Random survey

I don't fill out surveys often. Usually, I delete them and move on. Tonight I'm in the mood to fill in the answers. Enjoy the tid-bits of info about me :)

1. WHAT CURSE WORD D0 Y0U USE THE M0ST? Freakin'

2. DO YOU OWN AN IPOD? No

3. WHAT PERSON DO YOU TALK TO THE MOST? My mom and Mandy

4. WHAT TIME IS Y0UR ALARM CL0CK SET ON? 7:00am

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Fruity Peebles

6. DO YOU WEAR FLIP FLOPS WHEN ITS COLD? No

7.WOULD Y0U RATHER TAKE THE PICTURE 0R BE IN THE PICTURE? Be in the picture.

8. WHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? The American President

9. DO ANY OF YOUR FRIENDS HAVE CHILDREN? Yes

10. HAS ANY0NE EVER CALLED Y0U LAZY? Yes

11. HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN MEDS TO HELP YOU FALL ASLEEP? Just NyQuil when sick.

12. WHAT CD IS CURRENTLY IN Y0UR CD PLAYER? Nothing

13. DO YOU PREFER REGULAR OR CHOCOLATE MILK? Regular

14. HAS ANY0NE T0LD Y0U A SECRET THIS WEEK? Yes

15. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD STARBUCKS? It's been a while...

16. CAN Y0U WHISTLE? Yes

17. D0 YOU THINK PE0PLE TALK AB0UT Y0U BEHIND YOUR BACK? They probably do.

18. DID Y0U WATCH CARTO0NS AS A CHILD? Yes

19. WHAT M0VIE D0 YOU KNOW EVERY LINE TO? Princess Bride

20. D0 YOU 0WN ANY BAND T-SHIRTS? No

21. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SALAD DRESSING? I only like Italian.

22. IS ANY0NE IN LOVE WITH Y0U? I have no clue.

23. DO YOU DO YOUR OWN DISHES? Yes and some of my roommates dishes.

24. EVER CRY IN PUBLIC? Yes

25. ARE Y0U 0N A DESKT0P COMPUTER 0R A LAP TOP? Laptop

26. ARE Y0U CURRENTLY WANTING ANY PIERCINGS 0R TATTOO'S? Yes

27. WHATS THE WEATHER LIKE? Cold, rainy and windy.

28. W0ULD Y0U EVER DATE S0ME0NE C0VERED IN TATTO0s? Probably not.

29. WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE THIS? Realized I left my cell phone at Mandy's.

30. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SLEEP ON THE FLOOR? Two weeks ago when my mom visited.

31. H0W MANY H0URS OF SLEEP D0 YOU NEED TO FUNCTION? 6-7

32. D0 Y0U EAT BREAKFAST DAILY? Yes

33. ARE Y0UR DAYS FULL AND FAST PACED? Basically

34. D0 Y0U USE SARCASM? Never......

35. H0W 0LD WILL Y0U BE TURNING ON Y0UR NEXT BIRTHDAY? 30

40. ARE Y0U PICKY AB0UT SPELLING AND GRAMMAR? Yes, I can't staind when poeple mispel things.

41. HAVE Y0U EVER BEEN TO SIX FLAGS? Yes

43. D0 YOU GET AL0NG BETTER WITH THE SAME SEX 0R THE OPPOSITE SEX? I don't know.

44. D0 Y0U LIKE MUSTARD? No

45. D0 Y0U SLEEP 0N Y0UR SIDE, ST0MACH OR BACK? My side and back.

46. D0 Y0U WATCH THE NEWS? Yes

47. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT? As weird as this sounds, I don't have any scars.

48. WH0 WAS THE LAST PERS0N T0 MAKE Y0U MAD? Someone at work.

49. D0 YOU HATE ANYB0DY? Don't think so.

50. WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT FOR SOMEONE ELSE? Pringles for Wendi.

Jehovah-jirah

As I sit here typing this post, my heart is overflowing with awe towards my God, my LORD. Ten years ago I met Ben Durden. We traveled one year together with Life Action Ministries. Since then, we have kept in touch, sometimes with months between conversations. But we have remained friends even though he lives in Georgia and I in Tennessee.

Last year Ben traveled to China to teach marketing in a university. Not long after being there, Ben became deathly ill. And I do mean deathly ill. There were moments when we thought the Lord was going to take Ben home, to his eternal home.

God has graciously given us more time with Ben on this earth! The story is long and detailed, but suffice to say Ben is doing much better and God has blessed greatly. He recently wrote an email that outlined the whole story with some details most of us had not heard. As I read the letter, I was overcome with the presence of my God. My heart was rejoicing in God's provision for Ben. The name of God, Jehovah-jirah has come to mind. I am meditating on it today.

God has truly provided for my friend, Ben. And He continues to provide for me. What an awesome God I serve and adore! This name though has made me wonder: Do I allow God to provide for me? Do I notice when He does so? Do I give Him the credit for His provision, or do I give it to myself? Oh God, may I always give you the honor and glory due your name!

Feline friend

Say hello to my adorable cat, Boots. This picture shows exactly what she does most of the time. Boots is the most affectionate and attention craving cat I've ever been around. It's as though she is part dog.

Boots loves a lap or any part of a body you have to spare for her to lay on. And man, can she talk. Penny, the last cat who now lives with my parents, hardly meowed or demanded attention. Boots has been a complete 180 degree turn from Penny. But I like it. I have some of the benefits of a dog without owning one ;)

One more thing about Boots: She is from Mississippi. Her family lost their home during hurricane Katrina. So, Boots is a Katrina rescue. Maybe that is why she is so scared of storms.

Ok, that's all I wanted to share at the moment. Off to get dressed and head to work. Bye for now.

Where am I?

I could have been standing in Tennessee or Kentucky or Alabama or any of the bordering states to Tennessee. A quick turn to the right could place me in a new state.

Before you think I've gone crazy (no comment from any of you!), a group from church visited a corn maze today. The layout of this year's maze was Tennessee and the surrounding states. As shown in the attached picture, there were stands spread throughout the maze so you could somewhat find your way.

Although it did not take long to work our way through the maze (cause we're so smart and stuff, yeah right), it was fun to venture through it with my friends. Today's weather was gorgeous! This time of year is my favorite time and today was a perfect example why: Sun shining, crisp and cool air, red and yellow colors showing on trees and bushes. God gave us a wonderful season to enjoy during fall. Make sure you get out there and savor it!

After the maze adventure, the group stopped to eat at a local good-eats place. Everyone at the table looked at me strange when I ordered the country ham dinner. They missed out! My mom cooks a country ham at Christmas instead of the traditional honey ham. Nothing like some country ham and homemade biscuits, mmmmm. Kudos to mom!

Late night ramblings

OK, so it's not late night...just late for me (10:05pm) because I'm old. And my cat is trying her hardest to sit on the laptop keyboard. Cats have a knack for sitting on whatever you are looking at or working on.

What a dreary day! Rain lightly fell most of the day making for a gloomy drive and miserable time between house and car. There was just enough rain for me to use the windshield wipers but not enough to leave them on even the intermittent setting. So my hand was turning the windshield wipers on then off, on then off, on then off. It's funny how something as small as that back and forth activity can be so exasperating! Now my cat has positioned herself on my lap making for a difficult time typing. I don't think she cares...

I have not taken the time to share about my job. Two of the links on my page are for my company, White Lightning and Alien Bees. Yes, you read those correctly. And no, we do not sell a white lightning liquid you find in the hills of Kentucky and we don't sell honey. We manufacture and sell photography lighting and accessories. I work on accounts receivable for both divisions of Paul C. Buff, Inc. There are more divisions but those two are the main ones. A side note to the job; my office is Tennessee orange! That exclamation mark is not for excitement on my part but to let you know just how BRIGHT the color is. Not many people can say they work in a building that lacks a white/beige/cream/gray wall. My boss painted the place with every color in the rainbow and some made up ones :)

This post is truly random with its content. My cat has come to a rest next to the laptop which is sitting on my bed. I can now type without her all over my lap and bed.

Today was a lonely day for me. I think I'm feeling discontented about being single. I know all the christian answers about it...but I still feel lonely at times. I wonder if marriage will ever be part of my life or if God has a single life prepared for me. Alright, enough on that subject.

I need to go to sleep. Yeah for tomorrow being Friday! Weekend here I come! A group from church is going to a corn maze on Saturday. I've always wanted to go to one. Hope the weather turns out well for us. Goodnight all.

Turning the other cheek

How far is too far when letting someone walk over you or wrongfully accuse you? Is there a point when we stop turning the other cheek? Jesus told us to turn the other cheek, give the coat off our back, or go the second mile. Jesus stood by countless times, allowing people to wrongfully accuse him of things.

While thinking this morning on this subject something occurred to me: Jesus allowed people to walk over him when there was an outcome in the future for their good. The ridicule, pain and mocking Jesus endured during his trial and crucifixion had a greater purpose than anyone present realized. He had to go through it to come out on the other side, an empty tomb.

There were times though when Jesus fought back instead of being walked on. The Pharisees would pose questions to Him all the time, trying to catch Him with lies or hypocrisies in His answers. Jesus would come back with questions for them, letting them know He would not play their games. In the margins of my Bible I have written "Go, Jesus!" next to those statements.

I think when we are presented with an opportunity to turn the other cheek or stand up for ourselves, we need to let the Spirit give us discernment to if this time is one to stand or lie down. Will turning the other cheek benefit the other person or situation in the future?

Silence

While driving back from Kentucky on Tuesday night, I spent some of the drive in silence. The radio was off, no cd playing, no phone calls. Just the annoying hum of I-65 pavement under my tires.

My melancholy, introverted personality loves to be alone. But I have found there is a vast difference in simply being alone and in honing that time in silence, listening to your thoughts and heart. I have spent time developing this discipline, not always succeeding. Yet I know there is reward in the future for disciplining myself to just be quiet and focus on what God is speaking to my heart and mind.

I'm a people watcher. From this I have noticed there are many people who fear what may come of sitting alone and letting repressed feelings and past actions come to the forefront. One of my friends is terrified of being alone and quiet. She has never said that out loud, but her actions and frantic ways are evidence to that fact. And I see the frustration and struggle she has because of it.

What I'm getting at, I think, is maturity in Christ and with others develops as I take the time to meditate and be silent before the Lord. I gain a sense of being grounded in the midst of this crazy world.

Time away

I have been away from my blog for a few days. When I walked out of work last Friday, I did not have to return until the following Wednesday, tomorrow. I took the weekend to relax by myself and on Sunday night my mom came to visit until tonight. We had a wonderful visit, filled with shopping, of course!

By the time last Friday rolled around, I could not wait to walk out those doors at work. The only days I had been off this year were for a friend's wedding and taking care of mom after her surgery. It was time for a vacation, even if it was only four days long.

On my way back from dropping my mom off in Kentucky, I spent the hour or so listening to Steve Green. Where have all the male singers gone? We don't have the controlled vocals and well thought out lyrics and melodies of Steve Green with todays musicians. There are many singer/songwriters of today that are amazing lyricists, but the vocal quality is lacking. Guess I am too picky with music. By the way, if you have not heard or do not own the album Morning Light by Steve Green, you need to take the time to do so.

I have finished the book I was reading since the last post. The Memory Keeper's Daughter was good. God used the book to remind me of my importance to Him. And that what appears to be a disability to society is just that, an appearance. I can't allow what society deems as important or right to be my measuring stick. God's way is my standard.

Thanks for listening to me throw a few random thoughts down. God bless!