precious moments during the night that I feel like I am stopping time just a bit. I know that before I can blink an eye Sydney will be off to kindergarten, then off to high school, college, and beyond, and someday she will have her own little angel to cuddle with in the middle of the night. So, instead of being irritated that my nice sleep has been interrupted when my daughter needs me in the middle of the night, I thank God for these moments because they mean more to me than I can ever explain.
I hope you have enjoyed these little tidbits of life with Sydney Lynne, and I hope God blesses you as much as He has blessed me. I may not be "rich" by worldly standards, but I am rich beyond measure in all ways that really matter.
P.S. An update on the car...... we are still waiting on it to be fixed completely, but we do know the battery was dead. So far with parts, labor, and the towing expense we are at about $400, but it will probably cost more than that by the time everything is said and done. I hope God provides a ram in the thicket for us!!!
First, I bit of a funny story from yesterday afternoon..... this might be a "you had to be there" type of story, though. Sydney and I were in the car on the way to Publix to purchase a roast to cook for dinner (yes, I was going to buy the roast on Sunday, but you know what happened if you read my last blog post). When I have Sydney in the car with me, I try very hard to listen only to Christian music. I usually listen to Christian music when I am alone, too, but I really try to when she is with me. Yesterday was a day when I decided to listen to secular music instead, though.
For those of you who know me well, you know I love 80's music. Duran Duran is my all-time favorite group, but I like almost all 80's music, including some heavy metal (I know, strange coming from "little miss goody two shoes"). On the way to Publix yesterday I had the radio on a station that plays a lot of 80's music, and the song "Paradise City" by Guns 'n' Roses came on. If you know this song, you know it starts out kind of slow, "Take me down to the Paradise City where the grass is green, and the girls are pretty." After singing this phrase a couple of times, these guitars start goin' to town, and it's kind of heavy (not quite ACDC type heavy, but still a little heavy). Well, at this point in the song I looked at Sydney in the rear-view mirror, and what did I see??? My 16 month old daughter was head bangin' in the back seat!! I just about died laughing!! I said, "Peeps, are you back there head bangin'?" to which she laughed and continued to head bang even more! She and I did a little head bangin' to "Paradise City" until the song was over, and it was sooooo much fun! It's a good thing my mom was not with us, though. She would NOT have approved!!!
The other moment I want to share with you happened at 2 AM this morning. I was sleeping soundly when Sydney awoke and was crying. Apparently, she had lost her paci and could not find it. I try to keep extras in her bed for this very reason, but last night she could not find any of them, even with her nightlight on. After a couple of minutes (I wanted to wait and see if she found a paci before going into her room), I decided to go and help her out. When something like this happens in the middle of the night, Sydney usually wants me to get her out of bed to rock in her big pink rocking chair (sometimes she decides she wants to go downstairs and munch on some animal crackers or fruit loops before returning to bed, but she didn't do that last night). After rocking Syd for a while, I put her back in the bed, and she drifts back off to sleep.
Last night as I rocked Sydney in her big pink rocking chair, I cherished that time. While I was very sleepy and wanted to return to the comforts of my own bed, I knew how special this time together was. She is growing up sooooo fast, and sometimes I just want to stop the clock and hold her back. I know I can't do that, but it's during these precious moments during the night that I feel like I am stopping time just a bit. I know that before I can blink an eye Sydney will be off to kindergarten, then off to high school, college, and beyond, and someday she will have her own little angel to cuddle with in the middle of the night. So, instead of being irritated that my nice sleep has been interrupted when my daughter needs me in the middle of the night, I thank God for these moments because they mean more to me than I can ever explain.
I hope you have enjoyed these little tidbits of life with Sydney Lynne, and I hope God blesses you as much as He has blessed me. I may not be "rich" by worldly standards, but I am rich beyond measure in all ways that really matter.
P.S. An update on the car...... we are still waiting on it to be fixed completely, but we do know the battery was dead. So far with parts, labor, and the towing expense we are at about $400, but it will probably cost more than that by the time everything is said and done. I hope God provides a ram in the thicket for us!!!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
God ALWAYS Provides!
Today started out as a great day. Sydney and I went to church at the Spring Hill campus of TPC (Todd had to work), and the sermon was great. William Guice spoke, and I always like hearing him speak. William spoke about Abraham and Isaac and about trusting God (there was more to the sermon than that, but that's my Cliffs Notes version). He talked about how God will test us to see if we REALLY believe He will provide for us. Abraham was willing to offer his only son, Isaac, as a living sacrifice to God because God told him to, BUT in doing so he also BELIEVED that God would allow Isaac to live (or at least be raised from the dead after Abraham sacrificed him). Just as Abraham was about to kill his only son as a sacrifice to God, God stepped in and provided a ram in the thicket to take the place of Isaac as the sacrifice. What amazing faith Abraham had!! God will often test our faith as well to see if we will trust that He will provide a ram in the thicket for us. In listening to William, little did I know that my faith in God's provision would be tested shortly afterward.
My day continued to go smoothly after church as Sydney and I were on our way to Publix to get a roast to fix for dinner (I was actually going to cook for a change!). On the way, as we drove through "downtown Spring Hill" (all 3 traffic lights), I saw some signs for a farmer's market that was taking place. At the farmer's market they were having a petting zoo, and I knew I had to find that petting zoo for little Miss Sydney!! I found it on a side street in town, and Syd and I got out of the car and visited with some goats, a baby calf (sooooooo sweet BTW that I wanted to take him home for a pet!!), a huge pig (and I mean HUGE!!), ducks, hens, bunnies, and a llama. It was so much fun! Sydney didn't quite know what to think about the animals because they were very different from our dogs and cats at home, but she didn't cry any (she is so brave!). I, being the animal lover that I am, was in hog heaven with the animals at the petting zoo (no pun intended toward the HUGE pig!). It was sooooo much fun!! After leaving the petting zoo, we headed toward Publix. That's when I got a call from Todd........
It appears that Todd's car decided to break down today. His car is not old ('06 Altima), so this came as a bit of a shock to me. Apparently, Todd had been running a few errands before going to work, and when he came out of one of the stores and got in his car, it would not start. Dead. Nothing. He got a friend to come and try to jump it off, and that did not help. So, it was obviously not the battery. Soooooo, Todd had to call Nissan and had to get a tow truck to come and take the car to the dealership. All this happened in Murfreesboro, about 35-40 minutes away from Spring Hill. So, I had to go pick up Todd and take him to work. Then, I called my parents and asked if they would mind bringing one of their vehicles to M'boro so Todd could drive it for a day or two (hopefully not longer!). Mom and Dad have 3 vehicles, so luckily they always have a "spare" for times such as these. They gladly said they would come down (afterall, they would get to see Miss Sydney!), so they did, and Todd now has a car to drive until the Altima gets fixed.
Needless to say, the newest saga for us with the car breaking down reminded me of William's sermon and how God ALWAYS PROVIDES for us. If you read my last blog, I griped quite a bit about several monetary hassles Todd and I have had this past month (I forgot to mention our computer breaking too and us having to spend $600 on a new one- Todd's parents graciously paid for that, though!). This past month has been one where over and over and over we have had to shell out extra money on things when we don't really have extra money to shell out. HOWEVER, through it all God HAS PROVIDED for our needs. Our bills are all paid, we have a roof over our heads and food in our tummies, gas in our tanks (that's a big one these days!), and our beautiful daughter. All in all, we have EVERYTHING that we NEED. It might not be all that we WANT, but it's everything that we NEED. God is ALWAYS FAITHFUL, and I know this car trouble is just His way of testing us again to see if we REALLY BELIEVE that He will provide for us.
As we wait to hear what is wrong with our car, I am confident that God will provide a ram in the thicket for us. Luckily, Todd has an extended warranty on his car, so hopefully that will cover the cost of our repairs. For me, as long as I have my family, friends, food, and a home, I am a happy woman.
My day continued to go smoothly after church as Sydney and I were on our way to Publix to get a roast to fix for dinner (I was actually going to cook for a change!). On the way, as we drove through "downtown Spring Hill" (all 3 traffic lights), I saw some signs for a farmer's market that was taking place. At the farmer's market they were having a petting zoo, and I knew I had to find that petting zoo for little Miss Sydney!! I found it on a side street in town, and Syd and I got out of the car and visited with some goats, a baby calf (sooooooo sweet BTW that I wanted to take him home for a pet!!), a huge pig (and I mean HUGE!!), ducks, hens, bunnies, and a llama. It was so much fun! Sydney didn't quite know what to think about the animals because they were very different from our dogs and cats at home, but she didn't cry any (she is so brave!). I, being the animal lover that I am, was in hog heaven with the animals at the petting zoo (no pun intended toward the HUGE pig!). It was sooooo much fun!! After leaving the petting zoo, we headed toward Publix. That's when I got a call from Todd........
It appears that Todd's car decided to break down today. His car is not old ('06 Altima), so this came as a bit of a shock to me. Apparently, Todd had been running a few errands before going to work, and when he came out of one of the stores and got in his car, it would not start. Dead. Nothing. He got a friend to come and try to jump it off, and that did not help. So, it was obviously not the battery. Soooooo, Todd had to call Nissan and had to get a tow truck to come and take the car to the dealership. All this happened in Murfreesboro, about 35-40 minutes away from Spring Hill. So, I had to go pick up Todd and take him to work. Then, I called my parents and asked if they would mind bringing one of their vehicles to M'boro so Todd could drive it for a day or two (hopefully not longer!). Mom and Dad have 3 vehicles, so luckily they always have a "spare" for times such as these. They gladly said they would come down (afterall, they would get to see Miss Sydney!), so they did, and Todd now has a car to drive until the Altima gets fixed.
Needless to say, the newest saga for us with the car breaking down reminded me of William's sermon and how God ALWAYS PROVIDES for us. If you read my last blog, I griped quite a bit about several monetary hassles Todd and I have had this past month (I forgot to mention our computer breaking too and us having to spend $600 on a new one- Todd's parents graciously paid for that, though!). This past month has been one where over and over and over we have had to shell out extra money on things when we don't really have extra money to shell out. HOWEVER, through it all God HAS PROVIDED for our needs. Our bills are all paid, we have a roof over our heads and food in our tummies, gas in our tanks (that's a big one these days!), and our beautiful daughter. All in all, we have EVERYTHING that we NEED. It might not be all that we WANT, but it's everything that we NEED. God is ALWAYS FAITHFUL, and I know this car trouble is just His way of testing us again to see if we REALLY BELIEVE that He will provide for us.
As we wait to hear what is wrong with our car, I am confident that God will provide a ram in the thicket for us. Luckily, Todd has an extended warranty on his car, so hopefully that will cover the cost of our repairs. For me, as long as I have my family, friends, food, and a home, I am a happy woman.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Tired of Getting Ripped Off......
Today I must gripe a bit (well, maybe a lot). We recently got our phone bill, and for the fun of it AT&T decided to bill us for our cell coverage TWICE this month. We have our home phone, internet, and cell phones "bundled together" with AT&T, and our total bill this month is $415 (it's usually about $230). We discovered that we had accidentally been double charged (or so we thought) for our cell coverage, so Todd called AT&T today to inquire about it. After spending over an hour on the phone with them and speaking with several people, he was told something screwy about our billing cycles not being "in sync," and AT&T needing to charge us an extra payment to make up for this. Whatever that means! In my opinion, it's AT&T's mixup, and THEY should have to foot that bill, not us!! Todd threatened to cancel our service (we have both been with Bellsouth/AT&T for at least 15 years), and their attitude was like, "Well, whatever you want to do. We don't care." So, at this point we don't have a choice about paying the extra money. And believe me, if Todd Ryan can't get AT&T to help us out, no one can! He can be a little ruthless with this kind of crap (that's why I had him call AT&T instead of me!!). That's one gripe.
While I am griping about having to pay "extra" bills, I must gripe about our health insurance company, too. When I left my full-time job when Sydney was born, Todd and I had to get health insurance on our own. Todd is considered to be self-employed since he is a real estate agent, so insurance with his company is not an option. So, we got insurance on our own to the tune of about $480/month (with a $5,000 deductible, too!). Well, of course we never go to the doctor enough to reach our deductible, so all medical care that we have had has come out of our pocket (along with paying $480 every month!).
If you have ever had a baby, you know how many wellness visits they have during their first two years of life. Since we have never met our deductible, we have had to pay for all of Sydney's wellness visits out-of-pocket, each costing $300-$400 (and still paying that blasted $480 every month!). As much of a pain that has been, we knew that's what would happen since our insurance didn't cover child wellness visits (isn't it funny that insurance companies will choose to not pay for something that they KNOW your child will need!!!!).
Well, the kicker was this month's medical bills. I had a doctor's appointment in May and had some routine blood tests run (cholesterol, blood sugar, hormones, etc.- nothing unusual). During this past month I have received about $400 worth of bills from the various tests that were run (things our insurance company didn't cover- imagine that!). Todd also had to go to the doctor for a minor foot injury, and that cost $100. Then, we got the bill for Sydney's 15 month wellness visit, and that was $200. All in all, we had to pay about $700 in medical bills this month (all while STILL paying that $480)! Oh, but it gets even BETTER!!!
About a month ago we got a statement from our insurance company telling us that "due to the rising cost of medical care" our monthly premium was going up to $605/month instead of $480. UGH!!! What the crap?!?!? Just like the phone company, the insurance company can basically do whatever it wants because they know they have us by the b***s.
So, this month we have had to pay $700 in extra medical bills, $125 more in health insurance, and we will have to pay an extra $185 on our phone bill in a couple of weeks. Oh, and did you catch the part about Todd being in REAL ESTATE?!?!?! We all know how that market is right now!! We are holding our own with the commissions he is getting and with me working part-time, but we certainly don't have a plethora of extra cash laying around. It just gripes me that companies can do whatever they want, and the consumers are just supposed to take it. Whatever happened to good customer service and treating people like human beings?????? Call me old fashioned, but I believe in living life by the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I guess our world has gotten too big for the Golden Rule. I think God would disagree, though.........
While I am griping about having to pay "extra" bills, I must gripe about our health insurance company, too. When I left my full-time job when Sydney was born, Todd and I had to get health insurance on our own. Todd is considered to be self-employed since he is a real estate agent, so insurance with his company is not an option. So, we got insurance on our own to the tune of about $480/month (with a $5,000 deductible, too!). Well, of course we never go to the doctor enough to reach our deductible, so all medical care that we have had has come out of our pocket (along with paying $480 every month!).
If you have ever had a baby, you know how many wellness visits they have during their first two years of life. Since we have never met our deductible, we have had to pay for all of Sydney's wellness visits out-of-pocket, each costing $300-$400 (and still paying that blasted $480 every month!). As much of a pain that has been, we knew that's what would happen since our insurance didn't cover child wellness visits (isn't it funny that insurance companies will choose to not pay for something that they KNOW your child will need!!!!).
Well, the kicker was this month's medical bills. I had a doctor's appointment in May and had some routine blood tests run (cholesterol, blood sugar, hormones, etc.- nothing unusual). During this past month I have received about $400 worth of bills from the various tests that were run (things our insurance company didn't cover- imagine that!). Todd also had to go to the doctor for a minor foot injury, and that cost $100. Then, we got the bill for Sydney's 15 month wellness visit, and that was $200. All in all, we had to pay about $700 in medical bills this month (all while STILL paying that $480)! Oh, but it gets even BETTER!!!
About a month ago we got a statement from our insurance company telling us that "due to the rising cost of medical care" our monthly premium was going up to $605/month instead of $480. UGH!!! What the crap?!?!? Just like the phone company, the insurance company can basically do whatever it wants because they know they have us by the b***s.
So, this month we have had to pay $700 in extra medical bills, $125 more in health insurance, and we will have to pay an extra $185 on our phone bill in a couple of weeks. Oh, and did you catch the part about Todd being in REAL ESTATE?!?!?! We all know how that market is right now!! We are holding our own with the commissions he is getting and with me working part-time, but we certainly don't have a plethora of extra cash laying around. It just gripes me that companies can do whatever they want, and the consumers are just supposed to take it. Whatever happened to good customer service and treating people like human beings?????? Call me old fashioned, but I believe in living life by the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I guess our world has gotten too big for the Golden Rule. I think God would disagree, though.........
Thursday, July 10, 2008
A Good Laugh!!
OK, so this morning I got to work and checked my personal email. There was an email from Facebook stating that Kristian Kennedy had sent me a Piece of Flair (for those of you who are not familiar w/Facebook, a Piece of Flair is a "button" you can send someone that has a particular message on it). Then, there was an email from my friend Angel Kennedy (Angel and Kris are married), and the email was titled "Facebook Error, So Sorry, URGENT." Well, that sparked my curiosity, so I decided to read Angel's email before logging on to Facebook to see the Piece of Flair from Kris.
Angel's email proceeded to apologize profusely for accidentally sending her girlfriends a Breast Cancer Awareness Piece of Flair from her husband's Facebook account instead of from her own. Apparently, Angel had been on the computer in what she thought was her Facebook account, and she decided to send this Piece of Flair to her girlfriends. Well, little did Angel know that she was actually in KRIS'S account when she sent the Piece of Flair.
Now, you may not think it strange that a man would send some women a Breast Cancer Awareness POF. Afterall, this cause is important to many men as well as women. The HILARIOUS part about the POF was what it said. It had the BCA pink ribbon on it, and it said "Because your boobs are important to me"!!!!!!! When I read what the POF said, I just about fell out of my chair with laughter!! I mean, what are the chances that Angel would accidentally send that particular POF from her husband's Facebook account?!?!?! I am still laughing about this as I type, and for those of you who read this I hope it gives you a good chuckle for the day!
To Angel and Kris, no harm done! I appreciate the laugh because I needed it! I haven't had a good laugh like that in quite a while! I am sorry that the laughter is at your expense, but I can't help myself!! I am happy to know my boobs are important to you, and you can send me Pieces of Flair anytime you wish!!! :-)
Angel's email proceeded to apologize profusely for accidentally sending her girlfriends a Breast Cancer Awareness Piece of Flair from her husband's Facebook account instead of from her own. Apparently, Angel had been on the computer in what she thought was her Facebook account, and she decided to send this Piece of Flair to her girlfriends. Well, little did Angel know that she was actually in KRIS'S account when she sent the Piece of Flair.
Now, you may not think it strange that a man would send some women a Breast Cancer Awareness POF. Afterall, this cause is important to many men as well as women. The HILARIOUS part about the POF was what it said. It had the BCA pink ribbon on it, and it said "Because your boobs are important to me"!!!!!!! When I read what the POF said, I just about fell out of my chair with laughter!! I mean, what are the chances that Angel would accidentally send that particular POF from her husband's Facebook account?!?!?! I am still laughing about this as I type, and for those of you who read this I hope it gives you a good chuckle for the day!
To Angel and Kris, no harm done! I appreciate the laugh because I needed it! I haven't had a good laugh like that in quite a while! I am sorry that the laughter is at your expense, but I can't help myself!! I am happy to know my boobs are important to you, and you can send me Pieces of Flair anytime you wish!!! :-)
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
What Is My Purpose??
I have been thinking a lot lately about what my purpose in life is, my reason for existence, what makes me unique, what adds to the world in which I live. Since giving birth to my daughter, I have realized that part of my purpose is being a "Mom" and raising a happy, healthy child. I never gave much thought to having children until I was approaching my mid-30's. At that time, my thought was, "Well, if I am going to have kids, I guess I'd better get started since I'm not getting any younger!" Other than that, I didn't really think about being a mom as being part of my purpose in life. Boy, was I in for a surprise!
Now, commonsense told me that being a parent was going to be a HUGE responsibility. It was going to be my responsibility along with my husband to raise a child who was thoughtful, respectful, confident, a Christ-follower, etc. etc. As a fairly intelligent person I realized the significance of being a parent. What I didn't realize was how much it was going to mean to be "Mommy" to a child. From the moment that Sydney was born, I knew what true love and sacrifice was. I knew I was her mom, and no one, NO ONE could ever take that away from me. As she has grown daily, I have been reminded continually of the gift she is to me and that my love for her is greater than any other love I have ever known.
Recently, Sydney has begun saying "Momma" a lot (and "Dadda" too, of course!). Last night I had some friends over for dinner. Sydney and Todd had been out on a "date" together, and when they got home he brought her outside where my girlfriends and I were chatting after dinner. Sydney saw me, reached out to me, and said "Momma, Momma." It was at that moment that I really got the fact that I AM her "Momma." She and I share a special bond that she will share with no one else in life. For that, I am eternally grateful to God. I always want Sydney to know that above all, she is loved unconditionally by her father and me, and there is NOTHING that can take that love away! My greatest purpose in life is to raise her to love God with all her heart and learn His purpose for HER life.
When it comes to my purpose in life besides being a mom, that's where I struggle. There is a group of women from church that meets once a month for fellowship together. At this meeting, someone shares something from God's Word, or their testimony, or something that means a lot to them in their Christian walk. A couple of weeks ago the leader of the group asked me if I might like to share something from my own experience at one of these meetings. I told her I would have to think about it because I honestly couldn't think (and still can't!) of anything to share.
It's not that God hasn't worked in my life or that His Word is unimportant to me. It's just that I have always thought of my life as very "vanilla," very basic, not too deep. I was raised in a middle-class, Christian home, my parents are still married, I became a Christian as a small child, I attended a Christian college, most of my friends and co-workers are Christians, I married my high school sweetheart, and the list goes on. I haven't had any "lightning bolt" experiences in my life (I'm not necessarily wanting any, either!). I haven't been some wayward sinner who was snatched from the gates of Hell, although I do know I AM saved from Hell by the grace of God. I haven't been into alcohol or drugs, I haven't slept with dozens of men, I haven't had some great "conversion" experience that has turned my life around in a drastic way. So, I am left thinking, "What do I have to offer the ladies in this group at church? What do I have to share with them that will impact their lives in some meaningful way?" This has been weighing on my mind since my friend asked if I would be interested in sharing at one of the meetings. I am still thinking about it, and I honestly don't know if I will accept her offer to share or not.
This all leads me to think that there has to be more to my purpose in life than just being a mom. What does God have in store for me? How can He use me? I know the best way to discover this is through prayer and reading God's Word daily. I will admit that I struggle to find time to do these things. It is my greatest weakness as a Christian. I know that only by taking time to be still and quiet before God will I learn what He has in store for my life and how He wants to use me. I am open to what God wants my purpose to be, and I am excited to discover what that is!!!
Now, commonsense told me that being a parent was going to be a HUGE responsibility. It was going to be my responsibility along with my husband to raise a child who was thoughtful, respectful, confident, a Christ-follower, etc. etc. As a fairly intelligent person I realized the significance of being a parent. What I didn't realize was how much it was going to mean to be "Mommy" to a child. From the moment that Sydney was born, I knew what true love and sacrifice was. I knew I was her mom, and no one, NO ONE could ever take that away from me. As she has grown daily, I have been reminded continually of the gift she is to me and that my love for her is greater than any other love I have ever known.
Recently, Sydney has begun saying "Momma" a lot (and "Dadda" too, of course!). Last night I had some friends over for dinner. Sydney and Todd had been out on a "date" together, and when they got home he brought her outside where my girlfriends and I were chatting after dinner. Sydney saw me, reached out to me, and said "Momma, Momma." It was at that moment that I really got the fact that I AM her "Momma." She and I share a special bond that she will share with no one else in life. For that, I am eternally grateful to God. I always want Sydney to know that above all, she is loved unconditionally by her father and me, and there is NOTHING that can take that love away! My greatest purpose in life is to raise her to love God with all her heart and learn His purpose for HER life.
When it comes to my purpose in life besides being a mom, that's where I struggle. There is a group of women from church that meets once a month for fellowship together. At this meeting, someone shares something from God's Word, or their testimony, or something that means a lot to them in their Christian walk. A couple of weeks ago the leader of the group asked me if I might like to share something from my own experience at one of these meetings. I told her I would have to think about it because I honestly couldn't think (and still can't!) of anything to share.
It's not that God hasn't worked in my life or that His Word is unimportant to me. It's just that I have always thought of my life as very "vanilla," very basic, not too deep. I was raised in a middle-class, Christian home, my parents are still married, I became a Christian as a small child, I attended a Christian college, most of my friends and co-workers are Christians, I married my high school sweetheart, and the list goes on. I haven't had any "lightning bolt" experiences in my life (I'm not necessarily wanting any, either!). I haven't been some wayward sinner who was snatched from the gates of Hell, although I do know I AM saved from Hell by the grace of God. I haven't been into alcohol or drugs, I haven't slept with dozens of men, I haven't had some great "conversion" experience that has turned my life around in a drastic way. So, I am left thinking, "What do I have to offer the ladies in this group at church? What do I have to share with them that will impact their lives in some meaningful way?" This has been weighing on my mind since my friend asked if I would be interested in sharing at one of the meetings. I am still thinking about it, and I honestly don't know if I will accept her offer to share or not.
This all leads me to think that there has to be more to my purpose in life than just being a mom. What does God have in store for me? How can He use me? I know the best way to discover this is through prayer and reading God's Word daily. I will admit that I struggle to find time to do these things. It is my greatest weakness as a Christian. I know that only by taking time to be still and quiet before God will I learn what He has in store for my life and how He wants to use me. I am open to what God wants my purpose to be, and I am excited to discover what that is!!!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Friends
Today, like a lot of days lately, I miss my best girlfriends. You know, the kind of friends who know just about everything about you, the good AND the bad, and they still love you just the same. My best girlfriends are from college. We have been friends for over 14 years (wow, I feel kind of old saying that!), and we have all settled in different states since graduating from college.
Several of us have kids now, and as my own daughter grows and changes daily, I want more and more to share my day-to-day life with my best friends. I love my husband to pieces, but sometimes I just need some good "girl time." The last time I was with my best girlfriends was when my friend JoAnna ("Nanner") and I were both a couple of months away from giving birth to our first children. Those two children are now 15 months old, and I have not been with my best girlfriends since that time in January '07. It makes me sad!
I guess I need to spend more time cultivating my relationships with friends where I live. I only have one best girlfriend who has even a remote possibility of ever moving to the Nashville area (I am still praying for that, Ju Ju!!), so I must accept that the visits between myself and my best girlfriends will be few and far between for the foreseeable future, at least while we have small children. So, I need to make the effort to be a better friend to the friends I have where I live. I vow to work on that because I know I can create special relationships with local friends who are in my life now, just as a did with my friends in college.
Several of us have kids now, and as my own daughter grows and changes daily, I want more and more to share my day-to-day life with my best friends. I love my husband to pieces, but sometimes I just need some good "girl time." The last time I was with my best girlfriends was when my friend JoAnna ("Nanner") and I were both a couple of months away from giving birth to our first children. Those two children are now 15 months old, and I have not been with my best girlfriends since that time in January '07. It makes me sad!
I guess I need to spend more time cultivating my relationships with friends where I live. I only have one best girlfriend who has even a remote possibility of ever moving to the Nashville area (I am still praying for that, Ju Ju!!), so I must accept that the visits between myself and my best girlfriends will be few and far between for the foreseeable future, at least while we have small children. So, I need to make the effort to be a better friend to the friends I have where I live. I vow to work on that because I know I can create special relationships with local friends who are in my life now, just as a did with my friends in college.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
My First Blogging Day!
Hey, everybody! Today is my first "blogging" day. I feel really cool!! Well, maybe just slightly cool. I can't promise that my blog will be the most exciting you have ever seen, but I will try to post interesting stories, pictures, etc. to let you know what I have going on in my life. I figure this is a great way for my friends and family to keep in touch with me even though you all may not see me often! So, welcome to my blog and enjoy!!
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