Did we learn?

Warning: I need to vent and ramble here for a while...

I guess you have already heard....
Terri Schiavo, the woman who spent 15 years connected to a feeding tube in an epic legal and medical battle that went all the way to the White House and Congress, died Today, 13 days after the tube was removed. She was 41. Schiavo died at the Pinellas Park hospice where she lay for years while her husband and her parents fought over her in the nation's most bitter — and most heavily litigated — right-to-die dispute.APNews

I am glad that Terri is finally at rest. I hope her family finds some solace in that. They have all been on a long, rough ride. So much has been said. So many accusations.
Do we believe that Terri's husband had her best interest at heart?
Do we believe that her brain was a blob of deteriorating mush?
Do we believe the sister-in-law who swears that Terri said she would never want to live like a vegetable? or the sister who said Terri was a firm believer in life at all cost?
Do we think that there is nothing wrong with her being fed for the rest of her years by her parents and family?
Do we believe the nurses who claim her husband abused her?
Do we believe the priest who says she closed her eyes when he started praying and opened them when he finished?
Do we believe the hospice workers who say they never saw her respond to anyone in five years?
And finally, now that she is gone, does any of this even matter?

The AP quoted Jeb Bush as saying "After an extraordinarily difficult and tragic journey, Terri Schiavo is at rest. I remain convinced, however, that Terri's death is a window through which we can see the many issues left unresolved in our families and in our society. For that, we can be thankful for all that the life of Terri Schiavo has taught us."

Did we really learn something of value from the life and death of Terri Schiavo?

Personally, I feel I learned about the importance of living wills. I have made a point of telling my husband and parents exactly how I feel about artificially prolonging my life and renewed my living will. However, I honestly think my husband and parents were well aware of how I felt before Terri Schiavo.

I learned that our culture has become very caustic when it comes to disagreements, even outside of political arenas. No longer do opponents respect each other and treat one another with an implied amount of courtesy and dignity. For politicians, supporters of the left or the right, all those in the middle, and even for the judges who sit on the bench, this was an ugly, dirty fight. Are there any winners in this case? Is there a better way to disagree than to try to verbally annihilate those who disagree or to try to legislate or litigate people into submission?

None of the lessons I have learned from this case seem justify the pain, anger, hate and division it seems to have caused, except for maybe this... This world is not our home! The Terri Schiavo story has really driven home the truth about this life being temporal for me. We are here for just a little while to build the life that we will go to next.

Terri Schiavo is now living her eternal life.
I wonder if the 26 year old who collapsed when her heart stopped 15 years ago woke up in heaven today and found it so peaceful that she didn't even wonder what had happened to her here on earth?
I wonder if she feels that she could have done more or if she has regrets?
I wonder if she can see her parents and husband only for their intense devotion to and love for her?
I wonder if she now has awareness of the angst, pain and bitterness that divides her family and husband yet the perspective to know everything thing on earth is temporal and the ability to be a peace despite the state of her former world?
I wonder what she would tell those of us still here? What would she want us to know and remember? Don't you ever wonder what someone who had died would say if they came back?

Jesus did that for us. He came back to tell us what was really important and what we really needed to focus on in this life. He had the knowledge of death and experience eternal lifefresh on his breath when he said the teaching of the prophets and his teaching were true, we al should receive the holy spirit, and go tell all the nations about him. I guess the question still is ... Did we learn?

As a Christian, I pray that Terri Schindler Schiavo woke up in the arms of her Savior today.
As an American, I pray the bitterness and self glorifying indignation made so apparent by the storm surrounding this woman will give us pause to re-evaluate how we treat our opponents. I sometimes worry that the greatest risk to Amenrica is the growing rift we are developing from with in.
As a mother, I grieve for the Schindlers loss. I pray their grief, pain, and sense of injustice will not hinder them from finding peace.
As a wife, I pray that Michael Schiavo's motives were as pure as Terri's parents love. I hope he and his new family will be able to move on and come to terms with all that has happened.
As a daughter and child of God, I rejoice in the fact that this is not all there is. Whether I am killed instantly in an accident tomorrow, or if I die a slow death at the age of 99, my real life comes after this one. This is not all there is!
And lastly, as a human who walks the planet with the rest of you, I pray I make all the days I am here count!

The Dark Side?

M&Ms have gone to the dark side! It's a really neat ad campaign. With just 49 days until the May 19th release, The Star Wars/Episode III hype is starting to mount. Rob is so excited. I have to say, even I want to see what happens or how things happen in this movie. We already know the ending to this saga, but there are so many loose ends to wrap up and stories left to tell. I am curious to see how Lucas pulls it off. It is going to be a very dark movie, of that we can be sure. I almost feel like I am waiting to see a train wreck. Any other Star Wars fans out there? Anyone know how to score early release tickets? (Rob's birthday is May 17th.)

He is risen, We are risen!

On Easter Sunday Brandon said on his blog "Christ is risen- We are risen!"

Have I ever head it put that way? Do I live like I have risen? I am struck with this notion of being "risen". I have been a Christain all my life yet, I have never thought about it this way. As Christians we must die to ourselves, die to sin, and die to the world, this I know. But there is so much more to following Christ than dieing. We have to rise from death and live. We are risen! WOW!

Sometimes I focus so much on the things I need to die to, that I forget to that I am to be ALIVE in my Savior. Easter is a reminder of that for me. Long after the chocolate bunnies are digested and the plastic eggs put away for another year, Christ who rose from the dead all those years ago is alive in me. He is risen.

I have risen with him. I am not to walk around as if in funeral shrouds trying to die to my sinful nature over and over. I am to live and let the light of Christ shine through me. The God I serve has claimed my soul and called me to a life of light and building an ever lasting life. He rescued me from a life of dieing over and over. He is risen and so am I! What a powerful thought!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter with your families. Spring is all about coming back to life and being renewed. I hope you feel that. My hope this Spring for all of my siblings in Christ who I have met through this blog is that we will feel and live as if we have risen from the dead... because in Christ, we have! We are risen!

Two Saturdays

Tonight as I tucked Rhett and Kolby in, we talked about what a great "day off " this has been. Rhett asked if he was wearing his new clothes to church in the morning. I told him no, tomorrow is Saturday.
"We get two Saturdays!" he exclaimed with amazement.
"Yep Rhett we get two Saturdays this week because God wanted to give us a day off for Easter," his older and wiser sister explained.
"That was so nice. I like two Saturdays," Rhett said and we thanked God for our double Satuday weekend.

Those kids crack me up! After I turned out the light and left they were still whispering about dying Easter eggs tomorrow. Rhett wants his eggs to look like footballs, basketballs, soccer balls, baseballs and golf balls. Kolby said the eggs already looked like a golf balls so there was nothing to do. They agreed to try to draw a paper club and tape it to a white egg to make a golf egg. Kolby wants to make her eggs look like lady bugs, butterflies and other cute creepy crawlies. She wants to attach wings and everything. (Insert old foaggey sigh here) When I was a kid, we just made our Easter eggs a color, like pink, purple or the occasional two or three toned eggs. If we got really fancy we would draw on our egg with a white crayon. Now they are making them sports balls and bugs? What's next?

Rob is at some big playoff basketball game in Austin with friends, so the kids and I went to see Robots tonight. I thought it was really cute. The kids really liked it. Nothing too bad stuck out at me. I love Robin Williams in cartoons. Rhett still sits in my lap for most of the movie but I don't mind at all. Both kids got a little scared (especially at the Stars Wars Trailer WOO HOO! Just two more months till Episode 3!) but both have learned to close their eyes and wait it out instead of screaming. It makes movie going much more fun for me! Am I selfishly de-sensitizing my children? Hope not!

I also hope you all enjoy a "two Saturday" Weekend!

Right to Live, Right to Die

I'm afraid to enter the political storm surrounding the Terri Schiavo case. However, how can anyone in the country not think about it? This tragedy is slowing unfolding every day in our newspapers, courts, and now the halls of Congress. Lord have mercy on this situation! My heart aches for her parents and her husband. What a mess! I downloaded a set of living wills for Rob and I to fill out. My last living will was done pre-marriage. I find no answers when I ask what I would do in their position.

When I look at it from Terri's position or that from that of her husband who has sworn under oath time and again that Terri told him she never wanted to be "a vegetable" and she would rather die, I think it is cruel an inhumane to make her live like this. Terri Schiavo suffered brain damage in 1990 when her heart stopped briefly from a chemical imbalance believed to have been brought on by an eating disorder. Somewhere in all this, I think the point is lost that she became vegetative after starving herself. She would have died in 1990 if feeding tubes had not been inserted into her comatose, brain dead body. Is this what she wanted? Didn't she make known,at least in some respects, her desire to live or die by her actions? What is her husband supposed to do with the knowledge that his wife never wanted this?

But then I look at her parents. Oh I feel for them! How could anyone just stand by and let their child starve to death? How can it be humane to let someone slowly starve to death? Starvation is a painful, torturous, miserable way to die. Even if Terri had a living will, would it be any easier to watch her die? Do we truly have the right to take away the life that God breathed into us, even if it is our own life? There is so much more going on here than a woman choosing or not choosing to die. For her parents, it doesn't seem natural or right for a child to die first. As a parent, I can not imagine how heart wrenching all this must be for them. What a nightmare!

Somehow I don't think we mere humans have the wisdom to make these decisions. I read that President Bush said something like this is a very complex issue and when in doubt, it is better to rule on the side of life. I understand what he is saying and I partially agree. But still, I wonder if what Terri has been doing for the last 15 years is really living. Then again, who am I to make that call? I have had the privilege of knowing several mentally and physically handicapped people who had more "life" in them than some of the "normal" grey faced expressionless people I see on Sunday mornings! Do we have the right to say that the existence of life is or is not justified by it's quality? I am very glad this is not my call.

A few years ago my yard stick of what is right and wrong in death was broken by my Grandmother's Alzheimers. I almost said "battle with alzheimers" but really, there was no battle. This dreaded disease quietly wormed it's way into my Nana's mind and took over. She never had a chance.

For the last five years at least, my Nana has been living her worst nightmare. She has a few hazy good moments when properly medicated, but the majority of the time her mind is tormented and agitated as she constantly searches for loved ones she can't find and tries to live in a time that doesn't exist anymore, aside from scrapbooks and memories. I feel very guilty in saying that I don't know why she has to live like this, but I don't. Death seems like a peaceful welcoming friend. If any member of my family were asked, we would tell you death is not the worst thing that can happen to a person.

Issues and heartaches like this make me glad that this world is not my home, I'm just passing through. And the miracle of this world is that every day is new and Christ has given us hope in any situation... Life or death. I join our nation in praying for both sides of Terri Schiavo's family and for Terri herself. May they all come to a place of peace soon!

More (brief) Spring Break Observations

Nothing makes you want to start a diet like seeing yourself eat Cotton Candy on a 40 Ft Jumbo-tron. (Yes, it happened to me at ...What else?...The Shammu Show!)

My kids are both destined for the theater... we had some High Drama last week.

I wonder if the animals in the zoo and at Sea World ever want to say "Hey, whadda you lookin' at?"

Is a date with a shrink in order when you suddenly burst out laughing while strolling down the side walk because you are thinking "I wonder what Napoleon Dynamite would be doing if he were at Sea World?" and the sit com that ensues in your brain causes you to suddenly spew water and laugh uncontrollably? Not that I did this, no not me!!!

Trainers at Sea World amaze me. They swim in stinky fish water, kiss whales, and open their eyes in salt water without wearing goggles. How in the world?

Is it any wonder that our country has an obesity epidemic when bottled water is $3 and a large cherry cola is $2.35... a funnel cake al a mode is $3.50 and a Turkey wrap with sprouts is $6.50, a bag of chips is $1.50 and a side of stawberrys is $4.00? I know we don't live at Sea World all the time, but still!

I love hotels. We stayed in the historic St Anthony, just a two minute walk from the river. Sixty four summers ago my maternal grandparents honey-mooned in that hotel. Last week The St. Anthony completely won over a forth generation as Kolby and Rhett have informed us that they would perfer to live there. I wonder if my great grandchildren will visit the St Anthony in the next 64 years?

The river walk in San Antonio lives up to all the hype and then some. I never tire of it.

My first vacation (of many) to San Antonio was at age three. Thirty two years later I still feel like a kid when I get to go on a river boat, feed tortillas to the ducks, and eat outside at a river cafe.

Of all the places he could live, I totally understand why Max Lucado chooses to live in San Antonio.

Kids are cutest when they don't try to be.... Like when Kolby called Shammu "Mooshu"on accident or when Rhett hid under the bench at the Seal show to avoid getting splashed.

Winning a Spounge Bob stuffed toy and a stuffed Shammu at the arcade brought more wonder and awe into the faces of my children than Christmas morning. I love that they were so excited and proud of their winnings!

I sometimes wish I lived in a city ( in a much cooler climate) for no other reason than you walk more in big down towns than in little cities and burbs. I like to walk to get places but just walking to walk ... Well that's just not the same.

To a seven year old, the $5.50 kids meal is completely worth it just for the whale lunch pail that it comes in.

To a three year old, a thirty minute wait is an eternity.

To a tired Mommy and Daddy, quiet, happy, sugar-sucking children are worth the $4 dollar bag of cotton candy.

Late night Mexican food and Margaritas on the River takes on a totally different tone with children.

Vacations are expensive, fun and hectic. Sometimes you come home more tired than when you left, but the memories... They really are priceless.

Few things learned in line at Sea World

Last Thursday and Friday our family celebrated Spring Break at Sea World in San Antonio Texas. Thursday the lines were very short. Friday was a different story. As our day was winding down there was only one ride left that our family could go on, The Texas Splash Down! We got in what looked like a pretty short line.

Looks are very deceiving in these places. As we rounded the corner we saw two more huts full of zigzag lines. We thought about abandoning ship and saving the Splash Down for another trip. But a little sign to our left said that the wait was 30 minutes from the point where we were standing. What's 30 minutes? I learned that 30 minutes to a three and seven year old is a very long time! The bad news is 45 minutes later, we had barely made it through the first "line hut." The friendly sign then said we only had 20 minutes to wait. By this time I had ceased to believe the signs, BUT we had waited 45 minutes.... We couldn't abandon ship now. So we waited.

I struck up a conversation with a lady in front of us while Rob ran around the line hut with the kids. Great trials tend to bond strangers! She was a nice Hispanic lady with a strong accent. She was with two boys, age 7 and 12, and a fraidy-cat girl age 12 who couldn't decide if she was really going to ride the ride when the time came. As the line went on and on, I learned (ashamedly to my surprise) that this lady was a single mom and kindergarten teacher in El Paso. She had been a teacher for 8 years. This summer she is going to enroll in school at UTEP to get her masters. It will take 2.5 years because public schools in El Paso are year round.and she can only take classes at night. She explained that this was the last trip she will be able to take her boys on for some time. (The girl was the daughter of a friend and fellow teacher, who was waiting outside the ride with her 5 month old baby.)

This woman was very sweet. She saved my place in line when I had to take Rhett to the restroom. (Rob was trying to entertain Kolby at a look out place in the line at the time and Rhett could not wait!) I held her place when she went to check on her kids after they left to get a drink and didn't return for 25 minutes. There were two young unaccompanied boys trying to worm their way up the line. We laughed as we ribbed them about trying to cut in front of teachers and made them stand behind us!

One hour and 30 minutes later we were finally at the front of the line. We saw why the signs had been lying to us. Though there were four chutes that fed into the ride, only one was open. Therefore, the posted wait times were 3 times to short. Only one chute was open! I don't know what brainiac at Sea World made that call, it was Spring Break for Pete's sake! We loaded our family of four into a log boat and we were off.

The ride was awesome! Rhett and Kolby squealed with glee at every turn and splash. Luckily it was one of those rides that lasted longer than 30 seconds so we felt we really got our rides worth. The attendants on the ride kept laughing at Rhett as he was in the front of our boat and could hardly contain himself at every drop and high point. The boy loves rides and roller coasters!! He is terrified of the Magic Man in Hewitt, but was crushed to learn he was too little to go on the Steel Eel and The Great White! Mercy! (I was too afraid to go on The Great White and was grateful to stay behind with the kids while Rob went alone:) Anyway, I bet you can imagine the first words out of the kids mouths the minute we got off the ride.... Even after the grueling, 1.5 hour wait, Even after the tears, tantrums, and countless threats to go home if we heard one more ugly word, still their first words were"Can we do it again!!!???" As BST would say, FOR THE LOVE!

I never saw the lady from the line again. I doubt I ever will. I do not know her name. But something she said stuck with me and I have thought about it a lot since last Friday. After telling me all about her job and going back to school and the 8.5 hour one way road trip from El Paso to San Antonio for this last big trip before a 2.5 year vacation drought, she turned and asked me "What do you do?"
I was almost embarrassed to say, "I stay home with him" referring to Rhett.
"Oh you are so lucky!" she said, not in an envious way but in that more-power-to-you, good-for-you, way-to-go, nice way.
"Yes I am" I said as humbly as I could.
She pointed to Rob and said "He is the Father?"
I nodded a little stunned by the question.
"How long have you been married?"
"Nine years in August."
"He is good to you and the babies?"
Again I nodded a little stunned.
"Oh you really are so lucky and blessed. God blessed me when my husband left because he was no good to the boys. I was getting no good the more I was around him. But when he left it was all on meto be good or bad. I knew I had to do good for these boys and God has been good to us."
"You must be very strong to be able to work and go to school and raise these boys by yourself," I said.
"Oh I am never by myself, I have my friends and always God... You know? "
Again I nodded.

I am embarrassed to say that I totally misjudged that women when I first saw her. I'm glad God gave me a humbling and blessed glimpse of reality through her. . I guess one moral to this story.. And there are many here.. Is that there are good God loving people all around us, if we are open to seeing them. AND More than anything... I am very blessed. My prayer is that like this lady, my eyes will be open to the good in my life challenges. Every day, I choose to see the good or the bad.

Well, I have to get off my duff and take care of these precious kids and my wonderful messy house. Life is good, even through the waiting, the trails and the tantrums! Today I choose to enjoy the ride!

Just a quick note... Happy Spring!

Between blogger not letting me post or comment and our Spring Break, I have been absent from blog world for a while.
We have had a great Spring Break! We have been to the zoo , the Children's Museum, Chuck E Cheese, Sea World/ San Antonio and both kids have had fun spending the night with cousins as well as their Aunt and Grands across the street.

It has been busy and gone by too fast. I'm one of those crazy Moms who still looks forward to school breaks and summer! I'm a little sad to see this week come to an end. It's not just that I like having unscheduled time with my kids, I'm partly sad because all that spring cleaning I planned to do just didn't get done. I have become a bit of a slacker when it comes to the house... OK a BIG SLACKER! There are days I can either clean or go... I simply don't have the energy or focus for both and, I'd much rather go! I'm making excuses, I know. Kids grow up but cob webs, soap scum and laundry will always be around, right?

Hope you all enjoy this beautiful day, the first day of Spring!

P.S. I added a new category of links to the right under my blog list called LINKS I LOVE. These are links I go to when I need to smile or need a little laugh. The "Interview with God/ Jesus" link will take you to a site of flash videos that I have used in devotionals. Hope you enjoy these as much as I do!!!

Spring Break

This is our Spring Break! After a completely beautiful weekend, the north winds are blowing and it is a chilly 52 today. Luckily we were outside most all day Saturday and Sunday (except for church). The Herculean tasks of cleaning out my kids clothes and closets is before me. I'm almost thankful for the chilly "inside" weather. Who wants to be inside a closet when it is bright, warm and beautiful outside? All our time and energy is divided between Spring cleaning in the house and in the yard. Mix in a few fun outings to keep the kids at bay, and the week is packed! I miss the Spring Breaks of my teen &single years when Spring Break meant a week on the slopes, on a campaign, or traveling some fun place. Maybe next year...

Have you noticed that the headlines are chalk full of shootings and gloom and doom this week? Eveyone in the world seems to need a time out and a good nap. I found this story refreshing... Wedgie hits Webster's . Although it means there is just one more word out there to misspell, I like to see fun, common words graduate into the dictionary! Hope you all have a sunny, productive, fun, wedgie free week!

Friday

It's a beautiful windy day in Hewitt Texas! Spring break is next week for us so both my kids have been struck with SPRING FEVER! We have lots of options , but still are not sure what all we are doing next week.

I am in one of those unbloggable times right now. It seems the more people that read this blog, the less there is for me to blog about. But here are some pretty safe things, I think. These are quotes that inspired me this week.

Curiosity is a stronger force than gravity. If it weren't, there wouldn't be airplanes.

Curiosity is more important than knowledge, it is the root of knowledge . Without it there wouldn't be any such thing as knowledge. Most importantly, curiosity is the dynamic force behind creativity. Without creativity, mankind would still be living in caves. Creativity is what sets mankind above other life-forms. It is believed that God , the creator, made man in his image. If this is so, man in the image of God must be creative. From The Gift of Dyslexia by Ron Davis.

After I was fired, I asked God why have you put this huge burden on me? .. In that moment I realized he had not put a burden on me, he had instead lifted the burden of a dead-end job and released me from the thing that was holding me down and preventing me from going and doing what I was meant to do. From Hillary Swank's mother's interview on Oprah.

"A favorite dish in Kansas is creamed corn on a stick.." Jeff Harms, actor, comedian.

A favorite dish in Texas & Tennessee is creamed corn a la blog. For those of you who don't get it, don't worry.

P.S. For two days I have not been able to comment on many of the blogs I frequent . Either the whole world has Matt Elliott syndrome ( HA HA! I had to say that Matt ~ ironically your blog is the only one I have been able to comment on :-) OR the blogwart has taken over comments,OR maybe, it is just my computer. Any who... just wanted you to know that I'm stilll blogging around, I just can't comment.

Think before you speak

I realy don't like forwards very much.
I can not stand the ones that say "you will be blessed if you forward this to X number of people" or the ones that say "if you love God" or "if you care about our Troops" pass this on , please don't break the chain. PULLEEEZE! Like we need guilt e-mail!!
But lately, I have found some really great forwards in my in box. Here is my favorite this week. Hope you enjoy. AND NO, THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME...It is a FWD! (WARNING: If you are the real sensitive type or under 20, please don't read #4 as I don't want the hat-e-mail!!!)

Think B4 you speak...
Have you ever spoken and wished that you could immediately take the words back., or that you could crawl into a hole? Here are the testimonials of a few people who did....

1. I walked into a hair salon with my husband and three kids in tow and asked loudly, "How much do you charge for a shampoo and a blow job?" I turned around and walked back out and never went back. My husband didn't say a word..... he knew better

2. I was at the golf store comparing different kinds of golf balls. I was unhappy with the women's type I had been using. After browsing for several minutes, I was approached by one of the good-looking gentlemen who works at the store. He asked if he could help me. Without thinking, I looked at him and said, "I think I like playing with men's balls."

3. My sister and I were at the mall and passed by a store that sold a variety of candy and nuts. As we were looking at the display case, the boy behind the counter asked if we needed any help. I replied, "No, I'm just looking at your nuts." My sister started to laugh hysterically, the boy grinned, and I turned beet-red and walked away. To this day, my sister has never let me forget.

4. While in line at the bank one afternoon, my toddler decided to release some pent-up energy and ran amok. I was finally able to grab hold of her after receiving looks of disgust and annoyance from other patrons I told her that if she did not start behaving "right now" she would be punished. To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as threatening, "If you don't let me go right now, I will tell Grandma that I saw you kissing Daddy's pee-pee last night!" The silence was deafening after this enlightening exchange. Even the tellers stopped what they were doing. I mustered up the last of my dignity and walked out of the bank with my daughter in tow. The last thing I heard when the door closed behind me were screams of laughter.

5. Have you ever asked your child a question too many times? My three-year-old son had a lot of problems with potty training and I was on him constantly. One day we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick lunch in between errands. It was very busy, with a full dining room. While enjoying my taco, I smelled something funny, so of course I checked my seven-month-old daughter, and she was clean. Then I realized that 3 year old Danny had not asked to go potty in a while, so I asked him if he needed to go, and he said "No." I kept thinking, "Oh Lord, that child has had an accident, and I don't have any clothes with me." Then I said, "Danny, are you SURE you didn't have an accident?" "No," he replied. I just KNEW that he must have had an accident, because the smell was getting worse. Soooooo, I asked one more time, "Danny, did you have an accident?" This time he jumped up, yanked down his pants, bent over and spread his cheeks and yelled. "SEE MOM, IT'S JUST FARTS!!" While 30 people nearly choked to death on their tacos laughing, Danny calmly pulled up his pants and sat down. An older couple made me feel better by thanking me for the best laugh they'd ever had!

6. This had most of the state of Michigan laughing for 2 days and a very embarrassed female news anchor who will, in the future, likely think before she speaks. What happens when you predict snow but don't get any....a true story... We had a female news anchor who, the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn't, turned to the weatherman and asked: "So Bob, where's that 8 inches you promised me last night?" Not only did HE have to leave the set, but half the crew did too they were laughing so hard!

Now, didn't that feel good? :-)

Here is another funny thing that came to me in a forward. Click here!

I would have called 10000 angels...

Thank you for all the prayers for Sari and her work situation after yesterdays post. (Sari wrote the 9th comment to thank you herself yesterday.) It is far from over. Next Tuesday and Wednesday will be big days for her, but I am very proud of how she is handling herself. Your prayers have been felt by us all. I love that we have this prayer cover through blogging. Amazing!

Sari's situation has brought many big thoughts to mind. First, though the day to day things we do are important, our actions in moments of pain are what define us. I told my sister that this week. I said that how she handles this situation will define her character and choose the course her life is to take for a while. When I relate that principle to Jesus and the cross, I am overwhelmed at the love of our Savior.

He was wrongfully accused, his body wreathing in pain and agony, and he prayed for his torturers. Jesus defined himself by loving no matter what. When I feel cheated or wronged, I shine the light of the cross on my situation and am always led to love. No matter how bad things are for me, Jesus had it worse and he chose to love. I think we can choose love as a verb even when we do not feel it as a noun.

My second thought is very close to the first. The bravest, most incredible strength on Earth does not come from anger, hate or revenge but from love. One of my favorite songs growing up was "He could have called ten thousand angels." The real power in those words hit me this week. As I said yesterday, part of me really wanted the people who have brought this storm on my sister to hurt for hurting her. I'm afraid I would have called the 10,000 angels to kick some booty if it had been me on that cross. I was ready to call them for my sister. It's good that God is God and I am not.

In the midst of my fury, I thought about God's command to pray for our enemies. I thought about the cross... Funny how anger melts away in light of the cross. It is hard to demand justice when I think of the wrongs and the sins I have nailed to that cross. I'm no saint. Neither is my sister. I also realize that the people who brought this about are not pure evil and have their own hurts and challenges. So I am praying for them.

My sister has chosen to stand up for what she knows is right and done her best. No matter what happens in life, our best effort and our love is all that is expected of us. I hate that Sari has to face this unfair and painful situation, but there is great comfort in knowing I can go to the Father and pray for my sister and the "enemy" and He will take care of us all in his good time. I truly believe that. No matter what the outcome of this ordeal, I know my sister will be fine.

Those are my thoughts this weekend.

Again, thank you for your prayers. May God bless you with the lessons only His love can teach.

Pray

My dear blog family,
This morning I ask those who are regulars in my blog family to pray for my sister Sari. She is going to be under tremendous pressure for the next few days as she deals with some very heavy work related issues. She will truly need to summons a courage, peace, and strength that can only come from above. Sari is a wonderful kindergarten teacher who loves her students and gives her all to her job. I wish I could say more but I can't. Please do not ask. Just know my over protective big sister fury is alive, well and locked in over drive! It is times like this that I am weak and wish I were in the mob... or queen of the world... I really want someone to hurt for what they have done to my sister, but hurt only begets hurt...right? So if you have a moment, join me in praying that my sister will handle all this well and God,( who we all know is more powerful than the mob and wiser than any earthly ruler), will be glorified. Thank you! Steph

Before & After

Photo Blogging is a great out during writers block! This is the bedroom before and after that I talked so much about in January. What do you think?

Numa Numa Guy

OH and one more shameless plug for the Numa Numa guy... CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK TO THE ORIGINAL VIDEO
or go to Matt Elliott's blog today for the full story. This makes me laugh out loud and smile no matter how many times I see it.
My ya hee! My ya hoooo! My ya hoo! My ya ha ha!

Blah

So much I could say, not much I want to say. BLAH BLAH BLAH

Seems writers block has hit me this week. Or maybe it is the sunshine...Who wants to type when there is a BEAUTIFUL warm sunny spring day just outside the back door!!!
I grieve for so many grieving in our blog family right now.
My mind just can't seem to focus on much.
I want to plant flowers, weed my garden, clean out the garage, and make my yard look a bit more Spring like! Hoping for a bit of Spring energy to go with the Spring ambitions!
I tell you I have had second thoughts (as well as 3rd, 4th 5th, 6th & 7th) about giving up Ice Tea for lent. I really miss my afternoon and mid-morning pick me up glass of tea! I guess that is the point of Lent. Just 23 more days to go!!! :)

Maybe the blog bug will bite again soon. Do you ever have days/weeks where all you care to type is BLAH BLAH BLAH??

I'll probably just be lurking and commenting on your sites this week . Off to start my spring cleaning! Peace out!
:)

A snob

K: Mom what is a snob?

M: A person who is snooty.

K: What does snooty mean?

M: Being snooty is when you act like you are better than some one else, or when you look down your nose at other people.

K: You mean some people can really see down their noses?

M:Apparently so.

So how long do I let her think that snobs are people whose eyes can see down their noses?

The other half of 100

The random list continues...
51. I am not competitive. I don’t like competition and I can’t stand it when people turn non-competitive things into a competition.
52. I had two major kidney surgeries (1 at 2 years and 1 at 12 years). I had my tonsils out at age 6. I was put in the hospital several different times with the flu, kidney complications, and once with food poisoning. SO life total with babies, I have been in the hospital 12 times.
53. I love color and can not decide what my favorite is… deep reds and blues I think.
54. There are no white walls in my house.
55. My favorite poet is Shel Silverstein.
56. I know it is unpopular in Christian circles but I still really admire & watch Oprah.
57. I do not get reality TV.
58. My favorite shows however are the reality based…Trading Spaces and Extreme Makeover Home Edition.
59. I also like Alias but I never seem to remember to watch it. I do not watch TV very often at all.
60. I used to scrapbook.
61. I quit scrap-booking because it just overwhelmed me! I have a closet full of scrap-booking items that I hope to return to someday.
62. I am very independent and always have been.
63. Those who know me really well find it comical that I live across the street from my parents because I am so independent!
64. I love to paint , install things, build things and tear things down.
65. My husbands first Christmas present to me after we married was a Black & Decker five piece tool set…and I was not mad.
66. I mowed the lawn once when Rob was in Atlanta for two weeks.
67. I do not like to mow the yard.
58. I like to dig in the dirt and plant things. I am not good at maintaining plants however so there is a plant grave yard behind our shed.
69. I like too cook if I don’t have to cook.
70. I would rather cook for 12 than 2.
71. I love the grocery store if I am by myself.
72. I can’t stand the grocery store when my kids are with me, but I do it anyway.
73. I have always been allergic to exercise.
74. I can roller blade, ice skate, water ski, snow ski, swim, golf and bike but it seems like I never do these things anymore!
75. I don’t like to sweat because I am not a graceful sweat-er. I get all red faced and ugly when I sweat.
76. I melt in heat that is humid.
77. I love snow.
78. I live in the wrong state for my weather preferences.
79. I am a slow reader, but I really like to read.
80. I love chicken salad.
81. I love almost anything that comes out of a bakery.
82. I drive a mini-van and am da** proud of it! (Yes, I caved and edited it out!)
83. I love being involved in PTA.
84. I love playing scrabble, spades and hearts… and admit I can be a bit competitive when it comes to these games.
85. I never took typing but can hunt and peck close to 60 wpm.
86. I love to sing , but I’m not sure it is fun for those who hear me!
87. If I could have one realistic wish… it would be to have the house to myself for two weeks so I could organize and clean out years of stuff!
88. I am an all or nothing kind of girl. I either do something all the way or not at all.
89. The best thing I ever did outside of giving my life to Christ was to say "yes!" when my husband proposed! (Which he did under the influence of major pain killers:) He had just come out of shoulder surgery!)
90. Rob really is the better half of this marriage!
91. I love to take naps and sleep late.
92. I am a night owl by nature.
93. I get carsick easily.
94. I love to fly! I love to travel!
95. Summer nights are my favorite time ever.
96. I do not tan well, I just burn and peel.
97. I do not color my hair but am asked regularly if I do. ???
98. My favorite perfume is Miracles by Lancôme.
99. I left Estee Lauder for drug store products… but I hope to return someday.
100. I like to blog but, I like to read other people's blogs more!

It took me way too long to come up with this list!!!

Half my list of 100

Lately I have noticed a trend in blogworld to post a list of 100 things about oneself. 100 THINGS!!! I resisted for a while but , reluctantly came up with a list in two parts. Here is half of a very random, in no order of importance, list of 100 things about me...
1. I have been a member of a church of Christ most all my life.
My home churches:
2. Johnson Street C of C, San Angelo, Texas 1970 - 1996
3. Southern Hills C of C, Abilene, Texas 1988- 89
4. Highland C of C, Abilene, Texas 1989 -1993
5. Eastleigh C of C, Nairobi, Kenya, Summer of 91 & 92
6. Golf Course Road C of C, Midland, Texas 1996
7. Southlake C of C, Southlake, Texas March 1997 - Dec 2001
8. Crestview C of C , Waco, Texas 2002 to present.
9. I lived in the same house from age 2 until my parents moved across town when I was 21, except college.
10. I was never the new kid in school . I went to 1 elementary school ~ Travis, 1 Junior High ~ Glenn, 1High school ~ Central,
and 2 Colleges ~ ACU & ASU.
11. I was baptized between the 3rd & 4th grade after sleepless nights at church camp in Brady, Texas fearing that God would come if I went to sleep and I would go to HE**. My parents wanted me to wait until I got home from camp to be baptized . They didn't want me scared into baptism.
12. The Sunday after camp our preacher, Bill Young baptized me. I was still a little scared!
13. I grew up thinking that Baptist and Methodist were "different religions" and Catholics had a different God! ( So embarrassing! Surely part of this was just little girl confusion!)
14. I clearly remember debates during lunch at my elementary school with a Baptist boy about Jesus not being born on Christmas and REAL Christians not using instruments in church! (So sorry BRATCHER! ) That same boy was my one of my best friends from 5th grade on and an usher in our wedding. (Hi Scott!)
15. I have one sister who is beautiful... and single!!! I was 8 ½ when she was born.
16. I tried to sell my sister on blogger because I want a brother-in-law & nieces and nephews!
17. I always wanted an older bother. Mom had a miscarriage before me so I decided I had an older brother who ...Didn't make it!
18. I thrived on DRAMA growing up! Can ya' tell?
19. My Dad was an only child and he was adopted.
20. My cousin Robby told me my Dad was adopted when I was 9. For some odd reason it rocked my world!
21. Since age 9 , I have seen strangers on the street that looked like my Dad and wondered if they were my aunt or uncle.
22. I used to fantasize that somehow through my Dad I was related to Julie Andrews and/ or Laura Ingalls Wilder.
23. At age 22 I found out who my Dad's birth mother was but she had died two years earlier. She never had any other children. We think my Dads birth father's name was Ben Davis. We only know his name.
24. I wonder if I will meet my birth grandparents in Heaven.
25. My Mom has one sister, Thomasue. She was my favorite person growing up. I have four first cousins who all live in Waco, go to church at Crestview, and are like my siblings. Their children (4 and counting) are like my nieces and nephews.
26. I love my family... All of them!!!
27. I met my husband on someone else's blind date at an all night Soft-ball tourney hours after declaring to friends that I was no longer worried about finding the "ONE" & wanted to enjoy being single for a few more years.
28. Rob and I knew at least a dozen of the same people well for years before ever meeting or hearing of each other.
29. We met on July 15th, were talking marriage by August, and were engaged on October 19th.
30. After a 10 month engagement, we married on my grandparents 55th wedding anniversary 3 blocks from where they were married!
31. Honeymooned at Walt Disney World ~ the best vacation ever!!!
32. In our first year of marriage we moved 5 times, both changed jobs, lost my Grandfather and got pregnant! What a year!!!
33. I learned to drive a stick shift on a brand new 911 at Porsche Training in Reno Nevada.
34. I have been to LA three times but can't remember anything but the convention center and hotel... same for Chicago.
35. My favorite city is New York! I have been there 9 times and would go tomorrow if I could. The last time I was in New York, I was 5 months pregnant with Rhett.
36. I am not a picky person 98% of the time. Picky people peeve me, but only when they are snotty about it! :-)
37. I was a Fiesta Del Concho Ambassador for San Angelo in the summer of 1989.
38. I was the Spiritual Life Committee Chair on ACU senate for 3 years. AKA "the spiritual life chick!"
39. My Swahili nick name was Nweli Mingi ~ which roughly translates BIG HAIR!
40. I have spent more time in the Indian Ocean than any other.
41. I have ADD. Again ~ Can't ya tell?
42. I love to plan parties for my kids, family, church, PTA ~ I think I should have been an event coordinator.
43. I used to say I wanted to be a lawyer when I grew up, but really, I have always wanted to be a stay-home Mom.
44. I had three main obsessions growing up: Donnie & Marie, Little House on the Prairie, and Days of Our Lives.
45. I loved to cook at a very early age and brought my Mom breakfast in bed (that I had cooked) around age 3. Really!
46. I used to dress up like a maid and clean and clean when I was little. I LOVED to clean back then.
47. My husband wishes I would return to the pastimes of my youth (see #45 & #46)
48. I have a severe phobia of tests and have been known to break out in hives and puke repeatedly on the way to an exam.
49. I was in 10 wrecks between ages 16 and 26 and was never hurt.
50. History always was and is still my favorite subject.

Sweet Tea, Lent and Daffodils

I grew up in (and still go to) a Church of Christ, so to me "lent" was just something you cleaned off the air filter in the dryer. Around age 21, I came to the untraditional church of Christ belief that Christmas was just as good a time as any to celebrate Christ's birth. In fact, I decided to celebrate the fact that so many in the world cared enough about Christ to want to celebrate his birth.I still love the whole Santa HO HO HO thing, but Christ is a part of my Christmas.

After putting Christ in Christmas I guess the next step in the natural progression was to put the East back in Easter??? :) Just a few years ago I decided my Easter had to be about more than Chocolate bunnies and egg hunts. This year for the first time I decided to celebrate, or at least participate in, the season of Lent. (Not at all to be confused with the season of "lint" which involved a bird making a nest in our dryer vent last fall another blog.)

My husband grew up Catholic, so he has helped me with this a little. I have gone online and studied Lent. I have tried to fast (although I forgot and ate meat one Friday) and for the first time ever, I gave something up for Lent. AND Lent, as it turns out, is a long time! Ash Wednesday to Good Friday, or February 9th to March 25th this year. I gave up sweet tea, well actually all forms of tea.

This has been a bigger challenge than I thought. Over the past year I have developed an ice tea habit. Everyday, or almost everyday, sometimes even twice a day, I pull through Bush's on Hewitt Drive for a large, 50cent, 32oz., ice tea. Sweet, unsweet half-n-half or Nutra-sweetened, I love ice tea!!! There are very few, if any days that I do not go down Hewitt Drive past Bush's Tea... I mean Bush's Chicken. That sweet tea has been calling to me! But I needed to cut back on caffeine and I wanted my first Lent to mean something. Any guesses as to what I will bring to Easter Dinner this year?:)

I'm not sure exactly what you are supposed to do when you give something up for Lent, but everytime I think about tea, I try to say a little prayer asking Jesus to fill me instead and renew my love and zeal for his body. Today I was in the worst mood because circumstances beyond my control kept me from eating lunch with some good friends. Just as I hung up the phone from canceling, I passed Bush's. I said my "instead of tea prayer" and my mood was 100 times better, my heart lighter and my outlook rosier. Funny how even the smallest sacrifices are rewarded when your heart is right! Is this what Lent is supposed to do?

I am not saying that I think the Church of Christ has been wrong not to observe Lent. I'm not saying that every Christian must observe Lent. But for me, it has been a good thing. Any others out there experiencing Lent for the first time?
These are not my daffodils, just illustrations to the story!
On a totally separate note I just spent $10 on a dozen little daffodils for the front yard! Each year I add a few more plants so eventually the front beds will be covered. I love the cheery greeting these flowers give as I pull in our drive! YEAH! I love SPRING ~ new starts, new flowers, new growth!

Spring fever has hit!!