a new verse

While researching Bible verses on friendship tonight (and if you ever need to find a passage of Scripture based on a phrase or word and your Bible concordance doesn't have it, I strongly recommend www.biblegateway.com), I found this really cool verse:

He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him. ~ Proverbs 27:14

Now I have to admit, I do find it funny when Bobby sings to my nieces or the Belarussian kids to get them up in the morning. And I don't mind when he sings to get me up in the morning, but I don't like the "exhortations." And to find that there's a Proverb about that is even funnier!

digital converter boxes

It's now official...both of our TVs are plugged into their soon to be required digital converter boxes. We did the tiny tv in our bedroom a long time ago. We suddenly had double the stations, but the reception was delayed about 2-3 seconds. We discovered that when Bobby would have the tv on in the living room, then would move to the bedroom to start getting things ready for the next day. Being the sweet man that he is, he'd leave the tv on for me while I finished up in the living room or kitchen. If I'd go to the laundry room, I could hear both tvs at the same time, and they were NOT in sync.
I like having more stations to choose from, though we're puzzled how to figure out what comes on when. I also like the increased clarity that usually comes with the picture. What I don't like about the boxes is that it's not uncommon for the signal to come in distorted and we get pixel boxes instead of a picture. Another disappointment is the volume. It's not uncommon for the volume to become blaringly loud when a commercial comes on, and then the second commercial is extremely soft. When the program returns, it's at the volume we originally set. Strange.
One very cool feature of the boxes, is that the channels program themselves into the remote during setup. Once I turn the tv and the box on, I can use the box remote to switch stations, though we have to use the tv remote to handle volume. The box remote does have a volume control, but the changes are so minute it's not worth fooling with. But I do think it beats paying for cable or satellite, especially as we don't watch a huge amount of tv.

jury duty

The first time I ever received a summons for jury duty was while I was overseas in China. The request came the day before I left, and I had to leave a message on someone's answering machine that I would not be able to show up. The crazy thing was that I didn't consider SC my home, but had changed my address there because that's where my parents were at the time.

The second time was a few years ago here in NC. I was so excited! I had always thought it would be cool to be on a jury. We sat and waited for 3 and a half hours for the interview process to start, only to be told thank you, go home, the case has been settled out of court. I was not happy with the waste of my time and was also disappointed.

My boss got called in Monday, and we all expected her back Tues, or at least the end of the week if she was selected. Before she left the courthouse Monday they were "bonded" for two weeks. She's on a "wrongful death lawsuit" and the slowness and inefficiencies are driving her crazy. And that got me to thinking.

I've always thought it would be cool to serve on a jury, but I really wouldn't want to decide whether or not someone was innocent or guilty of something based on limited information. And too many times, for various reasons, juries are not allowed to hear everything involved. How can you make a sound decision without all the facts? When I really stop and think about it, I wouldn't like the responsibility of deciding someone's guilt or innocence, and that's really what a jury does.

I suppose that's what growing up does for you: it modifies or destroys your childish concepts of cool. But if I do ever get selected to a jury, I don't think I'll be one of those people who complain about it. But who knows? That could change, too.

no, nO, NO, No, no!

Today is my protest blog.
Protest #1: This day has flown by, and I fear it's going to end before my to do list does. Sigh. I don't like how time seems to speed up faster and faster each year. Where did 2008 go? And yet I want this week to hurry up and end because that means payday! Whohoo!
Protest #2: Kay Hagan voted for the tax evader as head of the Treasury Department! AAAUUUGGHHHHH!!!!!!! At least if she keeps making such stupid mistakes it'll be easy to replace her in 6 years!
Protest #3: Exercise. I hate it. I don't care what people say; it does NOT make me feel better; it does NOT give me energy; and it does absolutely NOTHING for my mental well-being. And yes I will grudingly, unwillfully admit it does help you lose weight....in the smallest nanograms possible.
Protest #4: Target, even though they advertised it in Sunday's paper, did NOT have the Fireproof dvd today, and I used my 10% off coupon today. GRRRR!!!! big whoop!
Protest #5: American Idol and the Biggest Loser are both coming on tonight, at the same time. And it's not all that often there's anything remotely interesting on television. Bah humbug! I don't have my quilting frame set up yet anyway.
Protest #6: Laundry...did you honestly expect me to write something positive here?!? Sigh...okay...I'm thankful we have automatic washing machines and dryers.

smells and odours

There's some odours that just seem to permeate everything...cooked cabbage, fresh cut flowers, smoke, fish oil, dirty diaper pails, and cleaning supplies. There's probably more to that list, but those are just the first few that came to mind. Then there's the smells that I absolutely love: fresh bread, just baked chocolate chip cookies, vanilla scented candles. And then that line gets drawn. You know, you're burning a candle to kill the sneezy smell of Mop-N-Glo or clorox, rejoicing that not only is the floor clean but your house is actually starting to smell good, too, when someone comes in and says, "You know that candle is stinking up the house." or something to that affect.

Come to find out, when Bobby was growing up, many of the field hands who worked with them in tobacco didn't bathe (and many of them didn't wear deodorant, either). They would use vanilla flavoring as a deodorant or perfume to mask their body odours. Now, I love the smell of vanilla, but I can't say I'm too crazy about the smell of body sweat. And I can imagine that vanilla mixed in with body sweat in 100 degree summer weather, plus fertilizers and tobacco plants was not a pleasant scent. My nose sniffs a vanilla candle and my senses are pleased. Bobby smells one and is instantly reminded of the tobacco fields. So I seldom burn the fragrance I enjoy. After all, there's a multitude of fragrances out there that I do like that don't make me sneeze.

There was one other time there was a good scent/bad scent mix-up. My last year in China, the school's foreign affairs office took us to a field trip in the southern part of our province (Ningxia). We visited the ruins of Buddhist temples, as well as the ones that had survived in the caves and on the mountaintops. While at the top of the mountain, we entered one where people were burning incense. Within a few minutes, my sinus ways were clogged, I was starting to feel woozy, and I knew if I didn't get out of there quick I was going to be sick. (Similar to the effect fresh cut flowers sometimes have on me.) As I turned to look of an open window or door, the British teacher behind me, who was of Chinese descent, sighed and said, "Ummm, this smell takes me back to my childhood. Isn't it great?" I was appalled that something I found to be a stench was actually a comforting, sweet aroma to someone else.

I think about smells and stenches quite a bit, but I had never compared it to our lives as Christians until yesterday. Our pastor preached from somewhere in II Corinthians (I think). While his whole sermon was about telling people about Jesus Christ, one of his points was that some people will find our views and beliefs as a pleasant smell. Others will find it a stench. But all that really matters is that it is a smell pleasing to God. That's a little freeing...(but who doesn't want to be considered a good smell?)

and along those lines...Kohl's has these cute little bottles advertised in their sale paper...called reed dispensers...there's also a small line about Yankee Candles...WHAT on earth are those things? Does anybody know?

oh me, oh my, oh groan!

Yes, I'm aware that I've already posted a blog today, but it's my blog so I can post as many times as I want! hehehe

The bad thing about cleaning up is that you find things. Sometimes that's good. I actually found money in TWO different coats/jackets when it snowed. I layered up, and voila! (I think the English translation of that is "There it is!" But I also found a newspaper clipping from last July for a website I've been meaning to look up.
www.adultfitnesstest.org
It's the website that details how to measure your physical fitness, as well as you BMI (body mass index). According to this site, I shouldn't try the first part of the test because I am woefully inactive, but I'm thinking I might try it. I mean, hey, I'm not one to push myself too hard when it comes to exercise. I know the results will be bad on every test they show, but I am thinking about doing the 1 mile walk and the sit-ups test. Then I'll test myself again in June and beam with the improvement. Okay, I probably won't beam, but I'll nod and say, "Hmm...could be worse."
So for everyone who wanted to get physically fit as a New Year's Resolution (or lose weight, or fit back into the skirts in your closet, etc), we are now almost one month out. Here's something you can actually easily sink your teeth into and go for. I double dog dare ya.

civil rudeness

After the booing of former President Bush during the recent inauguration, I found President Obama's thank you to Bush a nice and civil comment. And while he mentioned no policy by name or anyone in the Bush administration by name, Obama then proceeded to bash Bush in a very civil tone. I'm still not totally sure how I feel about that. I know the two blatantly disagreed with each other, but was the speech a backhanded slap at the outgoing administration, or simply an announcement of what's too come?

It reminded me of stories from 200 years ago. The Union Army occupied Baton Rouge and other parts of Louisiana, and the women of the city were most unhappy with the situation. They would hold their noses every time a Union soldier walked by, or make snide remarks. Fed up, the officer in charge decreed that any woman showing disrespect toward a soldier would be treated as a prostitute. After a number of upperclass women were arrested and thrown in jail with a group of prostitutes; the actions ceased. Kind of. The women stopped holding their noses or making snide remarks, but instead would move to another sidewalk if a Union soldier walked by. And they took to doing their own housework during hours of army drills. More than one soldier found himself wearing the contents of a chamber pot that were emptied out the window. I don't know if or how that situation was resolved, whether the soldiers quit drilling in the streets or if the ladies finally started being nice, but it reminds me of the current political situation.

I like to think had I lived during that era, that I would have been a woman of grace and humility, wise as a serpent but harmless as a dove. Given that I laughed the first time I found the above story, I fear I may have been just as heedless and disrespectful as the women of the past. And what about now? When I encounter people who are blatantly disrespectful of Bush, or who lavish praise on Obama and his Civil Right plans for the GLTB community, or his extreme stances on abortion rights, will I be able to calmly disagree and respectfully state my opinion? Or will I follow suit and return trash talk? While we don't have chamber pots today, I do think my Grandma's term of "potty mouth" aptly describes many things we've heard lately. And as I think on Scripture's command to be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us, I hope I'm not only ready with the answer, but with the proper attitude as well.

BLESSINGS and Blessings and ....ingratitude?

I have a gracious employer (Mid-Way Baptist Church in Raleigh). When Bobby was sick this past April, they allowed me to work from home, or simply ignored unworked hours, and various people assisted in covering jobs for me while I was out. I would come in, expecting to complete projects, and find them already done! (Thank you again, Wendy, Linda, and Amanda!) Then when the Belarusian kids returned, they allowed me yet again to shift and consolidate hours for six weeks, even though it was often an inconvenience. Today, the office opened at 9:30am due to snow and ice on the roads, but no one said a word about me arriving at 10:30am (though someone did see me slide through the parking lot and slip and fall coming in!) but simply checked to see if I was okay. And when our HR person called last night to tell me the office would be open today, but late, her last words were "Stay safe." And they sent us home at 3:30pm today.

In addition, on my way to work I saw one van in a ditch, and passed a policeman checking out a three-car collision. I made it safely (other than sliding into my parking spot!). Coming home was a breeze.

I have heat, running water, and I live in a country where power is PEACEFULLY transferred every four years, without martial law being enforced in every town, nor the militia pushing people out of office. How blessed can I be?

So instead of whimpering about how I'd love to stay home for the next two weeks and do nothing but work on projects and clean house and sleep, I'm trying to count my blessings. That in and of itself is so sad, because I have so many blessings that my mind should not ever be distracted by petty selfishness. And to think I used to ponder why the Children of Israel were stupid for complaining all the time!

Inauguration Day 2009

Thank God for snow!!!

It snowed so much last night and this morning the office was closed today! Whoohooo! So even though I was not going in anyway due to inclement weather, now it's not counted against my vacation days (I still have two left!!!)

So I had time to fix sausage balls for breakfast, got to watch the historical inauguration, iron clothes, AND complete one of my January projects!

I didn't think about taking a before picture, but Mrs. Bryan's planter was last painted several years ago and was done the same color as the porch floor - grey. My brother-in-law did an excellent job of painting it then, but as anything exposed to the elements and leaking potted plants, it needed a new job. At Christmas (yeah, hard to believe it was so warm at Christmas we sat outside on the porch while the youngest Bryan grandkids rode bikes), I noticed for the first time all the intricate details. As many times as I have watered the plants on this thing, I had never noticed the grape vine trellising up the sides of the planter. So I went a little elaborate and painted all the individual details. I'm pleased with the results; (I hope she is!)

I should have one hour of free time left this evening after supper prep and clean-up and normal routine stuff. Do I iron more clothes, start another project, or rest and read some? Decisions, decisions, decisions. Now if I could just be off tomorrow...sigh.

things that make me go GRRRRR!!!!!!

In today's News & Observer, one of the articles highlighting art (anti-Bush art, to be specific) also commented that there are numerous "End of Era" parties going on today. That part doesn't bother me too much. But the next comment did. There are also "Shoe-Outs" taking place today, where groups of people plan to throw their worn-out shoes at one of the White House gates. I think everyone who is so willing to desecrate a public icon with such extreme disrespect needs to first be fined for littering, then have their citizenship revoked on the grounds of treason, and then deported to a country of their choice. (And yes, I feel the same way about the NC State students who wanted Obama dead after the election).

I recognize that people who are non-believers (non-Christians, that is) do not adhere to the Biblical principles of "obeying and praying for those placed in authority over you." And that's their choice. But when someone is blatantly disrespectful and hateful to anyone whom the voters/the public put in office, they are anti-American, not to mention anti-Christian. I didn't vote for Clinton, and I didn't like his policies, but I didn't diss him with the venom that I've seen leftists heap on Bush.

And meanwhile, I think I'm ready to start gearing up for 2010. If you haven't already, then join the pub - the republicans that is, as we hope to reclaim Congress in the next election. In the words of Hilary Clinton, "There's too much at stake."

Recession vs. Depression

A recession is when your neighbor loses his job; a depression is when you lose yours.

We hear it on the news, but it seems this past week it keeps coming closer and closer to home. As of today, I have three friends out of work, and 8 friends who have had their hours either cut or made almost non-existent.

It really makes me re-evaluate the difference between a need and a want. My mother used to remind me growing up that God promised to provide for our NEEDS, not our wants. I never liked it when she quoted that Bible verse. But I can say that God ALWAYS provided. I didn't have name brand clothes growing up, and more often than not most everything I owned was a hand-me-down. We ate out maybe once a year, and food was almost always given from a church member's garden or a generic brand, but I never went hungry. Not ever.

I remember the late '80s when the coal mines shut down in Walker County. We had three men in our church who lost their jobs. One of the families complained several months later that it was hard being poor. Every time they went to the grocery store they had to buy generic brands they were so poor. My little sister and I just stared at her. I actually felt sorry for her that she thought buying generic brand food meant you were poor. I knew several girls in my class who owned 2 pairs of blue jeans and alternated them out every other day because that was all they could afford. And about 1/2 of our high school students had jobs. If we ever heard of a position open, be it McDonalds, Church's chicken, or in a grocery store, people rushed to apply. I found my after school job as a cashier by overhearing a girl at school saying she'd have to quit to play softball. I went in the afternoon she was to quit and put in a job application. I went in for an "interview" at 9am Sat morning and went home at noon for lunch and worked until 5pm. And that was after six months of looking for a job. I considered myself blessed.

Then I went to Nashville to college, and for the first time I realized according to most people's standards, I was poor.
The next year I went to Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa, and discovered I was one of the richest people on the face of the earth - and my income hadn't changed a dime.
After graduation I went to China, and discovered that I lived in a land of opportunity beyond anything I had dreamed or realized. It had always been taken for granted. I've been to college twice for different majors, have changed careers, even had the luxury of being a stay at home wife for several years - and those facts alone make me one of the most privileged people in the world.

I do wonder what will become of our nation and its economy. But I also recognize things can get much worse before we're even close to destitute. And its times like these I turn to my Heavenly Father and rest in his arms. He's never out of a job.

an ode to my friends who are mothers

Gone are onesies, wet wipes, rash,

We're adding pull-ups to that stash

Or so we hope.

In comes big boy underpants,

frilly panties or dinosaurs that dance,

We dream of progress.

Methods come, endless advice;

Our children have their own device.

Training's not their choice.

Some kids go upon command,

others require a more firm hand.

Or just won't go.

Targets for the boys to hit;

Girls who scream and throw a fit;

Or sit terrified.

It seems they'll poop in every place

Except the spot reserved with space.

And then go hide.

Every country, every tongue

Has a way it must be done.

To train a child to properly

Do what does come naturally.

I've been thinking about you and praying for all of you these last few weeks!

drool and dream

When I got home today, I checked the mail as I usually do. And lo and behold, if the Keepsake Quilting catalogue wasn't there! Forget e-mail, forget mopping floors, and laundry...what? Oh, those piles of material...yes, I'm looking at material!

I'm not even going to count how many pages I've turned down, but let's just say this one has more than most. And for those of you starting to get concerned, I'm not ordering anything. But I did have this thought: If I ordered all the stuff for one quilt every time the catalogue came (which is 4x a year), then when I retire I won't have to worry about whether or not I could afford to buy the material and supplies!!! yeah, I know, provided the moths hadn't eaten it all by then.

Some days I think I should just quit my job and work on projects. The idea takes on a glistening glow, and then Bobby comes home and says, "Not that I'm trying to give you more work to do, but...." and I realize if I had more time he would simply have more lists.

BUT...they had a new t-shirt in the back. It sported a crown, and underneath was this title: Queen of Unfinished Projects. I'm thinking I could create my own design for that and use those iron-transfer, computer print-out sheets from Michaels...another project!!! Whoohoo!

songs from childhood

Are you tired of chasing pretty rainbows?
Are you tired of spinning 'round and 'round?
Wrap up all the shattered dreams of your life,
And at the feet of Jesus lay them down.

Give them all. Give them all.
Give them all to Jesus.
Shattered dreams, wounded hearts,
and broken toys.
Give them all. Give them all.
Give them all to Jesus.
And he will turn your sorrows into joys.

I will serve thee because I love thee.
You have given life to me.
I was nothing before you found me.
You have given life to me.
Heartache, broken pieces, ruined lives are why you died on Calvary.
Your touch, was what I longed for.
You have given life to me.

Some days I feel like a worthy vessel. Other days I'm just a lump of clay.
But either way I'm in the Potter's hands, and that's pretty cool.

Terms & Conditions, Licenses & Agreements, and other such whatnot

We had to replenish the brain of our computer last December. It was not a fun time, as we all too quickly realized that our new "brain" did not like our printer, scanner, or my work software. The first two after numerous attempts and countless hours, I was finally successful in downloading and installing driver updates to make the things work. Half of my software for work would install correctly, and the other half not only refused to install correctly; it also refused to UNINSTALL! After much frustration and grinding of teeth, I called tech support only to discover they no longer offer help on CS2, as CS3 & CS4 has now come out. The nice guy did give me a link to a website that told me how to manually uninstall the crazy software, but after talking to someone at church (thanks for not charging me, Jack!), I felt comfortable in my decision that following its advice and DELETING part of my new hard drive's files was NOT the practical thing to do. So I followed Jack's advice and bought a software upgrade instead of the whole version.
This does not make sense to me. If something is not installed successfully on my computer, then how will an upgrade work correctly? It does not make sense to me, but I'm thankful I followed his advice, for it WORKED!!!!! But I did have to download more drivers and upgrades for graphic cards and memory chips, etc and whatnot. GRRRR!!!!
And that's where the rub comes in. For every piece of software, download, or upgrade, there's this little box you check saying that you have read and are in agreement with policies, the licenses, the conditions, and such and such. I used to just check it and click yes, until I discovered the hard way that McAffee Antivirus Protection had a clause in their agreement that they have the right to charge your credit card every year unless you call them or write them a certified letter 90 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ACCOUNT EXPIRES telling them you do not want to renew their services. One of the best protection plans we've ever used, but that one just rubbed me the wrong way, especially as the computer that had their service had been dead and obsolete for six months.
So now I tried to at least skim parts of the things. Today for the last two I simply clicked the box. After all, what can an agreement for a graphic card (which I don't even know what looks like) that comes pre-installed on the computer say that I will have a problem with?
But then again, maybe I signed away the right to eat chocolate around my computer, or create dinosaurs with the color green, or gave the right to someone to come in and inspect for dust bunnies around the computer vents. You just never know.
So if they come in and take me away, you can rest assured it probably had something to do with that stupid little License & Agreement box I checked before I downloaded an update today.

We once had a tree with a V.

Now it's a mess.

And it split the dog's fence line.

But on a different note: farm-raised rabbits cooked in a crock-pot with french onion soup smells like a roast cooking, but had the texture of very dried chicken. The taste wasn't bad, but I liked the leftovers better. It was chopped up and heated in BBQ sauce (the Kraft kind that's tomato based, not the vinegar NC stuff) and it not only added moisture to it, but it tasted great! I bet if I brought some over to your house, you'd never know it was rabbit!

a new experience

One of Bobby's sisters brought him three freshly frozen rabbits for Christmas. So we're branching out into new territory tonight and trying one. He's in the crockpot now. Just in case I don't like the way he's cooked, I've spent the last few minutes on-line researching rabbit recipes. He smells okay, but I'm just not sure how I feel about eating a distant relative of Thumper.

Three steps forward, two steps back

Some resolutions are, well, resolute. I'm cooking, doing an okay job at keeping up with household chores, and am well into one of the projects for the month.
Other resolutions are, well, dissolving. Lose 4 pounds? Hmmm. I've thought about exercising the last five days, but as of yet it that item hasn't made it past the laundry basket, the Christmas decorations, the painting, etc.
My devotions are not devoted. I've kept up to date (WHOO HOO!) with the church's in-depth 3 year Bible reading program so far, and am keeping up with the teens' memory verses, but haven't kept my dare to my siblings or Mom for the LoveDare devotional (you can find them at Sam's Club for $9 fellow Fireproof fans!), and I fear my cynical demon has roared his head yet again. I don't mean to be sacrilegious, but obviously the Bible was not written by a woman. I mean, come on...did anyone even suggest pulling Zacharias out of the temple by that rope the priests had to wear? Did people sign to him because he couldn't talk like Hudson was quiet around Pastor Mike after his voice surgery, or was he deaf as well? Was he aggravated about the whole naming issue? I mean, if I was given the opportunity to have a child, and then told his name had to be Brad (no offense to any Brads out there) I would be a little bit miffed. Note, emphasis on little bit; I do think the thrill of having my own flesh and blood would override such minor irritations. And when John went to the wilderness, did he grow up there, or just hang out there in his teenage/young adult years? Can't you hear those old women talking? Well, I don't know what Lizzy's thinking lettin' that boy dress like that and roam around? They indulge him just way too much, but you know how those priest's kids are!
I recognize that we're not given a whole lot of details because that's not the emphasis of the story...BUT...if we can be told about Jezzy puttin' on make-up before being pushed and devoured by dogs, with only her hands left (like my cat eating moles), or a young woman being cut up into 12 pieces by her father and mailed to the governors of the country and the ensuing outrage, couldn't we have a few more details on what things were like?
And just for the record, I grudgingly agree with my Dad that when I get to heaven I will know the things that God deems important and the trivial remainder won't matter to me in the least. And yes, I would probably be more like Old Zach with 101 questions for the angel instead of like Mary who jubilantly and quickly believed and rejoiced. Yes. He must definitely increase!

dogs & breakfast

What is it about dogs & breakfast time?

Daisy & Abner (our first dogs) brought about Flopsy & Mopsy's (our rabbits) heart attacks during breakfast.

Oreo (a former cat) would always leave half of her breakfast (squirrels, moles, and mice) on the doorstep for Bobby to see before breakfast.

And now....

the mole game with Lucy & Linus...right outside the kitchen window...you guessed it....during breakfast.

I've yet to venture outside and see whether the birds in the yard succeeded in distracting the dogs away before the mole's death, or if they pestered him to death. Maybe Bobby will give me a report after his afternoon excursion. That's not something I care to see if I don't have to.

Not yet panic

You know how your adrenaline rushes right before a deadline and the work load and time factor don't seem to be matching up? Bobby calls this stress and I consider it motivation. Well, for some reason it struck today. I feel like I need to tackle all my January projects immediately and furiously, as if the month is almost over. And technically, there's only 29 days left, so I do need to be busy. Yet the thought struck me as I was driving home, Don't you know it's only Jan 2! HELLOOOOO! Maybe I just need a Dr. Pepper and a chocolate chip cookie. Hey, that's only about 400 calories, right? Wouldn't it be cool if I finished January and actually had half of February's projects done as well? Yeah, I know....keep dreaming. If that happened, I think the world might actually stop spinning, and we certainly don't want that to happen!

And speaking of our spinning earth, what did you think about them delaying the clock and fireworks of 2009 by one second because the earth has slowed down in its gravitational spin this year? Kind of reinforces the whole concept of time being relative, you know? Unfortunately, I don't think neither my husband nor my choir director would buy into that philosophy. And seeing as how time is only relative to what I can get done, I think I better get something done today besides paid work and blogging...ugh.