I guess I'm not a fan

I was reading the news online this morning and I just shook my head. There was an article about Chevy Chase regarding Saturday Night Live and the portrayal of Sarah Palin recently. He wanted the SNL people to go after her harder.. I think his words were to decimate her. And then there was the Hollywood fundraiser with Barbara Streisand (yeah.. I'm probably not spelling it right.. well, I'm not a fan of hers either lol) making Obama a gazillion dollars instantly.

Like I said.. I just shook my head.

We watch. We laugh. We call ourselves 'fans' of TV shows, actors, actresses, singers etc and ignore their agenda. The world's agenda. Satan's agenda. When are we going to wake up and realize these people aren't people who's opinions (and money and influence) we should covet or worship for that matter. They did not wake up one day and become experts on all things.. including politics and the environment because they've made movies etc. I can't get over that. These folks aren't 'experts' on anything but standing in front of a camera and spouting off words that other people write for them.. and we pay to see it and worship at their feet. These people lead an elite lifestyle that pretty much isolates them from anything 'real'...including relationships that last beyond ninety seconds, everyday struggles of 'normal' America and last but certainly not least... ANYthing of spiritual or moral nature. (I do realize this does not apply to everyone 'out there', but certainly to most all of the talking heads out there when it comes to THIS topic in particular) But we buy into it all.. including their vulgar opinions.

How do we buy into it??? By watching their shows, buying their DVD's or their CD's. But most of all.. by listening to them spout off their junk any time they speak and simply being 'fans'. When are Christians going to stand up and say NO? When are 'we' going to throw the baby out with the bathwater and stop worshipping at the feet of supporting these people? If all the Christians would stand up and say ENOUGH, it would change things tremendously.

Sadly I don't think it will ever happen. Why? Because we're too interested in our leisure and our entertainment to really care much about what 'they' do. To be bothered by their agendas.

Because of that, we lose. That's scary.

can it be?

Can it be that I've sat down and typed out 99 posts already?? And today is actually number one hundred? Well it seems it is! So in a post that could also be titled "the most boring-est post to date", I guess I will continue the tradition of posting 100 things about myself. Are you ready??? I hope I am! LOL

1. I am a child of God.
2. But I came to know Him outside the church and apart from it's goings on.
3. I feel like I don't fit in 'in the church' because I don't live and die by it's norms.
4. My favorite book of the Bible is Ephesians.
5. Psalms too
6. I like to read books by Andrew Murray. He is probably my favorite Christian writer.
7. I also like T.W. Hunt
8. and Henry Blackaby
9. and E.M. Bounds
10. For the most part, I don't read fiction. Can't figure out it's purpose.
11. I like cookbooks, but find I don't make much out of them.
12. I like to cook healthy meals for my family.
13. But only chicken and turkey. Not red meat. Lots of reasons for that.
14. I like my bread machine.. especially whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread
15. with marshmallow cream and peanut butter on top
16. or just the marshmallow cream... right out of the jar
17. I like the idea of being crafty, but often don't find much enjoyment in it.
18. I can sew. I stress out easily though.
19. But I've made some 'big' projects... like lined window toppers.
20. I usually think whatever I'm making 'now' is the hardest thing I've ever made. crazy, huh?!
21. I don't drink coffee. At all. So it's no big surprise you won't see me running around with a Starbucks paper 'mug'.
22. I like herbal teas instead.
23. Especially Celestial Seasonings Honey Vanilla Chamomile
24. With Stevia (natural sweetener)
25. I'm not really a 'granola' mama, but we try to keep it fairly healthy
26. I like dill pickles.
27. And home grown tomatoes sliced right from the vine with salt and pepper.
28. And cantelope.
29. And homemade guacamole.
30. And Vidalia onions...not by themselves though. LOL
31. I wear no line bifocals.
32. I like to paint my toenails
33. But not my fingernails.
34. Hot pink usually.
35. I've never had a pedicure. That just seems odd to me.
36. I am a very well documented germaphobe.
37. Which makes me a joy at your house if you're cooking dinner. LOL
38. I like the Peanuts comic strip
39. And Dilbert.
40. And the Far Side.
41. I'm a dog person.
42. And a cat person.
43. We had a dog until we had to give it away because our son was so unhealthy.
44. Both our kids were cat crazy, so when we decided to get another pet, we got a cat.
45. There are things we miss about not having a dog.
46. But cats are waaay easier.
47. It takes me forever to find a purse I like.
48. I have less than 8 pairs of shoes.
49. But I only wear about 3 of those pairs.
50. Mainly because I broke my foot a couple of years ago.
51. It was a graceful move really... I missed a step and just found myself sitting.
52. I cried like a little girl. It about killed me.
53. I got to cruise around on a little scooter for THE WHOLE SUMMER. (think tricycle with bummed up knee on the 'seat' and using other foot to push.. with a little basket in front and everything!)
54. I hate to wear shoes inside.
55. And if I came to visit you, I would take mine off at the door.
56. Pink is my favorite color.
57. It used to be in my house.
58. Thankfully we redid our house a few years ago.
59. We re-did our kitchen around our old dining room table because it's one we've all sat around. I couldn't bear to part with it.
60. And by all.. of course I mean all FOUR OF US.
61. If this is your first day here.. we lost our son when he was four. (... if it is, this post will likely make it your last! LOL)
62. We also have a daughter.. who is a total hoot.
63. My husband and I married in 1991. Durn I'm old.
64. We're both 43. See.. told ya!
65. I told him I would marry him if he would agree that we not have kids.
66. I got over that.
67. Everybody I know now thinks that's funny.
68. We live in the same house we bought 2 years after we married.
69. I think it's sentimental for us now.
70. I get teary if we think about moving even though we aren't crazy about where we live.
71. I like to scrapbook a little bit.
72. But I don't get into fancy layouts.
73. I am a very shy person.
74. But I can warm up easily one on one.
75. Crowds freak me out.
76. We like to eat out 'early'...before crowds hit.
77. You can forget about the mall if it's crowded. Ain't happenin'.
78. I don't like to dress up.
79. I don't wear make-up every day.
80. I'm left handed.
81. I always thought being a leftie was fun.
82. I only drink bottled water.
83. We have a water cooler/machine thing with 5 gallon jugs at home.
84. Tap water tastes like dirt to me. : p
85. I want to be more organized than I am.
86. I make stabs at it every once in a while.
87. Clutter is a constant struggle for me. But that's normal.. right???
88. I like being outdoors.
89. My family doesn't.
90. It drives me nuts.
91. I grew up camping.
92. Now we stay in hotels.
93. Sometimes I miss camping.
94. I like summer... even though I don't like the heat.
95. I hate long sleeves.
96. And being cold.
97. I should eat better and lose a little weight around the middle.
98. I should start walking again.
99. I should mop more often. Have I mentioned my new kitchen floors are conveniently the color of dirt? Works out nicely for me since I hate to mop. The Cheetos tend to stand out though!
100. As always... I should know God more intimately.

Well there you go. If you're still reading... and still awake.. there are some things about me. That was fun.. and weird at the same time. I've enjoyed getting to know so many of you through reading your blogs.. let's all keep writing, k?

not so imaginary

I met somebody for lunch today. Not just anybody.. I met somebody I've only known through blogging. She's not just my imaginary friend anymore! Is that not the weirdest thing or what?! If somebody had of told me when I started doing this in the spring that I would be chatting with strangers, I would'a laughed. Well I guess the laugh is on me! I had so much fun. I felt like I knew her better than a few of my 'real' friends. We jabbered like we'd known each other forever and in some ways we have... we've 'talked' to each other via our blogs for months. And not just 'howdy do' sorta stuff... blogging can be deep and personal sometimes. Can't it?

I can't describe how blogging has changed me. I feel like I have a place to be transparent. I hate to use that word because some people think of that word as their license to 'whatever'... but blogging is a place to share from the heart. Something that in my opinion, is all but lost in church today. And then through comments or meeting face to face like I did today (!!!) it gives opportunity for 'us' to know each other better and be of encouragement etc...whether it's a wonderful day and the birds are singing.. or a dark day and things aren't going so hot. Or grieving something or just whatever is on your mind...

It's a wonderful community. I'm glad my corner of it got a little smaller today. I had a fun lunch! :-D

dish pan hands

Home Ec just gets better and better... for me, that is. Boo's teacher is giving them some little assignments to do over the next little while. Things she should be doing a little bit of now anyway...but I didn't say that.

I'm just way too germaphobe-y to give my kitchen over to someone else. But I'm learning. This weekend's lesson was doing dishes. She did all the dishes Friday night and then cleaned up the kitchen again this afternoon, including all the hand washing of various non stick pans etc and scrubbing the sink.

I think I'll be able to 'get over it' some more in the future. I took a nap today and woke up to a cleaned up kitchen and cinnamon rolls in the oven. I could get used to this.

I heard toilets might be next!

yIKEs

I've been watching all the hurricane info on the local and national news. I guess our state has hit the big time since Geraldo Rivera is doing updates from Galveston. My husband and I were watching some of the reporting today and the first thing that came out of both our mouths was... he ain't from around here. Warder? What kinda word is that? It's waaahhder. Everybody knows that!

We will probably get some rains this weekend.. nothing compared to those near the coast, but the storm's path is big and the rains across the state are expected to be huge. So I've made sure we have lots of snacks and things to cook over the weekend.. I'm not much of a 'cooker girl' on the weekend, so this will be different for me. But that's ok. Bought some cinnamon rolls...you know.. in case of an emergency! Always planning ahead.

But all silliness aside.. please pray for those in our state that are being affected by this. There are those that are evacuating.. those that refuse to evacuate.. those that will rescue the ones that refuse to leave or get stranded somehow... those on the road 'out', where ever that leads... those ending up in a shelter.. and those working those shelters. Flooding, winds.. I could go on and on!

In the face of things like this, I always pray that the Father would be revealed to those in need and that hearts would be more open to Him than they are in times of self sufficiency.

the day

Today's the day. 9-11. No we'll never forget. Although this time of year is strange for me anyhow. Even with the attacks and everything else, the thing that comes to mind most often is the fact that we were still going to clinic and still sitting in those same chairs and still watching the same cartoons while watching the same kids play with the same toys while attached to the same IV poles and being cared for by the same nurses and doctors while looking into the eyes of the same sad parents.

There was so much sameness and at the same time, the world as we knew it was being blown apart. But while America grieved the loss of those they didn't know (for the most part), we were silently grieving the future loss of someone we did know. Our lives truly would never be the same.

Surreal.

holiness

Yesterday's post brings me to what God's been having me really think on lately. Holiness. It's so much more than I want to think it is. So many times I'll be flustered and think something I shouldn't think. And feel justified. Or stub my toe and say something I shouldn't. I don't need a cuss jar, but it's probably not the best thing I could say either. Or think that stray thought about someone I see or know. Or watch just that one little show I shouldn't on TV. Ouch!

Sometimes people say this thing or that thing "crossed the line" of their own moral compass, so to speak. But do we, even as Christians, live on the other side of the line? How far away from God's ideal do we live?

Holiness is more than I take in. And when I occasionally stop long enough to really think about it, it overwhelms me. He overwhelms me.

1 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.