River Walk

After sleeping in and missing church, we watched a dreadfully depressing (although historically accurate) movie set in Germany during World War II. The feeling in the room when the credits starting rolling at the end was one of complete hopelessness and utter despair. I instinctively knew our Sunday was in serious trouble.

That's it. Dad, we're getting out, said I. Where to? he replied.
The great outdoors. We need some sunshine, was my answer.

The scenery was fantastic.

The company even better.

Thank God for sunshine.

(and to the oldest, you were missed).

Miss USA And A Teenage Girl

"Stick thin."
"Rather large on top."
"Perfect singer."
"Probably a good dancer."

My thirteen-year old daughter's thoughts on the Miss USA competition.

"And they wonder why we have issues."
Her words, not mine.

"I would like to see one dress that is straight across."
Referring to the plunging necklines.

"She looks orange."
Spray tans.

"I hope she knows she would look a lot better if she sat straight up."
Slouchiness at the piano.

"I really don't like that dress. Looks like a rainbow puked on her."
Complete with sound effects.

"Walking chicken legs."
"I could be a dancer."
"That looks painful."
"Her hair looks perfect all the time."

My girl. Beautiful. Tall. Healthy. Dancing through the living room as I type.
So much potential. So many choices. So many things confusing the way she thinks.

"Can I mute it?"
"Have you ever seen that movie Fame?"
"I hope she knows the sleeves make her arms look kinda squirrel-wingish."
"I wanna see somebody on roller skates."

"I think people worry too much about their weight, Mom."

Well said, Daughter. Well said.

Although I'm still trying to figure out if squirrel-wingish is an actual word.

Roller Coaster Life

I love roller coasters, but I hate the height part of it. You know that clackety-clack sound that takes you to the tip-top part of a coaster? To me, that's the worst part. That and the eerie silence that coincides with the end of that clackety-clack sound. The tell-tale moment when the last car loses contact with the chain that sends the whole contraption plummeting down through twists and turns and speeding its way to no return... well, to the end of the ride anyway. The anticipation. The actual event. And the feeling at the end that cries, "I did it!" Ahhhh... makes me want to go ride one now even though I'm no where near one. I guess I'm thinking of roller coasters because that's how the day has been. Up and down. A twist here and a turn there.

Peaceful breakfast at a local place.
Stressful drive through the projects of downtown.

Relaxing five-minute nap on the couch.
Aggravating tax bill in the mail.

Joy at application for graduation notice.
Sadness at fee required for that application.

And so the day went, kinda back and forth for much of it. I took a two-hour exam that kept me in my seat for that full two hours... who cares if I really needed a bathroom break due to all the coffee I drank to prepare me for that exam. By the time I finished, my bangs were sticking straight up from the all the pulling of my hair that took place (so much for fixing it), my wedding rings were off because I can't stand jewelry when I'm hot or stressed (little tidbit for ya), and I had no time to spare before I headed to school for the daily kid- pick up (i.e. no time to hit the restroom).

Forty minutes later, back at the house, and all necessities taken care of,  I dyed a girl's beautiful head of hair her selected (temporary) color. We converted the front porch to a mini-salon, applied the color in the sunshine, and set the timer. All that effort and we're pretty sure it's the exact same color, maybe a little lighter. Oh well. Her hair smells like coconuts and reminds me of the beach. I'm debating if I would like to make a day trip there tomorrow just because. As much as I love roller coasters, I love the beach better. It's either that or the museum. Anything to get me away from a laundry basket and the computer.

The husband has taken care of getting me away from the kitchen. He took one look at me (after finding my wedding rings on the desk) and announced it would be a good night for pizza. And thanks to google and a little quick research, the youngest announced that one of my favorite clothing stores is near the museum. Combine that with a little birthday cash I've had stashed, and that plan might just beat out the beach. Come to think of it, I really don't care which direction I go as long as I go somewhere different. That's kind of the  fun with roller coasters, too. You go all different directions, but know exactly where you'll end up.

For me, I'll end up right back here.
On the couch. With the computer.
Serenaded by the oldest on the guitar.

No chicken exit in sight.

Smelly Choice Of Words

Everybody loves the cat, but nobody wants to clean up the crap.

That was my first thought of the day... well, my first thought when I walked into the kitchen anyway. I was going to use that for a title, but then thought the complete lack of tastefulness might be too much for an otherwise beautiful Sunday (not to mention un-pleasing to my mother). We all love our little (fat) kitty-cats full of fur and sunshine. Unfortunately, I'm the only one~ And I Do Mean The ONLY One ~that makes use of the litter scoop.

Yeah... that's probably more about my life than you need to know.

My actual first thought when I woke up was What is up with these dreams? For the last week or so, I have been having pretty consistent dreams about being in a classroom. In all of them, I am cleaning up or preparing stuff or doing something just to get things ready. Do you think that's a sign? Oh, and I'm usually giving someone a lecture about what they should be doing. Ha! That makes me laugh. Things might be weird or different in my dreams, but I am always true to myself.

Whatever the reason, my daily thought is Come on, Lord. Move somebody out of my way. No, I'm not asking for anyone to be sick or removed tragically or otherwise displaced, but face it... we all know that there comes a time for people to move on, and sometimes those people have a hard time moving (been there, done that). If He is preparing that way for me to move in somewhere, then He has to be preparing to move someone out. Or add something new. I am not going to get caught up in the details.

I've got enough crap to clean up on my own.

Sorry, Mom.  I couldn't resist.

How'd we end up with all these cats anyway?

Welcome To Story Hour

While reading my bible this morning, a particular phrase caught my eye.

They asked him, Who is the Man Who told you, Pick up your bed and walk? Now the invalid who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had quietly gone away [had passed on unnoticed], since there was a crowd in the place. (John 5:12-13).

Did you catch it?

The story goes that there was a man who "suffered... a deep-seated and lingering disorder for thirty-eight years," (v. 5). Every day he hung out by the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem hoping to be one of the lucky ones to make it to the water first when an angel of the Lord would stir things up... this meant a for-sure kind of healing (v. 2-4). Jesus walked by him one day, noticed him there, and (after listening to the guy explain why he could never make it the water first) told him to get up, roll up his bed, and walk. Not surprisingly, the man did just that (v. 6-9).

He goes on to tell others what happened. In verse 10, he is admonished for having the nerve to be healed on the Sabbath: It is the Sabbath, and you have no right to pick up your bed. He, in turn, tells them he was only doing what he was told to do. The Man Who healed me and gave me back my strength, He Himself said to me, Pick up your bed and walk! (v. 11). Now the kicker is that this guy had no idea that Jesus was... well, Jesus. When they (the nosy, self-righteous men) asked him who told him to get up and walk, the guy was clueless.

That takes me back to my original thought.

They asked him, Who is the Man Who told you, Pick up your bed and walk? Now the invalid who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had quietly gone away [had passed on unnoticed], since there was a crowd in the place. (John 5:12-13).

According to the scriptures, this particular pool was a pretty crowded place. I guess it would be with all the sick and lame and blind gathered together with the hopes of experiencing a healing that would transform their lives. It just caught my attention. Made me reread it a couple of times and break out the pen to underline it and think on it some more.

Jesus passed on unnoticed.
In the midst of a hurting crowd.
The miraculous occurred.

No spot lights. No praise band. No three-point outlines or tape table by the front door.

Oops. Maybe I'm getting a little off track here. The point is, my point is... have I ever been in the midst of something and totally missed Him in my presence? Has He been right there and I walked on by expecting Him to be somewhere else? These are the things I think. Whatever His reason was for keeping things quiet that day, He sure ticked the people off about the whole Sabbath day-thing. People do have a tendency to get caught up in the rules and regulations and proper ways to do things, don't they?

Yeah. I may have lost half of you by now.
I just don't want to miss Him, that's all.
My miracle is at hand.

I Look Good In My Dreams

I woke up this morning, threw back a couple of cups of coffee, popped a roast in the slow cooker, and tied a red handkerchief around my head. For me, that can only mean one thing... serious cleaning is on the agenda for the day. With the help of the husband, we packed up Christmas, organized the attic, and got things back to their pre-holiday state. We've got bags for the trash, bags for Goodwill, and bags under my eyes (no makeup kinda day). My hair is flat, my nail polish chipped, and my feet sore.

Boy, am I glad that's over with.

Tomorrow the kids head back to school and I'll pick up where I left off in the middle of an economics class. Fourteen weeks to go. That's fourteen (give or take) assignments, fifty-some questions to fuddle my way through, and a couple more thousand dollars to add to the I.O.U. I caught myself daydreaming today about when I do officially finish. Needless to say, I can only hope I look half as good accepting the job of my dreams as I did in that brief, three-minute fantasy trip.

It was the happiest three minutes of my whole day. =)

Confetti Between My Toes

So the new year has begun. I'm exhausted already.

We stayed up too late with good times and good friends followed by the booming thunder of fireworks that popped and sparkled till well after midnight. The kids, most likely one in particular, covered the living room floor with confetti and had a horn blowing contest from the front porch with the people across the street. We still made it to church with time to spare this morning, had a filling lunch afterward that pretty much did me in, and drifted home with zero motivation.

The confetti is still on the floor.
The tree has yet to be undecorated.
And I think there may still be leftover (last night) pizza in a box on the counter.

I could really care less.

This is the last day of spring-like weather and windows wide open for at least a week or so. The wind is already starting to pick up bringing with it colder temperatures. I'm thinking all the mess that surrounds me will still be there tomorrow. A roast in the crock pot is sounding like a good plan. Of course, that means I'll have to find time to change out of these pajama pants to troll the aisles of the grocery store. That might be the biggest challenge of my day.

Life is pretty good, though, for this first day of January.
The message this morning was encouraging and timely.
And the Atlanta Falcons are off to a scarily awesome start.

Positive thinking, people.