You can Come As You Are

Come As You Are

by Pocket Full of Rocks

He’s not mad at you
And He’s not disappointed
His grace is greater still
Than all of your wrong choices

He is full of mercy
And He is ever kind
Hear His invitation
His arms are open wide

Chorus:
You can come as you are
With all your broken pieces
And all your shameful scars
The pain you hold in your heart
Bring it all to Jesus
You can come as you are

Louder than the voice
That whispers you’re unworthy
Hear the sound of love
That tells a different story

Shattering your darkness
And pushing through the lies
How tenderly He calls you
His arms are open wide

Love As God

Extravagant Giving - Yeah Right ...

Maybe I'm totally crazy ...
Maybe I will be in huge trouble from myHubby ...
When is extravagant giving going too far? Not far enough?

I went into Farm Fresh, bought a few things, came out of Farm Fresh and there was a slightly older than middle-aged gentleman in a wheel chair who was pandering. He claimed to be a Veteran but that wasn't important. He claimed to have been homeless but just recently was able to get a place and needed funds for food and things for the apartment but even that wasn't important. What was important was that he was the first panderer I had seen since I had gotten this huge gut feeling to give funds to a person in need.

Except --

-- except I didn't do what I should have done.

Give all that you have to one who has nothing.

You see I have been carrying $500.00 around with me while I try to decide if I want to buy an iPad. "What do you need an iPad for?"
That question has been haunting me for two months. So now I have been walking around for a week and a half with the funds to purchase one and haven't yet.

Give all that you have to one who has nothing.

Except --


-- except that I couldn't bring myself to give it all away. I gave the slightly older than middle-aged gentleman in the wheel chair who may or may not have been a Veteran and who may or may not have had a recently acquired apartment a mere 10 %. That's right, $50.00 of the $500.00.

I guess that means that I have failed ... didn't even come close to passing the test.

Give all that you have to one who has nothing.
The slightly older than middle-aged gentleman in the wheel chair was extremely grateful, even gave me a hug as his eyes brimmed with tears.
I felt only slightly blessed.

Give all that you have to one who has nothing.

I have failed you God. Forgive me ... please.


Update:
I got into the car, still feeling some guilt and shame and knowing that I had failed God and let him down, and started driving when I heard a song on K-Love before I even got off of Diggs. I don't know who sings the song or what the title of the song is but the words that I heard were: he's not mad at you, he's not disappointed in you or something like that. I can't find it on K-Love or in lyric search but I know what I heard and it was amazing because it was like God himself telling me that it was alright and that he wasn't mad at me for the choice that I made or disappointed. His grace is more than sufficient.

Look for the signs and wonders of God. Tell others of the signs and wonders of God. Be filled with awe again.


Wow!

World Cup Tension!

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸ Let's go U S let's go ❤¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸ Let's go U S let's go ❤¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸ Let's go U S let's go ❤¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ ♪♫•*¨*• .¸¸❤¸¸. •*¨*•♫♪ U S A!! U S A !! U S A !!

OMG, what an amazing set of group games today. U S against Algeria - what a nail biter. The U S has had so many chances to score but just haven't been able to place it IN the goal!! England is up by one over Slovenia but  Slovenia has really been putting the pressure on. Both games are tense. The U S REALLY wants Slovenia to win so that we do NOT have to play England for the group final game. However, I'm not sure that Slovenia can pull it off. We'll see. but there is less than 5 minutes left in the game (not including stoppage time). Oh wait, I got my information wrong - Slovenia HAS to win so that the U S can advance at all!!! Oh my gosh! This is a nerve-wracking group!!


UPDATE: Slovenia lost against England and the U S beat Algeria by one in the 91st minute of the game. Slovenia is officially out. We have taken the group because of goal differential. "We're alive." -- Donovan

Dimly I see

FOR NOW WE SEE IN A MIRROR DIMLY ...

NOW I KNOW IN Part

BUT THEN FACE TO FACE ...

THEN I WILL KNOW FULLY 

JUST AS I ALSO HAVE BEEN FULLY KNOWN

Lord give me patience 

to wait upon you and your ways

Grant me the spirit of calm

in the midst of this tragedy

comfort my soul and guide all my ways

praise You in this storm

and we'll praise you in this storm
and we will lift our hands
for You are who You are
no matter where we are
and every tear we've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left our side
and though our hearts are torn

we will praise you in this storm

i know it's not all about me but still ...

sometimes i think that i prefer the god of my childhood - 
     - the god who told me to invest all my energies in him
     - the god who told me the only relevant relationship in my life is the relationship i am to have with him
     - the god who demanded all my attention, all my devotion, all my love

here in my adult life, with my adult mind, i find that God is a god who is all about relationships -
     - personal relationship with God himself
     - social relationship with people
     - just relationship with all things around me

when i was a kid people were not very significant in my life. i wasn't invested in people, didn't form relationships with people (or at lest didn't form lasting relationships with people), didn't particularly 'love' or care about people.

now i'm an adult and i find that having a relationship with God through Christ Jesus means being in relationship with others, 'loving' those around me, being vulnerable and caring for them.

honestly, right now, that stinks!
honestly, right now, i find that i just want to curl up in a ball and shut out the world and pretend that the God of my adulthood never made such demands on me.
honestly, right now, i believe, that the God of my adulthood is crueler than the god of my childhood. 
     how cruel it is for God to demand that i 'love' others and then to cause them to be ripped from heart.
     how dare God cause me to deeply care for another and then burden my heart so with the prospect of his death.
     how could God bring me to a point of vulnerability and then crush my soul and cause such pain?
     how could a 'loving' God do this to any one at all;
          why does suffering have to exist?
          why can't God recreate the Garden, Utopia, sanctuary?
          why doesn't He bring about His kingdom on Earth now?

i sit here and feel the pain and hurt of the suffering of a dear friend, of the pain and sorrow that he and his wife and family are going through.
i sit here and shed tears for him, for her, for their dearest friends, for myself.

it was easier when i was kid and didn't have to feel. and i imagine that, since i am created in the likeness of God, that these feelings are not lost upon God. i imagine God feeling these same feelings; the hurt, the pain, the suffering, the sorrow. i don't believe that God ever intended life to be so filled with such heartache when He created all of the universe and everything within it.

i long for the light to guide us through the darkness. i long for the strength that surpasses all understanding. i pray for the comfort and care of my friend and for his wife and family and friends. i seek comfort for my own self this night as i weep and grieve for the inevitable loss.

why do we have to get sick, why do we have to die, why must we be separated one from another? i don't pretend to understand; i pray only for the patience to wait upon the Lord for God's Kingdom come when i will be reunited with those that i have cared about ... those that i have 'loved' ... those that my heart longs to see.

you are in my prayers jim and joann.
you are being remembered this night bill and mary alice.
my heart breaks with yours sally.
my thoughts turn to my st. mark's family this night especially.
my soul cries out to my Lord and my God and i thirst.
    

Made Witness To

Tuesday night at conference the Reverend James Gulley spoke with the assembly about Haiti, the earthquake that devastated that nation and his experiences being trapped beneath a pile of rubble for 55 hours. Here I make you a witness to his story through the re-telling.

First I want to thank you for your support to Haiti through the Haiti Emergency Advance [#418325], for donation of kits, and for volunteering to physically go to Haiti. The Virginia Conference donated $1,513,220.72 in aide to Haiti after the earthquake. Thank you. I am here because of Haiti and experienced something few of us ever experience - an earthquake. And we ask ourselves 'why?'. Some of the first questions I am asked is 'What were you doing in Haiti?', "Why should I be concerned with Haiti?', and 'What good news can come from Haiti?'

I arrived in Haiti on June 12th, at the behest of Sam Dixon, and went to the Montana Hotel just before 5:00 pm. We had gathered in the lobby. In only a few minutes, as we were going to get something to eat, the rumbling began. In the very next second I fell and all the building fell around us. The lattice steel roof fell and three of us were safe but two of us were not. Sam and Clint had the weight of 5 stories of building on their feet.

For 55 hours we were agonizing in the pain of Clint and Sam. There were moments of hope and despair. Moments of laughter and moments of anger. We sang songs. We prayed. We had times of levity and times of brevity. At a point the pain became unbearable for Sam and Clint and they believed they would not make it and their thoughts turned to their families and they asked us to remember their families. They began to list all the names of those in their families but I did not pay much attention believing even in that 55th hour that we would all be found and they would be alright.

In the end we prayed, 'Lord, whether we are rescued or not, let us only trust in you.' I was reminded that there are times and there are circumstances that are beyond God. I know that I am alive, while Sam and Clint and 230,000 Haitians could not escape the natural order of the earthquake and lost their lives, is through grace only. Our loving God is present with us in all circumstances. Scripture teaches us that God cares for every creature, for all of creation. The rain falls on the just and the unjust; Jesus calls us equally to repent. We all need to repent because of Haiti.

(... here he gave the history of Haiti which I did not write out ...)

Our history as Americans is tied to Haiti, and our future can also be tied to Haiti with hope for the resurrection of that nation to be better than before the earthquake. 

My personal story is only important as it is the story of the condition of the people in Haiti. Tonight let us commit to take Haiti out of the rubble into a resurrected people.

Conference Day 4 (Final Day)

Oh my gosh traffic was heinous! An accident early early in the morning at the HRBT caused back-ups all the way to Mercury Blvd. I should have learned a valuable lesson this morning but I betcha 100 bucks that I won't. You see myTed called me and told me how the bad the traffic was and suggested that I take the back roads to the final light on Mallory before crossing the interstate to get to the southbound I-64. I decided right then that I would not try to make the final Bible study. I left the house 40 minutes later and headed for I-664 (thinking that would be better). I called myTed while still on Power Plant Parkway and he still recommended back roads through to Mallory and taking I-64. Well all right then, I thought, and turned onto Queen Street headed to Settler's Landing knowing I could cut through HU around the VA and get to the same destination. The traffic at Settler's Landing was backed-up halfway to LaSalle. Fine, everybody has the same idea, I thought and made a 'U'y back to I-664. Well here is where I really should learn to trust the advice of other people - especially when I requested it. myTed is after all an authority on the tunnel traffic since he drives to and from Va Beach each and every work day. But no, I trust nothing and no one except my own judgement and counsel. Big BIG mistake. I was stopped for an hour taking I-664 to Route 164. I turned around and followed my husband's advice and got through the HRBT in no time. I was an hour and half late to conference because I thought I knew best. Lesson that SHOULD be learned - trust the authoritative advice and counsel of others.
Arriving at the conclusion of the report of the Statistician/Treasurer I arrived at least for the recommendation from the CF&A to transfer the real properties of VUMAC to their Board of Directors, forgiving their $86,000.00 debt. There was much debate over this recommendation (though it wasn't nearly as long nor as heated as the report of the Sites Committee) but it was finally approved with the addition of two restrictions: 1) the transfer of the title is done in compliance with the Book of Discipline and 2)  if VUMAC determines it can no longer maintain the property, all properties will revert to the Virginia Conference UMC.
Before the final worship service began we received a Mission Kit update (46,477 kits and $80,559.00) and and update of the Youth Service Fund (they collected $4,152.00). The Conference Offering remained at $180,500.00.
The final worship service, again led by Reverend Ross was titled Ministering On The Spot and the scripture passage was Acts 3:1-10. Reverend Ross urged us to be ministers, all of us not just the ordained (for after all Peter, James, John, and Paul never went to seminary and weren't ordained), and challenged us to find opportunities daily to minister to those around us.
The day ended with the administration of the Advocate to all the delegates and the District Superintendents declaring the appointments correct as printed in the Advocate.
It was a great Conference and I am privileged and honored to be able to represent St. Mark's United Methodist Church. Thank you.

Conference Day 3

An extremely early day today - woke at 4:45 am to make it through the tunnel for the UMW Prayer Breakfast by 6:30. The breakfast was quite nice and the company at my table was delightful. I heard a couple of horror stories of hotels that were overbooked and shuttles that were delayed or lacking as well as concerns over the CF&A Blackstone Recommendation. Then I was off to the Scope for days festivities.
The title of the opening Bible study was Does Your Church Have a Prayer and the opening theme was from the famous story of the Prodigal Son with the emphasis on transformation which was defined by the three speakers as "a movement of hope into a future that is different from the past." The focus of the story was not on the relationship between the father and the younger son (though the transformation of both was mentioned) ... no, the focus was on the relationship between the father and the disgruntled older son who could not rejoice and respond to the present joy of his father because he was lingering in the past. The real test of transformation is not when we are comfortable (as the older son) but when there is risk (as the younger). Then the three speakers spoke of leadership - transformation leaders who shape present and future conditions in alignment with a desired outcome; leaders who respond to present conditions; and Christian transformational leaders who shape present and future conditions in alignment with Jesus' call to follow Him. By accepting Christ's invitation to follow we are agreeing to participate in God's faithful remembering through the means of grace; it is about knowing where we are going and what we are doing, living and leading toward the vision that God has already cast through Jesus Christ.
By the time the business session ended we had already packaged 100,000 meals for Stop Hunger Now (I ducked out during the recognitions of the retirees to package more meals and got back just in time for the worship service).
The worship service, with the Reverend Ross, included The Voices of Youth who were celebrating 25 years of mission and included singers past and present. The  Biblical text was Acts 2:43-47 and Reverend Ross focused on the fact that after that first sermon by the disciples, 3,000 people were filled with awe and joined the church and they gathered together, they were all there together - they ALL built a movement. He continued by asking, When was it that we have been to church and have been filled with awe? It seems there is too little awe any more, it seems that we no longer tip toe into church filled with awe.
We have forgotten how we (as a church) started. It began with a sermon and the people were filled with awe. That's what happened with John Wesley - he was filled with awe and began a movement of social justice. We started out building, building up! There was a nurturing effect that built community. 
Reverend Ross then segued by quoting Robert F. Kennedy who quoted George Bernard Shaw saying 

"some men see things as they are and ask why? I dream things that never are and ask why not?" 

Do we dare to see some signs and wonders, asked Reverend Ross. Let's stop acting like God aint movin'! Share the goodness of God and celebrate the wonders of God with another.
The consecration of the kits followed the message - there were a total of 43,443 kits and $75,520.00 collected for a total value of $600,465.00. Then the Holy Rollers rolled into the Scope and the conference offering was collected. Our church donated $347.00 this year, a marked increase over last year (thank you everyone!). Saw Jeff and snapped some shots of him. The number of meals packaged for Stop Hunger Now was updated (102,000) and then we broke for lunch.
After lunch we had a plenary teaching session which was a continuation of the morning Bible study. The theme was Leading Through Relationship and taught us how to ask a question the correct way to promote dialogue. The three leaders answered one difficult question for the assembly, how do we promote involvement in our church? Relationships come first followed by the task which leads to transformation; asking someone to do the task before building a relationship with the person only leads to a temporary change however merely focusing on  relationship without involvement in a task leads to wandering and being task oriented without relationships created irrelevance.
As we moved into the business of the afternoon we were introduced to Uni who is from the GBGM Advance who presented the conference with two awards: greatest amount of designated giving in the Southeast Jurisdiction and greatest amount of mission support in the whole of the United Methodist Church. Then she talked about becoming a covenant relation church -- basically the church enters a covenant relationship with a missionary by providing $5.00 per church member to the support of one missionary. Denise Honeycutt was honored for her work over the past 10 years on the board of missions.
The assembly approved the recommendation to reduce the number of districts from 18 to 16 which went relatively smoothly. The big surprise of the afternoon came from a big debate that ensued over the report of the sites selection committee and in fact we had to continue the discussions after dinner! The committee wanted to have the conference permanently hosted in Hampton and the Roanoke District Superintendent (as well as others) objected rather firmly over that recommendation. Both resolutions three and four passed without much discussion.  As we adjourned the business we were told that the conference offering was tallied at $180,500.00.
I stayed for the evening program which was the Reverend James Gulley from UMCOR. Before beginning his survival story he thanked the Virginia Conference for their extreme generosity toward Haiti - $1, 513, 220.72 given to emergency relief. United Methodists world wide gave over $37.2 million dollars and sent over 700,000 relief kits as of a few weeks ago. I wrote out his entire telling of the events the day of the earthquake but I won't include them here - I'll make that a different blog. I'll only say here that the lesson Reverend Gulley learned was that 

"God cares for every creature, for all of creation. The rain falls on the just and the unjust and Jesus calls us all equally to repent. We all need to repent because of Haiti. My personal story is only important as it is the story of the condition of the people in Haiti. Tonight let us commit to take Haiti out of the rubble into a resurrected people."

Conference Day 2

Well, yesterday's report was only from 4:00 pm on and remember how long that was? Today is 8:40 am until 7:00 pm so imagine how long this one will be!
Arrived late to the laity address where Conference Lay Leader Shirley Cauffman was busy with the welcomes, introductions, and business of the laity. She mentioned the laity newsletter at http://www.vaumc.org/Page.aspx?pid=545 as well as Laity Sunday which this year will be on October 17th with the theme of Disciples Transforming the World Through Presence. For our scout masters there is an amazing Conference Scouting Fellowship that involves all the scouts sponsored by the UMC's in the Virginia Conference (it's at VUMAC November 5-7th which is the same weekend as the UMM's retreat at VUMAC). 
Then there was skit by Darlene Ammon and Janet Bracey entitled Our Call. To sum it up --
     --Christ calls us to be his disciples, be his hands and feet, be his ambassadors in the world.
Darlene then shared her witness which included this pretty awesome quote from her: 

"Have you ever noticed how God takes, what seems to us, the very worst thing and turns it into the very best thing?" 

From that she has learned to pray this simple prayer, "God put me where you need me and use me as you will." God calls each of us and he calls us by name. Remember Isaiah 43 and hold to the knowledge that God knows each and every one of us by name.
Then the laity address moved into the Re-think call series --
-- what if we ... re-think call? not in terms of what is, but what could be -
     - what if call wasn't just clergy? would you answer?
-- what if call wasn't just for one or two hours on Sunday? Imagine the impact on our communities and our world.
-- what if call is a verb? Re-think call.
-- what if we ... re-think the Virginia Conference? re-think church? re-think religion?
Finally the laity address ended with an update from the All Things New Committee. If you remember, in 2006 the Virginia Conference committed to creating 250 new faith communities in 30 years. In 2008 the Conference delegates overwhelming approved the recommendations that came out of the 250 Task Force committee. So now, here in 2010, was presented the All Things New - Keeping the Story Right. 
All Things New is ... 
            ... a vision for spiritual renewal
            ... our conference response to the great commission (go and make disciples)
            ... a reclaiming of our Wesleyan heritage (the world is our parish)
            ... a proclaiming of faith (shaped and transformed)
            ... a moving from ... to ...
                from protecting the Virginia Conference to transforming the culture of the Conference
All Things New is a vision to plant - to take members of a living thriving community and plant them in a new location.
All Things New is an invitation to harvest - to shift our focus from our own world to God's world.
The church often forgets the Easter Story; Jesus Christ is alive, Jesus Christ is risen, Jesus Christ is here with us right now. We need to turn from the empty tomb and see the living Lord calling us by name.
After a brief pause the business of the 228th session of the Virginia Conference began. There were a few prayers, a few welcomes, and a few recommendations to be approved. Everything went very smoothly - so smoothly in fact that Bishop Kammerer stated that we were to have an extended lunch because we finished early. Kewl!
During lunch I had the opportunity to go help with Stop Hunger Now filling bags with soy protein, dehydrated vegetables, vitamin powder, and rice. The conference goal is 100,000. The Bishop and her cabinet made 10,000 in an hour and half earlier in the week. In the hour and a half that I was there we made just over 26,000 bags. By the time conference business reconvened there were over 33,000 bags. It was a blast working with other Methodists, doing good for others. It was also humbling to realize that somewhere in the world a family of four will be immensely grateful to receive this little bag of food while I just threw away the remains of my lunch (meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy and peas). We waste more than many people in the world ever dream of eating! Wow.
When we reconvened we had a worship service which was led by the Reverend Vance P. Ross who is the Baltimore/Washington Conference Bishop. There was a skit (remember that I mentioned the skit rehearsal during my day one blog?) called The Tree Guys written by Laurie Simmons. The scripture passage was Mark 1: 16-20. Reverend Ross began his message by stating that every moment is a Gift of God that we should savor and kiss for we may not have it. His message is entitled Authority Calling and he quoted the refrain of a song by KEM called Love Calls, "There's no where to hide when love calls your name." True with authority calling - "there is no where to hide when authority calls your name." The God we serve is inviting us to an authority calling. Then he quoted Vincent Van Gogh ... "If you hear a voice within you that says 'you cannot paint' by all means paint. That voice will be silenced!" What Reverend Ross was telling us is that if we hear a voice telling us we're not capable of fulfilling that authority calling, just do it. That voice will be silenced. He was really an amazing speaker and I was enthralled and inspired by what he had to say.
After worship we once again returned to reports, recommendations, and resolutions. During the dinner break I went back to the Stop Hunger Now tables and continued bagging. By the time I left to go to the Service of Ordination we had 70,000 bags filled. I think we'll make that 100,000 goal before lunch tomorrow!

Conference Day 1

Arrived into the parking lot a bit after 4 pm and checked in the kits (totally forgetting the total # of each type of kit and having to guess on the form that I filled out - hope I guessed right but I believe I short changed the # of health kits!). After unloading all the kit boxes (a wonderfully dear lady with a cart helped me after noticing my 3rd trip thought the parking lot to the trailer!) and depositing the food into the food bank barrels I headed to the Scope (pausing briefly for the traffic signal and chatting with a couple from Suffolk - he wore the funniest golf pants that were the oddest colors and adored what I was wearing. Egad!).
Getting through the registration line, I browsed various exhibits (picking up helps and aides for youth ministry) and shopped at Cokesbury (and yes Crystal, I bought a Bible!). Ran into Hatsy who is selling UMW shirts and bought a pink one. Then ... 

[pause for dramatic effect]

... I heard the faint ringing of treble bells - it drew me to the floor of the Scope where a 12 member, all women (not especially young either) group of bell ringers from Trinity UMC in Petersburg were practicing a piece with seven octives of bells! Wow! I so wanted to jump onto the stage and play with them. I snapped some pics and thought of recording the rehearsal when I noted how little juice was left in the battery. Darn.
Now I'm journaling and waiting for the start of the Service of Remembrance and Holy Communion.
Hmm ... it's rather cool in here, guess no shorts and short sleeves tomorrow!

Ooh, a drama presentation at some point ... can't hear them because they don't have mics, they are just rehearsing but there are two guys, a little red wagon and boxes getting tossed all over the stage.

Oh and the worship team leader who is leading the music is the same lady who led the music at the Spiritual Life Retreat last year with her significant other (the s.o. is on the left and the worship leader is the fourth in from the left).



The message during the Service of Remembrance is given by Reverend J.P. Hong and is from Mark the end of 13 and jumps to the end of chapter 14.
 These are the highlights I pulled from his sermon:


When dealing with the death there is this fearfulness -
     - will we be united again?
     - will we be healed again?
     - will we be whole again?
And so we occupy ourselves by building walls, rarely communicating with one another.

I believe -
     - in a resurrection
     - in life
     - in an empty tomb
help my unbelief -
     - when the room is silent
     - when the one who mentored me is no longer there

I need to remember that remembering is not just remembering
     it is the power to cry and laugh,
     to hold another's hand and to walk,
     where we begin to experience the truthfulness that death is not the end.

I believe in the power of the cross
in the empty tomb ...
Jesus has gone ahead and is waiting for me!

The reading of the names of the deceased were read allowed followed by the ringing of two bells and the lighting of a candle for each. I recognized two names, Lee Roy Brown (who was once a pastor at St. Mark's) and Rex Wolfe (who was the director of VUMAC for many years).
Communion followed and the evening ended with a song that was absolutely magnificent. You Are Mine written by David Haas found in The Faith We Sing.

You Are Mine

by David Haas

I will come to you in the silence

I will lift you from all your fear

You will hear my voice, I claim my choice,

be still and know I am here.

I am hope for all who are hopeless,

I am eyes for all who long to see.

In the shadows of the night, I will be your light,

come and rest in me.

Do not be afraid, I am with you.

I have called you each by name.

Come and follow me, I will bring you home,

I love you and you are mine.

I am strength for all the despairing,

healing for the ones who dwell in shame.

All the blind will see, the lame will all run free,

and all will know my name.

Do not be afraid, I am with you.

I have called you each by name.

Come and follow me, I will bring you home,

I love you and you are mine.

I am the Word that leads all to freedom,

I am the peace the world cannot give.

I will call your name, embracing all your pain,

stand up, now walk, and live!

Do not be afraid, I am with you.

I have called you each by name.

Come and follow me, I will bring you home,

I love you and you are mine.

What A Wonderful Day.

So myPie got home from Kill Devil Hills JUST as I was walking out the door to go get myShelb.
You want to go with me?
I haven't had lunch yet.
Shelby will want to go get something to eat.
I know, why do you think I told you haven't had lunch yet?
Oh, so you'd only go if we were stopping to get food.
And I need to go to Walgreens at 2:59 to pick up my photos. They have a one-hour photo too, I had to go there because the one in Wal*mart is broken.


So I grab the dog and we hop in the car and head to HHS. I shoulda left the dog at home though because she was miserable and hot and panting and I swore she was having a heart attack at one point because her breathing got so heavy. Shelby got into the car and we headed over to Chick-fil-A. As we got there Annie perked up. 
She remembers receiving doggie bones the last time we were here. 
myPie gets strips and a vanilla shake with whip cream and no cherry, myShelb gets nuggets and a cherry coke and I get a sandwich and sweet tea. The food comes out first and then they hand me a drink holder with the three drinks. I pull forward slightly and take the drinks and place them in the cup holders, passing myShelb's back to her. Pierce dropped my wallet into my purse and in the three seconds that he was distracted Annie had licked out half of the whip cream from his milk shake!
 NO Annie!


I laughed so hard that I didn't think I'd be able to leave the parking lot. 

I created a bookstore!

Check it out here.

Haiku Experience

broken t.v. bulb
means watching on a small screen;
sure miss the big one! 

I'm turning 50!

In just 27 more days I will be 50 years old. Now 50 is old enough (way old enough) to not need any more things so I'm asking for my friends and family to donate to a cause that I have become very passionate about - the elimination of human slavery through NOT FOR SALE!

Please check out my link and join me in eliminating human trafficking!

desire

i usually try really hard to eat before 7:00 p.m.
it doesn't always work but most of the time we're done with dinner by then.
i have lab work tomorrow morning and of course it is fasting lab work.
wouldn't you know that makes me so want to eat right now even though any other night i'd be just fine!
murphy's law?

Trying a new experience

I honestly don't know how many people read my blog - just a few I suppose. That's alright, there are some pretty personal things on here that I don't know if I want a great many people to know. Does that make sense? Well, while I was on Amazon.com I noticed a little buzz about Blogger now being linked to Amazon.com for the purposes of making money (I think but not positive about that). Heck, I thought, what can it hurt?

Of course I signed right up. Here is the link, I think, I hope: e-Reader Feeder

The first thing that Amazon Associates suggested that I do is write a blog to see for myself ... so I am. I'm not sure what it is supposed to accomplish but - here it is.
The second thing was to add a widget, which I did (that was incredibly easy) - I added the Amazon Search Products box so now all of my readers (all five of you!) can search amazon.com for great products. I have to tell you honestly though that I'm torn between amazon.com and bn.com. I just love to read so much that I shop for them (books) where ever I happen to be able to. And in all honesty I have discounts cards at Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million and Borders. And it goes without saying that I have an Audible.com account as well. See, book fanatic!

I can't say to Amazon.com that this will be an exclusive "shop amazon.com" site because there are books I can find at bn.com that I can't find on amazon.com and vice-versa.

What does this mean for my blog? Well, pretty much nothing really will change with the exception that I feel I owe it to Amazon Associates now to review the books that I read to get others (all 5 of you!) to head on over to amazon.com to purchase the said just reviewed book.

*of course the current book that I'm reading, Silent Covenants: Brown V. Board of Education by Derrick Bell,  is a book off the UMW Reading List and it is soooo dry, it reminds me of a legal document or legislative draft. It's not a really thick book but it counts as two books read for Social Justice; that alone should tell you how dry it is!* 

So, let me publish this post and see what happens!

Haiku Experience

ah the sound of rain
with rumbling thunder behind.
cooler days follow.

Endless

The x, the moment

The X, the moment.

Your boy side-
[x] you love hoodies. 
[x] you love jeans. 
[x] dogs are better than cats. 
[  ] it’s hilarious when people get hurt. 
[  ] shopping is torture 
[x] sad movies suck. 
[  ] you own a car racing game. 
[x] you played with hot wheels cars as a kid. 
[x] at some point in time you wanted to be a firefighter. 
[x] you owned a ds, ps2, n64,or sega. 
[  ] you used to be obsessed with power rangers. 
[x] you have watched sports on tv 
[ ] gory movies are cool. 
[ ] you go to your dad for advice. 
[ ] you own like a trillion baseball caps. 
[ ] you used to collect hockey cards. 
[ ] baggy sweats are cool to wear. 
[x] it’s kinda weird to have sleepovers with a bunch of people. 
[ ] green, black, red, blue, or silver are one of your favorite colors. 
[ ] you love to go crazy and not care what people think. 
[x] sports are fun
[x] you talk with food in your mouth. 
[ ] you sleep with your socks on at night. 
[x] you have fished at least once 
—-your girl side—- 
[x] you love to shop. 
[ ] you wear eyeliner 
[x] you wear the color pink. 
[x] you go to your mom to talk. 
[ ] you consider cheerleading a sport. 
[ ] you hate wearing the color black. 
[x] you like going to the mall. 
[ ] you like getting manicures and/or pedicures 
[x] you like wearing jewelry. 
[ ] you cried watching the notebook. 
[ ] dresses are a big part of your wardrobe. 
[x] shopping is one of your favorite hobbies. 
[ ] you don’t like the movie star wars 
[ ] you are/were in gymnastics. 
[ ] it takes you around one hour to shower, get dressed, and make-up.
[x] you smile a lot more than you should. 
[ ] you have more than 10 pairs of shoes. 
[ ] you care about what you look like. 
[ ] you like wearing dresses when you can. 
[ ] you like wearing high heel shoes. 
[x] you used to play with dolls as little kid. 
[ ] you like putting make-up on others. 
[ ] you like being the star of everything. 
[ ] pink is one of your favorite colors. 
• appearance • 
[ ] i am shorter than 5′5″. 
[x] i have many scars. 
[x] i tan/burn easily. 
[x ] i wish my hair was a different colour. 
[x] i have friends who have never seen my natural hair colour. 
[ ] i have a tattoo. 
[ ] i am self-conscious about my appearance. 
[ ] i’ve had/have braces. 
[ ] i’ve been told i’m attractive by a complete stranger. 
[x] i have more than two piercings. 
[ ] i have / had piercings in places besides my ears. 
• embarrassment • 
[ ] i’ve slipped out an “lol” in a spoken conversation. 
[x] disney movies still make me cry. 
[ ] i’ve snorted while laughing. 
[x] i’ve laughed so hard i’ve cried. 
[x] i’ve glued my hand to something. 
[ ] i’ve laughed ’til some kind of beverage came out of my nose. 
[ ] i’ve had my pants rip in public.
• health • 
[ ] i’ve gotten stitches. 
[x] broken a bone. 
[x] i’ve had my tonsils removed. 
[x] i’ve sat in a doctor’s office with a friend. 
[x] i’ve had my wisdom teeth removed. 
[ ] i’ve had serious surgery. 
[x] i’ve had chicken pox. 
• traveling • 
[x] i’ve driven / riden over 200 miles in one day. 
[x] i’ve been on a plane. 
[ ] i’ve been to canada. 
[ ] i’ve been to cuba. 
[ ] i’ve been to niagara falls. 
[ ] i’ve been to ottawa. 
[ ] i’ve gone to sudbury. 
[ ] i’ve been to the caribbean. 
[x] i’ve been to europe. 
[x] i’ve been to florida. 
• experiences • 
[x] i’ve gotten lost in my city. 
[x] i’ve seen a shooting star. 
[x] i’ve wished on a shooting star. 
[x] i’ve seen a meteor shower. 
[x] i’ve gone out in public in my pajamas. 
[x] i’ve pushed all the buttons on an elevator. 
[ ] i’ve kicked a guy where it hurts. 
[x] i’ve been to a casino. 
[ ] i’ve been skydiving. 
[x] i’ve gone skinny-dipping. 
[ ] i’ve drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour. 
[x] i’ve crashed a car. 
[x ] i’ve been skiing. 
[ ] i’ve been in a musical. 
[x ] i’ve caught a snowflake or snow on my tongue. 
[ ] i’ve seen the northern lights. 
[x] i’ve sat on a rooftop at night. 
[x] i’ve played a prank on someone. 
[x] i’ve ridden in a taxi. 
[x] i’ve seen the rocky horror picture show. 
[x] i’ve eaten sushi. 
[ ] i’ve been snowboarding. 
• relationships • 
[ ] i’m single. 
[ ] i’m in a relationship. 
[ ] i’m engaged. 
[x ] i’m married. 
[ ] i miss someone right now. 
[ ] i’ve gotten divorced. 
[ ] i’ve told someone i loved them when i didn’t. 
[x] i’ve told someone i didn’t love them when i did. 
• honesty / crime • 
[x] i’ve done something i promised someone else i wouldn’t. 
[x] i’ve done something i promised myself i wouldn’t. 
[x] i’ve snuck out. 
[x] i’ve lied to my parents about where i am. 
[ ] i’ve cheated while playing a game. 
[x] i’ve ran a red light. 
[ ] i’ve witnessed a crime. 
[ ] i’ve been in a fist fight. 
[ ] i’ve been arrested. 
• death and suicide • 
[x] i’m afraid of dying. 
[x] i hate funerals. 
[x] i’ve seen someone / something dying. 
[ ] someone close to me has attempted / committed suicide. 
[x] i’ve planned my own suicide before. 
[ ] i’ve written a eulogy for myself. 
• materialism • 
[ ] i own over 5 rap cd’s. 
[ ] i have an unhealthy obsession with anime / manga. 
[ ] i own designer purses, costing over $100 a piece. 
[x] i own something from pac sun. 
[x] i collected comic books. 
[x] i own something from the gap. 
[ ] i own something i got on e-bay. 
[ ] i own something from abercrombie 
• random 
[ ] i can sing well.
[ ] stolen a tray from a fast food restaurant. 
[ ] i open up to others easily 
[ ] i watch the news. 
[ ] i don’t kill bugs 
[ ] i sing in the shower. 
[x] i am a morning person. 
[x] i paid for my cell phone ring tone. 
[x] i am a sports fanatic. 
[x] i twirl my hair. 
[x] i care about grammar. 
[ ] i have “?”’s in my screen name. 
[ ] i love spam. 
[ ] i’ve copied more than 30 cd’s in a day. 
[ ] i bake well. 
[x] my favorite colour is either white, yellow, pink, red, blue, black, purple, or orange. 
[x] i would wear pijamas to school. 
[ ] i like martha stewart. 
[x] i know how to shoot a gun. 
[ ] i am guilty of typing like this.
[x] i laugh at my own jokes 
[x] i eat fast food weekly.
[ ] i’ve not turned anything in and still got an a in a certain class. 
[x] i can’t sleep if there is a spider in the room. 
[x] i am really ticklish. 
[ ] i like white chocolate. 
[x] i bite my nails. 
[x] i’m good at remembering faces. 
[ ] i’m good at remembering names. 
[ ] i’m good at remembering dates. 
[X] i honestly have no idea what i want to do for the rest of my life. 
[x] all my answers were totally honest