It is true. I have very sick and disturbed friends. Why? Because they love to torture me. I have never liked scary movies. My friends know this and take full advantage of it. I will get invited to the movies and they will even go as far as to purposefully not tell me what we are going to see, just so they can get a sick joy over seeing me freak out. Yesterday, I got a text from my friend, my very best friend, to go to the movies. I knew immediately that there was a very scary movie out that she was dying to see. So, I reluctantly texted her back asking her what she had in mind. Yep. The movie that I nearly peed in my pants just watching the trailer. Ugh!!! I told her fine (after going back and forth on the subject) but she just better be prepared to be embarrassed and she can't act like she doesn't know me in the theater. I wasn't kidding about the "acting like you don't know me". The last movie she tricked me in to seeing, I spent most of the time mindlessly eating popcorn and peaking through my fingers... well, when my fingers were not in my ears! I would even hum loudly just so I couldn't hear that stupid music that "sets you up". She agreed. I agreed. Then she gets on the phone to see if anyone else wanted to go to the show. By show, I mean me. They get their money's worth. They get to see two freak shows for one. Once my "friends" find out who is going (me) and what we are going to see, they giggle and laugh and giddily jump at the chance to go. Sick. Sick. Sick.I didn't disappoint them. The first jump and scream from me and they can barely quit laughing....ten minutes AFTER it happened. Sick. Then, the icing on the cake for these sicko's was that during the movie a demon calls out one of the main character's name..."Angie". I turn to my friend with panic and ask, "Did he just say, Angie????" In return I get a happy "Yes!" and hysterical laughing. Did I mention they were sick??I come home and have to spend the next two hours unwinding my mind with trivial, meaningless stuff. I even have to take some Tylenol for the intense stiffness of my neck. I try to facebook and guess what?? They have already invaded my page. Sick.Well, I am here to say that I am secure in myself and am not afraid to happily admit that I am a true chicken. Not a chicken with all things. I am adventurous and will try just about anything that pushes me outside my fear zone. I am a tough girl. BUT, I don't like scary movies! Why? Because they are scary, people!!! So to all my sick friends...
Ah, Valentine's Day. One of my very favorite holidays. It is a day that you can lavish those that you love with lots of extra lovin's. An "over the top" kind of day. From the time we are little this day is known to be a special day.I remember my very first "real" Valentine. It was from a boy named Eddie. Fourth grade. He gave me my Valentine right before lunch. He didn't want anyone to see him do it, so he walked by and quickly tucked it in my lunch bag. I saw him put it in there even though he didn't think anyone was looking. I couldn't wait to get to lunch so I could open it up. It didn't disappoint. It was all girly with lots of hearts and lace. On the inside it declared, "Will you be my Valentine?". And, of course, I wrote him a note later that said, "YES!". There were many Valentine cards that were given to me over the years. Flowers sent to school, boxes of chocolate, and dinner dates. All in the name of love. As we grow older, that love becomes more complicated. Love is declared and then taken away. Hearts soar with love and then crumble in heartache. You would think that the older you get the easier it would be, but not always. I mean, we have had lots of practice! However, people will declare their love for you but do things that go against that being true. Some people will promise loyalty to you, but then abandon you when you need them most. Some claim to be your best friend, but then walk away as if they never knew you. Some will tell you that you are the "whole package", but decide they don't like your package. Some will use you, tell you that you mean something special to them, but hurt you in the end. Some will play games with you, knowing that they don't want you, but will still pull on your heart strings. Some love simply ends. Sometimes you may not recover from the broken heart. Sometimes you may always carry special feelings for someone. Sometimes there are regrets, wishing things could be different.The one steadfast truth that we can know, is that the Lord is NEVER like that. His love is perfect and unconditional. It is solid. No swaying one way or the other. His love is faithful. He will never use you. He will never abuse your heart. He will never tell you lies. No games with Him. He LOVES you. Romans 8:38-39 tells us that nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from His perfect love.The great thing about the heart is that unless it stops beating, you can change so many things about it! It can pump again, but better. It can swell up with tenderness once again. It can forgive. It can be revived! One of my favorite flowers are tulips. I love how they shoot up early in the spring and stand at attention in vibrant colors. It is a reminder that spring is here and the cold, hard winter is leaving. The tulips dies but it isn't the end. It faithfully comes back once again. The heart is a lot like that. Resilient. This Valentine's Day, I am wishing you all a day full of love. If it is a particularly hard day for you, bask in the knowledge that one day you will know perfect love. For right now, you can know of the love of a Savior and one day you will be able to reciprocate that perfect love back to Him and others.For all those people that have faithfully loved me; I love you.
Growing up with an abundance of snow has it's downfall. You get tired of it. I can remember walking to school in seemingly blizzard conditions. (No, not barefoot and two miles up hill ...haha!) We would bundle up, boot up, and suck it up. Out the door we would go, hoping that we could at least see over the snowbanks for oncoming traffic. School went on as usual. No snow days. Heck, we even had recess in winter...in the snow! I even remember waking up one Easter with the option of hiding eggs in the house or hiding them outside in four feet of snow. I have had my share of snow and I am so over it. Now, so that you don't think I am prejudiced against snow, I will say that I do like some snow at Christmas. I also don't mind the occasional big snow. It does afford at least one opportunity for some snow fun. I am able to let my inner kid run free. I have to remind myself that my girls have not grown up with snow and they find is amazing and wonderful. So, for their benefit, I will bundle up, boot up, and suck it up.
(Gracie and I having fun in the snow)
And after it is all done, we are all warm, I anxiously await for the snow to melt! The snow came, we played...now go away. As I type this, I am looking out the window at a blanket of fresh snow. Sigh. And, once again, the girls are out of school because of it. I am glad to have them home but I wish it were because it was summer break!As I decide what to do with this stupid snow today....yes, I said stupid...I will remember that this time next month I will be at the beach. Then, the next month after that, I will once again be at the beach. I also have a Grand Canyon trip coming up this spring. So, go ahead snow...give me what you got, you can only last so long!
Hey, friends! I need a "lighter" post. Sometimes we need to escape the daily struggles that come with life and enjoy some good laughter. So, take a deep breath. Whew! I feel better already!To help you out, why not try the above video? [Warning: Girls, you may want to forbid your man from watching this! haha!] This was a Zumba certification class led by Gina Grant. She is amazing! (If I could only get her whistle down!)There is no one as good as her, other than Jason Hatmaker. He can make moves like you have never seen. No, not really. He is a wanna-be. He shows up week after week in his hot pink cargo's with tassels on them ready to swing his hips and swish his hair...well, minus the hair swishing...he really doesn't have any hair. And, yet, each week they turn him away at the door. So, he stands outside the door with tears in his eyes watching from the window. Actually, we have had to hire security to keep an eye on him. He kinda scares us all. (Alright. In fairness, that is just a funny payback to my good buddy Jason. But it is true he doesn't have much hair! haha!).The point of this post is just to give you a chuckle. Lighten up. Relax. Smile. Exercise. Dance! It is a great stress reliever. Just do it!What makes YOU laugh?
Kid Rock? Really?? I am not a Kid Rock fan by any means. However, I do love this song. I especially love the scenery (if only I could take him out of the scenes...blech!).My reaction when I hear this song is to want to jump in my vehicle, turn up the volume and just drive. Specifically, to a very warm place. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to escape the daily grind of life and really be free?We are standing on the threshold of a brand new year. A chance to start fresh. Let go of things that shackle us and be free. That is what I intend to do this year. Last year, life was tough. It still is at this season in my life. Maybe it is like that for you as well. But one thing we can do is begin afresh. Consequences and situations may not change, but our outlook certainly can! Life is so short. We just cannot afford time to be spent in misery! We were made to live in freedom!It would be nice to think that we were born free. The truth is, we were not born free. We were born to sin. The sweetness to the story, though, is that we don't have to be bound to a life of slavery. We can truly be free. If we put our faith in Christ, we will have the ultimate freedom! We were not "born free" but we were born to "be free".2010 is done. It is over. Nothing can be undone. 2011 is a new opportunity to begin again. So, Happy New Year. Be thankful it is new and plan on it being happy! Love you all!!
It is true. I have very sick and disturbed friends. Why? Because they love to torture me. I have never liked scary movies. My friends know this and take full advantage of it. I will get invited to the movies and they will even go as far as to purposefully not tell me what we are going to see, just so they can get a sick joy over seeing me freak out. Yesterday, I got a text from my friend, my very best friend, to go to the movies. I knew immediately that there was a very scary movie out that she was dying to see. So, I reluctantly texted her back asking her what she had in mind. Yep. The movie that I nearly peed in my pants just watching the trailer. Ugh!!! I told her fine (after going back and forth on the subject) but she just better be prepared to be embarrassed and she can't act like she doesn't know me in the theater. I wasn't kidding about the "acting like you don't know me". The last movie she tricked me in to seeing, I spent most of the time mindlessly eating popcorn and peaking through my fingers... well, when my fingers were not in my ears! I would even hum loudly just so I couldn't hear that stupid music that "sets you up". She agreed. I agreed. Then she gets on the phone to see if anyone else wanted to go to the show. By show, I mean me. They get their money's worth. They get to see two freak shows for one. Once my "friends" find out who is going (me) and what we are going to see, they giggle and laugh and giddily jump at the chance to go. Sick. Sick. Sick.I didn't disappoint them. The first jump and scream from me and they can barely quit laughing....ten minutes AFTER it happened. Sick. Then, the icing on the cake for these sicko's was that during the movie a demon calls out one of the main character's name..."Angie". I turn to my friend with panic and ask, "Did he just say, Angie????" In return I get a happy "Yes!" and hysterical laughing. Did I mention they were sick??I come home and have to spend the next two hours unwinding my mind with trivial, meaningless stuff. I even have to take some Tylenol for the intense stiffness of my neck. I try to facebook and guess what?? They have already invaded my page. Sick.Well, I am here to say that I am secure in myself and am not afraid to happily admit that I am a true chicken. Not a chicken with all things. I am adventurous and will try just about anything that pushes me outside my fear zone. I am a tough girl. BUT, I don't like scary movies! Why? Because they are scary, people!!! So to all my sick friends...
And PROUD OF IT!
