Me and My Toyota

"Wherever I go, he goes..."
Okay I think that was a My Buddy commercial. But, it still holds true in regards to my relationship with my car. Wherever I go my Toyota goes. For some people that might not mean a lot, but considering I live in the world of commuters it does mean a lot to me. My travel time back and forth from work every day can average any where from 1 1/2 to 3 hours a day. I realize that some people commute even further, but sometimes it feels like I live in my car.

So yesterday I left work, and drove to meet up with a friend at Baker's Square. What normally should take only 15-20 minutes actually turned into 40, but I finally made it. Relieved I turned into the parking lot. Unfortunately, I have never mastered by right hand turns. So, I hit a curb. Actually I did more than hit it. I think that both wheels on the right side of my car when up on the curb, across the little grassy area, and then landed back down safely on the parking lot. I tried to stay calm. This is not a new experience, although the jolting was loud and somewhat troublesome, I thought, hey, I'll get out check my car and it'll all be fine. Fortunately, my car was okay. My tire, however, was not. I got back in my car and drove 20 seconds until I slid carefully into a parking spot. By that time, my tire was almost completely flat.

This is new for me. I have never had a flat tire before. On top of that, I have never ruined a tire beyond repair. But, that is the case. I have ordered a new tire which has arrived safely and in about four hours will be positioned neatly on my car.

In trying to look at the positives this is what I have learned:
1.) My insurance will reimburse for someone to tow my car and to put on a spare tire. (Although they will not pay for the new tire).
2.) I do not have a jack in my car (I need to get one of those).
3.) You can drive about 40-50 mph on a doughnut (depending on who you talk to and what your car book says).
4.) To take extreme caution when turning right.
5.) It's cheaper to order a specialty tire on-line than from the dealer directly.

I hope all of you can learn from my experience.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

In case you are wondering, that is really not my exact sentiment, unless it would be possible for me to stay nice, warm and safe in my own bed, and in my own home. However, I do think in some sick and twisted way that the snow fall of two Fridays ago was beautiful, albeit treacherous, dangerous, and slippery.
Growing up, prior to obtaining my driver’s license, I did not look at snow with such disdain. Snow at that time meant sledding, snow ice cream, snow days and hot chocolate.
My most memorable snow incident occurred in college. (A Bible College- with no drinking, we did this sober.) I packed myself into a car with 5 other college students and we took ourselves, loaded with cafeteria trays and garbage bags, to something akin to the “Hill of Death”. The hill was NOT covered in soft, fluffy snow, but rather a thick sheet of ice. The hill called our names and we answered-rather stupidly. To sum up the long, and probably boring story, my friend and I clutched each other as we barreled down the hill, on a cafeteria tray at a break neck speed. What happened next was a little blurry. We made it to the bottom of the hill where we hit a creek bed, and went airborne. We landed about ten feet on the otherside of the creek bed, practically unconscious. We spent the next three days unable to turn our heads because of severe whiplash.

All this to say: Enjoy the weather, but Be Safe Out There.

A thought to think on:

"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are." -Anais Nin

Mirror mirror on the wall...

So not too long ago, I had one of "those" days. You know the days, when despite how you really are looking, you feel like you look like you have green hair, and a big warty nose, and, well...I'm sure you get the point.

So then, I read this:
"Your beauty should...be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which of great worth in God's sight."
1 Peter 3:3,4

Could that be true? Honestly? The fact that I could be beautiful, DESPITE the warts and the frizzed hair? And, then God says, yup- that could be true.

Which that makes me think, how often does my inside shown outwardly and reveal my TRUE beauty? Often times, I think instead of showing beauty I show an uglier side even worse than a bad hair day.

(For example, maybe I don't like mornings, or heavy traffic. Maybe I am just in a cranky mood. Maybe, on occassion, I just don't feel like being kind.)

So what is the fix? I can always put a masque on my face- but there's not a "masque" for my heart. I can always buy a new shirt and don a new pair of the latest shoes, but I cannot dress up my heart.

So what is the answer?
It's Jesus.
"You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
Ephesians 4:22-24

Only Jesus can cause the old, cranky, I hate mornings, self to become someone kind and gentle to those around. Only Jesus can cause me to leave behind my selfish desires and instead look out for others.

Only Jesus.

So despite what we may think is a good idea, a new shirt is not necessarily going to make someone beautiful.
But Jesus will.

A full tank and a clean car

Yesterday was a warm 60 some degrees. I decided to be productive and get a few things done on my lunch break. Namely, I needed to put gas in my car. I drove down the road and then I saw the gas station of my choice. The gas station was just recently opened, so all the gas pumps were still shiny and crying out to be used. The marquee that was towering over the road indicated that if I would purchase a car wash I would save 13 cents per gallon. (Let's pause right here. I realize that this is actually not really a deal. In order to "save" a dollar and sixteen cents I had to spend an extra five. So, I know it's not a deal, but it seemed convenient, and I needed to wash my car.) That "bargain" caused my heart to sing. YES! I need a car wash, and YES I want to "save" 13 cents a gallon. So that's what I did. I filled up my car, and quickly and happily drove around to the Car Wash. This is when my day really hit it's peak. This was not the new type of car washes that spray the water all around you while you sit stationary. This car was was one of those where you drive onto a belt thing-y and it moves you forward through a long tunnel. Not only that, BUT it did not just shoot water down at you. This car wash was decked out with spraying soap and water and the rubber washers that run along the tops and sides of any given car. It was just a few moments of relaxation, right in the middle of my work day. Let me tell you, there is nothing like sitting in the front seat of a car, moving along at a slow speed, no other traffic, listening to the radio, drinking a Dr. Pepper. I would go there every day if I could.

If only all of life was calm like a car wash...

Tragedy on the Kennedy

It was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It was a gorgeous 56 degrees. I was driving through Chicago with a thousand other commuters, clipping along at an okay speed. The sky line was in the distance, and my mouth was already watering from the thought of turkey and dressing.

That's when tragedy struck. Out of no where, between the hundreds of cars, I saw a very large rodent dodging between the lines of traffic. Unfortunately the rodent never made it to the other side. I was horrified. Yes, I am admitting that this is the first animal accident I have EVER had. I am still trying to recover. After years and years of driving, and never having hit any sort of animal... And this is after driving through the country... my streak ends- in the CITY of Chicago.

I will never be the same. And, unfortunately, neither will the rodent.

National Defrost the Turkey Day

Coming very soon is one of my favorite holidays...THANKSGIVING!!

What makes that day so great? Well, let me tell you.

The smells. You know exactly what I am talking about don't you? There is nothing like waking up on Thursday morning to a delicious aroma. (All made possible by the turkey that my mother usually makes....FYI- I need to do the turkey this year.) And then there is the dressing, and some type of pie, and out new tradition of homemade icecream. I could go on and on, but my mouth is already watering. There is also the annual trip to the basement to drag out the Christmas decorations. (The basement is a whole other smell but we won't go there---JUST KIDDING!)

The sights. Always wonderful. There's my house. (Not MINE necessarily, but the place where all my memories live- AND my parents.) Then there's the cat- Shadrach. My mom and dad. My Aunt Janet and my brother John. My cousin Jake. There's Three Forks (the three trees we had set up as our detective head quarters.) There's the big burn pile in the back yard where I'm sure some type of very large creature lives. I can also see the stars. I always forget how dark it is when there are no street lights.

The sounds. Quiet. It's a small town, of course there's going to be quiet. So quiet you can hear it. But then walk into the Hunter House.... You can hear weird songs being sung by my mom and aunt. ("I can bring home the bacon..."). Loud shouting by family members playing Cranium. (Which I highly recommend). Pots and pans clanging. Me running into a wall...lol...just kidding.

All in all, it leads up to a terrific holiday. Food, family, fun....Could it possibly get ANY better?
See you soon family!!

OH, AND HAPPY DEFROST YOUR TURKEY DAY!!!!!

Word of the Day...

Amalgamation, meaning to combine or unite into one form.

(In business, the result of mergers of companies)

Long Time No posts

I lack internet at my house so, I lack the ability to post a lot.

I was going to try to post pictures from my vacation, but it is not working at the moment. So here is some new information about my high paced, fascinating life. (ha, ha)

I am still in my Spanish class which I love, but it is a lot of work. (I haven't been in school in a while. I'm obviously out of the loop.)

At church, we still have Junior Bible Quiz, which is going really well. The kids are studying hard and learning a lot, and they are really fun.

There are a few other children's programs going

which are also going well.

Here are some pictures from my vacation in September.

Wanna doughnut?

This is a long, but worth the read:
(FYI- been busy recently with church and work. I should be able to write more soon, plus post pics from vacation)
*********************************
There was a certain Professor of Religion names Dr. Christianson, a studious man, who taught at a small college in the western United States.
Dr. Christianson taught the required course in Christianity at this particular intitution. Every student was required to take this course his or her freshman year regardless of his or her major.
Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence fo the gospel in his class he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts most of the students refused to take Christianity seriously.
This year Dr. Chrisianson had a special student named Steve.
Steve was only a freshman but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well-liked, and was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team and was the best student in the professor's class.
One day, Dr. C. asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.
"How many push ups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200??" That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. C. said. "Do you think you could do 300?"
Steve replied, "I don't know ...I've never done 300 at a time."
"Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. C.
"Well I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," said the professor.
Steve said, "Well....I think I can....yeah I can do it."
Dr. C. said "Good!!!! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."
Friday came and Steve got to calss early and sat in front of the room.
When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind with cream center and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited, it was Friday the last class of the day and they were going to get an early star on the weekend with a party in Dr. C.'s class.
Dr. Chrisianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia do want to have one of these donuts?"
Cynthia said, "Yes."
Dr. C. then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve would you do ten push ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"
"Sure." Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. C put a donut on Cynthia's desk.
Dr. Christinanson went to Joe, the next person and asked, "Joe do you want a donut?"
Joe said, "Yes." Dr. C. asked, "Steve would you do ten push ups so Joe could have a donut
Steve did ten push ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went down the first aisle, Steve did then push ups for every person before they got their donut.
Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott.
Scott was on the basketball team and in as good condition as Steve. He was very Popular and never lacking for female companionship.
When the professor asked Scott if he wanted a donut Scott's reply was "Well, can I do my own push ups?"
Dr. C. replied, "No, Steve has to do them."
Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then.
Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve would you do ten push ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"
With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push ups.
Scott said, "HEY!! I said I didn't want one!"
Dr. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it. And he put a donut on Scott's desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just tayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration starting to come out his brow.
Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angy. He asked Jenny, "Jenny do you want a donut?"
Sternly, Jenny said, "NO."
Then Dr. C. asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more push ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten.....Jenny got a donut.
By now a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.
Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning get red because of the physical effort involved.
Dr. C. asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.Dr. C. started down the the fouth row. During his class, however some students form other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sided of the room. When the professor realiszed this he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 student in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it. Dr. Christianson went on the the next person and the next and the next.Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to comlete each set.Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch the floor on each one?"Dr. C. thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want."Dr. C. went on.A few moments later, Jason a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all of the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in!! Stay out!!!"Jason didn't know what was going on Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."The professor said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push ups for him?"Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut."Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason do you want a donut?"Jason new to the room hardly knew what was going. "Yes," he said. "Give me a donut."Steve will you do ten push ups so that Janson can have donut?"Steve did ten push ups ver slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.Dr. C finished the fouth row and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push up in a struggle to lift himself and the force of gravity. LBy this time seat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room.The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders and very popular. Dr. C went to Linda, the second to last and asked, "Linda do want a doughnut?"Linda said very sadly, "No, Thank you."
Professor C. quietly asked, "Steve would you do ten push ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"
Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push ups for Linda.
Then Dr. C. turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan do want a donut?"
Susan, with tears flowing down her face began to cry, "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?"
Dr. C, with tears of his own said, "No, Steve has to do it alone. I have him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped a class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice he must do push ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes.""Steve, would you do ten push ups so Susan can have a donut?" As Steve very slowly finished his last push up with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push ups, his arms buckeled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Dr. C. turned to the room and said, "And so it was that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'into thy hands I commend my spirit' with the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten."
Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile.
"Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding, "Not all sermons are preached in words."
Turning to his class the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He sprare no His only Begotten Son but gave Him up for us all, for the whole church now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid."
Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk

Welcome Home

Home sweet home...
Here are some pictures of my new house!

Beautiful isn't is? Okay, just kidding...

Here is my yard (note the bird house):

My driveway (and my car):
Front view:As you can see...we are still in need of some curtains. Right now we have a lot of blankets drapped over the windows. But, this is where I live!

Other news to note:

I started my Spanish class this week. I hope I survive.

Also, I am now in charge of JBQ and we are starting Royal Rangers and Missionettes again at church.

Full of hot air?

Well, apparently my dryer is not, at least there's some sort of issue in the inner workers of the drying machine. So this past weekend, through last night it has been one dryer kaffufle after another in order to get it repaired. So, on this fine Tuesday afternoon, the dryer is still broken and my clothes are all wet.
So, in my dryer anguish last night (after the repair man had stolen away into the darkness) I was alone in my house with my thoughts. Here I was in a newly rented house (FYI, I am now renting a house, I have a roommate, and my own bathroom- pictures to come) wailing. I have a washer and a dryer (albeit broken), a place to sleep, food to eat, air conditioning, new carpet (so soft) and I'm moaning over a broken dryer like my life is over. Let's not forget that only 2 short weeks ago, I was dragging my laundry all over creation in order to have it washed, AND all of my life was crammed into my closet and under my bed. So, I was going through my list ofwoes, moaning, all very pathetcic.
And then, there was light.
Once again, God wacked me upside the head in the middle of my distress and sent me a reminder that He is in charge. He is in control of my life, if I let Him be. He takes care of me, meets my needs....I could go on and on. But, all that being said, a little dryer certainly does not put a kink in His plans, and it's certainly nothing for me to be distraught over.
So I got up today, went to work, went to a job interview and just finished eating my lunch. And, I don't know what will happen. I don't know when my dryer will be fixed (or if the repair man will actually show up to fix it); I don't know how much our gas bill will be or if I will get this new job, BUT this I do know- God's with me all the way.

Meantime- Anyone got hot air? I've got some clothes to dry.

Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.
Psalm 57:10 For great is your love, reachign to the heavenls; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Lunch with God

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God.He knew it was a long trip to where God lived,so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies & a six-pack of root beer, and he started his journey.
When he had gone a few blocks from home,he met an old man.He was sitting in the park near the waterjust staring at some birds .
The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase.He was about to take a drink from his root beer,when he noticed that the old man looked hungry,so he offered him a Twinkie.
The old man gratefully accepted it and smiled at him.His smile was so incrediblethat the boy wanted to see it again,so he offered him a root beer.
Once again, he smiled at him.The boy was delighted!They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling,but they never said a word.
As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was,and he got up to leave, but beforehe had gone more than a few steps;he turned around, and ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug.
The old man gave him his biggest smile ever,When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face.She asked her son: "What did you do today that made you so happy?"
The child replied: "I had lunch with God."But before his mother could respond, he added:"You know what?He's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!
Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home.His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and asked "Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"He replied: "I ate Twinkies in the park with God."But before his son responded, he added:"You know, He's much younger than I expected.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch,a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring.All of which have the potential to make someone's day a very special one, or even turn someone's life around.

Texans

1. You can properly pronounce Corsicana, Palestine, Decatur, Wichita Falls, San Antonio, Burnet, Boerne, Mexia, Waco, Amarillo, andWaxahachie.
2. A tornado warning siren is your signal to go out in the yard and look for a funnel.
3. You've ever had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.
4. You know that the true value of a parking space is not determined by the distance to the door, but by the availability of shade.
5. Stores don't have bags, they have sacks.
6. You see people wear bib overalls at funerals.
7. You measure distance in minutes.
8. Little Smokies are something you serve only for special occasions.
9. You go to the lake because you think it is like going to the ocean.
10. You listen to the weather forecast before picking out an outfit.
11. You know cowpies are not made of beef.
12. Someone you know has used a foot ball schedule to plan their wedding date.
13. You have known someone who has had a belt buckle bigger than your fist.
14. You aren't surprised to find movie rental, ammunition, and bait all in the same store.
15. Your "place at the lake" has wheels under it.
16. A Mercedes Benz is not a status symbol; a Ford F350 4x4 is.
17. You know everything goes better with Ranch dressin'.
18 You learned how to shoot a gun before you learned how to multiply.
19. You actually understand this and you are "fixin' to" send it to your friends.
20. Finally, you are 100% Texan if you have ever heard this conversation:
"You wanna coke?"
"Yeah."
"What kind?"
"Dr. Pepper!"

So the story goes...

The man was jealous in nature. He would see what he liked, and liked what he saw, and he would want it, and he would take it. He saw the land, the vineyard, it was near his home. He could close his eyes and just imagine the way the soil would feel sifting through his fingers. He could smell the vegetables growing up from the fertile soil.

Read story below:
1 Kings 21: 1-6
"Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. Ahab said to Naboth, "Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth."
But Naboth replied, "The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."
So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, "Why are you so sullen? Why won't you eat?"
He answered her, "Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, 'Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.' But he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.' "

The story goes on, Queen Jezebel had Naboth killed (with the King's knowledge). The King then took possession of the vineyard. (For complete story see 1 Kings 21)

The part that amazes me is verse two where the King says, "In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth."

The King did not even want the vineyard because it was the BEST vineyard. He wanted the vineyard, because he wanted it.

My name could be King Ahab. I have things, and people that surround me, and yet there are times when I look for more, and long for more. But those things that I often want, are not even the BEST.

Why do we choose that- choose second best when God is ready with something even better?

Psalm 81:16

"But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."

No Titled Continued...The full story below

It was a regular average every day day. It was neither hot nor cold, which is actually not average for a summer day. So I went to work, came home, checked mail and headed out for a walk. Also, not unusual. (Side note: I love the smell of cooking hamburgers and burning leaves) So I'm walking around the neighborhood, reading my book as I went, (And yes I realize that it's weird, but I like to mulitask), when all of a sudden I noticed a large hole that I had never noticed before. I walked to the side of the path and set my book down and peered into the hole. It was so deep I could not see the bottom. There was a large rope fastened to a tree that had been dropped into the hole. Not wanting to miss out on any adventure, I yelled down into the hole to see if anyone would respond. No one answered. So, I took a hold of the rope and began to inch my way down the long vertical tunnel. Within about five minutes I reached the bottom. I'm gonna guess it was only about 25 feet or so deep. Silly me, I had no flashlight, which I didn't even think about until I got to the bottom. Strange though, at the bottom it was remarkably light. I walked forward about five steps and found myself in a large cavern with sparkling rocks that looked like glitter covering the walls and ceiling. I was speechless. I stood with my mouth open for only a matter of minutes when I heard quiet footsteps approach me from behind. I felt the pressure of a hand on my shoulder. ...I stood that way for what seemed like forever. Silent and unmoving. It felt as though my heart stopped beating. After about five minutes the hand was removed off my shoulder and a voice spoke."Amazing sight, is it not?" I nodded, still too afraid to speak or to turn around.The voice spoke again. "Follow me."The man, who actually turned out to be one of the Apartment Security Guards, walked around me and started leading the way to another narrow tunnel. This tunnel was dark, but once again there was a light illuminating at the opposite end. Slowly my heart returned to its normal pace."What is this place?" I asked.But the guard did not answer. I raced after him as he started walking faster and faster (I have short legs- good thing I had my running shoes on). Then without a moments notice the floor below the guard gave way, and I turned to try to reach solid groung, but then I felt the sensation as though I was falling. I couldn't stop in time. I go over the edge and suddenly I'm suspended in slow-motion. Moments later I land as if I were a lint ball landing on the dryer. It's still. Quiet. I'm alone. And then this beam of lite so brite...I hear a shrill noise. I wake up to find that I've landed on my pillow that preceded me off my bed. But this is not my room. This is not my house. "And I muttered, "That's not my dog!!" I crouch into a ball & lean to one side as the vicious creature leaps towards me. Out of the corner of my eyes I see him latch onto the arm that is about to grab me. Quickly I jump up & spin around to see who it is but I stumble. I lift my head off the floor. Slowly, I open my eyes. My aunt is standing over me. "Oh, Auntie El, I had a dream." She then became a shadow and everything faded away.

I was groggy and everything was quiet. I'm not sure how far I had fallen or how long I had been unconscious. Every part of my body ached. Slowly, I moved and stretched my arms and legs until I was sure I was not broken and then I finally stood. I wobbily felt my way along the path. I was alone in what I assumed to be another tunnel. This time there was no light, but rather I was in total darkenss. The walls were damp and rough , and it smelled like musty dank water. My head was aching, but I still walked, feeling my way and occassionally stubbing my toe or banking my knee on a jagged rock. Then without warning I smacked into a metal object that was obstructing my path. With my hands I inspected the surface! It was a ladder. My heart started beating quickly out of relief and excitement. I took a hold of the bottom rung and began my ascent. After about 5 minutes of climbing I saw a glow in the form of a circle above my head. It was a man hole! Another shot of relief swept through my body. I climbed up a few more feet, and with one hand was able to push the man hole cover open. It was remarkably light. I climbed out of the man hole and looked around to see where I was. I noticed my book was laying right beside the cover. But, how was that possible? I had gone down a hole, and there had been a tree and a rope! I had walked underground for miles! And yet, here my book was, just as I had left it. I scanned my surroundings, there was no tree and no rope. I rushed quickly home to my apartment, and found that only 15 minutes had passed since I first set out on my walk. I have not spoken about the experience. I've gone back to that area multiple time. The man hole cover is now sealed shut. Strange, but the guard has never been seen since...

No Title (continued)

...I stood that way for what seemed like forever. Silent and unmoving. It felt as though my heart stopped beating. After about five minutes the hand was removed off my shoulder and a voice spoke.
"Amazing sight, is it not?" I nodded, still too afraid to speak or to turn around.
The voice spoke again. "Follow me."
The man, who actually turned out to be one of the Apartment Security Guards, walked around me and started leading the way to another narrow tunnel. This tunnel was dark, but once again there was a light illuminating at the opposite end. Slowly my heart returned to its normal pace.
"What is this place?" I asked.
But the guard did not answer. I raced after him as he started walking faster and faster (I have short legs- good thing I had my running shoes on). Then without a moments notice the floor below the guard gave way, and ...

STORY TIME... YOU pick the ending. Best idea wins!

Birds of the Air

No lie, this is a true story. (No Title story to be continued later)

Last night I arrived at my apartment and was climbing up my stairs (which are outside) with my laundry basket when suddenly I am startled by something on one of my steps. It was a wounded bird who obviously couldn’t fly away. I stood there for about 5 minutes having a showdown with the bird. The bird wasn’t even making noise, but I think he was trying to hiss at me. He kept opening his beak and closing it, and every time it closed his beak was making this clacking noise. So, the bird’s not moving, and I’m not moving, but I was worried it was gonna fly at me in a rage and peck my eyes out. (Good thing I had my glasses on.) So carefully I tried to raise my laundry basket and set up higher so I can scootch around the bird without scaring it anymore than it already is. I stepped up one step higher, and then after about 1-2 minutes, I stepped up one more. Then the frightened bird really freaked out and tried to flap its wings to fly away, but only succeeded in flapping off the steps and landing in a bush. My heart was beating so fast by the time I actually got inside my apartment. I was totally freaked out by this little bird who was TOTALLY freaked out by me. You would have thought I faced off with a masked man and a baseball bat.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

Matthew 6:25-27

*Side note: No bird in sight this morning in the bush. He must have made it to safety.

No Title

It was a regular average every day day. It was neither hot nor cold, which is actually not average for a summer day. So I went to work, came home, checked mail and headed out for a walk. Also, not unusual. (Side note: I love the smell of cooking hamburgers and burning leaves) So I'm walking around the neighborhood, reading my book as I went, (And yes I realize that it's weird, but I like to mulitask), when all of a sudden I noticed a large hole that I had never noticed before. I walked to the side of the path and set my book down and peered into the hole. It was so deep I could not see the bottom. There was a large rope fastened to a tree that had been dropped into the hole. Not wanting to miss out on any adventure, I yelled down into the hole to see if anyone would respond. No one answered. So, I took a hold of the rope and began to inch my way down the long vertical tunnel. Within about five minutes I reached the bottom. I'm gonna guess it was only about 25 feet or so deep. Silly me, I had no flashlight, which I didn't even think about until I got to the bottom. Strange though, at the bottom it was remarkably light. I walked forward about five steps and found myself in a large cavern with sparkling rocks that looked like glitter covering the walls and ceiling. I was speechless. I stood with my mouth open for only a matter of minutes when I heard quiet footsteps approach me from behind. I felt the pressure of a hand on my shoulder...

Viva Fiesta- Vacation Bible School Summary

Vacation Bible School (or VBS) was so much fun! It was a great week, and I think all the kids AND the workers were wiped out by the end of the week.

A short recap: We ended up averaging about 50 kids a night. (A great turnout for our first VBS ever)

There was a Bible Story every night (acted out by incredible children's workers), puppets, snacks and games.

We also raised about $400 dollars for Latin American Child Care which helps to feed and educate children in Latin American Countries. (There was a contest between the girls and the boys for who would raise the most money... And, I am happy to report that the girls were victorious! So Pastor Jorge and Pastor Pancho Vila -Pictured below- were covered in taco salad. Let me also add that it turned into a free for all, after Lori and I dumped the taco salad on their heads all the kids jumped in and were throwing meat and lettuce and chips EVERYWHERE! A few of them were trying to eat the food...DISGUSTING!)

It was a really great week, and I look forward to doing this again next year.

By E.E. Cummings

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)
I am never without it (Anywhere I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)
I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)
I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
And it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you
Here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
And this is the wonder that's keeping the stars a part
I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)

Ode to my favorites...

I am aware that mother's day has past and so has father's day, but it is the night before my dad's birthday and just a few weeks away from my mom's so I had to take the opportunity to, well, probably embarass them. That's not really the purpose. I want to say Happy Birthday and Happy Mother's and Father's Day. If I could choose my parents, I would choose the EXACT same ones God gave me.

What have they taught me you may ask.

Because of my mom and dad I know:

How to laugh.

How to cook.

To not be afraid to try new things.

To embrace my weirdness and all that means...(ha ha)

That guilt is NOT a feeling.

To believe in myself.

That memorizing God's Word and putting in my heart is the most important thing.

That every day is a new day, and each day I get to start over.

That I can always come home (even though I no longer have my "own" room).

That if I practice I could say the geneology of Jesus in 1 minute 17 seconds- best in State.

How to ride my bike and drive a car.

How to talk to myself and not get caught...LOL.

How to love...

I could go on and on and on...

Needless to say, I love you Mama. I love you Daddy.

You are my favorites!

Love your favorite daughter.

New Job Opportunity

(Side note: More to come on VBS)

Meantime, I have some very exciting news. I was offered a freelance position at a local newspaper. So, it's basically a knock off of the National Enquirer. I am excited because I will have the chance to practice my creative writing skills. I will also be able to earn a little cash on the side. It's of course a bottom level position, but I figure a person has to start somewhere. I'm really looking forward to starting, which I will do next Monday, June 26. My first big assignment is apparently going to be about the Illinois Fox Lake. There is a group of individuals that have been living on the bottom of the lake in a clear globe-like thing. They are apparently a group of scientists that are experimenting and planning on taking their globe to the Pacific Ocean sometime in 2017.

I was inspired to look into this type of career change when I was standing in the grocery check out lane. I figured if anyone can come up with stories like "Woman pregnant for 18 months," and "Woman caught in Half Rapture in Her dining room ceiling"- I definitely can. I have a great imagination! I'll be sure to send everyone articles...just let me know if you'd be interested in seeing my writing.




Ha! Just kidding!
But it would be fun!

Viva VBS

You may be asking yourself...."What is VBS?"

If you find that you are asking yourself that question, then you have come to the right place. Even if you are not asking yourself that question, you've still come to the right place.

VBS=Vacation Bible School=Wild children on Summer Vacation=Good times

There were probably around 35ish kids or so, give or take a few.

The theme for the week is "Fiesta-A place where kids are fired up about Jesus". And, they were fired up alright.

Pastor Bob decided that he is going to be Jorge, and Mike decided on Pastor Pancho Vila

At the end of the night I decided on Consuela Lupe.

I had a good time, but I am tired. Only four more days to go...

These are a few of my favorite things...

The smell of dirt after it rains, and freshly mowed grass.
The way the sun rises and reflects across the lake I see every morning.
Walking.
My bicycle.
My Bible.
The pool.
The VVA. (That's for Cindy)
Laughing until I can't breath.
Cooking.
My church kids from Quest.
Realizing I am starting to do things just like my mother (DON'T say I told you so).
The smell of my shampoo.
The Aunts (you know who you are).
Seeing that I have my dad's goofy sense of humor (Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about).
My obnoxious brother.
Rita Bean.

I could go on. But isn't it amazing when you realize that we look for God to show Himself to us. We pray and we wait and we ask, and yet EVERY DAY He shows Himself to us, in these little every day ways. Add them up. He's real.

(What are your favorite things)

I Owe My Parents

I OWE MY PARENTS (sent to me in an email)

1. My parents taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."
2. My parents taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
3. My parents taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"
4. My parents taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."
5. My parents taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."
6. My parents taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."
7. My parents taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."
8. My parents taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONIST.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck."
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."
11. My parents taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."
12 My parents taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"
13. My parents taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
14. My parents taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father."
15. My parents taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."
16. My parents taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."
17. My parents taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home."
18. My parents taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."
19. My parents taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"
20. My parents taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."
21. My parents taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."
22. My parents taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."
23. My parents taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"
24. My parents taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."
25. My parents taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you."

Confessions of a puzzle maniac

I am afraid that is true. I have now become a Sudoku addict. You may be asking yourself, "What is Sudoku?" It is a game of quick thinking, a game of logic, a game that tends to give me a headache. And yet, I am addicted. I have been told that there are 12 step programs to help with such an addiction, but I'm not quite ready to let go just yet.



AND to top it all off...I work on my puzzles in pen.

Which one's which?

I recently went on a short biking adventure with a group of friends. I have learned that fastening bicycles to vehicles is somewhat of an art form. Can you guess which vehicle holds MY bicycle?

(Look at the bikes, NOT the cars)

Okay, obviously car #2 includes my bike. I figured that it was important (and IS important) to use my artistic and creative ability in ever aspect of my life. And isn't it the MOST important thing that the bike didn't fall off my car?

Domestic goddess...

So, tonight I was feeling rather pleased with myself. I had such a great plan. And, Queen of All Cookers that I am, I decided to attempt a new feat in the kitchen. Unfortunately, about a half an hour after I started concocting my new creation, my apartment was filled with a dark cloud, as smoke was pouring out of my oven. (I never knew that smoke would come out of the grates on the stove top.) I spent several minutes with my patio door open, fanning my ceiling, attempting to stop the loud beeping the was escaping from my tiny smoke detector. (Strange how such a small thing can make such an annoying noise.)

Obviously, as you see above, my first pie crust was a disaster. Never fear, however, I had a spare pie crust sitting in my refrigerator, and fifteen minutes later I was able to eat my Chicken Pot Pie without any burnt after taste.

Maybe I should stick to frozen pot pie...

Got candy?

Here are some pictures from my church's recent Easter Egg Hunt. I was ecstatic. The day was perfect. The weather was beautiful and there were nearly 200 people that came, approximately 150 of those were children. We had a good time that morning, but the best part of the day wasn't that the kids had hot dogs and candy, but that they had an opportunity to hear about God.

And hey, candy is cool-but Jesus is way better.

And so a star has been born...

I stepped outside my apartment this morning ready to charge off to work. It was a quiet morning. The ground was speckled with dark spots from the rain that couldn't decide if it wanted to come on full force, or give way to sunshine.
The commute was the norm- fast moving cars, people eating doughnuts, stop lights and the like. I arrived at work as usual. I entered the corporate building little realizing that my life was about to change.

I was sitting in my humble cube at the end of my row when the cameras appeared. For approximately fifteen minutes I was in the spotlight, the Glory Land. I was living in the fast life- I loved the cameras and they loved me back. (Of course, the filming was for a promotional video for my company and because of the amount of people being used in the video my fame will more than likely be contained to fifteen seconds) And then the cameras stopped. And the lights faded. It was time for me to move back into reality.

There are those dreams that we all have. These dreams seem to lay just out of my reach, beyond where I can touch them, but close enough so that I know that they exsist. The wonderful thing is that while I have so many dreams that may come and go, God has so many more dreams that are better than my own, and more wonderful than anything I could have ever imagined.

In Jeremiah 29:11 it's written, "For I know the plans that I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future..."

So maybe I won't be a famous Hollywood star, but a girl can dream right?

Shopping Trip Continued....

(due to popular request)

...the end of the aisle was treacherously close. I refused, however, to be out done by my nemesis. I had only seconds to assess the situation. On the left and the right hand sides at the end of the aisles, displays were set up, stacked nice and neat. I took a deep breath and gripped the handlebar tighter and sped up a notch. At the end of the aisle I made a sharp right and cut off my opponent. It was an intense moment. Everything seem to be working in slow motion. I had the element of surprise on my side and was able to maneuver safely around the displays and with room to breathe. Unfortunately for my opponent, her buggie wheel caught the bottom edge of the green bean display, and she was left in a heap of aluminum cans while I raced away to meet my next challenger. On to produce!


And who says grocery shopping is boring...

Shopping Trip

It was a normal Thursday night after work. I was in need of some very important items from the store- namely food. I entered the store of choice for a quick adventure through the aisles. It was all calm and normal as I waltzed through the entrance. I grabbed my buggie and I was off. I was rolling along smoothly until I reached a certain aisle. A lady also had her buggie and was walking in the same direction as I was headed. (FYI-this was the frozen food section. I was looking for a cetain type of bread.) The lady and I looked at one another with skeptical eyes- we were sizing each other up. I felt my pulse raise as I gripped my handle tighter. Suddenly, we were pushing our buggies down the aisle in an all out "drag" race. The next thing I knew...

The Bag Lady

Tonight was my usual night at church. After a long day at work, I walk in and hang out with a group of kids who encountered a long day of sitting at school. And, yes, they are so ready to listen more. So, almost two hours later after Quest (Children's ministry) began, I am leaving for the night. And, as usual I have my bag, my laptop, my coat, and miscellaneous other items all strapped to my person in some way or another. (I don't believe in taking more than one trip.) the one thought on my mind was getting home and laying on my wonderful bed. Here I am trying to say my goodbyes and make it to my car with everything intact, when someone looks at me and says, "Ah, here's the heavy laden girl." I knew immediately that the man was referring to all my bags that I was carrying, but it made me stop right where I was at. Sure, I was carrying all those bags OUTSIDE, but what kind of "bags" do I carry INSIDE? All the worries, and troubles of the day, money concerns, job concerns, and let's not forget traffic...all those things I carry with me every day.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

What a wonderful thought...taking all those burdens to Jesus and letting Him replace them with HIS light burden. What a thought- trading worry for peace, concern for joy....

Now I am at home, sitting in my chair thinking as I am typing....and maybe, just maybe, it's time for the "bag" lady to take a load off.

You Mustn't Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest! if you must- but never quit.

Life is queer, with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won if he'd stuck it out;
Stick to your task, though the pace seems slow-
You may succeed with one more blow.

Success is failure turned inside out-
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt-
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're the hardest hit-
It's when things seem worst that YOU MUSTN'T QUIT.

-Author unknown

It's a Beautiful Day

The Day was gorgeous. Beautiful 70 degrees. I came home and took a little walk around my apartment complex. I always find myself looking for the leaves to start popping out. It's strange though, I always miss it. One day I'm looking at a colorless tree and the next day it is bright green every where.

While I was walking today I was reminded of the stream that ran through the campground in California. It was always there, and even in the middle of the drought (if I listened closely) I could hear it trickiling along. It was easy to forget it was there. At times during the day i would be so busy that I wouldn't be able to hear the stream, unless I stopped and listened.

Isn't that just like God too? He is always there. Always moving and working in ways that we don't understand, and often in ways that we cannot see. It's easy as we go throughout our day to forget about Him. We drowned Him out in our activities. BUT, if we stop and listen, we can hear Him speaking- just like my little stream.

Psalm 116:7-9, 12, 13
Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.
For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.

How can I repay the LORD
for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD.
I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.

To risk or not to risk...

The year is flying by, April is ALMOST here and I find myself asking (myself) when I stopped taking risks. That of course is a ridiculous question, because I have never been one to take risks, let alone STOP taking them. And then I think what have I missed out on because I didn't take a risk. Obviously I cannot answer that. How would I know what I missed- I missed it. There was one defined moment when I stood at this cliff in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and the cold water was 40 ft. below, my heart was beating wildly, and I knew that this was my opportunity. It was self defining because I knew that the was probably the last opportunity I would possibly ever have to launch myself off of that cliff, and I was terrified. But then I jumped.

Tyler was four at the time. He wasn't looking at a cliff, he was looking at the fireman's pole on the playground. And let me tell you it's a high pole, especially if you are four. Tyler's goal was simple. He was gonna throw himself at the pole and slide down to the bottom by himself. He was terrified. He was little, the pole huge. It was a big moment, and I was a witness. He ran up to the pole and threw himself at it and slid to the bottom. The rest of the night was a celebration for Tyler. He encouraged his friends to do the same. "I was afraid, but I'm brave." His motto follows him through life. He's now 6 and he's mastered the fireman pole, and the diving board and no training wheels on his bicycle. I find it amazing that a small child refuses to be daunted by life's challenges. He knows that if he lives in his fear and refuses to take a risk, he will never experience all the things that life, and God, have to offer.

Adventure lies ahead, if we are brave enough to take a risk.

"You become brave by doing brave acts." -Aristotle

Four Seasons

A friend sent this to me. I thought I'd share.

About Seasons. . .Lessons on Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment. The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral: Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come with the help of God.

Where is your treasure?

When I was younger I had a box where I kept my top secret treasures. Now, keep in mind my top secret treasures weren't all that exciting. I think I had a picture of an actor from my favorite television show (he was so cute), and other miscellaneous items. Nonetheless, they were my prized possessions. It was kept in a very secure location, and on my fire escape route, it would be one of the items I grabbed and carried to safety.

Of course, there are other special treasures that I now have, that I can't keep in a little box in my closet. In Matthew 6:19-21 it says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

What a reminder to keep our heart in check. We all have earthly treasures, things that we hold dear, but our true treasures should be found in heaven.

Where is your treasure?

Girls Nite Out

I recently went out with some friends. Of course the evening involved food and shopping.

And here we are...

Of course, I couldn't leave out a picture of the snow...Just in time for spring!

(It's all melted now)

Captivating

I just finished reading the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldridge. It is a good reminder of why God created us and how much He loves us.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes/statements from the book:

"We have known women you might describe as "frumpy" who seemed to care nothing for their appearance. We have seen them become women who possessed great beauty...they discovered they were deeply loved, as their hearts came alive in response to the Great Romancer."

Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He takes great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

Proverbs 4:23 "Above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life."

My friend Melissa

Whenever Melissa calls me she says, "Stephanie Hunter this is your best friend in the whole wide world." I love her. I was just able to see her about three weeks ago (Her and her baby and Josh- the husband, okay I like him too) I miss her a lot. So I like seeing this picture.

Telling secrets

Another picture from that Wednesday night with Cindy. I don't even know what Karen and I were doing, I think just being goofy, but I love how this picture turned out. Love ya Karen!

Picture Day

Me and Cindy - (Along with Karen) had a night of picture taking. The lighting in the youth room is dim, so that's why the picture looks a little yellow, but look how cute we are!

Lake Michigan

This was 2005, Easter, at the Lake Michigan beach. It was a gorgeous day. Isn't the lighthouse neato?

At the bowling alley

Me and Tracy -Yes, a self picture.... This was the same birthday night...at the bowling alley.

New Day

This is simply an amusing concept to me. But, I am posting this purely out of amusement. Maybe I'll get my own little groupie together. OR maybe this will be all for me. Regardless, it is a new day. Doing something new? I am. Posting the new little blog website.