Now For A Toast...

Good evening Readers!

Here is the scoop...

Remember Dimples?

Yeah,

He's Toast.

Enter John.

HE'S what we're having (be)for(e) breakfast now.

Start the "ROCKY" theme song.

Can you see the stairs? Can you see the statue? Can you see me in sweats?

Can you hear me with a Philly accent?

Me, too!!

I have my reasons. There are several. After my discussion today with John-Boy, there are more. None of them are sung to the tune of:

"C-A-T-C-H---M-E---I'-M---F-A-L-L-I-N-G".

I could so give you songs that would explain fully some of the reasons. I don't want to be catty so I'll refrain but Carly Simon lyrics come to mind. Doesn't matter. My new trainer is the greatest. He has trained me before and I have nothing but positives to proclaim about good 'ol Johnny! Truly, if you live in town, I recommend him to anyone. He is beyond great and he doesn't even pay me to say that about him. In fact, I pay him.

I feel bad about Dimples because he seems to be a nice guy but like I said earlier, I'm going to need a really good reason to get up at 5:15 AM and drive over to the Y to fall down in front of "my peeps". Certain details about the current situation have recently come to light which removes even the shadow of a good reason to get up at that time. However, when I start with John, I will be getting up at 5 AM to BE THERE at 5:15. And happy to do it. (That might be pushing it a teensy bit. -- Maybe more like "Positively OK to do it" is more accurate.)

We'll keep you posted.

(and by "We", I guess I mean "my body and spirit"??

Maybe it is "my arms and legs"??

Could be "heart and lungs"??)

"na fly now.......Gonna fly now......Gonna fly now.......Gonna fly now.......Gonna fly now........Gonna"

My Big Fat Greek Work Out

I know, it has been a while. "Busyness" seems like a lame excuse but does "Business" seem a little more excusable? I have been inundated with Busyness or Business, whichever you prefer to forgive me for. I haven't even gotten to blog on my teams. That is slacking is what that is. I am ashamed. Did I mention that I was busy?

I blog today for the point of letting you in on a funny. At my expense. Why I do this I don't know except that I know had I seen this, I would have fallen on the floor laughing myself. Truly. And, had I been friends with myself and known me the way that I know me, it would have been doubly funny! Save this entry until you have a bad day and read it with the intent of laughing at me because, honestly, it is the right thing to do. I have nothing to defend myself with. It is what it is. And so, we move into the story...

As many of you know, I traverse the gym multiple mornings per week. I love the gym not only for the clean white towels and the straight lines of treadmills that will do everything but run for you but for the overall general experience while there. I am a people watcher. I admit, I enjoy stretching and allowing my eyes to linger on those that are seriously working out. They are not there for show in their cute spandex. They are not there to yap it up with their friends. They are hard core. (They are women and men who are seriously inspiring to me to keep going when I want to quit. Not that I need the inspiration because I have enough determination to do that one last push up - not sure where that comes from but I am super competitive with myself when it comes to exercise. I have beat myself many times which I think works well for me because I always win when it is me against me.)

Have I let you in too much?

Anyway, I am choosing to go to the gym at 5:45 these days primarily because I am crazy and secondarily because that is the only time I can go with this job that I am finding is taking approximately 10-12 hours of my day these days. So, let's talk about the people that are at the gym at 5:45. These are the Mr. and Mrs. Olympians of the world. These are the older generations who have been up since 4:oo AM. These are disciples of Tony Little. These people aren't playing. They bring their own sweat towels and have an engraved plaque on their particular treadmill of choice. Don't EVEN think about getting on that treadmill and sweating one ounce on that plaque either. They bring their own quick oats and bananas in a cardboard container that reads "with extra muscle powder" for them to consume at the gym. They have no cellulite and a lot of them have no hair - I guess because that would weigh them down.

Conversely, I have hair. I have some cellulite because why am I at the gym? I eat steel cut regular oats AT HOME and sometimes, when I am daring and not caring about the calories, I put a Splenda in it. My oatmeal does not have extra muscle powder in it. I don't think I need extra anything in whatever choice of food I eat. That's just me. To say that I don't quite fit in the gym landscape at 5:45 AM is probably true. I don't stick out like a sore thumb but perhaps a slightly irritated thumb. One of these days, I will hopefully fit in because there will be no cellulite, but I am NOT shaving my head and I don't like powdery bananas. Love me, love all of me. That's just how I roll.

Can we please get to the story? Yes, quit rushing me.

My trainer, who has the biggest dimples in the world, (which I am sucker for but don't let this fact lead you to believe that there will be a future here because there just won't be) is there this morning waiting on me. For those that know me, I was late this morning BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME FOR ME TO BE LATE TO MY WORK OUT (with this trainer). We are all a work in progress. I go warm up and we get to the work out. First, the bird dog...

Can we please talk about yoga? I don't get this. I am going to need the 411 on this activity because I fail to see how one leg out and an opposite arm out is helping me lose poundage.
Hold it for 20 seconds.
He looks at me like,"Is this OK?" I'm like, "I'll hold this ridiculous dog pose for the next 20 years if you want. What is this doing for me?"
"Switch", he says with as much trainer leadership as he can which means change arms and legs.
Does he know that my other arm and leg is holding me up. For some reason, I get the impression this is supposed to be difficult. I must be in SPECTACULAR shape because I don't feel a thing except that I am channeling an English Springer.

(Side note: I don't want to fuss about my trainer. He is a good guy. He has dimples. He meets me at 5:45. That is well and good but there is something missing there. I don't know. I don't have the connection with him that I would like to have to help motivate me to get it up at 5:15 AM and drive over there. Maybe it is because he is not bringing ice cream for the cool down portion. Whatever it is, there is something lacking - not in his abilities, more in our chemistry.)

The work out continues. We're balancing on a medicine ball. We're rowing for two minutes. We're curling biceps. We're extending triceps. We're pushing up and holding planks. Here is the point of our story. (It took us a while but I knew we'd get here.)

Ladies and gents, work with me on this and try to get a visual of this scenario. You gym rats out there that are familiar with equipment... let's talk about those bands. The ones that are different colors of tubing with handles at each end. They look like rubber jump ropes. Are you with me? OK. Now the yellow colored band is attached to the metal stabilizer near the middle of the gym with all the other bands that are attached as well. It is attached in the middle of the band so that the handles are free. He goes and gets one of those belts with the double buckles that people wear so they don't hurt their backs (ironic!). He puts that belt through both handles of the yellow tube jump rope and then tells me to put it around my waist. Basically, these are the words I heard.

"Giddyup, Trigger!!

Seriously, that set up is not supposed to be for humans. He essentially put reigns on me. I was a horse. The only thing I was missing was a bit in my mouth. In front on Mr. and Mrs Olympias at 6:00 AM and grandmas and grandpas. Now, had I been a casual observer and seen this set up happening, I would have gone over for a "water break" just to see how this was going to go down because who here doesn't see "FUN" written all over this. Yeah.

Trainer instructs: "OK, Christi. I want you to run out to me (approximately 8 feet out from the metal stabilizer) and slap me some skin and run back." (He didn't really say "slap me some skin" but that's what he meant.)

Attention all ladies and those gentlemen that had girlfriends around 2002 when the movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" came out and saw this gem of a flick. Love this movie. Love the "tumor-is-my-twin" scene. Love the "men-are-the-head-but-the-women-are-the-neck-who-turn-the-head" scene. But, my favorite scene is the one when she is in the travel agency and forgets that she has the telephone headset on and walks away and her head jerks back and falls on her rump roast.

Love it!

Today, I lived it.

Yes, friends. You missed it unless you were taking a "water break" at the Y at around 6:10 AM this morning. Trigger ran forward and ran back, clipped her hoof on the rubber floor when the bands jerked her back and fell backward on her own rump roast, legs over head, and slammed into the metal stabilizer, and tangled in the rainbow of tubular jump ropes.

Yeah, it hurt in case you can stop laughing enough to care.

I have to say, the look on my trainer's face was PRICELESS. I bet we have a different kind of chemistry now. We are bonded in a way that not many people are bonded with me. It was a look between, "Holy Cow!" and "Bull honky-donk that she just fell in front of this entire gym" and "Do I have insurance?". And seriously, what do you do when faced with that situation? Seriously. What is he supposed to do there?

HIM??? What am I supposed to do there?? Yoo-hoo! I am the one in the floor. Strapped to a yellow jump rope. Wearing a double-buckled, muscle-man belt. I couldn't get loose of that stupid band if my life was on the line.

Here is what goes through your mind...
Idea #1: I could totally cry here and gain sympathy and nobody would laugh if I was crying. Plus it did hurt but probably not enough to merit crying.
Idea #2: I wonder if I could possibly just pray hard enough to melt into this stupid rubber floor. Whose idea was this to put a rubber floor in this sweaty gym when we're all walking around in tennis shoes? Fire 'em!!!
Idea #3: Maybe nobody saw this and the Lord is showing His bountiful mercy on me and for ten seconds, everyone in the gym went blind. Yeah. One glance around the gym knows THAT didn't happen. God does have a sense of humor, don't think He doesn't, and there were people in that gym that needed encouragement this morning. No one went blind. In fact, exactly the opposite. Everyone was watching me for those ten seconds. God gave the blind momentary sight for this scene. It's a miracle! Praise the Lord!
Idea #4: I should just get up and yell at the trainer.

Guess which one I did?

IDEA NUMBER 4!!!!!!!

Just saying that makes me laugh!! I did NOT yell at the trainer. I DID want to smack him for saddling me up like an equine, but I did NOT yell at him. This is what I said after he helped me up.

"I have one more rep. Go back and let me run and finish the set."
Well within the boundaries of couth given the situation, wouldn't you say?

Yes, friends, Romans and countrymen. I ran another rep and took a chance that Bessie could fall again. I finished my reps and the set.

Then I fell again.

NO! I DIDN'T FALL AGAIN!

WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM? A KLUTZ!

AFTER THAT FALL, I BECAME AN ETERNAL HIGH STEPPER!

I'LL NEVER FALL AGAIN!

In defense of my trainer, I have to give him kudos (not the bars). The guy is a statue because he did not laugh. He didn't even crack a smile. That is some stiff upper lip because I would have had water spray out my nose from my "water break" had I seen it. I can only imagine the conversation between trainers after I left. They are all going to make every one of their clients do it now! And here is the thing. I cannot blame them. I would have fallen over laughing. I imagine it was beyond hysterical.

Glad I can share stories like this one to amuse the supportive readers. It's a shame they all have to be at my expense. However, I am here for you. It is all about you guys! Enjoy the imagined visual and try to encourage someone else today. Spill your coffee. Fall backward out of your chair at a meeting. Challenge yourself. You can do this!

Come on. I did it for you.

"...But even if He does not..."

At church we have been studying the book of Daniel. It is an eye opening study that I am so looking forward to studying more in-depth. I have heard rave reviews of Beth Moore's study of Daniel and hope to dig further into this godly man's character in the near future. One of our daily devotionals this week highlighted the phrase mentioned above. To give you context, let's flip back through the early part of the book to get a better understanding of where Daniel and his buddies were exactly.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had come to Judah and besieged the kingdom. The King ordered his "chief of staff" to bring in some "cream of the crop" Israelite young men to be set aside for teaching of Babylonian customs, language, and eventually serving the King. The most notable men selected were, as we have so often heard, Daniel, Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) and Azariah (Abednego). These young men were to be "wined and dined" with all the richest foods and drinks and essentially spoiled rotten. It sounds like an honor to be chosen for the King's service. However, Daniel was convicted and decided that he should not and would not defile himself with the things of this world, specifically, the food and wine offered to them. However, given his role that he was selected for, it is unlikely that the King would allow for this independence streak to manifest itself in this way.

God Himself had caused the official to find favor with Daniel. Daniel requested a test - a test that would examine the four young men after a period of 10 days as to their color, strength, and overall appearance with the other men who feasted on the richest foods of the royal banquet hall. As is typically the case with those who eat their spinach, the were far and away more healthy and better nourished than the others. When presented to the King, he immediately entered them into the King's service.

Through chapter 2, we see Daniel, relying on and giving credit to Yahweh God, interpreting dreams for the King. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that Daniel's God was "...the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries..." Daniel was elevated to a place of honor in the royal court and Shad, Mesh, and Abed were appointed administrators over the province of Babylon.

Here in chapter 3 is where I want to hone in on today. Although the King had acknowledged that Yahweh God was THE God, he made a golden image. Not just one for his pocket and not a little paperweight to hold his dollar bills in place on his desk. This image was a huge (90 ft high, 9 ft wide). At the sound of music, you must bow down and worship the golden image. Whoever does not will be thrown in the blazing furnace.

A trap had been set. The Babylonians (or Chaldeans) came to "rat out" the defiant hold outs - Shad, Mesh, and Abed. King Nebuchadnezzar was raging and had the boys brought to him. He asked, "Is it true that you don't fall down and worship my god? If you do not worship my golden image, you will be thrown directly into the furnace. Then what god will be able to save you from my hand??"

Here is the best part. I love the answer here and pray that given the opportunity, I could do the same.

"O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand. BUT EVEN IF HE DOES NOT, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods and worship the image of gold you have set up."

But even if He does not. To me, this is the epitome of obedience-based decisions rather than outcome-based decisions. But even if He does not. They are so convicted of their beliefs, that it doesn't matter if they die crossing the threshold of the furnace. It doesn't matter if they die a slow death from smoke inhalation. It doesn't matter if their skin melts off their bones (sorry to be graphic). They will not worship any other god than Jehovah. NO matter if He rescues them or not.

But even if he does not. How does that apply today? How far are you willing to sacrifice to worship Jehovah God?

• Do you give up the opportunity to share your faith because it might risk you a promotion at work?
• Do you give up the opportunity to live your faith in real life situations because it might cause others to look at you funny or snicker behind your back?
• Do you give in to the pressure to partake of things not edifying to the body whether it be too much unhealthy foods, excessive alcohol, smoking during a ball game in the name of fitting in?
• Do you take things in through the eyes that are not uplifting to the person God created you to be like too much intake of unreal bodily expectations through magazines and TV, the racy book that brings your mind to places that you should not be broaching, the comparisons between you and everyone else that "looks better than you"?

God is a jealous God and will not stand in line behind any other god. Not your god of money, lust, people pleasing, relationships, independence, being right, insecurity, fear, power, position, applause of men, selfishness, or any of it. He demands sacrifice. He has earned it from us. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.

BUT EVEN IF HE DOES NOT...

... come through with that promotion

... heal my sick family member

... bring the loved one back home

... heal my marriage

... right the injustice done to me

... bring me relief from this long suffering burden

... seem to understand the pressure I am under

... meet my every need monetarily

... bring me a life long companion

... heal my broken heart

... feed all the starving children

... take care of the hurting family at church....

Can we say whole-heartedly that ...

I will serve no other god except for Jehovah God Almighty.

There will never be another. There will never even be a close second.

To the ends of the earth I will follow Him.

No matter the cost. No matter the sacrifice.

Lord, please help me to be like the godly men found in Daniel. I pray that though these are words easy to speak in an anonymous position and in a friendly audience of readers, I pray that when faced with an opportunity to share my allegiance, that I would do so boldly. I ask for Your support in this near opportunity and pray that You strengthen me and hold me close to You and Your Word. Lord, may I be an example to those seeking to find the hope You offer, the love You bestow and the grace You give so freely. I pray that You will see me a one with an undivided heart for You.

Random Late Musings

Ok, I love those musical cards. Love them. I just bought a couple because it makes me happy to open them and listen to them. If any of you have pull on this front, let me tell you exactly what I need. I would like a card of the friendship variety that plays the theme song from "Growing Pains". Love me some BJ Thomas. Also, since I am putting in my orders, I would also like some cards of the break-up variety with the song "I'm Movin' On". Love the Rascals and the whole Flatts family. That particular card, however, should only be sold to women as stated clearly in the manufacturer's contract. I have a few more specific orders but I can just wait to see what else they will come up with. I have great anticipation. I just got my Mom a thank you card with the dorky "What a Difference You've Made in my Life". I like the song, but let us come on into the new millennium. However, Ronnie Milsap is a favorite of mine as well. So see, even on the dorky cards, I am still a fan. What can I say?

New topic:

Ran across a great quote of the week:

ATTITUDE DETERMINES ENERGY!

I gotta remember that around Thursday afternoon... Maybe even Wednesday...

New topic:

I have great people around me and I am just thankful for that. I so appreciate the goodness of God in my life and don't acknowledge that enough. I tend to view God's goodness through the lens of my circumstances rather than my circumstances through the lens of God's goodness. I try to put God in my box shaped by unfaithfulness, inconsistency, and unbelief and you know what? He just doesn't fit in that tiny little insulting box I have created for Him. Who do I think that I am trying to put the God of all good things within my parameters? I disappoint myself with this presumption that He and I should be on the same page. Let me restate that: We should be on the same page - it just shouldn't be MY page. It should be on His page and I should indeed be there with Him.

I have got to let the things go that I so desperately want to hold onto. He is good and honestly does not need me helping me with anything. Look what happened to Sarah when she decided to help out Abraham by giving Hagar to him to bring a child into the world. We have never been the same since that day and are still reaping the consequences of that decision. Do you feel, like I do, that it all depends on you? I hate to admit that I am living a lie when those thoughts enter my mind. It clearly does not depend on me and Jehovah God has everything under control without any help from me. It exposes my lack of faith and lack of dependence on Him to operate on those premises.

Father, forgive my unbelief and my unfortunate faithlessness.

Please restore unto me the joy of my salvation and

the faith just the size of a mustard seed.

I do believe that you can orchestrate the planets to revolve in perfect harmony

and make the human body hum with life and

you can most definitely orchestrate my life to bring the most glory to You.

I humbly ask that You do that so that I may honor you with my very being.

Please use me in whatever way You deem necessary

to make the most impact for Your kingdom

on those in my sphere of influence.

Please clean up the ugly places in my heart and

cleanse me with the power of your precious blood shed for me.

I ask for Your grace during this time and know with everything in me

that You remain, as always, at my side, before and behind me.

May my life speak of how great You are at all times.

You are more worthy than anything I can bring to the table.

I pray to be a reflection of your love and faithfulness.

I love you, Father.

Living Well or Waiting Until...

THE STATION

Robert J. Hastings

Tucked away in our subconscious is an idyllic vision.

We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent.

We are traveling by train.

Out the windows we drink in the passing scene...

--of cars on nearby highways,

--of children waving at the crossing,

--of cattle grazing on a distant hillside,

--of smoke pouring from a power plant,

--row upon row of corn and wheat,

--of flatlands and valleys,

--of city skylines and villages...

But uppermost in our minds is the final destination.

On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station

Bands will be playing and flags waving.

Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the

pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle;

How restlessly we pace the aisles, cursing the minutes for loitering

-waiting

-waiting

-waiting

for the STATION.

"When we reach the station, THAT WILL BE IT!" we cry

"When I am 18!"

"When I put the last kid through college."

"When I buy a new Mercedes."

"When I have the mortgage paid off."

"When I get a promotion."

"When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after."

Sooner or later, we must realize that there is no station,

no place to arrive once and for all.

The true joy of life is the trip.

The station is only a dream.

It constantly out distances us.

"Relish the Moment" is a good motto.

It isn't the burden of today that drives men mad .

It is the regrets of yesterday and the fear of tomorrow.

So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles.

Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, swim more rivers,

watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less.

Life must be lived as we go along!

I love this piece! I don't even know where I got it but I have a thick green folder of poems, great quotes, especially timely sermons notes, profound discoveries and simple statements that it has been living in for quite some time. If I lost this folder, I would really regret having lost all these little gems collected along the journey up to this point. I pull this piece out from time to time to remind myself that life is indeed for living and for living well rather than getting through or waiting until... Life is what God ordained but it is also what you make it.

• When is the last time you went to a triple A baseball game just for "funsies" and ate ice cream out of a baseball helmet?
• When is the last time you took your journal to the top of the highest hill in your neighborhood park and wrote about the ways that God shows you He loves you..from the green prickly grass your sitting on, to the kids squealing on the slip and slide, to the vision of a blooming fuchsia hibiscus plant?
• When is the last time you called your grandfather or your great aunt to spend time talking about "things that matter", though we might not yet realize how much that conversation really does matter?
• When was the last time you put off taking care of something that you really thought you should do due to financial constraints or lack of time?

Time goes on and doesn't stop until there is no more time. Life is worth living and living well. Don't wait to reach the station. Don't wait until you have "enough" money (because you will NEVER have enough). Don't wait until you meet your spouse. Don't wait until you have kids. Don't wait until you have more time (because you will NEVER have more time than now).

Don't wait.

Live...

Reflect...

Grow...

Enjoy...

Take Chances...

Learn....

Change...

Go...

Embrace...

Teach...

Love...

Do all these things and do them well.

Do them now.

Don't wait for the Station because the train has pulled out.

True Friendships

WARNING: This could quite possibly be a very cheesy post.

I have had some very interesting things occur recently that have made me think very long and strong about a lot of the friendships that I have had through the years and those that the Lord has allowed to leave fingerprints on my life. One of these precious friendships began back to elementary school where we played with pottery wheels in the summer with faulty wiring and lots of electric shocks. We rode our bikes to school with each other and talked about the friendships pins we had made at school on the way home or when our "contracts" were due. We wore the rainbow shirts that stretched from sleeve to sleeve and collected smurfs. We even broke our ankles the same week just in time for pictures. And, man, did we have some BIG 'OL FIGHTS! Even still, I love these memories but they don't even compare with the friendship that I can count on even today at 12:45 PM in the midst of a pseudo-crisis from work. I can count on tough love and common sense wisdom and positive feedback and I love that. More than that, I love her.

I have friendships that began in college. Some of these friendships are specific to periods of time in college and have made their way back into my life "for such a time as this". (Esther 4:14) There are those that have seen me grow and likewise, I have seen them grow into women who enjoy the life the God has given to them and continue to promote His glory through their lives. For one of these friends, I have been lucky enough to now call her "family" as my brother also thought she was definitely worth keeping around. He was right. We are very different in many ways yet so very much the same in so many ways that matter. The saying goes, "you get to pick your friends, but you don't get to pick your family." In very special circumstances, you get to have input in both. I consider myself very blessed to have this kind of friendship and now, "sister".

I have friends that have been specifically prayed for in that, I prayed for the Lord to provide a certain someone at a certain juncture in my life who was a sweet Christian girl, loved to have fun and would serve in ministry together with me. This has happened in two special instances, both times in where I, too, was an answer to their prayers for a special friend that the Lord would provide. When the Lord brings certain people together, it is something worth more than "All the Gold...in Califor-nia" (Sing it, Larry Gatlin!! -- Love that song!) Those friendships become the pearls among oysters - ones where the value is probably not realized fully until you comprehend the overwhelming orchestration of details to coordinate this special friendship. They become more precious as time goes on because the Lord remains the center of the relationship and continues to bless it. Through boyfriends, weddings, mission trips with lost luggage, family visits over 4th of July, fishing together, card games, many bible studies, fellowships and prayers, these friends are consistent and faithful. Those character traits are priceless as are they. I pray that I can be the same for them.

And then there are friends that are more recent friends. Friends that have just emerged as encouragers, those that demonstrate care and concern, those that lift you up in prayer and those that are just plain fun! I don't know if these are friendships "for a season" but what a great season!! I am so thankful for the opportunity to know these women and their strength of character and comforting spirit. I so look forward to that paths that I know the Lord has directed to get us together at the same point in time and where the roads will ultimately take us. I hope that in 20 years, I can write about friends again and some of you will be among those that I claim as more precious that rubies. Already you are such gems!

I know there are several of you that I have neglected to tell how very much that you impact my life. I am so sorry about keeping those life-giving words to myself. I hope that you know by my actions, but I wanted to carve time out of the evening to write about how you have touched my life. I don't even have to write your names as you can probably recognize "our story" as friends. I appreciate you for being faithful and unflappable (that is kind of a funny word). I appreciate you for being honest and full of integrity towards our friendship. I appreciate your heart for me and how unselfish you are. I appreciate you willing to personally sacrifice for our friendship. I appreciate you being willing to go the extra mile and be uncomfortable, be inconvenienced and loving me in spite of my crazy and chaotic self. Please realize that it has not gone unnoticed by me.

I know, I can be, at times, a dramatic and passionate individual. You have all seen it (and heard it) first hand. Please don't think it is the drama coming to the surface when I say that I sincerely and honestly love you girls. I don't want to be someone who realizes the blessing and beauty of what they had after it is gone. Given my recent thoughts on what friendship really is and how is that played out in life, your specific friendships have become all the more important to me. You "shine like stars in the universe" (Phil 2:15) of selfish relationships and those that are strictly in it for what they can get out of it. Your fingerprints left on my life have taught me, encouraged me, characterized me, supported me and left me better for knowing you and who the Lord made you to be. I pray that I, in some small way, have be used by God to build you up as well. I thank you for sharing a little bit of your life with me. My life is richer for it.

One of my favorite verses is Philippians 4:8 and it says:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable

- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy

- think about such things.

So, in accordance with God's word, I think about each of you.

May God bless you truly in everything He has set out for you to do.

I am rooting for you!!!

Around the World in 80 Days

First of all, a big shout out to the FBI in Huntsville who are taking child predators, long time fugitives, and all the other "bad guys" and basically "squaring them away" and putting them behind bars for a long time. I don't know who these good guys are specifically, but I think they need (though they would never ask for or expect them) some kudos. Not the bars. Well, maybe the bars. Or maybe a big kiss. Who's to say?? I guess it all depends...

Next on the agenda... the great Northwest! A couple of things here...
1) Mis padres just came back from Lake Louise and the Victoria area in Canada. They reported snow but they are also reporting the very same report as 18 years ago when we went as a family.
It is STILL the most beautiful place to visit!
2) Nashville Preds have been sold to our friendly Canadian Billionaire who also bought 30 acres up north (beyond our borders) and an arena. So, given that information, how long do you think that Nashville has to beef up sales for the games before we are without a world class hockey team? I say it's a done deal and they have started renting storage units and selling their halter tops. They are gone and it is such a shame because I hear that they are really good. I know, I have not been doing my part to support but I have trouble understanding them talk, I usually cannot find the puck watching a game, and all the violence... I am a Southern girl and I guess that sometimes we have trouble with whole hockey thing no matter how good they are. Maybe it is just me. I will listen to 104.5 THE ZONE when they are discussing the Preds and I think that is at least something...
3) Mis padres are travelling on Thursday to the great Northwest again (they got back yesterday) for sweet Besher's wedding. That would be my cousin, Beth's, wedding. Her name is Dorothy Elizabeth and she is using polka dots in her wedding because her nickname is "Dot". I say that is nothing but cute! Thankfully, her groom is not named Polka. He is named Ernie, which also is cute. However, if you saw him, you would use a different word besides "cute". The guy is a good looking guy and it is my understanding that he thinks Beth can do no wrong and treats her like the princess that she is. I say Amen to that! I am really excited for her and wish I could go.

Finally, I know several people going to Spain in early July. One is running with the bulls. (Begin praying at your earliest convenience.) The others are just going to see if Taco Bell in Nashville is the same as Taco Bell in Spain. If you are going to Spain in early July, let me know and perhaps we could orchestrate a mixer of some sort for vacationing Americans over in Spain. I'm thinking we should name it. We could call it:

"Christi's Connections"

or

"Americans Abroad"

or

"You're Going To Have Some Ex-SPAIN-ing To Do When You Get Home"

or

"Come-Have-Ice-Cream-With-Other-High-Falootin'-Americans-Who-Think-Idaho-or-Utah-Aren't-Good-Enough-to-Vacation-at".

Who knows - maybe my parents will show up??

"All We Are is Dust in the Wind"

"He knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust."

Psalm 103:14 NIV

"What a blessed relief to be reminded that God knows me - in fact, he knows me so well He understands that apart from Him I can do nothing.

I don't have to prove myself to God.

I don't have to worry about disappointing God.

I don't have to earn His respect.

I don't have to deserve His blessings....

He created me in the first place....

I am just a little dust person infused with the very breath of God!"

--Just Give Me Jesus

Anne Graham Lotz

I was reading this verse and little devotional yesterday and it occurred to me yet again just how much God loves me and wants the best for me. No matter how it looks to me, God's ways are best and I don't have to understand, prove myself, earn or deserve anything He chooses to give me. Left to my own devices, I would succeed at making a complete mess out of everything that I try to "fix" for Him - from events, people, or circumstances into my life. Isn't that sad? For me.

Then tonight I was talking to my friend, Carrie, and she mentioned hearing teaching tonight on the Valley of Dry Bones. The message that she carried away with tonight was the fact that those old bones are not going anywhere without the complete sustaining power of God. Together putting these two pieces together, it once again reminded me how very incompetent and unable we are without Him. We pray for our own will to be done, we talk about things which we cannot possibly fathom and take credit for things that God blessed us with. What is wrong with us?

My favorite part of the devotional is when she calls me " a little dust person infused with the very breath of God." So this is it. We are strictly dust walking. Think about that. We are able to hold our human form solely based on God's benevolence and grace that allows a little of Him to inflate our skin with His holy breath. Somewhere along the way, we have allowed that breath from God to penetrate our heads and our egos and not so much in a good way. Why do we think that God's way is not good enough? Why is God's timing not quick or slow enough? Why do we think that the thoughts formed in our heads trump the very Mind of God who created the tapestry of who you are, the earth on which you walk, and the number the days you have left in your life?

Unfortunately, I find I am just that arrogant to think my ways are better. Praise the Lord, He doesn't think so. Do I throw some temper tantrums when I don't get my way? Yes. Do I pray for God to do it my way? Yes. Do I thank the Lord when things are just as He wills it to be and doesn't resemble in any way, shape or form what I desperately wanted? Not enough but I am trying. I trust Him and when I answered His call on my life to follow Him for the rest of mine, there were no promises with regard to comfort or convenience. There was a call from Him and then we began to walk together. Period. There were no caveats. There were no bargains. I am a dust person infused with the very breath of God. My body, my mind, and my life is strictly the venue. He is what people want to see. Not me. Anything at all attractive in me is the Spirit of God and His likeness. I pray that you can see Him and His choices for me written all over my dusty life.

To God be all the glory and honor.

A Good Thing!

I am sick today. I went home to Texas last weekend and, as is usually the case, a few days later, I come down with a cold. I knew it was probably coming as both my parents, sister, brother-in-law and little niece and nephew were all under the weather to some degree or another. It was still a great visit and good to be home. Lots of good conversation and discussion about love, life and the whole shebang. Nevertheless, all that good gum-flapping allowed germs to fly out and I caught 'em.

I was talking to my friend, Amy, this morning and it occurred to me about how it is really odd that I am talking to her at 10 AM in the middle of the week. She and I both work (long and hard, I might add - Can I get an AMEN, Amy??) and it was nice that she had a cancellation and I was sick enough to be home so we could get together and chit chat. Then, an A-Ha moment...

THIRTEEN REASONS WHY BEING SICK IS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING:
1) When you're sick, you get to sleep longer in the morning ... a good thing.

2) When you're sick, you can do laundry all day which means you won't have to do it on Saturday when you want to be outside ... a good thing.

3) When you're sick, (and you're not in the bed) you can spend time flipping your mattress (which I did), so that you get much more even wear out of your expensive mattress ... a good thing. (Did you know that your warranty on your mattress is not valid if you don't flip it?? Seriously. The things you learn on the radio...)

4) When you're sick, you get to catch up on phone calls with friends and family before they are tired from the day's activities ... a good thing.
**BONUS: On the phone, you still get to share stories but not share germs!!!

5) When you're sick, you get to update your blog, which seems to get lost in the shuffle of daily activities even with the best of intentions ... a good thing.

6) When you're sick, you get to take notice of your health and really be thankful for the times that you are up and moving and raring to go ...without kleenex, hot tea, and a Z-pack ... a good thing.

7) When you're sick, you get to enjoy the quiet of the morning as everything is waking up and see some of the nicest moments of the day ... a good thing

8) When you're sick, you get to hang out in comfy clothes all day if you want rather than wearing "work clothes" ... with pantyhose ... a good thing.

9) When you're sick, (and you're in the bed [with a flipped mattress]) you get to avoid the temptation of going to Starbucks for high-calorie and high-dollar drinks when you are in the area ... a good thing (unless you are actually a barrister with access to Starbucks products, which then, unfortunately for you, you have no way out of that temptation and I am so sorry!)

10) When you're sick, you can go to the gym during "older people hour" and have your pick of the machines because let's face it... who wants for single "worked out" men to see us with red noses and breathing heavy ... BEFORE we get on the machines ... Definitely a good thing.

11) When you're sick, you get to spend time reading books you have wanted to read but by the time you get home, the only thing you want to read is the alarm clock and the back of your eyelids ... a good thing.

12) When you're sick, you get to enjoy your home that the Lord has seen fit to bless you with ... a good thing.

13) When you're sick, you get to spend as much time as you want just being, reflecting on the goodness of God and the blessings we so often take for granted. You get to pray whole-heartedly about issues of the heart, and read about instance after instance in God's Word where He chooses to speak to His children in a period of quiet reflection. A lot of the time, He speaks not when we are on top of the world, but when we are not doing well. Perhaps it is not that He doesn't speak in the good times, but most probably that we don't listen for Him in the good times. It is in the periods of illness, sadness, loneliness, and confusion when the Lord chooses to demonstrate His Almighty power in the biggest and most profound ways ... a good thing.

Today, may the Lord bless you and may you hear His lovely voice ... a very good thing!

My Commitment As A Christian

I have seen this written in a couple of places but nobody seems to know where exactly it came from. If you know the originator of this writing, let me know so I can give credit where credit is due. The moment I read it, I got chills. I now have it hanging beside my computer so I see it everyday. I think of it kind of like a life's mission statement - my goal would be to try to memorize it sometime soon. What a great testimony to be able to affirm this commitment daily!

I'm part of the fellowship of the uanshamed.

I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made.

I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I won't look back, let up, slow up, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sence, my future secure.

I'm finished and done with

low living,

sight walking,

small planning,

smooth knees,

colorless dreams,

tamed visions,

mundane talking,

cheap living,

and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity.

I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded.

I now live by faith,

lean on His presence,

walk by patience,

lift by prayer,

and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast,

my goal is heaven, my road is narrow,

my way rough, my companions few,

my Guide reliable, my mission clear.

I cannot be bought,

deluded,

or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifce,

hesitate in the presence of the adversary,

negotiate at the table of the enemy,

or meander inthe maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up

until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up

for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus.

I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me.

And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me -

my banner will be clear!

And AMEN!

And the Madness Marches On...

Well, I have to respond to the past weekend of basketball scores, exits of the next tier of teams and the final four. Where shall we start...ahhh, the good 'ol Aggies.

I mentioned before I will have to give props where props are due and let's do that. Seriously, can we all pitch in and buy Billy Gillespie something. I have re-thought it through and I think they deserve more than an ice cream that I previously offered. The turnaround they have had in the last three years is nothing less than remarkable and even though they run around in those gosh awful looking colors, it did not hinder them from putting the ball through the hoop over and over again. I hate it they lost on free throws. I have made myself a promise...I promise to "bank" (these puns come out of nowhere) on anyone who is named "Acie" on, honestly, many levels: good name, good player, good guy apparently. Can't personally vouch for him but the rumor mill swirls with heavy compliments. I can vouch for his epidermic artwork, which is extensive, and it appears that everything is spelled correctly. That being said, Alicen, I am sorry but you have not made it to the Final Four.

Onward and upward to the grand state of Tennessee.

Both of our teams, the Commodores and the Vols made a sad exit last weekend. I did not see the Tennessee game but I did see the Vandy game and made an exciting discovery. I work out with one of the Vandy assistant coaches! How 'bout 'dem apples?!?!?! We're close, I tell ya. I do see him most evenings at the beloved Y but had NO idea that he was employed by the black and gold. We're co-laborers for crying out loud! I mean, he is tall but what exactly can you deduce from that? I have a cousin that is short but he is not a jockey. No, I'm kidding. All of my cousins are at least medium-sized.

The Vandy game was a great game. It kept my attention. I heartily enjoyed the game until the last 2.5 seconds when Biggin' did not call time out. What is going on there? Am I losing my hearing or why was there no whistle signifying time out? I've read all about the changing pivot foot of Georgetown and blah, blah, blah. To me, I did not get the whole "let's-just-bring-the-ball-down-court-and-we'll-launch-one-if-we-have-time-when-we-get-down-there" kind of attitude. I am not a basketball star. I am one of my cousin's medium-sized cousins. Someone help me with this scenario. I am quite sure that I missed something on that whole play that was called. Was there no plan and if so, was THAT it??? You lose by uno point-o and I didn't hear the whistle. Yo no Se`!!! I am asking my friend and co-laborer if his whistle broke. I'm not going to ask him now, of course...maybe in August when he's not so tender.

Then, there was my birthplace in the midwest. The Jayhawks. I don't have much to say about this team as I was only born in this state and I have not been back in 30 years or so. So they lose to UCLA. Ok. What else you got? I could get up for them for a short while but I think my Kansas blood has turned Tennessean, or at least Texan. It takes too much effort to learn a team in the middle of the tourney. Plus, I've got 1000 wedding invitations to address and I have trouble multi-tasking those particular tasks. I need to be able to get emotional at games and that just leads to mountains of "redo" invitations. You make a choice...

Those are my thoughts about the developments this past weekend. Here are some repercussions from this past weekend.

I helped a friend make picks (and by "helped a friend" I mean, "chose independently")several weekends ago about the tourney and how it would turn out. Though I have certain shallow allegiances to certain teams, I am vaguely aware that the team needs to have talent and skill (and a certain amount of money to throw at the refs....WHAT? DID I SAY THAT? I am just kidding! Seriously...) to advance to the final four and then to the finals. Here is the funny thing...

I did NOT pick one of my teams to go beyond the Elite Eight,

so...

even though they all lost,

I AM AT THE TOP OF THE POOL!!!!

Yeah for me!!!!

(I fear this will be short-lived adulation.)

Let it be known that I picked Ohio State to win the whole kit and kaboodle.

Stay tuned...

The Value of Being Known - Part 2

I closed my sentiments last time by saying that there will never be anyone who knows you as well as the Lord Yahweh God knows you. No sibling, parent, spouse, child or friend can know your every thought, heartache, and challenge.

What's more is not even you can know you the way God can?

That might sound preposterous given we live in an age of "Enlightenment". Let's face it. Everyone wants to be able to tell you who you are, what you like, and what you need to do. We have therapists and counselors to tell us how bad our childhood was and how we need to love ourselves more, magazine quizzes to know what kind of friend we are and what color we would be in a box of 64 crayons, and psychics and tarrot card readers to channel our loves ones so we can make nice with them and get on with our lives. We have teachers who tell us to study more, friends who tell us to party more, and society that tell us to do more, give more, take more, work more, tolerate more, enjoy more, relax more all in the name of finding out who we are, what we like, and what we should be doing.

Here is the real enlightenment - Yahweh God knows you better than you will ever conceive of knowing yourself. He deciphers things about you that you haven't even realized are confused on your own. He ingrains things deep within you that you couldn't even fathom on your own. He orchestrates things in your life for your good and His glory where you couldn't play the simple melody line on your own. He just knows you better and more comprehensively than is available to us in our finite minds.

Psalm 139: 5-6

5 You have enclosed me behind and before,

and laid Your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is too high, I cannot attain it.

David is overwhelmed by the concept that God knows him better than he could know himself. More than that, there is not a stone left unturned in our lives that He hasn't checked out thoroughly. He is not waiting for us to reveal anything about how we feel or think about anything. I don't have to help explain myself to Him. He knows my intentions and when my mind will change and where I miscommunicate things to Him. He just knows. It is the ultimate relationship. It is, by far, the most personal and intimate relationship accessible to us.

In the movie, "The Mirror Has Two Faces", Rose (played by Bah-bra Streisand) has a great quote.

"You know what I envy about those in love?

I'd love it if someone knew me, really knew me.

What I like, what I am afraid of ... what kind of toothpaste I use.

I think that...would be really wonderful."

Here is my point, even Bah-bra wants to be known and she is known by millions around the globe and still it is not enough. It will never be enough.

Sometimes I admit I get caught thinking like Ms. Streisand. Now, don't go nuts because 99% of the time I strongly disagree with her ultra-liberal stance on things. However, when she delivers those lines, I can relate to that line of thinking sometimes. However, the Lord brought this to my mind that really has made me re-think that thought process.

Your spouse, whoever it is, Scott, Jim, Henry, Brad, Trey, Blake, Mark, Charles, or Mr. Yet-To-Be-Determined, though they may be the most loving, sensitive and attentive to your needs (and I am quite certain that they are) can never compare to the love, sensitivity, and attentiveness of the Lord God, Creator of you. For example:

Your spouse knows that you like your coffee with one packet of Splenda and a splash of cream.

Your God knows that you like your coffee with 467 granules of Splenda and 1.1372 oz. of cream.

Not even you know that.

Your spouse knows that he should tell you that he loves you very sweetly and very often.

Your God knows that you would be like "buttah" in his hands if he said some certain "Alicen" words or certain "Amy" words at 18 decibels between 6:17 and 6:21 in the evening.

Not even you know the specifics of that.

Your spouse knows that you love to slip on fuzzy socks and curl up with a good love story during a thunderstorm.

Your God knows that after the thunderstorm, the most beautiful love story is when He artfully paints the arch of His promise and uses not just your typical 7 basic colors but over 150, 000 color gradients, the indigo and aqua hues reflecting the water and the shades of persimmon and corals reflecting the sun.

Not even you know the miracle of that.

To be truly known is the desire of everyone's heart. Only God fills that desire. To long for someone else to fill that desire is longing for something that is not Biblical. It is not possible for anyone to be known by anyone the way God knows His creation. He is the only one who can fill that need. Everyone else is an unworthy and sinful substitute.

Lord, I pray that I never believe the lies that there is someone who can fill this need in my life better than you can. Only you know what is best for me and that is You, Father. Remind me in my moment by moment weaknesses that only You satisfy and to expect that from someone else is unfair and unfaithful to You. Please allow me to see the facade of the cheap substitutes I replace You with and give me the strength and faith to place You back in Your rightful place.

The Value of Being Known - Part 1

There is something profound about "being known". I don't mean what your name is or what job you go to everyday, but truly and utterly known - from what secret music group you love but would die if anyone knew, to what you have a passion for, to what makes you laugh so hard you cry, to what makes your heart swell, to you greatest fears. I think everyone longs to be known in a very real sense - to be connected with someone so closely that your thoughts and feelings are known just as they are happening. I can attest to the fact that there are those friends who can see into your mind's eye when certain things happen and they know what you are thinking. They can read your eyes just like they were reading a open journal of your life. Sometimes that "picture worth a thousand words" is my face when somebody's name comes up and my mouth is tilted into the slightest smirk. A jeweler can count the all the facets of a diamond though it would take quite the investment to see and count each individual cut. With us, there is an infinite number of facets found in one person - so many moods, ideas, thoughts, experiences, challenges and dreams that it almost seems beyond the realm of possible to know all these things about someone.

But God does.

1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

You understand my thoughts from afar.

3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down,

and intimately acquainted with all my ways.

4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,

Behold, O LORD, You know it all.

In the first part of Psalm 139, we find David calling out to the LORD, or Yahweh. It is the covenant name of God and it speaks of intensity and intimacy of their relationship. Not to cheapen God's name in anyway but it is likened to when we call our loved ones by personal nicknames. A lot of times, these are names that not everyone knows about but by those that know you and love you. They are names that signify time spent together and a deep relationship that goes beyond the moniker that your attendance lady would use to check if you were at school or not. A lot of times it speaks to your character and who you are. As it is with God Almighty, Yahweh is His name that speaks to His character and who He is.

"Yadah" is the Hebrew word for "searched" meaning "to explore, to dig deeply into, spy out". Yahweh God understands and knows us because He digs into us and has unlimited access into the depths of our lives. He knows us in our passive lives ("when I sit") and He knows our active lives ("when I rise").

I know someone in the FBI and though I have yet to directly discuss this with him to get it directly from the "horse's mouth", I know somewhere in my "knower" that they have some sort of "stalking" equipment and they can find out anything they want to know, about anybody they want to know about. I'm sure he would never call it "stalking" equipment but for lack of a better word (which I guess would be "surveillance"), we will use "stalking". In a very real sense, they can "know" you. Perhaps I am wrong or maybe I watch too many movies. Who's to say? My point is that even though they can get lots of private information, the FBI has limits to what they can get access to. They may know where you live and your credit score but they cannot find out every heart's intention and mind's decision. Only God has unlimited access to that part of you.

Verse 2b "You know my thoughts from afar" - Others see your actions; God sees into your heart. He created you and relished the fact that he knows exactly how you think. What is so huge about that is that the God of all knowledge, the Creator of every human life, Sustainer of the world, would care enough to spend precious time on knowing my thoughts.

I worry about really silly, unimportant things like:

• When can I wear white pants again?
• When is Jessica going to realize she was better with Nick?
• Why can we not wear open toe shoes to work but we can wear sling backs? Are not my newly pedicured toes more attractive than my "winter-ed" heels?

See? Ridiculous, really! And still, He has chosen to sift through these crazy desires, thoughts, simple wonderings and hopes to know each of them as well as He knows His own. And, He does the same sifting through for you. He knew, based on verses 3-4, and was deeply familiar with David's comings and goings and knew the thoughts that would develop into words and the very intentions behind those words - YEARS before David was created.

He doesn't just concern Himself with the big things of life like your salvation or your job choices, marriage issues or health problems. He is concerned with the very little things as well. Why would He care about those silly little things? Because we were created to worship and have fellowship with Him and that doesn't just happen in the critical "decision-making-times" of life. It happens in the ins and outs, ups and downs, and same boring routines that we find ourselves in day in, day out.

There is NO ONE - no sister, brother, mother, father, spouse, child, or friend - who cares more about those little things than the Lord does.

There is NO ONE who cares more about you than the Lord does.

There is NO ONE who knows you like the Lord does.

There is NO ONE who ever will.

Lord, thank you for being so accessible to us and accessing us as you will. The blessings that come from being known by you are too many to count or even acknowledge in so many cases. I pray that we would be an open journal when it comes to fellowship with the Lord and we would trust Him with our struggles, desires, and dreams of what is and what will be. Only He has the sovereignty to provide shelter from the storm, a change in the weather, or a peace in the middle of the storm. I pray that we would not withhold anything that is rightly due Him from our praise, our trust, our loyalty, and our service. May our lives be a living journal of what you can do when we are open to your indwelling within us, even in the little things.

The Madness (...and Music?)

I will admit it. I think it is only fair for you to know.

I am a bandwagon fan of the NCAA.

There. I said it. It is out in the open. I am only subtly ashamed but ashamed nonetheless. Bring on the stones.

My question is, how are you people not bandwagon fans and do you have more hours in the day than I do? I would love to religiously follow some of these teams but a girl has to primp sometimes, go to the gym sometimes, eat sometimes and sleep a few winks every now and then. Oh, yeah, and work 8 hours. How do you have time to see it all? I don't know but I do spend time following the tournament and if you will allow me, I have to send a few shout outs to some of these proud moments I watched this weekend.

First of all, let's go with the "hometown" peeps -

Can I get an AMEN for the representation of Tennessee in the Sweet 16? You have to give it up for the orange and white. And how proud am I to wear my Vanderbilt badge to work today? Please tell me you saw "the block". Please tell me you didn't miss it. Fabulous! They'll show it again - probably 137 more times before it is all over. Love it!

Now for the REAL hometown peeps -

I guess the best thing to say would be...

WHOOP!!!!

Can we talk for un momento about the rise of the Aggies (not those at the "beach" - although props to them, too) but those mired in College Station, Texas? Ladies and Gents - they have learned what to do with the big, round ball. My allegiance is not to them, but I have to give credit where credit is due and these lanky men deserve an ice cream. Maybe more. Perhaps they will rise to the level of the Lady Bears of Baylor U from a couple of years ago. There is always room to dream. I say this primarily for my oldest friend ever (light on the "old"), Alicen, for the purpose of "gig-ging" her but in all seriousness, Aggies give new meaning to the saying "pull yourself up by your boot straps". They certainly have from three short years ago when they were cleaning the castle basement and I have to commend them for their season ranking and their current job of mopping the floor with the joes served up to them. Cinderella, you have finally made it to the ball. (The pun was not intended.) Heads up for if they win, I will so be claiming "Texas" status loud and proud.

Now for the sad news...

Poor Kentucky.

What do you say except that Kansas is just better. I have no ties to Kentucky except that an old paramour rooted for them so I kind of got interested. Isn't that funny how things change but yet remain the same? (And by "funny" I mean "sad" but this is neither the forum nor the audience.... Aren't you lucky? - You dodged a bullet there!) I know everybody is up in arms about Tubby, but come on - cut the guy some slack. Please don't make me quote Janet Jackson on this blog. Please don't. It just seems that we have the case of "What Have You Done For Me Lately?' and lately, it hasn't been enough. See, now look. I've "Gone and Done It." Now, JUST STOP! Don't Make me quote Shania anymore either! Tubby just needs a little time at the "Copacabana" and he will be fine. He can hang out with ... Coach K ... and apparently Barry Manilow. They could be the 70's beach rendition of the Blue Man group? (By the way, do those guys scare anybody else? I just don't get that.) OK, enough of crazy talk.

Kansas was just better. What else can you say? Here is the simple equation:

More talent = more points more than likely.

And, I am about to claim the favorite female prerogative, the perpetual mind change. Carrie, get out your white out. I am rethinking my choice for the champion. I had Ohio State but I think I am going to pick Kansas after more thought. "That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!" (Colin Raye????)

Did I mention I was born in Kansas?

GO JAYHAWKS!!!

My personal Psalm 139

I was given the opportunity to teach this familiar Psalm this morning for my Bible study class. At first, I was a little nervous. Not for the actual teaching so much as the ability to take an all too familiar passage and bringing a new perspective to it. I enjoyed studying the passage throughout the last 10-14 days or so and digging deeper into the heart of Psalms. I did run into a problem while I was studying and praying through the lesson.

How can I possibly communicate the proper elevation of Almighty God with only 1 hour and a finite vocabulary filled with concrete and very measured terms? David is so clearly speaking to the omniscience of God, the omnipresence of God, the omnipotence of God. Praise for our God who is outside of time and space and who fits into no box we could ever create for Him. I think I might have said this before but sometimes we have a tendency to try to make God fit into our image we have conjured up for Him, with dimensions and boundaries. We think (or hope) there must be places He goes and places He can't (or doesn't), big things He knows with small pockets of undiscovered private things He knows nothing about. When we develop these false ideas of God and who He is, we, in actuality, become idolators worshipping a "false god". We have created and images graven in our mind's eye that are at the very least, inaccurate. He is so far beyond these ridiculous parameters we put around Him.

That still leaves me with a question. How do I classify in the clearest of terms, the greatness of El Shaddai? I came to this conclusion...

You don't.

You don't because you can't possibly.

There are no words to capture the essence of our Jehovah God and the scope and space He inhabits. The only way to begin my futile attempts at understanding the greatness of God, is to try and grasp who I am, how far I fall short, and how I am truly nothing but wind-swept dust without God's own breath inflating my lungs and his right hand gently pulsating my heart every moment of every day. It is so easy for me to take for granted the basics because I do nothing to keep them sustained. They just are. And they just continue without my help. When I finally get to the point that I realize that every step I walk, every sound I verbalize, every thought that passes through my mind, and every intention of my heart is only there because of God's grace and love for me, I will perhaps have barely scratched the surface of the most elementary of understanding with regard to God's deserved place in my life.

I am going to blog on this topic more in depth this week. Tune in.

God's Story

I mentioned in my last post that I had been working, travelling and sick. I guess I should have added "reading" to that list of things I have been doing because I finished reading another book. I read God's Story: Finding Meaning for Your Life through Knowing God by Anne Graham Lotz and it was excellent. The best thing about it was that I got something totally different out of it than what I thought I would get. Love that when God reveals something of His character in a way that is so unexpected. Another reason I liked this book is because it has a 100-page study guide and lots of teaching outlines with it for personal and group study. For those of you who are not big readers (in that you don't like to read books without pictures) it is a longer book - approximately 400 actual pages to read but the good news is that when you pick it up it looks much longer than that. The last 125 pages are all extra study notes and the like. See, you only have to read 275 of those pages! Yahoo for you! Like before, I will list the chapters for you to peruse:

I AM Your Creator

1. I Fill Your Emptiness

2. I Mend Your Brokenness

I AM Your Father

3. I Forgive Your Sinfulness

4. I uproot Your Bitterness

5. I Redeem Your Wastedness

I AM Your Savior

6. I Share Your Loneliness

7. I Overcome Your Helplessness

8. I Calm Your Fearfulness

9. I Understand Your Weakness

I AM Your Redeemer

10. I Reject Your Religiousness

11. I Banish Your Hopelessness

There are too many passages to quote that I just love so I can't pick just one. All I can say is that, I learned about things of the Lord on each page and how He has orchestrated meaning for our lives today all the way back into Eden. This book confirmed, yet again, that the Lord will use whatever means necessary to demonstrate His glory and elicit praise from His children.

On a personal note, I find the Lord revealing Himself to me in the strangest places right now. Should it be strange to have the Lord reveal characteristics of Himself to me wherever He chooses? Is He not there in the most unfortunate of places, the most comfortable of silences, the most intimate of moments, and the most unusual of situations? Surely He is. He is there to comfort or compel you, challenge or champion you, and cast vision or captivate your attention. Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, He is there waiting to reveal Himself to you. And, unfortunately for me, He is usually not shouting. Don't you wish He would just shout it outloud sometime? He is probably not going to get my attention with a trip wire. Most of the time, you just have to be prepared and ready to hear His still quiet voice. When do we get prepared and ready to hear Him? It is not in the moment before He chooses to speak. It is in the hundreds of thousands of moments prior to that. This preparedness is an ongoing process. It is dynamic in that there is ebb and flow and always moving and changing. It is not a place that you arrive at and park. There is no parking in preparation. When He decides to speak, and if you are His child, He will speak to you, you will miss the message without proper preparation of knowing His character, His promises, and His desires for your life all found in His inerrant Word. After all, it is God's Story. He wants you to read it, take notes about it, study it, understand it, apply it, live it, breathe it, share it. It's the best selling autobiography ever written. Be part of something bigger than you could ever be by yourself. Be part of God's Story.

This book is a great read and I highly recommend it.

Welcome Back!

Thank you so much for coming back! It's been a while, huh?

Been working, been travelling, been sick, NOT been blogging. Sorry about that. I have had several people inquiring about me and requesting updates on the blog. So, I am totally sick right now but here I am to answer the call.

I actually do have an entry in draft form from about a week and a half ago. I read some of it to my mom and she told me it would be in my best interest to NOT put it on a public blog. "Either change your entry or change your last name" I believe were her words. No, she wasn't really that harsh. She thought it was hilarious but was concerned it was something that "only a mother could love". What?? It had to do with a walk to work, a large squirrel and a lesson in preparation. This is all I can say publicly but am willing to share privately if you so desire to hear the story.

Today is Thursday and you know what that means... Thursday Thirteen!
By the time most of you read this, it will be Friday, but I think we go by the publish date so I am still in the clear with regards to accuracy. So, what will the top 13 things of today be... so many choices... The selection of the week is...(drum roll please)... Thirteen Favorite Spring Break Locations! Yahoo! Spring Break is upon us and who doesn't want to be thinking about getting out of Dodge (especially if you're from Dodge - no offense, of course to the "Dodgers".)

Here we go... (in no particular order)
1) Vail, Colorado - zipping around on skis
2) Bahamas - relaxing on a boat - a big boat
3) Aspen, Colorado - getting stuck in a snowbank on a snowmobile
4) Beaver Creek, Colorado - a day on skis followed by an evening at the spa
5) North (or South) Louisiana - enjoying lagnaippe with friends
6) Virgin Islands - relaxing on an island -after getting off a really big boat
7) San Francisco, CA - walking the hills and watching the stars
8) Seattle, WA - braving the rain, drinking coffee with family
9) Banff, Canada - captivated by and breathing in Lake Louise
10) Dallas, TX - being "home" without really being home
11) Hiking, Anywhere - any mountain worth seeing is worth hiking
12) Florida - enjoying sun, sand, and surf
13) Home - wherever family is at is where I would love to be.

How 'bout you?

Well, nuts!

Well, it has taken me more than a few more days to write a new post. What can I say, I've been otherwise occupied. It's funny, you get a new job and all of a sudden, you just don't have as much time to blog as you once had. Huh. Weird. Unfortunately, when you read this post, you're going to wish I had waited a little longer to post until something more profound came along. I would be lying to you if I told you that when this topic presented itself, I didn't think about it for while. A long while. More time than I care to admit honestly. Again, money to those who can explain how my mind works and why it is the way it is.

Ready? Here we go.

Today is supposed to be a BEAUTIFUL day. "Spring-like" they said. While thinking how awesome it was going to be today, I was walking to work and I saw an overweight squirrel. Perhaps we should call it a "chunky" squirrel or more like a "husky" squirrel. It wasn't quite to the obese stage as far as squirrels go, at least not in my 30 or so years of squirrel observation. I noticed him because I was watching the construction that I walk by everyday on the way to my building and some movement caught my attention. I looked down in front of me and noticed that little buddy had trouble picking up his hindparts and moving them out of the way before I stepped on him. He lurched at the last second across the sidewalk and made it into the bare shrub bush to "safety". I promise you, as I watched him, he turned around and looked at the potential "scene of the accident" as if to say, "Sheeesh! That was close!" I feel pretty confident when I say, I bet he was sweatin' it underneath that new spring growth of fur. What happens next, embarrassingly enough, is true. I actually thought I was just thinking until I realized that I was speaking, actually audibly verbalizing my thoughts. This is what exited my mouth.

"Well, buddy! You almost didn't make it. You better lay off those nuts you've been inhaling for the last several months. You know, they are full of fat. I know, it is considered the "good" fat but let's focus on the operative word "FAT". And it looks like you weren't eating Walnuts or Almonds all winter either but probably the really high fat content cashews or peanuts."

And when I turned around, and realized that the person behind me thought I should not be working at this medical center but quite possibly ADMITTED to this medical center, I had to agree. Their face was priceless and I walked briskly along, covering up my name badge so as not to be reported to the powers that be. Seriously, how do you get out of a situation like that gracefully and with any shred of dignity? I have just monologued with an overweight squirrel. I insulted him and gave him diet tips. Can I be really writing this down for you to read? This is reminiscent of another rodent story from my past. What is it with me and vermin?