I Know, I Know...

...it's been a while.  Today was/is the first Sunday of Advent.  I found this on the internet and it seems to me to be a great explanation of the spirit of Advent.

Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin, and yet who have hope of deliverance by a God who has heard the cries of oppressed slaves and brought deliverance!

It is that hope, however faint at times, and that God, however distant He sometimes seems, which brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth and justice and righteousness over His people and in His creation. It is that hope that once anticipated, and now anticipates anew, the reign of an Anointed One, a Messiah, who will bring peace and justice and righteousness to the world.

WOW!!!

I wanted to post the words to one of the hymns we sang in church today.  Jason encouraged us to listen to the lyrics from the perspective of the coming of Christ, first as a baby sent to die for our sins, and second as our Savior who will come again to take us Home.  To use one of his terms, these words really resonated with me today.  They are worth meditating on.

Come, Thou long expected Jesus

Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

Joy to those who long to see Thee,

Dayspring from on high appear.

Come, Thou promised Rod of Jesse,

Of Thy birth we long to hear!

O’er the hills the angels singing,

News, glad tidings of a birth:

“Go to Him, your praises bringing;

Christ the Lord has come to earth.”

Come, to earth to taste our sadness,

He whose glories knew no end;

By His life He brings us gladness,

Our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend.

Leaving riches without number,

Born within a cattle stall;

This the everlasting wonder;

Christ was born the Lord of all.

Born Thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit,

Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

NeedToBreathe

I am WAY behind in my "40 Days of 40" blogging but to be honest, I haven't done much to blog about. I will update my mom's memories soon but first I need to post some videos from another great concert.

This past Saturday night, October 3rd, I went with a couple of my favorite girls to see NeedToBreathe at WorkPlay. LOVED IT!!!! If you don't know their music, check it out here. Their new cd is great and they are even better live. Here are some videos from the concert.

Lay 'Em Down

Washed by the Water, part 1

Washed by the Water, part 2

Washed by the Water, part 3

Perfect Attendance

Day 3 (yesterday) - Mom's memory: "When we got home, your two grandmothers were there to see you. Actually they wanted to be the one to take you into the house. But your Daddy took care of that; he walked around the car and announced that _/*he*/_ would carry you in himself. And so he did. (I think that I may have had to get out of the car and into the house by my self???!!!?)"

Day 4 (today) - It has been a busy day today but it has been a good one. Whitney gave me a goodie bag tonight and here is a photo of what was in it. Thanks, Whit! I love it all, especially the finger nail polish - Bewitching Bordello, or is it Bordeaux?

I haven't gotten my "memory" from my mom yet but I will post it when I do.

Two, Going on Three

Day 2 of "40 Days of 40":

• Meeting all day;
• Upsetting lunch at Zaxby's;
• Met parents at two prospective future residences;
• Hung out with Stephanie;
• Updated blog with videos from last night;
• Was wisely advised against the two prospective future residences;
• Day 3 begins in 2 minutes - I need to plan better.

Mom's Memory: "I was in the hospital for almost a week when you were born. I only got to have you in the room 3-4 times a day, and for just a short "visit". Fathers were not allowed to visit at any time baby's were in the rooms. So your daddy could only see you in the nursery (thru the window) and I walked down with him sometimes. My how times have changed!. The very idea of the baby being in the room with both daddy and mother!?"

There's Nothing on TV

The Ingrid Michaelson concert was SO good last night. Here are a couple of videos. The videos are grainy at best, a little shaky at times, and some person's arm keeps getting in the way. If that bothers you, close your eyes and just listen.








She even sang "Happy Birthday!"

If you ever get a chance to see her in concert, I strongly recommend it.

40 Days of 40

About 10 years ago, I was a little depressed at the thought of turning 30. I decided to help ease the pain by celebrating for 30 days during October (the month I was born); I called it "30 Days of 30" (creative, huh?!). My friends and I did various things throughout the 30 days in celebration of the "big" day that was to come. I wish I could remember all that we did (if you were part of that and can remember, please let me know).

Well, if you are doing your math, or know me at all, you know I will turn 40 pretty soon. Once again, to ease the pain, I have decided to celebrate 40 days of turning 40. It begins today and ends November 2nd when I get home from my birthday cruise. I have no idea what all I will do to celebrate so if you have any ideas, please share them. I plan to blog during these 40 days so that you can celebrate with me.

Also, my mom just sent me an email with "40 memories of '40'" in the subject line. In the email she shared one of her memories of me and I am assuming/hoping that she will continue that for the next 39 days.

So, Day 1: I just got back from Camp Cosby where I left about 100 5th graders and 20 or so parents/teachers to enjoy another day without me. We arrived there yesterday and went non-stop until 9:30 last night and we started back again this morning at 8:00. I really did have a good time hanging out with the teachers, hiking through the woods, and getting to know the students outside of school. Tonight, my roommate and I are going to WorkPlay to hear Ingrid Michaelson and I can't wait!

My mom's memory for today: "When you were a just born you made a squeaking sound. I called you "Squeaky" for awhile. Mother was so worried that I would get in the habit of calling you that."

God of the Impossible Messes

Monday, 13 July 2009

Sally is doing morning devotionals for us each morning on the life of Jacob from Genesis. Here is what struck me about Jacob as I was thinking through what she was saying and what God’s word says about him:

Genesis 25:23 “And the Lord said to [Rebekah], ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.’”
25:27 “When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.”

Jacob was quiet, probably sitting back and observing all that was going on, figuring ways to work his family to his advantage. He cheated his brother out of his birthright. He lied and schemed to steal his Father’s blessing which also belonged to his brother. The Lord ordained from the beginning of time that the older (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob) and all of this would be accomplished through Jacob’s sin. Bottom line: Jacob was a liar and a cheater.

So, when God refers to Himself as “The God of Jacob,” He is saying that He is the God of the liar and the cheater. I find that incredibly encouraging! Perhaps He really can be trusted to work in areas where things seem to be out of control or where we think we have crossed some self-defined point of no return. Perhaps He truly is the God of impossible messes!

Diva

Sunday, 12 July 2009

I love sitting around with women and talking, really talking and not just shooting the breeze. That was dinner Sunday night. Connie, Sally, Whitney and I went to an Italian restaurant and the food was okay but the conversation was incredible and just what I needed. Sally doesn’t really know any of us so she began asking questions to remedy that situation. She was asking about my job as a counselor and the kinds of situations I see in dealing with my students. I hear some horrible stories from my students about their families and their lives but very rarely am I able to cry with them over these. This seems strange because if you have sat anywhere near me in church the past few months, you know I’m a crier; so much so that Whitney has started carrying Kleenex in her purse for me. Sally inquired about this and I took it as an invitation to somewhat unload some of the emotional circumstances of my life lately. Of course she didn’t have any solutions and I didn’t expect her to, but it was so encouraging to hear a fresh perspective. She left me with a lot to think about. I really feel like I’m on a much needed spiritual retreat and I am loving it.

Burbany

Sunday, 12 July 2009 Greystones Presbyterian Church

Church was so good! Monty, the pastor, had a baptism at his other church so John, the intern, did the whole service. I love that he wore blue jeans, a t-shirt, a hoodie, and 2 earrings. Despite his shy nature, it is obvious that he loves Jesus and longs for others to know Him. I think someone said he became a Christian through a conversation over the internet. Anyway, he basically read his sermon which I was a little concerned about at first, but WOW!!! God really spoke to me through him and I can’t wait to go online and listen to it again. It was good to hear again, from a fresh perspective, what I already know to be true. He preached from 1 Peter 1-2:3 about being a new person in Christ.

He said several things that were noteworthy but here are three that have resonated with me since:

• In the midst of persecution, the early Christian church was known to out live, out love, and out laugh their neighbors. I don’t think that is the case these days. It seems that many believers often think it more spiritual to be solemn and sad when we are called to be joyful.
• Our faith becomes stronger and purer in the face of temptation and trials. No one was ever pampered into being strong in their faith.
• I am called to be a new person but at the same time, He is making me a new person. So often I live as though it is all up to me but it isn’t. It makes me think of The Good Confession by Andrew Peterson:

“All I know is that I was blind but now I see;

Though I kick and scream, love is leading me;

And every step of the way His grace is making me;

Every breath I breathe, He is saving me;

And I believe.

So when my body’s weak and the day is long,

When I feel my faith is all but gone,

I’ll remember when I sang this song that I believe:

I believe He is the Christ, Son of the Living God.”

He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it. Thank God!

Knickerbocker Glory

We arrived in Greystones, via Dart train, around 6pm last night. The weather was horrible and luckily we were able to get in touch with Gwen Montgomery (Gwen's husband, Monty (David) is the pastor at Greystones Presbyterian Church) who was able to pick us up instead of us walking as we had originally planned. We are now staying at The Slievemore Bed and Breakfast with Pippens and Stan, the owners. We had our first experience in a real Irish pub. It was pretty much what I had imagined: people sitting around drinking pints and socializing. The time with Gwen and Monty was really good as we learned much about their ministry in the community of Greystones. What I gather from them, as well as from Paige whom we met up with Friday night, is that the Irish are pretty non-committal when it comes to fellowship. They will come to church on Sundays for the Sunday service but don't want take part in anything outside of that. The lack of community can lead to frustration and burn-out very quickly. I was reminded, once again, just how blessed I am to have the fellowship and community that I have.

I'm presently sitting in a restaurant with Whitney, using the wi-fi. There is no place to plug in the computer so I'm going to have to cut it short today. I hopefully will write more later. I want to tell you about the worship service we went to today.

Here is a photo of me from St. Stephen's on the Green, a park/garden area in Dublin. Well, nevermind; the wi-fi signal is too low.

An Eight Hour Flight and A Four Hour Nap

Here are the highlights of our trip to Ireland so far:

• The flight from Birmingham to Atlanta was short and uneventful except for the heavy breather that sat next to me.
  
• We got to Atlanta with a little time and empty stomachs. For some reason we thought On The Border (Mexican) would be a good idea for dinner before getting on a 7 hour flight. Oh, by the way, it wasn't.
• Photo 1: Whitney and I on the flight to Ireland; we had already taken our sleeping meds and were ready to snooze. Photo 2: Connie asleep on the plane. We weren't fortunate enough to be bumped up to first class like Bob was so we didn't get much sleep. Photo 3: The food they served on the plane; didn't eat it.
  

• We found a bus that would take us to the general vicinity of our hotel and then walked a short way on the streets of Dublin with our luggage. Our hotel is adjoined to a fire station. For those who know the story, that is really funny!
• We got to the hotel and slept for almost 4 hours and now we are ready to see some of the city.

Keep checking back for more updates.

IRELAND!!!!!

I leave for Ireland this Thursday, for 13 days, with 5 other women! In her latest blog post, Whitney sums up exactly what I'm thinking and feeling about this trip. Here is a copy of the email I sent to my supporters with some prayer requests attached:

Thank you so much for partnering with me as I travel with 5 other women to Dublin and Greystones, Ireland. We are all so excited about this trip and can not wait to see what the Lord has in store for us. This is trip is a little different from other mission trips I have been on in the past in that we do not have a set schedule. We have been told by one of the missionaries in Ireland that the Irish are much more concerned with the relationship than the time constraints we tend to put on meetings and agendas. As I mentioned in my support letter, Sally Breedlove, author and speaker, will be traveling with us and speaking at a couple of women's retreats sponsored by local churches. The goal is to use these retreats as a way to minister to the churched and unchurched women in the local communities. We will also spend a good bit of time with three missionaries (one married lady and two single ladies), encouraging and ministering to them.

I hope to update my blog daily with photos and stories of what we are seeing the Lord do. My blog can be found at www.learningtowaltz.blogspot.com.

Below you will find a few prayer requests for our team and our time in Ireland. Your prayers during our time away are so important and coveted. Thank you, again!

Julie

Prayer for 2009 Ireland Missions Team

July 9 – 21, 2009

Julie Ammons, Sally Breedlove, Michele Bullock, Connie Norton, Whitney Shores, Allison Sinclair

Prayer Needs:

· Pray for Michele Bullock to overcome her fear of flying, and that she and Allison will have no anxiety or fear during their flights! They are flying out 3 days after Connie, Whitney, and I.

· For God to open up doors for us to share the Gospel with the women of Ireland & that He will use our team to create a thirst for more of Jesus in the hearts of these women. (Colossians 4:2-6)

· For God to use us to encourage Michelle Tarter and Gwen Montgomery during our time with them.

· For God to prepare our hearts as we seek to love these women with the love of Christ. (Phil. 1:9-11)

· Team Unity, Physical Health and Safety. (Philippians 2:1-4 & Psalm 91:11)

· For God to help us plan for another missions trip for 2010.

· That God would do “exceeding abundantly beyond ALL that we could ask or think, according to the power that works within us – to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever!” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

· Names of People we will be connecting with: Chuck and Michelle Tarter, Monty and Gwen Montgomery, Paige Larson and Sarah Julien.

The Challenge

My Monday night small group started this challenge today. Check it out; you might want to do it yourself.

Sometimes...

...when you are struggling, God gives you little things that remind you that He IS at work and He IS in control. I am really thankful for that.

"The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you."
Ps. 9:9-10

Where Do I Begin

There is so much I want to blog about but I honestly can't seem to put my thoughts into words lately. Here is a quick list of some of my thoughts.

1. There IS Hope, even though I sometimes don't see it, feel it, or believe it.
2. Praise the Lord that His promises remain true even when I don't believe them.
3. I have some of the most incredible friends; they are truly a gift.
4. Being sad is really hard but I wouldn't trade it for anything because of how I see the Lord working.
5. I love my job (except for the part where we do State testing).
6. Those idols I was dealing with over a year ago, well, here they are again.
7. God does know what He is doing. God does know what He is doing. God does know what He is doing. God does know what He is doing. God does know what He is doing.
8. I am going to the beach in two weeks (I know, shocker!) and Shea will be there.
9. God's Word really is relevant (relative? ;) to my life.
10. We need each other, desperately!

Isaiah 30

"For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." 30:15

"Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, 'Be gone!'" 30:18-22

This Beer is For You

Amy and I were sitting on the balcony yesterday and had front row seats to all that was happening on the beach. Some entrepreneurs had set up tables and were selling beer. There were people throwing footballs and frisbees. We watched drunk teenagers play the dizzy bat game - you spin around about 10 times with your head down on the end of a bat and then, once you are dizzy, and in this case, drunk, you try to hit a ball with the bat. Most of them ended up face first in the sand and ocean. The beach below us was covered with activity. All of this, coupled with conversations we have overheard in the halls and elevators, can be so funny to begin with, but then it all just becomes really sad.

Amy has always had incredible insight into situations and she makes you think about things in ways you wouldn't normally think about them. She began talking about what was going on this week and how sad this whole spring break scene made her; she was really feeling sorry for the girls. The guys they are with want to get them drunk and uninhibited and mindless. They aren't safe with these boys and these boys have no concern for the girls; the thought of protecting these girls has not even crossed their minds.

I pondered this for a while and was overwhelmingly thankful for a few of the guys in my life. When I am around them, I feel cared for, protected, and safe, in several ways. I can even recall specific incidences where I knew I was being looked after by them. I won't name names here but you will get a personal thanks from me soon.

Oh, the title of this post comes from a conversation I had with a boy in the elevator my first day. I was going down to meet Amy and help her unload her car. When you are on the 22nd floor of a building full of people who are coming and going from the beach and pool, the elevator tends to stop on practically every floor. This boy and his two friends got on the elevator a couple of floors after I got on. We were the only 4 on there. He was pulling a huge cooler overflowing with various Budweiser beverages, and he was carrying a funnel that was already full. When he stepped on, he looked at me, smiled, said "I knew you were going to be on here; this beer is for you," and held out the funnel. It made me laugh and I politely turned him down - I don't like beer. As we continued to stop on other floors and the elevator filled up, he moved back against the wall beside me and propped his elbow on my shoulder. We arrived at the lobby and all went our separate ways. It has been an interesting week.

I Heart Valet Parking

Terry, Amy, and I have said for years that the three of us should take a big trip the year we turn 40. That would be this year, 2009. Amy was the first to get there, back in January, Terry's birthday is next week, and I will arrive in October. I don't like to think about turning 40. I am not excited about it. I DO NOT want to do it. I am not old enough to be 40! The majority of my friends, however, are somewhere between 6 and 13 years younger than me, so maybe this is the reason I have never really felt my age; until today.

I got up this morning and decided to get out of the condo. I called the front desk to have my car brought around and then I drove to Target. It isn't a Super Target so they didn't have all the groceries I wanted. That was fine with me; I decided to go to Publix. I drove down Back Beach Road and over to Middle Beach Road where I remembered seeing it on the map. I was so pleased with myself when I saw it up ahead of me...then I pulled into the parking lot. You would have thought I was at an SEC football game about an hour before kick off. There were swarms (not kidding) of college students parking and walking into Publix. The place was packed! I took a deep breath and joined them. It was quite humorous watching groups of boys and girls decide what to buy. I have never seen so many underage people trying to decide what alcohol to buy. I weaved in and out of the various groups who had no concern for anyone but themselves; the insecurity could be felt at every turn. I actually laughed to myself a few times; I was so glad to not be one of them.

I walked out of Publix with a little more than then items on my list...I left with a new appreciation for where I am in life. For the first time in a very long time I actually felt my age and was okay with it.

Spring Break!! Woo Hoo!!!

I haven't been to Panama City Beach in years but I chose Spring Break 09 to come back, along with about 1 million college students and a few high school students. I am extremely excited about the next 4-5 days because Amy Cardin MacCaughelty and Terry Axford Whitmore are coming down to stay with me. Amy and I have been friends since college and Terry and I got to be friends right after college. The three of us were roommates about 10+ years ago. We are going to spend the next few days watching movies, reading, laughing, and catching up. I have actually made a list of things of want to do during this week, either while they are here or after they leave on Thursday.

• exercise
• write letters to a couple of friends
• read my Bible
• write my Uganda follow-up letter (I KNOW!!! I am horrible)
• finish reading "Same Kind of Different As Me"
• paint my nails
• crochet a little on my blanket (that I started when I found out Shea was pregnant)
• work on my budget (yes, I actually want to do this)
• blog

Wanna see something funny?



All that is my luggage. One is clothes, one is shoes, one is toiletries, and the other is movies and books. I couldn't decide what bring and what to leave behind. Oh well, at least I have it if I need it.

Romans 5:5

We Are So Fragile

He woke up today just like every other school day. He got dressed, ate breakfast, argued with his sister, and probably listened to his mom rush him because they were running a little late. His mom was attending a parent conference before school to go over his test scores and he had to be there with her to hear what was being said. He grabbed his poster for the book report he had to give today and they were out the door. The weather was dreary and it had begun to rain. As they pulled into the school parking lot, all he could think of was getting this day over with so the weekend could begin. Nothing special was planned but at least he wouldn't be at school. They hurriedly walked into the school library to sit down with the counselor and talk about what he could do to perform better on the upcoming standardized tests. "I will be glad when all this is over with; I am so tired of hearing about testing," he thought. He listened respectfully, and somewhat humbly, as his mom reminded him that he lives a life of privilege; she does not require him to work and he is allowed to participate in any extracurricular activity he desires, namely, baseball. All she asks in return is that he give his best effort in school. That shouldn't be asking too much but how can he concentrate on school and academics when all he wants to do is play ball? He promised to give it his best and asked his mom to once again pronounce the title of the book he would be presenting in class shortly. "Roberto Clemente, Roberto Clemente." He repeated it a couple of times to help him remember. The parent conference ended, he hugged his mom, and went on to class.

The next couple of hours went on as expected: math intervention, resource class, PE, lunch. He had no idea that this was the last "normal" moment of his life. The intercom came on in the classroom and unexpectedly, they called for him to come to the office to check out. In confusion, he gathered his books and backpack and headed down the hall and down stairs. "What is Nanna doing here?" he wondered as he opened the office door. As he walked in, she leaned down and hugged him tight; she was acting a little weird and her eyes looked swollen. "Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

As they walked out of the school building, he knew something was wrong. In less than an hour, his 10 year old life would be turned upside down and changed forever. Soon he would hear the story about the car accident his mom had been involved in this morning on her way to another meeting. Nanna was taking him to say goodbye to his mother.



The "he" in my story is named Fred. He is a 4th grader at my school and he makes me smile, even when he is being defiant or lazy. He is just one of those kids that leave you no other choice but to like him. I got to tell his mom that this morning during our conference. On her way back to work, as she was merging onto the interstate, she hydroplaned across all lanes, across the median, and into oncoming traffic. She was brain dead upon arrival at the hospital. I have thought about this from Fred's perspective most of the day and my heart absolutely breaks for him. These are the times when I hate my job. Fred has an older sister who is a Senior, and a younger sister who is 3 1/2. Please pray for the Stewart family.

The Good Confession

About 4-5 years ago, there was a student at my school who had a pretty big temper/rage problem. He did not like authority AT ALL but, for some reason, he and I had a good rapport. One day I got a call from the office that I was needed in one of the 5th grade classrooms. When I got upstairs, I found an empty classroom except for JT, who was in one of his rages. He was so angry that the teacher felt she needed to evacuate the room for the safety of the other students. I walked into the room with the other counselor, closed the door and just watched him as he ranted furiously around the room, growling, screaming, and slamming his fists on tables and into the walls. We tried talking to him to calm him down but it did not work. Finally, I just grabbed JT from behind and held on with all I had in me. He struggled against me and screamed for a couple of minutes, but soon, he calmed down and we were able to walk down to the office without another episode. I have no idea what set him off but if I had to guess, it probably involved being asked to do something he didn't think was fair or he got caught doing something he shouldn't have been doing.

As I was praying for a friend this morning, this very vivid memory came flooding back to me, along with the words of Andrew Peterson's "The Good Confession." I have listened to this over and over recently and here is the part that sticks with me:

All I know is that I was blind but now I see that though I kick and scream, Love is leading me. And every step of the way his grace is making me; with every breath I breathe, he is saving me. And I believe.

My prayer for my friend, and for myself, is that our Father, who loves us greatly, would lead us to find our joy and delight in Him alone. Even though we kick and scream and struggle against your arms folded around us, I pray that Your grace would lead us to know your love and trust that You are good. Hosanna, save us from ourselves!

I Am Not That Old

About two years ago, while doing my taxes, I tried to e-file but was denied. The birth year that I entered into the tax return program did not match the year on file with the Social Security Administration. According to the SSA, I am a year older than my birth certificate says. Before you ask, I have no idea how this happened. This is not really a big deal right now except for the the fact that I can not e-file and somewhere, someone thinks I am a year older than I really am. I would, however, like to go ahead and get this straightened out.

I have tried to fix is online - not possible. I have tried filling out the appropriate forms and mailing in the needed documentation - not allowable. Today I tried going by the actual building where the SSA personnel work, but they were CLOSED!!! Do you know what their business hours are? 8:30 - 3:30. Apparently, if you are working, you have no need for the SSA offices, therefore, they are only open during usual work hours. So now, I will have to take at least a 1/2 day off or beg my boss to let me leave work early to get this taken care of.

Can you tell I was really irritated by this? I think I am over it now.

Another Church Sign

"If God had a wallet, your picture would be in it."

I thought it was kinda sweet.

Thought-Provoking

My pastor, Bob Flayhart, has a new post to his blog which I found very interesting and worth thinking through.

Chicken Lo Mein and an Egg Roll

Have you ever noticed that most "fortunes" in fortune cookies are not really fortunes at all, but advice? Here is the advice I got tonight in my advice cookie: "Investigate new possibilities with friends. Now is the time!"

What in the world does that mean? Any thoughts as to how I might go about investigating such possibilities? My first thought when I read it was "how you doin'?" (said the way my favorite FRIEND Joey would say it), but it probably has nothing to do with that.

I Got Coffee Grounds in my Throat

I got a new calendar for Christmas. It is the Urban Dictionary daily calendar and I have learned some new terms. I thought I would share a few of my favorites so far.

Hobosexual - the opposite of metrosexual; one who cares little for one's own appearance.

Narsty - Something that is actually kind of cool or strange. A combination of "gnarly" and "nasty."

"That gal over there with the 5 o'clock shadow sure is narsty."

(This next one is my favorite:)

Voluntold - The exact opposite of volunteering. Always used in reference to an unpleasant task to which you have been assigned by your boss.

"Coworker 1: I hear you got a transfer.
Coworker 2: Yeah, I didn't want to, but I was voluntold."

A Better 2009

Yesterday I picked up a copy of the U.S. News and World Report because of the title on the cover. It said "50 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2009" and who would not want to have a better life in 2009? Here are a some of the 50 things you and I can do to insure that 2009 is better than 2008 (the ones in green are the ones I can/will actually do):

1. Bike to work (it will only take me a couple of hours to do that).
2. Get a new toothbrush (totally doable).
3. Move to Vermont (not gonna happen; I love the unpredictable weather here in Alabama and I would miss my family and friends).
4. Walk the craves away (good idea).
5. Have your eyes checked (put that on the to-do list).
6. Take and afternoon nap (check).
7. Investigate the tales of Edgar Allan Poe (not sure why).
8. Save that November 5 newspaper (if I have already thrown it away, how do I get another one? And do I really want to keep it if I have it?).
9. Make yourself an author (hmmm, what would I write about?).
10. Do a crossword puzzle (it would have to be a really easy one).
11. Learn to speak Russian (I can say about 4 words in Russian, does that count?).
12. Keep a simple diary (my resolution last year was to write at least a sentence or two each day; did not really work out but I am willing to give it another try).
13. Make more friends at work (I like the people I work with).
14. Start a nonprofit (I really have thought about this one).
15. Watch TV free online (www.fancast.com).
16. Unscrew a bottle of wine (only if it is Riesling).
17. Slow down on spending (I am going to begin saving for a house).
18. Stow your money in a safer account (they suggest money-market accounts).
19. Study the life of Abraham Lincoln (or any other great leader).
20. Eat your own spinach (plant a vegetable garden).
21. Line dry your laundry (nope, leaves the clothes too stiff and scratchy).
22. Switch to a push mower (don't even use a riding mower).
23. Don't drive distracted (cell phones, iPods, etc.).
24. Spread tolerance (depending on what kind of tolerance we are talking about).
25. Buy laptops for children in poor countries (interesting concept but I have a lot of questions about this).
26. Try to hypermile drive (driving with properly inflated tires, staying at 55 mph, and using cruise control when possible).
27. Visit Alaska (I have always wanted to take an Alaskan cruise but I am going to start saving money so this is out of the picture, at least until next year at the earliest).
28. Give pottery a spin (would try that).
29. Listen to "Kind of Blue" (50 year old Jazz record by Miles Davis; I am not a fan of jazz).
30. Learn to play bridge (tried and did not understand it).
31. Play music video games (like Rock Band and Guitar Hero).
32. Watch "Let it Be" (a 1969 Beatles movie that is out of print and costs about $20 on Ebay and Amazon; probably will not happen).
33. Read the book first (they are usually much better than the movie).

If the success of this year is based on this list, I am not sure how great my 2009 is going to be.