Today's World...it's not always such a nice place

Today I deleted my account on Huffington Post that allows me to post comments.  While the news and the comments that follow are usually disturbing to me, lately it has been distressing.   I realize HP is as liberal a media outlet as they come, but it is worrisome the ungodly way people believe...and solidly think they have justification in what they believe.  It doesn't take long to realize that our world really is in a mess, and while I'm glad it's not my Home, I must live the life that God prescribed for me on Earth until it's time for me to go Home.  Some days, I'm really, really ready to do just that.

Lately, I have been praying for Kenneth Bae, an American who was convicted of hostile acts toward North Korea (crossing the border and giving Bibles to orphans) and is now serving 15 years of hard labor.  I know there are others in these types of terrible situations, but Mr. Bae has touched my heart, and I have been asking God to intervene.   

People are fighting cancer and other catastrophic diseases; hearts are broken every where I look. 

Yesterday, I had some stressful news regarding my daughter that breaks my heart for her.  I put the situation in God's capable hands; He is certainly able to handle it, and in comparison with world events, it's a small thing.  But we don't like to see our children upset, do we?  

Last evening, when I heard about Oklahoma's devastating tornado...I had a longing for Jesus.  I've come to realize that His returning is an event to be hoped for.   I am thankful for His mercy and His longsuffering, because I know that there are unsaved people who desperately need Jesus, but more and more, I've come to just want to see Him...look upon His face, as the old hymn goes.

Do you think Jesus is coming soon?  Perhaps even in your lifetime?   "Soon," I know, can be a while yet.   I don't like world events, but I do know Who is control, Who has the final say, and that is Who I serve, but that doesn't always stop the emotional toll of the deception and devastation around me. 

If it were not for knowing God, I would be so anxious, so fearful, and very depressed.  I cannot imagine living without the hope that He is...because I get antsy even so. 

The Bible says to pray without ceasing.   I understand why...you don't have to look anywhere to find prayer needs.  Please pray for the Oklahoma tornado victims, and for Mr. Bae if he crosses your mind.   

Monday Musings...The Sam's Club Edition

Dear Sam’s Employee:

When there is a line of no less than 14 people behind you waiting to check out, it is not the best time to conduct “membership business.”   I realize you have a job to do…harassing informing customers about what a great membership upgrade they could have if they would just listen to you, but please, not while long lines are waiting to check out.

Dear Fellow Sam’s Shoppers:

I was pretty tired of waiting in line with a broken foot.   I was complaining a little to Ole Boy about the hold up, and it didn’t help that he said his normal “Huh?” to everything I said, so I repeated it all a little louder.  I think my favorite line was “They’re backed up all the way to the nut man!”  (The “nut man” being the sample-giver with the nuts.)   Anyway, if you heard my doubled protests, I’m a little ashamed.

Dear God:

About that murmuring and complaining…yes, I know that even if no one else heard me, You did.  I wish I hadn’t done that, and I will really try to always be more Christ-like no matter what my situation is.  And I have to admit, waiting five extra minutes (even if it seemed like 25) was not worth getting riled over. 

A few weeks ago, I wondered about eating carbs and pseudo-guilt.   I decided to put those thoughts to the test, and a week ago Thursday, I ate some "full-leaded" candy.  I had 3 or 4 pieces.   It went pretty well.  Or so I thought…until I actually analyzed what went on last week and over the weekend.

Before I get into that, I’d like to say that from August to December, I was pretty careful about what I ate.   This year, I have not been nearly as meticulous, and my weight loss has really slowed down.  Truthfully, I think it would have slowed down anyway, but probably not as much as it has.   I was thinking over the last couple of weeks that I had barely lost 5 pounds over the past few months.   But I looked back over my weight loss record, and at the end of January, I was at 68 pounds lost.   Last week, I was at 88 pounds lost, so 20 pounds is a very good achievement, I am thinking. 

Back to the sugar issue…I fully believe what I said about limiting God’s freedom, and I know that we are freed from the chains of sin because of what Jesus did on the cross for us.   But!  Some things are not the best choices for us.  Let me give you a crude example…cashews are fairly low carb (though the one of the carbier nuts) but they give me gas.  (There, I said it!)  It’s just wise for me not to eat those things, even if they are low carb.  Sugar is also not a wise choice for me.

This past weekend, for the first time since August of last year, I had one of those days when I just wanted to eat.  I gave serious thought of sneaking off for a whole bag of cookies (I didn’t).  I thought of getting a box of Klondike bars, the “no sugar added” variety, of course, of which I would have probably eaten the whole box.  Instead, I got a 175 calorie McDonald’s ice cream cone, but the fact of the matter is I was having real issues that rivaled the days of old when I was out of control.

To describe even further what was going on in my head, I told myself exactly what was going on, and I still chose to eat.  Willful gluttony...some of it premeditated.  I reminded myself that it was sin and did it anyway.  I am not proud of any of that.  And I am not fully blaming it on 3 or pieces of chocolate candy, either.   But that did put the wheels in motion.  Honestly, it's not worth it.  I much prefer walking in freedom.

Needless to say, it’s back to low carb (strict low carb for a while).  And as always, I will lean on Him for strength, not look to my own will power(less).

Elementary Memories, My Dear...

Proceed at your own risk through my rambling words and jumbled thoughts in print of the years 1970 – 1976…hinging on whether or not my faulty memory is serving me correctly.   (And this post is well over the 500 words limit by which I like to try and abide.)

When I started first grade at Underwood Elementary School, vending machines offered 5¢ six ounce Cokes, and 10¢ ten ounce Cokes.  (Whether it was coke or 7 up, or whatever…it was all called Coke, and I believe the 10 ounce drinks were only 8¢ that first year.)   The school secretary, Mrs. Quillen, ran a little candy store out of the office, where I once rudely told my third grade teacher Mrs. Poole to “Move!”  She then gave me a (much needed) lecture on courtesy.    Mr. Myhan handled the popsicles…it seems like there was a popsicle for every flavor a kid could think of!

My introduction to school wasn’t a pleasant one.   My teacher, Mrs. Moore, was obviously tired of seeing my family members…I was the fifth and final…and she wasn’t always nice.  Or was it possibly because I was precocious and loud and got on her nerves?   Whatever the reason, I suppose it’s my own unforgiveness that I need to face.    I remember Sharon R. was on crutches for a while, and Laura B. had a bicycle wreck that resulted in a hospital stay…and when she came back to school, she had a badly bruised face.   Mrs. Moore gave each child a chance to be “Teacher’s Pet” for a day. 

The principal, Mr. Terry, was a scary man to a first grader.   I’d never heard of a first name being a last name…and I dared to say “Hey, Terry!” as I passed him in the hall.   He quickly set me straight on that deal, and I didn’t do that again!   I also remember they gave immunization shots at school in those days.   Oh, how I hated those days!   Mrs. Broadfoot was my favorite substitute teacher.  There was another substitute I liked, too, and I believe her name was Mrs. Hill.  I remember I liked the way she said “Pacific” as in the Pacific Ocean.  

Second grade was a much better experience.   Mrs. Hall seemed to genuinely like children.    There was a new girl named Beverly in our class for a while.  She didn’t stay long…but when I was a senior, I got a job at Shoney’s and Beverly was working there, only she was called Chita, but I knew I remembered her from somewhere.   When I finally heard her first name was Beverly, I was able to put one and one together and came up second grade.

   

Once, when Mrs. Hall was out of the room, for some unknown reason, I was running around the desks and knocked the record player off…thankfully it still worked.    I was scared to death of the trouble I was going to be in when she came back in….but I wasn’t.    I stole 5 pennies from Selena M. that year…oh, the times I have thought about that with shame.   I have never again stolen from another individual.   

  

One of the best things about that year, though I didn’t know it then, was that every morning, Mrs. Hall had us say the Pledge of Allegiance and the 100^th Psalm.   I have never forgotten that Psalm, and I rarely recite it without thinking of Mrs. Hall.

Third grade gave me Mrs. Poole.   I thought she was so pretty!  She didn’t have her class in the traditional rows of desks….there were groups of rows of about 5 or six desks, and I sat beside Laura B. and  behind Jay C. for a while.   I also have a memory of sitting very near her desk…I wonder what I did to get that special place in the room?  This was the year I fell in love with Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House books, because Mrs. Poole read us The Little House on the Prairie afternoon.  I read all of LIW’s stories, and loved the TV show.   (I visited Laura Ingalls Wilder’s home in Missouri a few years ago.   She wasn’t there…)   Years later, when my daughter was at Underwood, Mrs. Poole, who had become Mrs. Griffin, was the principal.   

My fourth grade teacher was Mrs. Witt…very possibly my favorite teacher of all my years in school.    I think this was the year that Kathy T. broke her toes.   I remember she didn’t let that stop her from playing PE…kickball and softball.   She fell down once, and I could tell it hurt her…but she didn’t cry.  I was really impressed.     

Pamela M. and I sang “The Church in the Wildwood” to the whole class.   I say “we” but I didn’t sing very much at all.   I had told Pam that I would help her, but I must have developed some sort of stage fright when faced with the whole class looking.   Tammy I. and Cindy T. put together a magic show for us.    It was actually pretty good, and I still remember two of the tricks they did.   I asked Tammy how they did it, fully expecting her not to tell me, but she did…I always liked Tammy, and she has done very well for the state of Alabama.

Fifth grade…we were the "big kids" and started changing classes!   I liked both Mrs. Hudson and Mrs. McGuire, the fifth grade teachers.   Mrs. McGuire used the phrase “quit meddlin’” a lot.   That was the girls and boys really started noticing each other and pairing off…though it had started in third and fourth grades.   

Sixth grade teachers were Mrs. Pierce and Mrs. Alexander, and I like them both as well.   Mrs. Pierce was my homeroom teacher, and she used the phrase “Woe be unto you…” when she was threatening us for whatever reason.    I think we realized she meant business.    Early spring mornings would find many of us (Jeff Y.  Julia R. Mark D., and others) playing softball before the bell rang.  Sadly, this was the year that I learned that children aren’t immortal with the freak accident that claimed the life of second grader Tyra Townsley.    A couple of her cousins were in my class, and I remember them crying during class.   A twelve year really doesn’t know what to say in times like this. 

My years at Underwood are very special memories.   I met a girl there named Carol B.  She left Underwood and to go to Cloverdale after only a year or two, and it wasn’t until the 9^th grade that I saw her again.   She became my High School BFF and is still my very dear friend.  We’ve lost a few classmates along the years, Mark Davis, Mark Hanback, Anita Looney, Tim Smith, Lisa Hill (who left after the 4^th grade) and Sharon Risner.   I still live near the school.  Though it looks a little different these days, one thing remains the same:  Memories are being built, lifelong friendships are being formed, and America’s bright future are learning and discovering life in those elementary classrooms.

Testing, testing...is anyone missing Cade's Cove?

This is merely a test post.

I wanted to see what would happen when I put a background on a page...and I like it!  I think I will do this more often. 

There is a wonderful picture that my sister took some time ago, and if I can find it again...I just may "steal" it and use it as a background.      


I guess on darker parts of the picture, I will have to use another font color.  White may work pretty well.   


This photo is a picture I snapped in Cades Cove a few years ago.  I always thought a Bible verse overlay would be perfect for it.   

Rules of the Boot

I have a fractured navicular (translated:  I broke my foot.)   What may have been a stress fracture (purely my conjecture) is a full-fledged fracture now.   I’m wearing a big clunky boot and hobbling about.   Of course, I had to give up my 1.5 mile exercise trek (I don’t think I’ve complained about that, though), and today I found out something important about the boot…if your jeans don’t fit over the boot, wear something else!   I tucked my jeans inside, and it has seriously chaffed my leg where the boot and jeans meets the skin.

I had started to maneuver around the truth enough so that I wouldn’t be lying, but I wouldn’t be telling it all, either.  I decided against that, and I’ll just tell you that I have been involved in some premeditated gluttony today (and some last night, too).   It sure is easy to give in a second time when you give in a first time.  Today, as I was headed toward the restaurant to partake in aforementioned premeditated gluttony, I talked to myself.  I reminded me that I didn’t have to do this.   I chose to, anyway.   Last night wasn’t so bad, by itself, neither was today, by itself (other than both times were unmitigated gluttonous behavior) but now I feel pretty stuffed and miserable.   And being stuffed and miserable, hobbling around with an inflatable boot and a broken foot…well…I’m a sight.

If I can’t get attention one way, I’ll get it another.

Last week I had lost 88 pounds.   Today, I would imagine that mark is not so high.   I have decided to not post weight loss on Monday like I originally said because, well, I really don’t want to know myself.  I'd like to say that the weight doesn't matter, that only making right choices and being obedient does.   But the truth is, I really like losing weight.

And there we have it!   I feel better having gotten that off my chest.   Oh wait.   It’s still there, and it’s laying heavy, I might add.   :::groan:::

Monday Musings...The "They're Back" Edition!

Dear Nature Valley Granola Thins:

80 calories of dark chocolate peanut butter goodness!   I will not buy you again for a lonnnng time!  :::(not so) innocently looking at the empty box:::

Dear Ladies Meeting Teacher:

You make it look so easy!   What I thought was 45 minutes worth of material turned out to be only 15.   I had to ad lib!  

Dear Mouth:

You don’t have to do all the work!   Let the ears have a chance!

Dear Facebook “Friend:”

I am not happy with the current administration, either, but there are enough grounds in the truth of what he’s doing that you do not need to “bear false witness.”   You’d be much, much more useful if you were praying for our leaders.

Dear Rainy Monday:

If my calendar didn’t tell me it is a May day, I’d think it was still February out there!  Even so, it’s a day that the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it!

Dear Student:

If you don’t like getting tickets at the university that you pay so much to attend (but not as much as you stated) then be a little more careful to follow the rules for parking on campus.

Dear Blogger:

I think you forget that you are writing about real people with real feelings, and sometimes what you say isn’t necessary and doesn’t really serve a purpose.

Dear Reader:

Have a wonderful, blessed, beautiful week!

Dear Piers Morgan:

Please go home. 

Civil War Saturday...in pictures!

This weekend I intended to stay off my foot, which may have a stress fracture, and see if it's any better by Monday before I visit the bone and joint doctor.   However, it's easy to think you'll take it easy when it's supposed to be a rainy weekend.   As it turned out...I woke up around 5 a.m. and it wasn't rainy.   So much for staying off my foot.   bwahaha

Ole Boy happened to need to be near the Mississippi state line very early, and since I was already up, I tagged along.  After he took care of business, we headed up to Shiloh National Military Park in Tennessee. 

First we stopped at the Visitor Center.   This huge oak tree was right outside the door.   You can't really appreciate just how big this tree is from this picture.

From there, we walked to the National Cemetery. 

Marker after marker after marker....and a few squirrels.    More markers and a knotty tree.  

Before we left, we visited the book/souvenir store, where I found confederate flags, pins, and necklaces...which is a completely differentblog...all about Heritage vs Hate.   I'm on the side of Heritage.   Someone, at some time in the recent past decided that, without researching the history of the battle flag, they were offended at the site of it...but I digress...

We also bought a CD called Homespun Songs of the CSA by Bobby Horton, and we listened to songs like Dixie, Cumberland Gap, "Jine the Cavalry" which I thought was "Johnny Cavalry" through most of the song.  (Bobby Horton is from Birmingham, AL, and quite talented.   We enjoyed the CD) 

 Ole Boy on the Iowa Monument   This was a very, very small "pond."  The sign was more interesting.       This is view from the largest of the Indian Mounds.     Indian Mound     Indian Mound   Lots of cannons throughout the park     Lots of thistle, too.         An eagle and nest, according to a park official. I thought it looked more like a buzzard, myself.  

As we were leaving, Hell's Angels showed up.  I didn't mind that we were leaving as they were arriving. (They weren't really Hell's Angels.  They were most likely very nice folks with very loud motorcycles.)
  

After leaving the park, we headed over to Pickwick Landing Dam. Look at that beautiful sky! Lovely day!  

I Totally Stole This One...

 

So as I was driving the kids to school this morning, I noticed a big white spot at the top if the door frame. As I'm getting closer and glaring with my mouth open I became aware of the freshly hatched spider sac. As I'm trying to close my mouth to avoid contamination, a slight squeal erupted from the depths if my soul. Immediately I noticed a trembling writhing in my core. It seemed to vibrate up my body and down my arms, which became limp rapidly flopping noodles that were uncontrollably slapping my face and body. This started a panic in the car which led to further screams of epic levels. As I'm jerking my hair down to slap myself more fervently and effectively in the back of the head (because that is the only logical place for all the spiders to go) I suddenly become aware that I am stopped in the middle if the road causing a scene that had been beneficial to 3 different vehicles and their personal amusement. Great start of the day, I would say.

This is my daughter's Facebook status update from yesterday.  I laughed and laughed.  She threatened to put spiders in my car.   Her fear of spiders is probably from me, and I got it from my mom.   Spiders....we hate them, and yet I call myself The Brown Recluse.  

After having another good giggle about her plight, I went to take my shower, and of course, there was a huge spider in my tub.

What Time Is It?

¹⁰The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
¹¹ The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

Psalm 33

It’s time for God’s children to pray – to look to the eastern sky because Jesus is coming soon.  Everything He said in His word is true, and it will all come to pass.  The time to pray is NOW, and the day to listen to what God is saying is now, while we can still hear! 

Pray for the sinner.   Pray for the boldness of His people to lift up their voices to be heard in a nation of unrighteous leaders.  

The days are counted, and God has a plan that will continue until He says it’s time…and that day appears to be very close.

National Day of Prayer

Thursday, May 2, 2013

~ ~ 

In Florence:

12 Noon at Wilson Park, Downtown Florence

In case of inclement weather:

across the street at First United Methodist Church

  

⁴…Thus says the Lord:

“Will they fall and not rise?
Will one turn away and not return?
⁵ Why has this people slidden back,
Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit,
They refuse to return.
⁶ I listened and heard,
But they do not speak aright.
No man repented of his wickedness,
Saying, ‘What have I done?’
Everyone turned to his own course,
As the horse rushes into the battle.

Jeremiah 8:4-6

A to Z Blogging Challenge: The "Z" Edition

Weight Loss Zingers for the Child of God

• It’s going to take more time than you planned for or wanted it to.
• If you weigh every day, be prepared for fluctuations and say no to discouragement.  Patience is vitally important.
• You may possibly temporarily gain weight with exercise.
• There will be days you don’t do everything “right.”
• There will be days you don’t do anything “right.”
• If you rely on your own strength, you will invariably struggle.
• If you rely on God’s strength, you can pick up on Monday where you left off on Friday…after that weekend food-fest.   And He will help you to overcome those overdone weekends and/or nights.
• God hears every prayer for freedom, but He requires you to believe that you have what He has already paid for with the blood of His son, our precious Jesus.
• You will hit plateaus.
• Some plateaus last a long time.   Again, patience.
• You may need to give up sugar.  It certainly helped me.
• You can do this…even if you need to lose 175 pounds.
• You don’t have to wait until Monday to start.
• You don’t have to wait until tomorrow to restart.

As I was zipping through my posts, I omitted some pictures.   I thought I could include them here:


  Orange Daisies     Port of Florence     Railroad     Red Flower
  Power lines at Wheeler Dam     Yellow     Pansies     Sundial     Wilson Dam     Amish Haystacks 

A to Z Blogging Challenge: The Y Edition

Youth

If ever I were to speak to our youth today, I would say, “If you believe you are anything less than what God created you to be because of the way you look, your size, your grades, or your history (no matter what it is), then you are believing LIES straight from the pits of hell.  Any thoughts you have regarding yourself that make you believe you are different, and therefore less worthy, are not true, no matter what you have done or what has happened to you.”

I would tell them that drugs will only exacerbate those feelings, and inhibit their decision making abilities, and that decisions made under the influence are life altering. 

I would tell them that the drug to NOT start with is nicotine.

With tears in my eyes I would tell them that they are fearfully and wonderfully made; that God had a plan for them before time, and no matter what mistakes they may have already made, God still has a plan.   I would tell them about freedom, and how they don’t have to live their lives under the bondage of lies making them believe that they need drugs or alcohol or food to dull the pain, and that sex does not equal love. 

I would tell them that Jesus does, indeed, love them, just as they are, and He really does make a difference. 

Some wouldn’t listen.

Some would.

If you are reading this and feel unworthy of love,

I will tell you the very same thing.

And food can also be a drug…

But you can be a winner.

Christ loves you.  



Pictures from my yard this spring:

                                   

A to Z Blogging Challenge: The "X" Edition

Examining What I Believe…

If you read my last two posts (Here and Here), you know that I’ve spent a lifetime believing lies about myself simply because of my size.   Had I realized my value; that I was worth taking care of, my choices would have been much more careful and self-preserving.  

The truth is, personal value isn’t based on appearance.  You can know that in your heart, but argue it in your head, and believe that somehow you don’t quite measure up.   I know from personal experience.   But…all of my past mistakes have helped mold me into the person that I am today, and I am beginning to like this chick. 

So I got to thinking about choices and lies in my life now.

I was waiting to see freedom so that I could believe it, when in fact, I had to

believe it in order to see it.  Jesus died a horrific death in exchange for my freedom; He doesn’t give me freedom, He IS my freedom.  All those years I was begging him for freedom, I already had it.  The struggle was like trying to put on clothes I was already wearing.   I twisted and turned and struggled until all I got was my clothes on backwards…much like my thinking.

I don’t know why God put me on a path that started with low carb.   In His infinite wisdom, perhaps He just had mercy on my thick-headedness and allowed me to shed some weight so that I would lose some of the insulation (weight) that was affecting my heart hearing.

I mentioned that I’ve started walking again.  (I also mentioned that after I did, I gained weight.   That weight has again disappeared.)  During my walking time, God and I have some good conversations, and He sometimes gives me revelation.   Now you, Dear Reader, may see what I’m about to say as common sense, but I have often questioned the most simple of things…like how do I seek the Kingdom of God first?   God spoke to my heart while I was walking this past week, and He told me that it’s all about love.  If I love Him…truly, madly, deeply fall in love with Him, that I would naturally seek Him first.  Everything else will fall into place.

I’d like to say I now have it all figured out…that I have all the answers and I will share them with you.  But I don’t.  I’ll tell you what I do know, though.  If my brain is telling me that I want to eat 30 minutes after I ate my last meal, it’s a lie.  If my brain tells me I want to eat, eat, eat just because I ate something I like, such as ice cream, it’s a lie.  From now on, I refuse to believe blatant, obvious lies.   I can eat a cookie, two cookies, or no cookies.  Right now, I choose no cookies, but that doesn’t mean that someday, a cookie just might sound good to me, and I’ll have one.

A to Z Blogging Challenge: The "W" Edition

It's Friday night after a long week, and I am just too tired to write the last part of my personal tale....tomorrow...I'll do that tomorrow.

W Pictures...
    White Pansies       White Orchids (Nashville)      White Azaleas (UNA)   White wedding (Looking off Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge, Nashville)     Wood...my next door neighbor's house