Perfect People

This has been running through my head for several weeks now. As humans we are flawed, broken and not worthy of His grace and love...but He gives it anyway.

So we come bruised and battered to set at His feet.

Ode to the Bird...

From the area of Indiana this article caught my attention on the Associated Press:

Parrot mimics alarm, saves family

Associated Press

MUNCIE – A noisy parrot that likes to imitate sounds helped save a man and his son from a house fire by mocking a smoke alarm, the bird’s owner says.

Shannon Conwell, 33, said he and his 9-year-old son fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie. They awoke about 3 a.m. Friday to find their home on fire after hearing the family’s Amazon parrot, Peanut, imitating a fire alarm.

“He was really screaming his head off,” Conwell said.

The smoke alarm had activated, but it was the bird’s call that caught Conwell’s attention. “I grabbed my son and my bird, and got out of the house,” he said.

The fire destroyed the home’s dining room, kitchen and bedroom, Muncie fire officials said. It remains under investigation.

Aside from Peanut, Conwell said the fact that he and his son fell asleep on the couch helped save them. They may not have heard the alarm or the bird had they been asleep in their bedrooms.

Conwell said he runs an air conditioner and a breathing machine in his bedroom that drown out a lot of noise around the house.

Can you imagine? I am not a big fan of Big Birds being in houses and my sister would have a coronary if I even suggested it... It's not that I don't like birds I just get a little nervous in enclosed places with them...not the same as my fear of bats...those are just N-A-S-T-Y.

With that being said...With the insurance money from the fire I am POSITIVE that bird would have the nicest cage and treats I could find!

On another note...

I found this trailer on YouTube for the famous Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds.

I will warn you that it is mostly him talking but around the 4 minute mark a live bird makes an appearance and by around 4 1/2 minutes I was shuttering and my cat was batting at the computer screen...so if you do not like birds...DO NOT watch this video clip.

Amazing Freedom

I stumbled on this video today and all of my memories of the conference came flooding back to me... I need to remember in the midst of the storm that I am still free in Christ.

Amazing

It never ceases to amaze me how deep and unconditional God's love is for me. It doesn't matter how much I screw up or how bad the mistake is that I make He forgives me and loves me. And trust me there have been some huge mistakes! There was a time that I was not even concerned about what God thought never mind trying to live for Him...I was living for myself or what ever guy happened to stick around long enough for a relationship.

But....

When God brought me to my knees He did it with love. I had no where else to turn...Rock bottom is not comfortable...but when I looked up I saw Him waiting to pick me up.

Right now this is currently one of my favorite songs. I love the imagery that was placed with the song. Whether I knew it or not God was right beside me...and always will be...

A trip down memory lane

I remember very little about my junior high and early high school years. I have blocked most of it out as it was a very dark time in my life....

BUT.... I do remember going on a few Youth Group excursions to see concerts in far away cities...well sometimes they were only a day trip. I remember the first time I saw DC Talk in concert was in Dayton Ohio when I was at a 3 day conference/youth rally.



And if that doesn't take you back to the 80's then I am sure that one of my other favorites from that same rally will. I LOVE Whiteheart! The first time I heard this song about forgiveness it was a totally new concept to me. I grew up in a house where everything was held over your head. To this day I am still reminded by my Mom of the time I spilled a quart of paint on the carpet and how they didn't have enough money to go buy more paint because it was a special color etc etc etc etc etc...

The little dialog he has before the song really helped me to understand what forgiveness was about for the first time. Of course it took another 14 years before the concept of God's love really sunk in but nonetheless here is one of my other early favorites.

My Legacy?

Since the divorce I have been struggling with the idea of not having a child. You have to understand that when I was a child I would stuff baby dolls under my shirt so that I could pretend to be a "Mommy". For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a Mom. A Mommy...

My current last name has had a few not so desirable people associated with it. I would love to make sure "the name" has a child of God as a legacy. I want to leave my own legacy as I am sure everyone does. This child doesn't have to look like me, talk like me, be like me but I want a child to pass on my legacy.

Through the song "Legacy" by Nichole Nordeman that I heard (with a new perspective) at the recent Women of Faith conference I have come to discover that I am leaving a legacy. It just doesn't look like I thought it would.



I am leaving a legacy by teaching and directing at a daycare. I am leaving a legacy by living my life for God through the good times and the bad. No matter what I do I am a living witness for my faith and for God. I have had many people comment to me about how I handled the divorce... how I handled losing my children...the death of my Dad... the abuse as a child that I endured...etc etc etc.

Those things have made me who I am today and that is part of the legacy I leave. Just being me and not giving up on God when it would have been so easy to do.

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Although adoption is not out of the question and I am by no means giving up hope that someday I will have children. I am just accepting my lot in life and becoming content with where God has placed me for this moment in time.

Like we need another thing to worry about!

Burger King.

What were you thinking?

Many women already have hormonal problems with age and well.... WE JUST DO! OK!

Like I didn't have enough to worry about that now I watch which foods I eat out of fear of growing a mustache!




Yes I know it is a joke but I do still find the dancing guy a little creepy!

APS- the best explanation I've heard yet

This is by far the best explanation I've heard yet. It is easier to understand than all the doctor lingo I usually hear.

It is just over 6 minutes but well worth the time to understand this disease.

The Princess Bride is the best!

I love this movie! I think hands down this is my favorite movie ever!
The Battle of Wits!




The Wedding!



Just thought I would share...

More later!

Thinking back...

Every time I hear a song by Rich Mullins it takes me back to when my faith was new. When my Dad passed away a song by Rich Mullins was sung at the funeral. I was so touched by this song that I went out and bought the CD that contained the song. I can't find this song on You Tube but I did find another of my favorites...




I did find the lyrics for Elijah at Christianlyricsonline.com

Navigation: R \ Rich Mullins \ Elijah

The Jordan is waiting for me to cross through
My heart is aging I can tell
So Lord, I'm begging
For one last favor from You
Here's my heart take it where You will

This life has shown me how we're mended
And how we're torn
How it's okay to be lonely as long as you're free
Sometimes my ground was stoney
And sometimes covered up with thorns
And only You could make it what it had to be
And now that it's done
Well, if they dressed me like a pauper
Or if they dined me like a prince
If they lay me with my fathers
Or if my ashes scatter on the wind
I don't care

CHORUS:
But when I leave I want to go out like Elijah
With a whirlwind to fuel my chariot of fire
And when I look back on the stars
Well, It'll be like a candlelight in Central Park
And it won't break my heart to say goodbye

There's people been friendly
But they'd never be your friends
Sometimes this has bent me to the ground
Now that this is all ending
I want to hear some music once again
'Cause it's the finest thing I have ever found

But the Jordan is waiting
Though I ain't never seen the other side
They say you can't take in
The things you have here
So on the road to salvation
I stick out my thumb and He gives me a ride
And His music is already falling on my ears

There's people been talking
They say they're worried about my soul
Well, I'm here to tell you I'll keep rocking
'Til I'm sure it's my time to roll
And when I do

CHORUS(2x)

I listened to this song over and over for about a year and a half. Then Big Red and I were married and God truly brought me to my knees where I had nowhere else to turn except to Him. After a year of not listening to this CD I sat in my living room one day and listened to the entire CD...several times as I cried. I had been attending church for a few months but I didn't understand what he was singing about on an intimate level and I wanted it...that thing he had. The next Sunday in Church is when I got it...I mean really understood.

Maybe I will blog about that later as it is time for me to get ready for church.

A few thoughts

When you shout out of your car window when flying past a scooter rider don't expect them to understand you. Basically what they hear is "blahblahBlah BLAH BLAH BLAH blahblahblah" except it is nonsensical .

When you sneeze on a scooter...turn your head to the side.

Tomorrow I must mow the lawn and clean out my car. It HAS to be done.

If I have enough time I will wash it too.

I can't believe gas is $3.36 a gallon!

Since I don't feel I will look professional enough wearing Khaki shorts all summer I made a shopping trip today.

I am not a fan of shopping.


I bought several pairs of Capri's and some new Polo shirts.

Girl clothes I tell you. Pink, frilly GIRL colors!

Why is the Maury Povich show still called that? I think it should just be called..."Are you my babydaddy?" or "DNA questions? Free tests here" or "Out of control teens who will soon be back for the babydaddy special!"

With gas being over $3.00/gallon you would think people would be kinder to people on scooters.

Why is it that Marvin Gaye music makes me want to do very Non-Christian like things? Only the arrow click works for some reason...

Marvin Gaye – Let's Get It On

I like some of the commercials out right now. They seem to be pushing the boundaries further and further but....

I find this one to be so funny because... good grief I have been there and wish I would have thought of the wood chipper thing!



Well enough for now.

Hysterical!

Hysterical I tell ya! I don't know why but I find this commercial to be one of the funniest things I have ever seen. It ranks right up there with the evolution of dance.

I missed my Church today...

I really missed going to my own church today. I was needed at a different location. I understood most of the ceremony but I have questions about some of what happened.

I watched a little TV but have spent most of the day getting connected to God. I realize how much my church means to mean when I can't attend. I realize how present God is there and how we are free to worship Him in any way that we are comfortable. It may look odd to others but no one really pays that much attention.

I love this You Tube video because this man is not afraid to worship God in any way, in the streets even.

Crazy...

So I had a meeting with a friend today...we hold each other accountable for things. Just kind of a checks and balances type system to help keep me (and her) on the right track with our faith.

Well and.... we tend to keep each other out of trouble...

Today we discussed many things...her side I will always keep confidential. For my part we discussed how I am dealing with the divorce being final among other things. My Mom came up on several occasions. Well when you put together Big Red and my Mom in the same conversation with the two of us in a car at a baseball field watching her son practice in the falling snow the above song came up on several occasions.

It was a little tongue-in-cheek but then I remembered Cindy's Diner downtown. When we were dating and for the first couple years of marriage we would go downtown on Saturday mornings and have breakfast. If you are familiar with this little diner that "serves the whole world 12 people at a time" you know that they have little jukeboxes on the counter that you may pop a quarter in a pick a song. Big Red always picked this song along with "Splish Splash" and "The Monster Mash".

At the time he would sing it to me but in hind site I should have listened to the words a little closer. He always said he was afraid I would leave him when I "got tired of" him.

Well I guess I did leave him...but it had more to do with him sleeping with other women than me getting tired of him!

I'm just taking a trip down memory lane. It amazes me the things that trigger memories.

The smell of a musty smoke tinged garage reminds me of my Dad. Or fresh brewed coffee first thing in the morning. So does the smell of the perfume called "Millennium" that Avon used to sell. It is what I was wearing the summer I spent so much time at the hospital when he died.

The smell of fresh line dried laundry reminds me of my Grandma. She was the only person I ever knew that dried her clothes outside.

The smell of a freshly tarred road reminds me of where I grew up.

The smell of sawdust reminds me of Jamaica.

Seeing an old Simpson's t shirt reminds me of High school... well that and Salem cigarettes, Fuzzy Navels and a few other things.

Hearing the song Unskinny Bop will always remind me of my senior year. And this one reminds me of my "angry days"...no my Dad was not the guy.

This song reminds me of when I found out I was pregnant with the twins.

Agnus Dei reminds me of when I became a Christian. The line " Holy, holy are you Lord God almighty" suddenly was a statement to me instead of a question.

Magic Windows remind me of the innocent days of my childhood.

Wow what a trip..... does any smell or song remind you of anything?

Please remember this....

I carry a rock in my pocket because of the verse depicted when you see all the people dropping the stones....they are NOT stoning a woman caught in adultery...because Jesus forgives her.

When I feel like a judgment should be made by me I reach in my pocket and remember.





But the end of this video is what today is about...He IS risen!

The Easter Bunny Hates you!

I have to post this...I find it strangely amusing for some reason...

This is soooooo true!

Someday..........

I know someday I will have this. I just have to wait on God's timing.

Sneezes

So in honor of all the friends, children, coworkers and others in Indiana who have all contracted colds because of the changing weather I will post the funniest things I can find on sneezes.

I will warn you that if you choose to visit the overheard in the office link you may find several offensive things...ok so more might be offensive than funny.




11AM Only the Office Fix-a-Flat Kit Kept Her from Deflating

Woman #1 sneezes, then looks terrified.
Woman #2: Are you alright?
Woman #1: I think I just blew out my tampon.

Ventura, California

via Overheard in the Office, Feb 14, 2007

10PM What Health Care Crisis?

Employee: How long do I have to work here before I receive health
insurance?
Boss: Oh...Um...We don't do that here. I know some hospitals that
won't report you to the credit bureaus, though.

1101 Robin Hill Lane
Bel Air, Maryland

via Overheard in the Office, Jul 6, 2005

And this one just because I think it is too funny to not post this!

You have got to be kidding me?! Britney Spears is at it again!

Ok this girl seems to have finally gone over the edge! She shaved her head and got a few tattoos!?! Isn't there something about a 72 hour Psych hold that she can't fight?

Come on now. In and out of rehab within 24 hours...shaved your head BALD...B-A-L-D! and then get a lips tattoo and one that will not be confirmed or denied in another "location"?

If this is true I am sure it might get yanked down by YouTube or Britney's reps soon....





Rehab? Psych evaluation? If she seemed scatter brained and distraut then WHY did they give her the Tat???????Was she high? drunk? nervous breakdown? What about her kids?