cookies turned out great!
i'll be taking a few to karate tonight, the real test will be then haha
wishing i could send a few cyber cookies :-)
i was honored to be featured as eph2810's star of the week!
dad got his test papers for the next rank - he's going to leave us all behind
been hanging out with friends
meeting new ones, too!
i've actually been leaving work on time!
and have today off...hopefully to bake some more!
ooh, i can test a few wonderful sounding recipes from berrymom!

in the web world...
a fellow homeschooler,virginia, is no longer going to be homeschooled...
nic has posted some very cute "church wisdom signs"...
gordon at heavenly heartburn has been diving head first into some "everyday theological" issues...
andrew has posted a cute pic of his little sister...
mom {or radical one} has blogged a few photos along with a list of what the world needs more of...

there's around the blogworld in 30 seconds!

i had another bake day today! :-) actually, i'm still in the middle of the process! i have these chocolate cookies that is everyone's favorite and had baked those on tuesday...but, i had got some new chocolate, and it turns out it was "bittersweet" chocolate, instead of my regular semi-sweet chocolate chips :-( poor little faith tried them (it's tradition that i don't try my baking) and frowned, "these aren't too good, maegan." at least she's honest! that's when i took one to mom and she said, "these just aren't right!" turns out the chocolate was the problem, so now i want to do some good ones!!!

then, i'm going to try a new bar cookie recipe! hopefully, it'll be great! wish me luck...

i was in the middle of writing an e-mail to one of my bestest e-mail pals, and all of a sudden i realized i needed to examine my headlines....

i first heard the idea of "personal headlines" several years ago when i was reading a book titled don't sweat the small stuff - for teens by richard carlson... just as newspaper always has a series of headline stories designed to grab the reader's attention, so do we in the form of personal headlines. our headlines are the stories that we that we highlight in our minds and - either knowingly or unaware - we share with others. these are the stories we give the most attention to, sometimes they are reoccuring; other times they are isolated and change.

the reason it's important to examine those headlines is that often we don't realize what we're broadcasting to others. they become so automatic that we don't even see them. even though we rarely see them, they affect our lives in significant ways. we define ourselves as a certian type of person without even knowing it. perhaps we are defining ourselves in ways we don't want to be defined.

i was in the middle of writing this e-mail to my wonderful pal, and suddenly realized he thought i was so busy and he didn't seem to want to take up much time. now, he is one of the nicest, most sincere gentlemen i think i've met and he was being kind and thoughtful of what was happening with me and being considerate of my time. but i'm a people-person...and am on earth for relationships, for others. without my relationship with God and contact with people - being able to encourage them, i know my life would be so depressing.

i'm going to purpose to make sure my friends and the people i value most know i'm never too busy for them - anytime, anywhere. if they need someone, that's why i'm here!

do keep in mind that headlines aren't necessarily bad. often they are wonderful. the idea isn't to be self-critical, but self-observant. check in with yourself and you might decide a change is necessary - or you might see your headlines are great! i am thankful to have this information at my fingertips and that i can help what headlines people read!

what are some of your own personal headlines?

special thanks to eph2810 for the awesome glitter tag! doesn't it just complete the post?

quickie...

got up at 5:30
made lots of mocha lattes (and a couple of "black and white" lattes, too!)
blended quite a few smoothies
still sore from last night, and have conditioning karate class on the way
my register was actually a little over in money...still isn't good, but is better than being under
dad locked his keys out of his rousch about 2 blocks from where i work
saw a friend i used to go to school with - wow, i sound so old!
and, now, my friends, it's time for me to go change for karate....

due to the popularity of the discussion on God changing (a.k.a. calling all intelligent minds), i'm going to create a category on the sidebar for posts like that one titled "discussions of the round table", which people to seem to think about and come back to - to give other thoughts, to reply to someone's comments, or to just read again (as i surely will be doing again and again!).

wow, guys, you have given me lots more to ponder on top of simply can God change His mind? lol please feel free to continue posting thoughts, debates, more questions, or anything on that topic... i will definitely have to take some time to look at all of the topics raised by the comments, there's some great stuff in there!

i never thought i'd get so much feedback from it all, nic - i'd love for you to go "in depth" when you have a few more spare moments...you sounded like you were onto something! doug e. - you brought some wisdom to the comments, but i loved the part This question is like throwing a 100 mph fast ball to a guy that only has the skill to hit a 60 mph one. So if this comment didn’t make any sense it’s probably because I only hit a foul. Here are some guys who can hit the 100 mph fast ball… so very cute! thanks also for the references to look up! rabenstrange - simply put! gordon cloud - thanks for making your debut on this post! your words were very welcomed and helped to know others had been thinking about it, too! thanks for the encouragement, eph2810. you are just full of sweet, kind-hearted words and ways! mike - thanks for bringing up more topics than answers! hehe radical - thanks for the wisdom from a "parent's point of view" i haven't had that perspective to look through yet! you are very down-to-earth and able to make complicated things simple for the average person! puritan - you brought some wisdom to the table! i appreciate you taking the time to share! tidy - thanks for coming back! i can relate from a pet-owner's point of view, currently i have a dog and my sister has a bird (not to mention the previous animals of fish, turtles, "neighbor's cats," (haha) hamsters, and other creatures). feel free to come back anytime!

well, it's off to work! blessings to all and may each have the best day of their lives today!

calling all intelligent minds...

today i was looking back over malachi 4:6 where the last words of the old testament are "or else I will come and strike the land with a curse." scary words to end the old testament! if you think that's scary, look at why He would strike them with a curse... btw, this has nothing to do with the calling the "intelligent minds" - only how all of this got started and something i thought interesting!

ok, so after looking at the last passage, i looked up to malachi 3:6 and it says, "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed." also in numbers 23:19 it says, "...nor a son of man, that he should change his mind." yet another comes from malachi 3:6, " the LORD do not change..." along with other passages speaking of how God cannot change.

then we look at exodus 32:11-15. in verse 14 is says, "then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened." (emphasis mine) in genesis 6:6 is states, "the LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain."

He can't be both changeable and unchangeable - or can He?

don't worry, my friends, i'm not going into this thing of questioning the bible or God. i have my thoughts on these passages, just wanted to see what others had to say or thought about them. looking forward to the thoughts from all of my bright peoples! :-)

has anyone seen end of the spear? if so, please let me know how it is! i'm sure it's incredibly sad, but also very beautiful at the same time...

trusting Him

it feels like it's been for-ev-er since i've posted...i guess i've been running around like crazy, between working and karate! good news is, mom's said she's seen a major difference in my fighting (or sparring) since the last time she watched me! that totally made my week! :-) it makes all of that work completely worth it! so, i continue to push on towards my goal. meanwhile....

i hopped over to check out ryan's blog and discovered something i had been needing to hear. on his post, "late-night ramblings. (almost typed lattes instead of late accidentally)" i realized that trusting is not something i've been doing a whole lot of lately. the paragraph that really got to me was...

I've been thinking a lot lately. Quite possibly too much, if that's possible. Anyway, I've been thinking how ironic it is that so many people (I'm preaching at myself here) can have a hard time trusting God for things. What really gets to me at times is seeing almost everyone around me getting a serious boyfriend/girlfriend, getting engaged, or getting married. Sometimes I just have to keep telling myself that God knows better than I do and that there's something I'm supposed to be learning from whatever situation I'm in. Trust... it seems so simple, but why is it sometimes the hardest thing to do? I mean, God actually made us, but we have so much trouble with "letting" Him have control of our lives, and wondering if he really knows what He's doing. Which is, when you think about it like that, so ludicrous that it's almost hysterically funny.

amazing! i'm not sure i could have wrote my feelings better myself! while in my head, i know that i know i should trust Him, my heart seems slow to get in line with my head! my heart wants to "rush" things - and, as i commented to ryan, i've cut myself short. while i don't "date" guys, i do have many guy friends...obviously, some closer than others. even though we're only friends, i've realized i should still be "choosy" about who i hang around. please don't think i'm trying to bash anyone, i'm not at all. it's just that people have different standards, different issues they feel stronger about. i'm saying i should choose to hang out more with guys (and girls) who hold the same values as i do. does any of this make any sense? or am i just rambling now? lol

well, with that, i'll head to savannah's birthday party...over and out!

happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear...

dad...happpppppy birthdaaaaaaay toooooo youuuuuuuu!!!



A FATHER MEANS...

A Father means so many things...
A understanding heart,
A source of strength and of support
Right from the very start.
A constant readiness to help
In a kind and thoughtful way.
With encouragement and forgiveness
No matter what comes your way.
A special generosity and always affection, too
A Father means so many things
When he's a man like you...

is it possible to clone your dad - just making it younger version of him...say early 20's? i always said it was good for mom, because she was a few years older than me knew him before i did...otherwise, we'd probably be having little catfights over him! lol

seriously, i love my dad and i can only pray to one day marry as well as my mother did! i love you, dad!

almost-knocked-out!

ever since putting in extra training time with out instructor to prepare for our first tournament, "fighting" with him (a 2nd degree black belt, no less!) has become a tradition on tuesday nights at karate. so, we do about a third of the class with the all-belt forms class, then head off to spar! well, last night (tuesday night), at the last minute tarah decided not to go - so that left faith and i. so, our instructor was able to give us both some individual attention and work with us.

well, one thing i've needed to work on is to see and "committ" to attacking - going all the way with strength and speed. so, he did "soft boxing" with us, where we both just went at it and got hit. well, he decided to throw a kick and i ducked just enough for it to hit right in the back of my neck - just below where my head gear is. it knocked me down and made me dizzy, giving me a headache!

i had a headache for the rest of the evening, but tonight i sparred much better! he had that proud look, of knowing he had worked with me and i had learned! and mom even noticed an improvement!

at the end of the class he told me i was doing much better. "but," he said, "i almost had to knock you out to get you there!" haha then he said, "yeah, mr. 2nd degree picking on the yellow belt girls!"

work today was pretty good! nothing really eventful to report.

mural tag...first time ever!

there is a first time for everything, and so now i've been tagged with a mural...well, not exactly with a mural, you know what i'm saying! anyway, i had to add something to this mural wall and pass it on - thanks to some major help from eph2810 on my part! overlapping the graphics is okay - it would probably give it a unique look! the image is a PNG file - whatever that is. haha save, open and add your artwork. i was told to save as ‘mural.png’ when finished and post to my blog tagging others. (they say it's preferable to leave the file as PNG rather than JPG so the quality won’t suffer over multiple edits, unfortunately, i wouldn't know) oh, and it would also be appreciated to include your URL...i hope i relayed that right! ~grin~





1. ben.run - the originator of this whole idea, and an all-around amusing guy!
2. pm
3. eph2810 - the great woman who has provided some major talent to this mural (including my image), also the glitter tags designer!
4. no_average_girl - that's me, what else can i say? lol

ok, now i'm instructed to tag a few others...and, guys, if you need any help, i'm not the person to ask - to warn you ahead of time! haha

1. wildcard
2. rabenstranger
3. joe

oh, and if you are #10, please leave a comment at ben.run with a link to the final mural. Hopefully this will branch out and various branches will eventually reach a 10th person and there will be a completed wall! It will be interesting to see the various final designs as they have travelled through the blog space.

happy "muraling" guys! :-)

editor's note: my apologies to eph2810...i had her handle posted wrong. but all is right again!

bullies in life

being homeschooled, i was "protected" from those bullies many school-age children run into until i was a sophomore in highschool. even then, i wasn't "full-time" (i took an espanol class, while continuing to homeschool) plus i played softball, which made me a less-picked-on prospect i suppose.

so, needless to say, i haven't really had to worry about bullies...until karate. of course, karate is an attraction to bullies - i suppose it's the perfect place to learn as well as practice, don't ask me because i wouldn't know, i've just observed! ~wink~ however, i managed to meet the first person who has ever tried to bully me around - and it didn't stop with me, it's also been my sisters (which, if you have any younger siblings, you understand how the most fierce side reveals itself when a younger sister is bullied!)...and my personality did exactly as i had thought, i became determined to let her know i wasn't going to be ran over and that i would take up for my sisters!

as i've been dealing with that, i've taken a look around and realize how full of bullies our world really is. not just "physical" bullies, but people who bully their way into companies and seem to move up the executive ladder, they bully their way into "control" of others, i've even seen people bully their way into church leaderships! there are some who bully for the sake of bullying, a few vie for control, some have a goal to meet, for others it's just a way of life!

whatever the case, Jesus said, "blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." (italics mine) meek = gentle, humble in spirit or manner. wow, what an exact opposite of all bullies are. He goes on to say, "blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (italics mine)

as much as i wish i didn't have to deal with bullies, i've realized that it's life. but, as i've been watching them, i've realized it's only a form of their own insecurities coming out. and while i hate the act of bullying, i still feel for them and wish i could do something to help them. but, until the desire to change, there's absolutely nothing i can possibly do.

another realization i've had is they are only trying to be happy - which they have a right to be. unfortunately, their so-called "happiness" is coming at the cost of others who are put down because of it.

the next time i see someone seeking to be happy at my (or someone else's expense), i'll realize they are only seeking to be happy and content in the only way they know how and say a little prayer for them, that they may find the only One who can give them true joy!

true brides

i was reading the ransomed heart by john eldredge. I came upon this story...

"have you no other daughters?"

"no," said the man. "there is a little stunted kitchen wench which my late wife left behind, but she cannot be the bride."

the king's son said he wanted to see her, but the stepmother answered, "oh no, she is much too dirty, she cannot show herself!" but he absolutely insisted on it, and she had to be called.

she first washed her face and hands, then bowed before the king's son, who gave her the golden slipper, which fit like a glove. and when she rose up the king's son looked in her face and recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with him and cried, "this is the true bride!"

the stepmother and two sisters were horrified and became pale with rage; he, however, took her on his horse and rode away with her.

wow, i love that part of the cinderella story! how us girls desire to be beautiful brides, to be enchanting, to unveil our beauty, and here we see the true heroine unveiled in all her glory! we finally see the beauty who was once mocked, hated, laughed at rise up to her full height! cinderella, the on the slipper fit, the one the prince is in love with, she's the true bride....just as we all are!

blondestar

i promise a "real" post soon, guys! until then, turn your speakers up and enjoy...

Can't eat Beef, mad cow....


Can't eat chicken .... bird flu







Can't eat eggs ... salmonella








Can't eat pork .... fears that bird flu will infect piggies











Can't eat fish .... heavy metals in the waters has poisoned their meat














Can't eat fruits and veggies ... insecticides and herbicides













Hmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I believe that leaves Chocolate!!!!!!!!







Remember - - -







"STRESSED"







spelled backwards is







" DESSERTS "








Send this to four people and you will lose 2 pounds.








Send this to everyone you know (or ever knew), and you will lose 10 pounds.








(If you delete this message, you will gain 10 pounds immediately.)








"That's why I had to pass this on - - - - - I didn't want to risk it."

NOTE: i couldn't risk gaining those 10 lbs.....so, i'm hoping this counts for "everyone I know" ~grin~

sin

a while back, i was reading a book titled, lies women believe...it was a real eye opener about lots of things, some issues that i needed my eyes opened to once again! one of those things i needed to realize was how appealing satan can make sin out to be, as i am every bit as human as the next person.

satan uses different tactics on different people, different personalities. what seems appealing to some does not have the same effect on others. he must use different strategies. some of the things God clearly labels "sin" satan makes out to be fun, safe, innocent, desirable, no big deal, meeting our needs, and unavoidable. he tries to fool us into thinking...

there will be no judgment for my sin
i won't reap what i sow
the choices i make today will not have consequences
i can play with fire and not get burned

he tells us (just as he told eve in the garden long ago), "not only can you disobey God and avoid negative consequences; there are also some definite benefits you will experience if you eat this fruit." basically, whatever consequences you may reap are worth the pleasure and benefit you receive from having your way! after all, if we didn't think there was some "joy" to be had from sinning, why would we choose to sin?

the truth is...

sin is dangerous, deadly, and destructive
we will reap what we sow
every choice we make today will have consequences (whether good or bad)
if we play with fire, we will get burned

sin steals joy - psalm 51:12
sin removes confidence - 1 john 3:19-21
sin brings guilt - psalm 51:3
sin gives satan the upper hand - 2 corinthians 2:9-11
sin quenches God's Spirit - 1 thessalonians 5:19
sin produces fear - proverbs 28:1
sin makes me its slave - john 8:34 & romans 6:16

i pray He gives me the grace to remember what He's taught me next time i am tempted to do wrong...even if it's a secret, so-thought "hidden" trespass.

on saturday, tarah and i had the awesome opportunity to worship Him through interpretive dance and signing - while stacey was our awesome singer and support! faith (my little sister) and savannah (stacey's daughter) both assisted, signing two songs by themselves!

the ministry we have felt called to do is something unique, challenging, yet refreshingly encouraging! it's unique because there are only a few others who worship in this fashion, challenging because it makes you truly seek Him and His Word, and refreshingly encouraging because you see others worship and adore Him as never before!

i've found if i'm to help lead someone to worship, it's a must to keep my relationship with my Savior on track. if i don't, it's very difficult to worship Him with everything within me, and in turn makes it difficult for eager hearts to worship. my head might really be in it, but my heart is to be found elsewhere.

with this relization, it has made me ask myself, are there other priorities of my life (relationships, friendships, jobs, authority figures, etc) that could be much better, but they remain mediocre into because i'm not in line with my first priority? i've seen the direct effect of not being one with Him in my worship, but what other areas are there where our steps are different, or even going opposite?

tagged...round two

ok, so i didn't get to post the wonderful post last night! i was at karate until....late, watching the blackbelts spar. then i was waiting on the boxers to begin their boxing matches when i decided i needed to get little sis home, then it was off to wally world to take back some things and do a little shopping!

however, i've once again been tagged by virginia at hill of beans...you know, i've got to admit i love being tagged for some reason. makes me feel all loved! ~smile~

2 names you go by:1. Maegan 2. Mae
2 parts of your heritage: 1. British (like, hundreds of years ago! no, i don't have that awesome accent!) 2. cherokee indian
2 things that scare you: 1. hitting people too hard at karate ~grin~ 2. thinking about people I love dying {couldn't have said it better myself}
2 of your everyday essentials: 1. water 2. makeup
2 things you are wearing right now: 1. my faithful watch 2. nail polish :-)
2 favorite bands or musical artists (at the moment): 1. newsboys 2. joy williams
2 favorite songs at the moment: 1. gonna getcha good - shania twain 2. wait for me - rebecca st. james
2 truths: 1. i am a child of the King - i'm a princess! 2. mushrooms and salsa are the bestest snack ever!
2 physical things that appeal to you (in the opposite sex): 1. either really dark, "sparkly eyes" or sky blues 2. the way he treats his parents - especially his mother {obviously, with respect is attractive}
2 of your favorite hobbies: 1. karate! 2. talking to people about deeper-than-just-the-surface topics - yep, difficult hobby because people want to be so.....plastic
2 things you want really badly: 1. friends to hang out with whom i can trust completely 2. a washer that automatically dries the clothes! oh, and folding them wouldn't be bad, either!
2 places you want to go on vacation: 1. canada - niagara falls 2. london
2 things you want to do before you die: 1. see a boxing match...live 2. get my black belt
2 ways that you are stereotypically a chick: 1. i always - well, almost always - wear earrings. the only time i don't is at karate, because a black belt threatened to jerk them out if i wore them again! 2. i'm a fashion freak!
2 things you are thinking about now: 1. what time is it? 2. are we going to watch and episode of smallville tonight?
2 stores you shop at: 1. aéropostale 2. life way bookstores
2 people you tag: 1. shaun 2. tarah

quick post...

i have a longer post about what we did saturday evening - but, unfortunately, it's still in my head and i've only got a short period of time between work and karate.

today was pretty good...tried to keep customers from yelling at me because their order was taking so long! not only was i the only cashier (our other one's child was sick, and she wasn't there), but the kitchen got waaaaaaay behind...like, there was no where to hang the orders in there! and then my boss was gone on delivery for a while during the rush. overall, though, it was a great day! :-) lots better than friday!

btw, thanks so much for the encouraging comments, my friends! you have no clue how much they touched my heart and made me smile!

well, time to grab a bite and change for karate! if things go right (like they should go in my head! haha), then i should be making a better post tonight!

until then, hope you have the most wonderful, blessed day!

i be "it"!!!

ok, so virginia from hill of beans tagged me...i'm supposed to list five weird things about myself and then tag four others. you guys aren't going to think i'm totally off the wall after these, now are you? if so, virginia, you're responsible girl! lol

1) i love to eat coffee beans - not chocolate-covered or anything, just plain coffee beans. flavors are excellent, too! i taste the flavors to try to figure out if mom would like the taste of brewed coffee! i love my mom!

2) i think the best part of the apple is the bottom half of the core...right above the little "hairy" thing {as faith calls it}. honestly, it's the sweetest part of the apple!

3) dating - i guess i take it more serious than most people, casual (or recreational) dating just doesn't appeal to me.

4) i go on a diet....and GAIN weight! i have some kind of freakish metabolism

5) i'm afraid i'm going to hit someone too hard while sparring, fully padded...at karate!

so now i tag....

servant of love

favorite sister {radical one}

grace reign

eph2810 - sorry, girl, couldn't resist! :-)

ok, so here i go trying to "recover" my letting-it-go post from earlier...



the day started out with my parents leaving to take my grandfather to doctors {for the cancer, asbestosis, and whatever the latest thing they are calling the "fungus" in his lungs}. before too long, i head for work...leaving t to manage the household affairs.

so, i get to work and because my hours have been cut - due to me needing more time at home for family, relaxation, to help with chores, and all that good stuff - and so now i don't work thursdays. anyway, i go in today and it seemed everything needed to be restocked and resupplied. i'm responsible for cutting fruit {for smoothies}, refilling the ground coffees, bringing milk from the walk-in fridge in the back, topping off the tea and smoothie mixes, among other things (obviously!). needless to say, i stayed on my toes plus business was busy for a friday!

oh, before i go on, i think rabenstranger asked if i worked at a starbucks or chain coffee shop...i wouldn't call it a chain store - although we like to say we have better fraps than starbucks! ~wink~

ok, back to the story...i was restocking the supplies and, naturally, the milk needed to be replenished. i notice that one of the milks are different, but i figured my boss had went and bought some milk to hold us over until they could buy the normal gallons. well, one of the cooks come in and he pours a bowl of raisen bran and i hear him say something like, "where's my milk?" it didn't really cross my mind to think anything! well, he goes to the front fridge and grabs the only gallon in there of almost-gone milk..."who used my milk?" oh, i felt so bad! he finally forgave me.......several hours later {thankfully, before he made my lunch! hehe}. i did learn a lesson though, i saw how a gallon of milk and him worried about "4 dollars being down the drain" ruined several precious hours!

well, later on, during the lunch rush there's this guy who brings this exceptionally expensive ticket to my register. well, i ring it up and after i give him the total he's like, "no, i have this 15% off discount coupon!" wow, man, thanks for telling me! so, that ='s a huge overring for my register, which i despise! well, anyway, i grab the calculator to start figuring his total {being the math whiz that i am! ha ha}. "no, that's not the way you do it....." then he proceeds to give me instructions. dude, listen, i've got my method you have yours! this is my job...help noted! how sane it keeps you just to be able to think these sarcastic or smart-aleck comments, you've just got to be careful not to giggle while thinking them!

during all of this, one of my co-workers {how i love her!} asked me if i ever got down or upset. she said i was always in a good mood...how in the world do you respond? i mean, i do have my moments but i try to do damage-control at that point, not to hurt anyone else while i try to get over my bout of being upset. but i don't want to just shrug it off either, you know?

it definitely wasn't the worst day, but it sure wasn't the bestest of days. it's actually one of those i'll probably look back and laugh at in the next couple of weeks! until then, i'll remember it could be worse!

it could be worse, i suppose!

alright, i had this long post telling about my day {it wasn't the bestest of days, but not the worst, just one of those days that will be hilarious in a few weeks but now it feels so......draining?} just to close out the window before saving it. what a thing to do to top off the day. i'll post again guys, but for now i'm going to get a shower.

i guess i need to realize from the picture that it would be worse...poor old guy!

i'm cheese pizza & chocolate! mmmm ...among other random things

You are Milk Chocolate

A total dreamer, you spend most of your time with your head in the clouds. You often think of the future, and you are always working toward your ideal life. Also nostelgic, you rarely forget a meaningful moment... even those from long ago.

What Kind of Chocolate Are You?

==============================================

A small town doctor was famous in the area for always
catching large fish.

One day while he was on one of his frequent fishing trips he
got a call that a woman at a neighboring farm was giving
birth. He rushed to her aid and delivered a healthy baby boy.

The farmer had nothing to weigh the baby with so the doctor
used his fishing scales. The baby weighed 32 lb. 10 oz.

==============================================

Cheese Pizza

Traditional and comforting. You focus on living a quality life. You're not easily impressed with novelty. Yet, you easily impress others.

What's Your Pizza Personality?

==============================================

Blessed is the season which engages the whole
world in a conspiracy of love

==============================================

How You Life Your Life

You seem to be straight forward, but you keep a lot inside. You're laid back and chill, but sometimes you care too much about what others think. You prefer a variety of friends and tend to change friends quickly. Some of your past dreams have disappointed you, but you don't let it get you down.

How Do You Live Your Life?

==============================================

GREAT TRUTHS IN LIFE:

1) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
5) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
6) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

prayer for the miners...

i found this heart-felt prayer on the sojourner's journey. it was too precious not to share!

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Dear Heavenly Father, hearts are breaking today. The families of the miners in West Virginia are searching for your love and comfort. They long for understanding. They feel betrayed. They are hurt and bitter and angry. Lord, in all your wisdom, bring comfort and peace to these families. Father, shelter them with your wings and hold them close to your heart. Surround them with the knowledge that you are in control and draw them near to you. Lord for those family members who know you, reassure them of your love and for those who do not know you, send Christians to witness your love to them. Father we do not understand when a tragedy like this happens but as Christians, we know that you can use situations like this to bring souls to a saving knowlege of grace, hope and love. Hold them tightly in the palm of your hand, dear Lord and never let them go. God, rest the souls of the men who lost their lives and give strength to their families to press on. Father, for the one who is in the hospital fighting for his life, I pray your will be done. Father comfort his wife and family as only you can and fill their hearts with love for one another during this difficult time. We know you never want to see one of your children suffer. We know you are in control. Father, please soothe our spirits and stem our tears. We love you, Lord. Thank you. Amen

off for work......

thanks for the help all you guys...namely uncle bill - since you "beat" everyone to the punch! haha and i think i need to give a special thanks to rabenstrange - you were ready to explain it! :-) i really have been trying to figure that one out! i did think about the tearing of the temple, but it didn't seem to make complete sense.

i just found out the news about the miners in WV...such a tragic way to end the story :-( mom's been following it all along, and thought they were alive last night, just be disappointed and broken-hearted that only one survived and isn't in great condition. how hard it must be for them all.

well, i guess i'm off for work...looking forward to a bright, cheerful day at work! can't wait to see my regulars who always come!

i wonder...

ok, i know this is something i've been wondering for a while considering i went and saw the movie on opening weekend, have read the books, and even was in a play about it - what an evil role i had...ewww. anyway, i've really been thinking about how the chronicles of narnia: the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe had lots of symbolisms, that's just the type of guy c.s. lewis was. he wrote about things that were in direct parallel to Jesus and mankind. one part that seemed pretty significant was the cracking of the stone table when aslan came back to life. i've been trying to figure out what symbolism {if any} it holds.

is anyone else wondering this, too? any ideas? or maybe one of my many bright readers have this whole thing figured out?

on another note...karate starts back tonight! we've been out for over a week....yes, over a week! i haven't known what to do with myself. i guess iguana-sitting helped a little! haha

and work starts back, bright and early, tomorrow. i must resume my schedule of waking up at 5:30 or 6:00 in the mornings now...it was a nice, almost-week long break!

i guess i'll go make sure i can still find my dobok and yellow belt! oh, i guess i do need by sparring pads, as well...a blackbelt may just let us beat up on him tonight! :-)

pictures from aunt angela's on new year's eve

here's a picture of myself and ed...from what i hear, he has an awesome girlfriend. unfortunately, i didn't get to meet her she was away at a softball camp





here's angel & me...he's very photogenic! oh, and yes, i'm yacking on that phone! haha





angel & aunt angela - his mom








and, you've got to have at least one funny picture! here's uncle marty and my cousin zach...they are victims of the camera! lol what makes me laugh even harder is they are father-son!

love for 2006

i was reading a post by paula at GraceReign and she had a really great idea in new year's thoughts. she had a word, or a theme, for 2006. what a grand idea! i had a few words pop into my mind, but one that seemed to really stick was forgiveness... well, forgiveness is definitely a form of agape love, so my word for the year 2006 is........



love is a word that is all of everything. a word, i pray, God is working into the journey of who I am and will become in 2006. to love always, love unconditionally, love completely. when you melt it down to the basics, it's all about love.

(vielen dank to Eph 2810 for the beautiful glitter tag!)

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