Sing It Like You Mean It!

I have a special fondness in my heart for a cappella music. I found this on one of the blogs I frequent. I have not yet added her to my list, but after this, I think I shall. She is a busy mom, and has uniquely interesting tales to tell.

Classically, I don't like counting songs, or really repetitive ends to songs I would otherwise like. This version, however, is awesome. Enjoy!

The 12 Days Of Christmas

Hot Cocoa With A Peppermint Stick To Warm The Soul

Word of the Post
Today's word is: loquacious
/lo*qua"cious/ adjective
To speak continually; talkative; expressive; apt to blab and disclose secrets.
I am talkative, but I am NOT loquacious. The secrets I hold are so dear, I have forgotten most of them.
~~~~~~~~~~
Any time I decide I have it all figured out, I am surprised by something small that brings me back to reality. I have always been a generous person. If I can help, I will. I offer to drive people all over the place, I pick up kids, I would give you the last bit of food in my fridge, I would empty my closet to keep you warm. It is humbling when others are willing to reciprocate.

I have a wonderful pair of new friends. They would also bend over backwards to make sure that you are taken care of, that you see Jesus in every small thing in your life. They invited us to have dinner with their family on Christmas Eve. We have gladly accepted, and plan to bring a little bit of dessert, and a few presents. I will not go empty-handed.

Growing up in a family who did not celebrate Christmas, I feel now a lot like a child window shopping at a candy or toy store. My face pressed against the glass, my breath steaming up the view, dreamy look on my face, wishing I could join in. I always saw everyone having fun trying to guess what Santa was bringing. They had huge family gatherings, and long funny stories after the New Year. Maybe it was the influence of Currier and Ives artwork, I don't know. I always assumed that happy family Christmases were picture-perfect, snow-covered, and heart-warming. Christmas was never not happy at my house, but it was not the fantasy I had created in my head.

This year, I have been allowed to go inside the store, and it is overwhelming. I don't know what to make of it all. The smells, the warmth, the love, the excellent cooking (by a man, even!) all keep me dumbfounded. I never knew this was for Christmas. These things were all for Thanksgiving in my family. I have a hard time not picking a piece of each and every kind of candy, one of every toy.

There is a storm that has dumped snow on many around us. It has given us a dusting of snow, but has also blessed us with ice... again. This time, it is not building on the trees, it is blowing in the wind. This time, we do not have the danger of losing power so much as the danger of stupid drivers trying to kill us on the roads. I wonder what it is about Oklahoma that brings out the "weather idiots". They seem to think, and drive as if, they have big SUV's that can stop on a dime.... on maybe a dry runway with no traffic. Then, they decide to try it on ice, behind me.

I have long enjoyed watching automatic transmissions sitting idle at a stoplight, knowing which axle is their drive because their wheels are spinning. Do people not know that an automatic can be put into Neutral, and will not keep uselessly trying to push the car? I learned to drive in crazy conditions in New Mexico and Colorado. I had months at a time to practice, and drunk drivers to avoid. I guess it is too much to expect Oklahomans to know how to react to snow and ice. They only see it three or four days a year. I need to get a bumper sticker that says "no spelunking". It should go next to the one we already have (not on the car yet, however) that says, "hang up and drive!"

To sum up:
1. J and L are my cool new friends.
2. I like my new Christmas experiences.
3. I need to dig up the recipe for Maple Syrup Snow Candy from the Little House books.
4. I would love to turn donuts in a big empty parking lot this weekend.

Have a good one, everybody!

Here Comes "Samma Claus"

I was in the middle of blogging last Monday evening, when our house went dark. I copied the entry into my word processor program on my laptop, and saved it for later. Now, you get to see what I was thinking about Jack Frost just before he got a fuller revenge on us.

Jack Frost can have a bad temper sometimes. He has hit Oklahoma with a vengeance. I am not terribly certain what we have done to anger him, but he has made a mess of our streets, cars and electric companies. Our house has had two days of freezing rain, sleet, and bitter temperatures. I helped DH scrape almost half an inch of the stuff off his car last night, and helped him again this morning with more. The bright side? The wind has not been bad, so the cold doesn't bite at your bones.

The trouble this morning was getting into the car, to retrieve the scraper. Mind, the door was iced over. Good thing we had scrapers from another car and a key fob that unlocks the doors, without need of the exterior locking mechanism to be defrosted.

DH was told not to come in just yet.... after we had scraped 80% of the windows clean. So, we finished, and came back inside to warm up. Hot Cocoa is a wonderful invention. He ended up going in around 11, and was home by 2:30. His supervisor was there, working on stuff with a generator, because the office power was out. It has been fun trying to talk to people on our cell phones, because they keep cutting out, and telling us the network is busy. It took three actual phone calls, and several other tries on both ends, for his supervisor to ask him to come to work. My phone cut off my mom, in the middle of the conversation. So mean. That is what we get for relying so much on electricity.

Jelly Bean got to sit on Santa's lap while she was with Grandma and Grandpa over last weekend. (Her phrasing of his name inspired the title of this post, BTW) She told him she wanted a bow. He asked if it was a bow for her hair? She said, "No. A big red bow on top of my present!" The whole family is planning to put red bows on her presents. I am actually trying to make a pillow in the shape of a bow, so she can have a memento of this year for future reference. I am glad that she does not yet know how to read, and that she doesn't yet read my blog. :-) I won't be able to tell you all her presents in a few years. She will be sneaky and try to find out, and I shall have to be sneakier and not say. I just hope that the actual present doesn't look horrible. My sewing talents are limited, and my patience even more so.

We have visitors upstairs. Definitely mice, probably birds, and I wonder if maybe a squirrel (?), live in our ceiling. I don't really have any access to the area, since the only entrance is a hole in the ceiling of the garage, and we don't have a ladder. Today, they have been making all sorts of noise in or on the roof, and the poor cats are distraught at the fact that prey plays out of their reach. I have seriously been contemplating buying a ladder and some poison in a box, and planting it up there. Noisy critters. More reason to bug the landlord about fixing the roof. I think there are holes up there, and he could stand to get it inspected, at the very least.

It has been getting dark since I started writing this entry. It got very cold just in the past five minutes. Brr! Santa needs to bring me a blanket this year! I am in a sweater and shivering. I hesitate to turn up the heater, because of the skyrocketing price of natural gas. However, that is why we have the service, so I should probably use it. I am a miser, I suppose. Bah!

We have several parties this year, all expecting a present valued from $10 to $20 each. Is it just me, or is the "Dirty Santa" the new

I don't know where my brain was headed here. I don't remember what I was going to compare the "Dirty Santa" gift exchange to. I am sorry for this, because I was interested too.

I have been having a tough time coming up with a Christmas wish list for my mother-in-law. I do not need anything. There is not much I want. I can buy anything I feel I have a desire for, and I don't have that many desires right now. I think relying on others has put my wishes on hold. It hasn't yet "felt like Christmas" to me. I have done no decorating, and I don't intend to now. It is too late. It will only have to come down in the next two weeks anyway.

On my chat group, we decided I should ask her to contribute to the cost of replacing my engine, or that I should ask that she contribute to Niki's Sevens ministry. Being in the cold on the road prompted me to buy more blankets for Sevens than I was planning originally. I am thinking that might be the best option. Help others, don't spoil me. MIL says that Christmas is for "wants" and I think many of those are frivolous. I can ask for Wii games, but there are people freezing to death, and I know how to help them.

I have seen the goodness of God through my good friends, I have lacked for nothing (except for electricity) in the past week, and many months previous. I could use a new laundry detergent, a new digital camera with video, a package of thank you cards.... but I really can't think of anything that I don't already have. I can't ask for the jeans I would like, because I have to try them on. I don't like getting clothes, because clothes are so very varied in what fits my body. Money for clothes, maybe?

I think the couple gift of date is the best idea. That way, I don't have to think. She has given us this one in the past. An envelope for each part: a gift card for dinner, cash for a movie of our choice, and a little cash toward gas to drive there for an evening. One year, we bought a DVD we were waiting for, but still spent the money on "a movie".

I have tried this year to improve my spiritual life, our financial responsibility, and my housekeeping patterns. I have no intention of being selfish with this request. Celebrating with family is going to be enough. More than I deserve. I could not ask for more.

Maybe I can get Sara Evans' album with that song on it.

Humbug!

Ice, Ice, Baby

Ice storm, Ice refreezing, Baby came.

Our friend had her son on Wednesday, by C. His name (the one they have not quibbled over) is Alexander. He was 9 pounds even, and 21 3/4 inches tall. For Teh Club, email me if you don't know which friend I speak of.

I am on borrowed time with computers. Our home has been without power since Monday at 6:00 pm. Be not expecting a post anytime soon. I don't know when we will have power again. I have hot water, but nothing else in the way of creature comforts.

Pray for me, that I don't kill the OG&E dudes who are "working" to get our power back. Pray that we don't run out the welcome at our gracious friends' house. Pray that I don't lose my mind in the suitcases.

Just pray. After all the car trouble, this is just one more test. I don't remember praying for patience....

Air Conditioning Is A Necessity in Oklahoma

I have never come so close to purchasing a new car before. We were casually looking at new cars. We test drove an 2008 Honda Fit, we got windblown looking at Jeeps and Dodges, Saturns and even a few Fords. Our last stop was at the Hyundai dealership. We drove an 2007 Elantra, and it was nice. It was white, four doors, and still had the new car smell with only 7 thousand miles on it. We were actually in the finance office. We had gotten to the point of discussing how to make the down payment. I had the checkbook out of the purse. But I couldn't do it. Basic Math and my gut stopped me.

Do you suppose that a Finance Manager would understand if I told him I had a psychic flash not to buy the car? God spoke to me, told me not to go into debt? Have you ever had to have the breakup conversation with a Finance guy? It's not you, it's me. Really. Yeah, that's it. It's ME.

I feel bad (but not so very bad after all) about letting the sales guy think this thing was in the bag. He was nice enough. I don't fault him. I feel sad that he got his hopes up. It is his living wage (hear me laugh, I know what sort of commission car sales guys barely make) to make car sales, and we, while not intending to hurt anyone, really did not plan to buy when we walked in. Don't get me wrong, here. I want nothing more than to trade off the Buick Century. It gets on my nerves. But, it is mine. We own it outright, no payments, no debt. It may drive me nutty, but it is a comfortable sort of nutty.

I still have no idea what is to be done with the Chevy Malibu. It sits in Dad's yard, still on the trailer. I suppose that since it died on the road, it is probably toast. I have no plan yet on how to pay for any repairs. If it needs a replacement engine, I wonder if I can feel confident in its future performance? I am torn. I don't want to make payments, and I loved the Malibu. I desire a new car, yet I enjoy having my money.

I still don't know if it was that the car was not THE car, or if I sensed that I would have to pay so much to fix Dad's van. Saturday, we had to replace the starter in the Dodge. Which was a small price to pay, compared to towing my car for four hours. I don't really have an explanation, and I don't really want to dwell on the "loss" of the possibility of the car. I just know it was my reading and education from Dave Ramsey that kept ringing in my head. "Sleep on it." If the deal is right, it will still be there Monday. As good as the deal was, it was not right for us.

I sit here thinking that I can have been driving the prettiest new car. And if I had been doing that, I would be broke. Not really in so many dollars, but the feeling of poverty would have depressed me. More than the anticipation of paying for the fixing of "my baby" has already done.

We got to see Niece Jelly Bean today. She spent yesterday and today with Grandma and Grandpa. They were in Enid this morning, and came to see us after she had a nap. She sat in the car for the hour and a half that it took to come here, and she was reasonably quiet during the evening church service. She was so tired of being still and quiet. It was fun to let her run and jump. She is so smart! She knows the whole Alphabet song, the difference between "big" and "little", and she loves meeting new people. She had a little trouble pronouncing the J in Elijah, but she got Lynnea right on the first try. She even recognized "my friend!" after the service. (after distracting L's family all through the lesson; don't argue with me, I know she did) She was very good at supper, and didn't even cry too much when she didn't get to come into our house (a quick stop) before going to see Mommy, Daddy and Gum Drop.

It makes JB giggle to make faces at her. Ask her to "Make your Angry face!" and you will get a little grin and a "grrr" with a mean little arm flex that should scare you. Tonight, she giggled when I asked her to make faces. Then she went back to whining. It also made her giggle to hear me make a fuss. I whimpered and put my head in her lap, which made her laugh. "See? I can cry just as much as you!" I think she was fighting her sleepy with every ounce of energy, and she was losing the battle.

I am worn out just watching her today. She is so full of energy, so happy and so eager to learn new things. She was quite disappointed that we were not going to Bible Class after worship tonight. I don't know how parents do it. How do you keep up with a little ball of light and motion? I love the child dearly, but it makes me tired to watch her for a day. My brother's idea of remaining child-free is looking better all the time. Not my JB, but some kids in this world make me happy to not be a parent. Correction: Some kids in this world make me happy not to be THEIR parent. Mine would have much more education on manners and respect and obeying than the typical kid you see throwing a tantrum in the cereal aisle at the grocery store.

Or would they....?

The Holiday Grouse

Every time someone asks how our holiday went, I have to hesitate. My first inclination is to get all sad, and say, "Oh, it was fine, I guess." The truth is, it was full of things to be thankful for. I am ashamed that I can find so much to complain about first.

Not to say that it went all roses. The car did break down. I did not get to see Mom, which was the whole point of trying to go home. We did get stuck on the side of the road in a car that was supposed to be fixed. However, God still shows us compassion.

I wanted to buy a blanket to send to Niki. I was able to buy five. Spending two hours in our dead car on the side of the road made us cold enough to appreciate the needs of the homeless in Colorado in winter. I have friends who are every bit as good as family. We didn't have to walk to Clines Corners four miles away, and we didn't have to hitchhike into Albuquerque.

We got picked up by our friends. Conveniently, they were able to come an hour outside of town to get us, without much delay. They took us into town and shared their lunch leftovers with us for one of the best Thanksgiving dinners I have ever had. We were able to stay the weekend at another house, in "Mom's room" (Mom and Dad have their own room at this friend's house. She is their hotel in ABQ).

Dad made two trips down to ABQ to see us. One trip to bring us a vehicle to take us home, just in case he could not come again to get our car. I got to see Dad and my Bro on that trip, on Friday. We had a late lunch, and sent them on their way. The second trip, Dad came alone with a truck and trailer to tow my car to his mechanic. DH and I helped get the car onto the trailer. My car made the trip home on Saturday, without me.

I got to play Scrabble with our friend. I don't get to play very much with our friends here. There is only one who loves to play as much as I, and he beats me all the time. Our friend in ABQ is a librarian, and has an extensive vocabulary, so it was a GAME. I won one of them (EQUIP ending on a triple word square for 78 points doubled my score and, I think, sealed that one.), and she won the second and the third. Speaking of Scrabble, DH just handed me a page off his Classic Dave Barry page-a-day calendar. This is the page from Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22.

The one board game that I still play is Scrabble. I like it because unlike most other games, which basically are pointless time-consumers, in Scrabble you can do something mentally stimulating and worthwhile: make naughty words. There is nothing quite like the sense of intellectual accomplishment that comes from spelling out, say, "b-o-s-o-m", knowing that it will be sitting there on the board for hours, staring up at your opponents.

I personally try to avoid the dirty words. I don't like using them, I don't want to stare at them for hours. Scrabble usually takes at least two hours. The last hour is usually spent trying to figure out where to play that I that you didn't use on the last word you played, while your opponent is trying to dispose of a Z, W and J with no vowels.

On Sunday, we had a safe drive home in Dad's 1985 Dodge Caravan (it has 212,800+ miles on it!). I don't know what I want to do. The trick is to see if it is worth it to repair the car, or just junk it for scrap metal. If it truly needs a new engine, Dad will have to tow it to me, or at least to ABQ, to get to a shop that has the tools to do the heavy lifting of an engine swap. We should know more next week, after the mechanic has a chance to look at it. It could just need a new intake manifold (a mere $900 by all accounts). A new engine will cost less than replacing the car... but at what value? A replacement engine will be a rebuilt, and it was the flaw in the engine that started this circus. I am considering buying Dad's van. He said I could borrow it as long as necessary. He was just glad that, since they replaced it this summer with a newer van, they had not let the insurance lapse on it. The tag is good until May.

Mom has many friends and church members who come over to visit her. There are two in particular who stayed with her during Dad's trips to help me. I am grateful for their kindness.

All in all, the trip was good. It was nothing like we expected, and not at all what we wanted, but that is not to say it wasn't good at all. God showed us how He cares for us, and will not let us down or abandon us. I know people who had more stressful trips than we had, even though I don't want to be complaining or comparing. We saw God on this trip, and He safely brought us home to the job that DH loves, in plenty of time to go to work as scheduled on Monday.

Mom went into the hospital on Monday, and remained there all day Tuesday as well. I can't help but feel a bit of guilt. Mom can't handle stress in the same way she used to. When I was young, stress gave her cold sores. Now, stress gives her shortness of breath, anemia and tremors. She went to the hospital after stressing over me and my "adventure". I know better than to blame myself for her failing health, but I can't help it. Would she have gone to the hospital if I had not tried to come home? Probably. Can I do anything to make it better? Or worse? No. Absolutely not. When I talked to Dad on Monday night, he sounded so very tired. He does so much for her. I think it wears him down.

So please don't ask me how my Holiday was. Don't ask me how I am. Box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.

Ask me what blessings I have received today. Ask me whom I have helped to see God today.

Ask me which new car I like (this minute).

Thankfully

Since my previous journey into starting a conversation flopped, I am just going to say that I hope everyone had a good Holiday. I would love to hear what each of you is thankful for.

Things I Learned On My Trip
(in pretty much the order I thought of them)

1. Pack an extra change of clothes, just in case.
2. Mexican Blankets are cheaper in the middle of nowhere.
3. Chevy cars don't like the long hills on I40 between Milagro and Moriarty.
4. Moriarty and Mortality sound a lot alike.
5. Things are never so bad as they seem.
6. A layer of snow protects your car from getting ticketed for towing.
7. Daddies never lose their magic to fix stuff.
8. Mom's landlady's niece's sister's husband suddenly counts as family, even if you've never met him before. (sounds more dramatic than my friend's brother-in-law)
9. "Good Holiday" and "Good Trip" are two VERY different things.
10. Dry heat is OK. Dry cold.... not so much.
11. Bedlam is still important. (Go O.U.!)

More details to come. Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.

Yip Eye Oh Eeee Aye!

Oklahoma.

46th State in the Union.

Its quarter will be the first issued in 2008.

100 years strong today.

Oklahoma,

OK!

Boil That Trouble, Cauldron Bubble

Word of the Post
Today's word is: forgive
/for*give"/ verb
To cease to feel resentment toward; to give up claim to retribution upon. The person or the action can be the object of this verb; commonly one is the direct object, while the second is the indirect object, i.e. "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." - words of Jesus, Matthew 5:12.
To stop blaming; to absolve from payment. This does not imply that the action was not wrong, but that the feelings of the wronged can be put aside for the betterment of the wrongdoer.
~~~~~~~~~~
Forgive me, I have not posted in a long while. This life gets crazy at times. I have been dealing with travel, helping my friends, and depression. I don't know what causes my depression, but I know that I have it. I have never been diagnosed, because I have no insurance, and do not feel comfortable talking to a doctor that may not be a Christian. I know to some of you, that makes no sense. To me, it is everything. I want to talk out my problems, but I don't want a heathen to listen to the issues that effect my Christianity, because I don't think they can understand the background music. I don't want to talk to a Christian counselor (there are some fine options at my congregation), because I am afraid that I may end up as an example in a public lesson. Either way, I sit here without help, and don't know exactly where to turn.

So, in an effort to get myself out of the funk I have allowed myself to fall into.... I pour myself into work. Around the house, I have done dishes and laundry enough to make my hands raw. For my friends, I have traveled to St. Louis, picked up kids from school and laughed. I have not tried writing, which is usually my first course of action. I have gone through the motions of having a normal life, and hated most of it. Today, I felt I must write. If not for you, then simply for me. In an effort to stir up conversation, and maybe to get myself to think more critically, I want to start a new topic.

I have many strong opinions on this subject, and you may not agree with me at all, but I have to state them, as it is my right to do. I have been prayerfully considering my statements, and I ask that you prayerfully consider your answers. I do not mean to cause division, and I am trying to maintain my own humility toward the subject. My first resource is the Bible. I want to make sure to keep the integrity of the Word, and allowing my opinions to form from there and not from my own pride or humanity.

Many times over the past few months, I have thought on the subject of sexuality. Primarily the sinfulness and public acceptance of the homosexual community. Their public push for equality mirrors that of many minority groups in America. They all want so much equality that they become the standard, not the aberration.

What if the tendency is a born trait? I have a hard time believing that God would create a trait, and then tell us it is a sin. Leviticus 18:22 calls this act "detestable" or "an abomination" depending on the translation you look at. Leviticus 20:13 says that both parties in such an act should be put to death, and the guilt of their blood is on their own heads. Death is the God-decreed punishment for such sin. Why would any god, especially a Creator God, make something that He calls sinful and plans to destroy?

Romans 1:27 - "and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error." (*NOTE: Politically Incorrect thought warning: I don't care that my opinion is not PC. I don't try to be PC. Politics can kiss my left toe. I would rather be a Jesus Freak.) Seems that AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a punishment, a disease brought on by the sin of sexual misconduct. Probably not a new way to die, simply the new term for an age-old illness. I am not saying that everyone with AIDS is a sinner in this manner. There are many ways to Acquire this Deficiency. Children of drug users can get it, having done absolutely nothing wrong. Maybe it got its start in the depravity of sin?

I won't argue if the tendency to be attracted to the same sex is a born trait. I will say that, like any other sexual choice, it is the action and the lifestyle that are sin. I do believe that a person can change. I believe that sexual conduct is a choice. A person who has lived a gay lifestyle can repent, and abstain, as any heterosexual person can abstain. If the tendency is born, then it is a result of human error, not of creation.

I truly do not wish to know what goes on behind the door to anyone else's bedroom. It is none of my business. It is not my place to know, nor to judge. However, if it is brought to my attention (as in, "Hi, I'm gay!") I can feel the need to comment. God has already pronounced judgment on this sin. For me to call a sin by its name and to inform the sinner of the verdict is not a judging. I share only the judgment that is God's word. Sexual conduct in this manner is sin.

The spark on the kindling for this discussion for me this week was a movie ("What Makes a Family", made for TV, 2001) about a woman who had lost her partner (death), and was suing the maternal grandparents for custody of the child (the partner had a sperm-donated baby) she had helped to raise but she had no blood tie to. According to the movie, Florida was at that time the only state with laws still on the books preventing same-sex couples to adopt. Rosie O'Donnell (not my favorite political spokesperson) tried to adopt, in New York, a child from Florida, and was denied because of their laws.

I am not heartless. I want kids to have stable, safe, loving homes to live in. There are way more kids in this world who are unwanted by their birth parents, than there are foster and adoptive homes to care for them. There have been many studies to show (and used in these Florida court cases) that same-sex couples are not any more likely to raise gay children. In fact, the opposite seems to be true. The problem I see is that they are promoting "tolerance" for something that God does not tolerate. The children raised in these homes may not feel that they are personally supposed to be gay, but they are raised with the idea that being gay is OK. That it is "normal". That it is simply a persecuted minority, or a misunderstood cult.

I am not happy about it, but I have family members who have differing opinions and lifestyles than I do. We have had long discussions about this. We all still get along fine. We have a mutual respect. We all understand that Public Displays of Affection are gross, no matter who is doing it. We do not spend the night in each other's homes. We still invite them over for Thanksgiving and Christmas. And I pray all the time that their souls will be saved by a change of heart that may never come. It is hard to change a person who 1. does not want to change, and 2. has been with his partner longer than my own parents have been married (more than 38 years).

God calls homosexuality reprehensible. To raise a child in the opinion that it is OK is wrong. To have a strong opinion based on God's laws does not make me "intolerant".

To ignore God is an exercise in futility.

Let the games begin!

Overlooking The Bad

Word of the Post
Today's word is: condone
/con*done"/ verb
To regard or treat (usually action that is bad or blameworthy) as acceptable, forgivable or harmless. To overlook an offense; to pardon; make allowances for, or be lenient with.
When a child is caught doing something bad, many parents today condone their actions instead of punishing and educating.
~~~~~~~~~~
I got the car back, and things seem to be operating properly. I now have to settle up with the shop. I don't like giving up my money. I didn't even have to work for this money, but it just seems wrong to pay so much for installing such tiny parts. Dread fills my being. Unfortunately, I am also an honorable person, and must pay my debt. I want the guys to make the money for their labor. Just not so much of it. I have told the guys in the office more than once: I appreciate the work you do for me, but I am really getting tired of looking at you.

I think the cats are trying to break the door between the living room and the garage. They run throughout the house, at break-neck speeds, and hit the cat door at full tilt. One of these days, the door is going to pop out of its place, or just break in half from the force.

Of all the things that can go wrong, I have to deal today with the most painful. I have been having horrible back spasms. It hurts to walk, hurts to sit, hurts to move. I have iced my back, rubbed it with Tiger Balm, massaged, taken Tylenol, heat packed, and stretched. I have no idea what is pinched or what is out of place, but my muscles are crying. I wonder how much of this comes from all the walking I did over the weekend, going to the craft fair and a Blazers hockey game. You might question why going to a hockey game should make my back hurt, and I have the answers. I spent all day Friday at the State Fairgrounds at An Affair of the Heart, a twice annual craft fair. My legs and feet hurt for two days after that. On Saturday, we went to the hockey game at the Ford Center. We park about three blocks away, and walk to the arena. Then we have to hike up and down the stairs to get to our seats. The seats are not built for babies who have back like I have. I have to sit in the seats at a bit of an angle, and I am sure that is the actual culprit.

Thankfully, none of these will last forever. I have the money in hand to give to the shop for my car. I know the pain will go away soon enough. I should not complain. It brings everyone else down, and doesn't make me feel any better. Just know that I am doing all I can (for free) to help myself.

I wish for all my readers, loyal or new, to have a fun and safe and Happy Halloween!

And A Cherry On Top!

Today has been a bit of a roller coaster. I went to my friend's memorial service. It was one of the shortest, happiest funerary ceremonies I have ever attended.

The man was a Christian, and lived a long and happy life. He was full of awe at new experiences, and loved any new gadget he could get his hands on. He was well-loved, and will be much missed. The preacher who did the eulogy was impressed with the masses of people that kept the family company at the Heart Hospital. Apparently, even without me, the room was always full from Sunday night when he had the initial heart attack until Tuesday morning after he passed away. The Heart Hospital at Mercy was even good enough to bring a food cart for the guests. Amazing.

The funeral was a mix of congregational singing (our church being fond of acappella music), and a short talk about his life. I felt a bit self-conscious during one song. I was the only alto I could hear, on an alto lead part of the chorus. I don't think I was the only one singing, but I KNOW I was the only one the song leader could hear. It took a few minutes for all the adrenaline to get back to a normal level. I like singing, but I didn't want to be the center of attention at a funeral.

We laughed, we cried a little, and we broke for food. The actual service was only 1/2 an hour. He would have been happy to know that we all visited a long time over a good meal. His widow is such a sweet woman. I feel for her. She will no longer have her husband to listen to her. Her son lives with her, and I think things will be fine. He is a good son, taking care of his parents recently.

His daughter, my good friend, works for Hertz. I find it funny that the meaning of the name Hertz is "my strife". There are very few people I know who have worked there that enjoyed it; and I know a LOT of people who have worked there. Even I worked there for a short while. I guess you have to be off the phones in the call center, and then things are fine. Hertz (yes, the rental car company) is not fond of letting its people off for any old reason. But today, there were many people who work with my good friend at Hertz, and came to the funeral. It was neat.

The service was not a preachy service. The minister didn't try to convert the heathens who knew this man. We just celebrated his life, and it was peaceful.

I still don't have my car back. They keep trying to fix the sensors that trigger a fan that cools the system. They have replaced the water pump and two sensors, as well as the thermostat. They have one more part they are replacing tomorrow, and I should have the car back after that. I hope it works correctly. I miss my Malibu. I love that car. I have said before, if we could put the cushy seats and the cassette player from the Buick into the Malibu, the Malibu would be close to perfect. But perfect requires working. So, we wait. Pray that I don't go crazy without my car.

Go with God, Friends.

With Whipped Cream

Today, I got the car back at lunch, and had to take it back to the shop by 4. It overheated again. The shop replaced a thermostat or a sensor of some kind, and a seal that had a leak. They even put more antifreeze in it for the winter. I again had Roadrunner in the car, with her boys picked up from school, and she told me that the car still smelled funny, and the boys told us the car was leaking. While driving between the school and the house, I noticed the temperature going up higher than it should have. The car dumped about 3 cups of fluid on Roadrunner's driveway.

We still have the other car, so I am not totally stranded at home, but we have lots of things to do tomorrow, and will be one car short still.

We will be attending the memorial service for my friend's dad who passed away on Tuesday morning. They have made sure to tell everyone to dress casual, so I don't have to find my blackest skirt, or wear uncomfortable shoes. His widow will be happy that we are comfy. He is being cremated, so there will be no viewing, and no trip to the graveside. I think this service will be more of a celebration of a life lived happy, than another funeral for an old guy at church that died. I know his family will be happy with that.

I suppose that my own emotional state is still in question, but I have to support my friends. I could not go to the hospital on Monday. I don't like hospitals, and I was certain that I could not be helpful there. I can do funerals for weeks, but I don't want to see you with tubes hanging off of you. It isn't really a phobia, it's more of an issue of comfort zone.

I hear wine is good for the heart, if taken in moderation. Unfortunately for me, that requires grapes. I don't much like grape juice, and to let it get sour over time in a wooden cask does not improve it. I have, however, found a few select wines that are not so bad.

Oklahoma produces sweeter wines, according to the owner of the winery we have been to a few times. We started going there the first time for a wedding we attended. We have been back for a whim on the spur of the moment, and have been there for a Wine Festival. At the Festival, they sell tasting glasses for $10, and this includes free tastes all day long. We got to try each flavor without buying a whole bottle. I avoided the driest of the reds, but actually liked a few that I was sure I would hate. I wish I had my own pictures. This winery is so very pretty. They have an area outdoors that is set up for weddings, and give free tours of their facilities. They also have local artists, candle makers and musicians at the Festival.

There was a neat little thing that was interesting. They called it a Wine-a-Rita. It was a margarita mix that was made with either white or red wine instead of tequila. I had a tiny little taste of the white one. It was much better than tequila, there is no doubt about it. All slushy goodness. I could see myself getting quite sloshed with a drink like that. Which is why I didn't buy any of it.

Our favorites are (in no particular order or significance): Noble Red, Blush Delight and Fiesta Blanca. We are much happier with the sweet light wines. At the winery, they serve cheeses from an Oklahoma company, but I didn't buy any of it, so I don't remember the name of it. I prefer my cheese from Watonga, Oklahoma. They make cheddar cheese with bits of bacon in it! Yum-O! There is a cheese festival they do. We have talked about going there someday. Maybe next time.

I am not one to promote reckless drinking. I don't drink anything to get an effect. I don't like the buzzed feeling that can come from alcohol. I prefer to taste a little bit. I like to experiment with flavors, not get crazy. The tasting was quite fun for jokes. DH watched his favorite college team lose (they were playing the game to entertain the people who would have been at home otherwise), and told me, "I need a drink!" and went back to get another taste. It was funny, only because it was so out of character for us.

I would encourage anyone who wanted a new experience to go to a local winery and play for a day. You don't have to drink anything to have a good time, and you may come away with a new-found affinity for a certain libation. Just make sure that you buy and drive home to drink. I don't want any accidents because I told you to go to the grapes.

Here's to your health!

Strawberry Divinity

Troubles come in threes.

Mom is doing well, better than expected. Her heart doctor said she could go home Monday, her foot doctor said no until Tuesday around noon. They had done an MRI on her feet, to get more information about what was wrong, and they still had to get those results. I have not talked to her again today to make sure she really did go home, but I am sure she is fine. Her sisters are planning a trip to see her, so I don't have to be the one that must go home. That helps my conscience.

The second trouble was for my friend Cathy. Her dad passed away this morning, from a heart attack (the irony is not lost on me) that he suffered Sunday night. Her mother is going to have a hard time dealing, I think. The funeral will be on Thursday. I ask for prayers for Cathy and her whole family.

The third trouble is that today my car started acting up. On the way home, the low water light came on, and then my temperature gauge went way up. Roadrunner was with me. I took her home and then drove the car to the shop. I will find out tomorrow morning what was wrong. Water pump? Burst hose? Leak in radiator? Whatever it is, I hope it is not expensive. I can say, however, that this is the second time I have had interesting things happen at home when I was planning (hoping) to be out on the road going to New Mexico. I could have had the car die on the open road in the middle of nowhere, or had to have dad help me fix the car in order to get home again. I have had both of those happen before, so I am sure God is watching out for me.

Thanks for all your prayers.

Divine Raspberries

Sometimes, words escape me. (Don't act so shocked!) Sometimes, they overwhelm me. Tonight, words are not enough.

Just this morning in Bible class, we were asked if we ever felt like God spit on us. I know this sounds funny to many of you. It sounded funny to me. We talked about Jesus spitting in the dirt to make mud to heal blindness, not once but twice. "Jesus was a spitter." The thought was bad, but the ensuing conversation made us all gag. The sermon this morning asked a similar question, and I had to emulate (I was quiet!) the snort from forming a good spit. (Bible school teacher and his wife and DH and myself were all quite impressed with my humor and timing.) I seriously could not stop myself. I needed that laugh.

Do you ever feel like you get spat upon when expecting a different kind of healing? I feel a small bit like that this weekend.

I recently asked for prayers for my father, and now I need them for my mother. Mom had a mild heart attack on Friday. She will be in the hospital until after some tests on Monday. She is diabetic, and has sores on her feet from walking too much at work. The doctor was contemplating how to save her feet without amputating a pinkie toe, but those thoughts had to be put on hold when she went to the Emergency Room for her heart.

Asking for prayers for someone else is easy. I forget to ask them for myself. I am stressed again. I really don't like fidgeting from such a long distance. My friend said this morning that "hovering is so much better". She's right. She speaks volumes of wisdom from experience.

Living so far away from my family is a hard decision I made many years ago. My parents' health was much better back then. I have a hard time when friends, and even my husband, get to see their families so often. It starkly reminds me of my humanity, and the 100% mortality rate we share. I know it is the way of nature to bury our parents, but I don't want to have to do that just yet. I guess you could call it selfishness, or maybe it is more laziness or poverty. I just don't have the emotional wellbeing to watch my parents fail. They have worked so hard all these years, to make a good life for me and my brother, and to support themselves in their golden age. Sickness has ruined so much of that.

I think I have said too much. I did not say that I was at a loss for words tonight. Words are not enough, because my heart is crying out to God, and my mind has no idea of what words fit that. I am glad that I have the Holy Spirit to be my thesaurus for prayer.

The rain is falling. It smells wonderful. Wet, noisy, clean, cool and refreshing. I have an intense desire to go out barefoot and jump in a puddle. My yard is certainly a swamp by now, I should go dance and sing in the rain. Where is my umbrella? I need to have it to do the dance properly, right?

Is this Jesus' spit in the healing mud?

Those Graphics Were AWESOME in 1987!

Word of the Post
Today's word is: boon
/boon/
Noun: Favor, benefit; especially in answer to a request or prayer. "Every good and perfect boon is from above." ~ James 1:17 (Rev. Ver.)
Adjective: Favorable, convivial; as in "boon companion". Good or prosperous; as in "boon voyage".
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Having not ever been excited about video games, I am really happy we have a Wii. I actually like watching DH kill time playing his downloaded copy of Super Mario World. Every task is named for food. Donut Ghost House, Chocolate Fortress (the lava is chocolate, how funny!) and Vanilla Dome. Makes me hungry. I look forward to my own copy of the Adventures of Lolo. I remember Grannie having the NES, and playing that puzzle game. It was fun. You could put things in a bubble and push them out of your way, or block the spines that were shot at you by the faces in the wall. DH also got the original Legend of Zelda. We got the laptop, and promptly neglected the Wii for most of a month. We have fixed the situation, by the downloading of sweet old games (for a nominal fee).

Now, I am trying to appease the laptop witch. I named all our computers for witches. The first was Maleficent, because it sounded good. He spent more time with her than he did with me. (Granted, we were not yet married at the time.) Her floppy disk drive is now in our current computer. The current office computer is Druscilla. I couldn't think of a name I liked, so my tech friend who built her named her. The Wii is Ursula. The wireless router is Medusa. The laptop has no name yet. I am fast running out of Disney witch names, so I have to come up with others. I guess Cruella De Ville is my next in line? I would love to hear options, if you all have any. Wicked Step-Mother doesn't count.

It is fun to name the appliances, cars and computers. They each seem to have a mind of their own. Mom used to say that the cars saw her coming, and started plotting what to do to her. I have that same gift. I am not the only one to have two cars fail in the space of a day. At least we know where I got it from. Mine is not the only family to name cars. I had a teacher in 4th grade who had named her car "Knight" (in shining armor). It was a huge white car. She decided that horsepower sufficed. DH had an Accord named Fenry Honda. We had the Green Monster, a Ford F150 that was 20 when we bought it, and close to double that when we sold it. When we washed it, the paint would turn the sponge green. I called it that before I was old enough to know about the baseball field. I drove the Blue Bomb, a Chevy Suburban. The kids of the family who owned it before us called it the Spruce Goose, after the plane. I thought it was atrocious, but it got me to school the last two weeks of my Senior year. The Baby Battery was a "Copper Top" like a Duracel Battery, my white Ford Fairmont. She was a decent car, until I was away from home and tried to fix her.

Some days it seems as if everything mechanical is out to get me. Possessed. Evil. Demonic. Those days, everything goes wrong. The car won't start, the lights are all red, the popcorn burns in the microwave. On those days, I don't think to ask God for relief. On the good days, when the parking spot at the top of the row opens just as I get there, the lights are all green and the one cop I see takes off to chase someone else, I don't think to thank God. I am so ungrateful.

Ferret and I were just talking about this a few days ago. I get embarrassed and annoyed when other people make a habit of saying "Praise the Lord" or "Thank God". When people curse, I am the first to notice and be offended. Where is the sense in that? I should make the Lord my first thought, not be embarrassed that someone else has. My problem, so far as I see it anyway, is that the people I know who make it a habit to praise over good stuff use it almost as a hollow expression. It doesn't sound as if it holds any real meaning. It becomes a title, like PTL network; or it becomes their catch-all expletive, like the guy who shouts a mild curse every time a play is stopped in his football game. I am somewhat a quieter person when it comes to my faith. I will look up and say "Thank You" when that parking space opens, but I do not praise for good things as much as I should. I guess I don't want to sound fake. How shallow of me.

Snips and Snails and Puppy-Dog Tails

Word of the Post
Today's word is: akimbo
/uh*kim"bo/ adjective
With a crook or bend; appendages bent outward, with the joint away from the body.
Sitting "criss-cross applesauce" (it used to be called "Indian Style", but that is racially unacceptable to the PC crowd now) can be described as sitting with legs akimbo.
Can also be an adverb, describing the person's whole stance. A person with hands on hips, and elbows facing out can be referred to as standing akimbo.
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I am not sure what part of nature failed this year, or it if it is actually natural, but we have a lot of spiders right now. Last night, DH came back from his late night Friday fun job, and walked face first into a spider web on our front stoop. I shiver for him! He found the culprit builder, and had it removed from the gene pool. I went out this morning to spray the area with spider killer deluxe spray, and remove the web; the parts that DH may have missed with his face, anyhow. I found the remains of our criminal, as well as four smaller spiders. All different, so that lends hope that there is not a brown recluse around. I guess I need to wash the house. With Bleach. UGH!!! I committed Arachnacide. I am Woman, Hear me scream!

I am not nearly so fearful of spiders as others I know. (Hi, Nicki!) I don't really scream very often. I usually do more of a startled yell. (Holla!) In my searchings, I found many egg sacks, so I will soon be removing those to a distinctly impromptu funeral on the other side of the house. The coffin of the trash barrel will be emptied on Thursday next week.

Now that we are all buggy, I will move on to a better subject. Tuesday night, DH and I went on an "UnDate". "What is an UnDate?" you say? WELL... DH wanted to see the Simpsons Movie, and I had no desire at all to join him. I wished to see Becoming Jane, to which DH returned the sentiment. We decided that we could each see our movies separately, at the same time. The Dollar Theatre was quiet as we entered. We purchased tickets and the requisite snacks, and parted ways. I think we each had a good time. I am happy that we only spent 50 cents each to see movies that would have cost $8.75 a month ago. This way, for the same money, we got two movies and snacks instead of just one movie and nothing else. Date, and yet not. UnDate.

Thursday we went to a special Birthday dinner for BIL. He is now 35. A mutual friend sang "Happy Birthday, old Geezer..." which I found refreshing. I am not the oldest in the room when we hang out with this crowd of friends. Jelly Bean was pitching a little fit (I have seen much worse out of other kids... she is tame, even if it is unacceptable to her parents) and BIL tried to distract her by asking what day it was. Jelly Bean cried a little more and said, "Not MY birthday!" BIL said, "Well, a very merry UnBirthday to YOU!" She didn't get it. She's too little, and has not seen Alice in Wonderland. She must have been tired. She was clingy, but only to certain people. She also did a lot of running around and around the table to keep herself awake and entertained.

I got to hold Gum Drop for a while, to let BIL eat his dinner. I am not so selfish as to not share. I kept getting him, and then passing him off to other friends. One friend has twins, and his son was incredibly jealous that Daddy was holding a strange baby and not his own son. He cried, and reached for me. Now, I am no stranger to this family, but I am no auntie to them either. I don't see them very often, and the kids don't really know me, so it surprised me that Son would try to get me to hold him. Daughter was a little more subtle. She just screamed. These two make the funniest faces! I know that parents get irritated at children acting up at dinner, but I just don't pay so much attention. Is it practice for me? I watched the Mommy of the twins correct, threaten, and actually follow through on the punishments. All very quiet, and personal to the child each time. I think she even had a good time, despite the screaming interruptions.



BIL got a free dessert at the end of the meal, because it was his Birthday. I think half the crowd had a bite of it. And I am pretty sure we finished it. It was a kind of Tiramisu, covered in whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. It was five inches high, and four inches square! The coolest part was that they wrote "Happy Birthday" in a chocolate sauce on the edge of the plate. Jelly Bean got more dirty eating this than she did at her own birthday party.


I have not posted many pictures of Gum Drop lately, because I haven't really gotten to see him much. We go to a different church congregation than BIL and family do. We live close enough to call, and far enough that it is rude not to call when dropping by. We are all so busy with work and school and home and other friends... we don't see each other nearly enough for my taste. I get baby withdrawals. I have to grab babies at my church to fill the void.


This is me, holding Gum Drop, and DH took the picture. That was the first real smile I saw out of the kiddo. We were wandering around a Wal-Mart in Kingfisher. That is our family meeting place for the baby swaps, or the Gramma's Baby Fix Visits. We eat at a restaurant, and go to a park, and wander at the Wally-World, looking at cute clothes for the kids.


This is a rare moment, and you need to savor it. I have run out of things to say. *GASP!!!*

Have a great weekend!

Cutting Class

Word of the Post
Today's word is: aver
/a"ver/ verb
To affirm, verify, declare as truth; assert, avouch, prove.
"It is sufficient that the very fact hath its foundation in truth, as I do seriously aver is the case. ~ Fielding. {1913 Webster}
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Just before Gum Drop was born, Jelly Bean invented "itty bitty fives". If you asked for "fives" and held out your hand, she would put her thumb on top of your hand, and her forefinger on the bottom, and rub a little, like rubbing two pennies together, very soft and gentle. Then, she will usually just give you the "fives" you asked for. DH decided to steal her hand, and give it kisses. He pretended to eat her hand, even. She responded by taking her hand back, and saying, "Don't eat my Fives!"

Regarding my class-hopping, I didn't speak to the elder in question, yet. I decided that I needed to have our group's Agenda with me, the part where we want anonymity at all costs highlighted. I have considered that I may need to do this with one of the men from our group, one of the two who are our liaisons to the eldership at our church. I don't want to get to the point of attack. I just want to impress upon him that I don't appreciate being called out in a classroom. I am not in college anymore, and I will (who can stop me?) speak up if I have something to say.

This brings to mind the issue of women speaking. This is probably something you are tired of hearing from me. Once in a while, I just get a subject stuck in my head. I feel I have to "talk" it out, and it takes a while (and the help of others) to get it out of my mind's forefront. I apologize if you don't care anymore. It will not hurt my feelings if you stop reading here. You have seen all the new, important stuff for today. Sneak out of class. Be my guest.

In the churches of my youth, women were teachers in children's classes, but not to speak in the congregational worship service. My Methodist friend in High School was allowed to help serve the Communion at her services. This was unthinkable at my congregation. My Baptist friend was a frequent solo singer at her services. She has an amazing voice. This also would have been unthinkable, but for slightly different reasons.

My question is this: Is it wrong to allow young women to serve Communion? My thoughts: This is not a Speaking role, it is a quiet service role. Women served the meals in homes... how is this different? I personally would not be comfy walking around in church service. It kinda irritates me that my Hubby has to do this so much. I like to sit next to my hubby during services, and there are plenty more men around to serve. Having no children to watch, having a great radio voice, having no limping age or injury, and having not refused ever before... DH gets "drafted" a LOT. How would DH feel if he had to sit there in our regular place without me? If we allow women in this quiet role, however, what would stop them from desiring more public roles? How is this different than making announcements, praying or (swoon) preaching? Is the age of the servers something to consider? I have seen some teens serving who were very much against God all week long, and spiffied up on Sunday. Would this be better or worse or not any different at all if it were girls?

Next question: Is it right to allow young women to serve Communion? My thoughts: This is a public role. If she were asked to do so, it would not be usurping authority over any man. If she refused, would that be any better? In our service, five of the eight people serving Communion never speak. The other three each lead a prayer. Paul said in the Scripture that he did not allow a woman to speak in the service. Was that a directive from God, or just Paul's view of what was proper? If Scripture is God-breathed and inspired, then God doesn't want women to speak in the ceremony of a church service. Yet, Paul says "I". Does this include singing? Speaking to God in church through song is a community act. We also speak to each other in songs, hymns and spiritual songs... so should women be silent in all of the service?

Most of this questioning is tongue-in-cheek. I don't feel comfortable with women at the front of the service. I don't want to be the woman at the front of the service. I do not think it is always wrong, but it certainly is not always right. So, to be fair, I am happy to err on the side of caution when I have no firm opinion of my own. I don't like the "worship teams" that other local congregations have. I don't need four to eight people attached to microphones swaying. I could close my eyes. I do like the idea of microphones for each of the parts in a cappella harmony, especially if there is a new song that most of the congregation doesn't know. I don't believe that the "song and dance" is necessary, but I am not convinced it is wrong.

Powerpoint is not of Satan. Just so you know. I know many people who think that having the songs and sermon notes plastered on the wall so big and bright that everyone can read them (and will look up instead of slumping to sleep) is wrong. Like having a piano in the church, having a speaker system or video capabilities is of Satan. These people won't play dice or cards, don't drink (or even use mouthwash, for fear of Al-Key-Hol touching their lips) and don't even think about dancing. They don't like reading that David danced before the Lord, and his wife was struck barren for telling him that it was inappropriate.

It seems to me that God desires us to celebrate Him. Music (speaking instrumentally here), dance, singing (speaking without instruments) and shouting all can have their place. The discussion comes when we try to find the place for each. God wishes us to be civil to each other in an orderly service for Him. What I am seeing in my area is that people are almost more concerned for their own comfort zones than they are about what God requires.

This study is ongoing. I read a Scripture or two, and form an opinion. Then I find another Scripture or two, and that nudges my opinion in a different direction. My goal is to find the stance that most closely matches the attitude that God asks for. My American Human logic will not always match what God has to say. I don't like all of what God has said. It is hard to know that I can do things to change my eternal destiny. It is tough knowing that many members of my family, not having followed the instructions of God, will not be in Heaven. It is difficult to understand why a God of infinite power would allow humanity to make detrimental choices. We can never remove ourselves from the Love of God. However, we can remove ourselves from the Presence of God.

Disorderly Conduct

Word of the Post
Today's word is: visceral
/vis"cer*al/ adjective
1. Literal and Medical: Of or pertaining to the viscera, which are organs in the great cavity (abdomen) of the body of an animal.
2. Figurative: Proceeding from emotion, intuition or instinct rather than from intellect, reasoning or observation; as in "visceral reaction".
Having "guts" comes from repeated tests of visceral and intestinal fortitude.
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Some days you are the windshield, some days you are the bug. This week, I have felt like the bug.

The tentative car is the reliable one all of a sudden. The starter on the good car has decided to stop (well, it hesitates) working. I hope it starts enough to make it to the shop tomorrow morning. {Update: It started, and even acted up for the tech when he tried it. Should be fixed later today - Oct. 2.} I did, however, get a real idea of what is wrong with the tentative car, so I may have two fixed cars by the end of the week.

God answers prayer. Isn't He amazing? God answered many prayers for Niki and her friend Kim, and He's using Ty Pennington to do it! Kim's family had the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Bus pull up to their house on Sunday, and they are getting a home makeover to save her daughter's life. This amazes me. God is so powerful, and He loves us so much that He wants us to have the best.

I have been class jumping at church lately. I got caught, too. We were going to a young adult discussion class, and the elder teaching it was doing all the talking. I would not usually worry about that, but the talking outed me. We are part of a group that goes around quietly doing the things that need doing. We are trying to be the left hand doing, without telling the right hand. We have told the elders, but apparently had not made it crystal clear that we were trying to be anonymous at all costs. One of the recipients of our good works was in the class. That could have been very embarrassing for them, and I know it was for me. I tried to make sure that the elder knew that I didn't want recognition for our works. I gave up. He named DH and myself, and two other couples before I got him to stop. To avoid the questions, and to avoid any more issues until our group spokesperson can tell the elders to be more tight-lipped about our works, I decided that I wanted a change of venue.

We have been going to the College class for two weeks now. I wanted to see what they were talking about, and our friend teaching said that he didn't care who was in the class. I don't want the kids in there thinking that we are trying to recapture our youth. We just wanted a different subject... and a different teacher. The elder accused me of "skipping" his class this Sunday. It took a lot for me to be quiet. I felt like yelling, "Yeah, and so what? I am not paying for your class at College, I can go to any class I wish!" or something worse, like, "Yes, and because you wouldn't shut up, I won't be going back, either!" That wouldn't have been good. I feel ashamed for just thinking it. I probably should have actually explained the situation to him. I need to have our spokesperson with me, and a copy of our Mission Statement. I may try to do that on Wednesday.

Why is it that teachers get personal with their classes? All the adult classes are studying the same subject, but the three different teachers have three different styles, and I had just picked the one that I thought would not put me to sleep on Sunday mornings. Honestly, I picked the room, because it had ceiling fans, and I would not be so hot in the building. I could have easily picked the Auditorium Class, and slipped in late every time. The College class is thinking on more deep issues, and I really feel they fit where I am right now. How can I be guilty of skipping class, when I actually attend one?

I have spoken with the teacher of the College class. He is also a teacher at Oklahoma Christian. He said that he needed some of his students to hire an editor. I had a hard time not jumping up and down and waving my arms, while crying out, "Oh, pick me, pick me!" I could do that. I just need a book about the style they require (MLA or whatever other style they pick for a standard). I found out that the going rate is $5 per page. Considering many of these are 10 page reports... I could be making the big bucks. From home. In my spare time. I could seriously do that. A step in the right direction for my dream job; a God Wink. I am certainly paying attention.

For those of you who know DH, you know that he does not like Strawberries, and I love them. I thought this was funny. This comes from an email I received. It appears to be designed by the people who put out that book called "Play With Your Food".


When all is said and done, as long as you have love, you have happiness.
Have a great day!

Am I Fragrant, Or Do I Stink?

Word of the Post
Today's word is: often
/off"en/ adjective (So oft mispronounced as /oft"en/ that it is the first pronunciation I found; this is a sad state of the language.)
Not seldom; frequently; many times at short intervals; common; repeated.
Teh Club often gets together to celebrate; birthdays, accomplishments, holidays. We look for reasons to gather around food.
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This is a continuation of the discussion sparked by the Fragrant Oil post a few days ago. I start with the question that Niki presented. "Why do you believe THAT power was only given to the Apostles,etc. and why are you sure that those types of miracles aren't happening today? Or did I misunderstand?"

I suppose you could have misunderstood my meaning. I don't feel my thoughts were clear, so I don't blame you for feeling confused. I am still trying to stretch my own boundaries, while not "falling for anything". I am still not solid on my thoughts here. This post, and probably several more like it, will be me mumbling, and opening my study to hear what others have to say, while keeping the Bible as my first witness.

I am most certainly NOT sure that those types of miracles are not happening today. They can, and probably should. You (directly to Niki) have heard stories of miracles happening, and you have had a few in your own life. I have not witnessed anything like that, but I do not doubt that it can happen. As I said somewhere in here, God's power has not changed.

I have also seen "healing" gatherings that were just as fake as the sleight of hand at the circus. Mike Warnke did a stand-up bit about going to a "healing service" and getting hit in the head... "In the name of JESUS! (hit)". He says he got back in line, and the guy says, "I already healed you!" and Mike says, "Yeah, but now I got a headache." Impersonators were a problem in Jesus' time, and have not gone away.

I see this rather like the early baptisms, where the converts were using the Apostle who converted them to lift their own status. "I am of Paul, I am of Apollos". The gift of healing is rare, and precious. Paul said the gift of prophecy was rare, but that other gifts were just as much a part of the whole of the church. In Romans 12, he listed many gifts: prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, mercy. I believe that the next few verses, while most will apply them to the gifts, are also gifts themselves: perseverance, devotion to prayer. So, if I believe that all of these gifts ever existed, I can be sure that they still exist today. If they are rare, then maybe I have not seen the truly gifted. Is that an issue of location or unbelief?

I believe that demon possessions and influence still happen. I have recently become aware that some "diseases" may actually be supernaturally caused. I have personally experienced removal of headaches by prayer. So, if the bad exists still, why not the good? We all want to believe in the reward of Heaven, but we don't really believe in the punishment of Hell. Why is that? I think we have been lulled into forgetfulness.

Maybe Americans are jaded, to the point that even miracles won't sway them. We are so caught up in our own glory and instant gratification, that we tell God that we can do without Him. Which, of course, is folly. Lazarus and the Rich Man come to mind. Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man is told that his brothers had their chances, and even if they saw a dead man, they would not believe.

I believe that the gift that the Apostles received, to heal by laying on of hands, was a gift they could pass on. In Acts 8, we see Simon the sorcerer trying to buy the ability. All gifts to others seem to come from the Holy Spirit only, not from a human decision. I don't know if that can be given to another anymore. I don't think that the Apostles' gift was carried on beyond that first generation. I don't believe that there is anyone alive today carrying an Apostolic gift of healing. Like the "Apostolic Churches", I think that the gift specifically handed down would make more glory for man than for God. The gift still exists, but not directly from the Apostles. Does that make sense? God chooses who will be blessed, and it is God who deserves all the glory.

I will have to do more searching. I welcome any thoughts you (all my lovely readers) have, any ideas you present, any discussions you can spark. Those things I said about you, Niki, from the "Nice Matters" award, I meant. You truly do humble me; you keep me sharp and on my toes. That thing had a ballet slipper on it, didn't it?

Soda Or Pop? Name That Fizz!

Word of the Post
Today's word is: ecclesia
/ec*cle"si*a/ noun
Public legislative assembly of Athenians; a church, either as a body or a building. When the early Christians were finally called something, the Greek word used to describe them referred to being "called out", or a special group. Iglesia is a transliteration into Spanish.
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I found this wonderful answer to the same basic question I had. Should we or should we not now use oil and anoint the sick? Go check it out for yourself. I have come to a similar conclusion. I just did a lot of reading on the subject, because it landed in my brain. Being a medicinal instruction, we are not required to smear olive oil on our sick friends. Which is, most likely, a good thing. But, if you feel you must try, I have also found the perfect (local to me) outlet for purchasing such oils. They seem to have the Lord at heart. I still think that it might be a good thing to add back, to focus the attention of the people doing the praying, or to help the faith of the sick person. It would require touch, which requires a little bit of intimacy, and that is good for intercessory prayers.

The Oklahoma State Fair opens tomorrow, and in honor of the Centennial of our fine state, the admission for opening day is 100 cents. Yep, for one small dollar, you can get into the fairgrounds and enjoy all the craziness that the State has to offer. I am sorely tempted to go and take it in two rolls of pennies. Opened, in a Ziplock baggie. Make them count it, and make the people behind me mad. But, oh, such fun!

I bet many Oklahomans don't even know what I am about to tell you. Did you know that Watermelon is a Vegetable? It was announced on April 26th of this year that Watermelon is now the official State Vegetable. I want to know some answers. Seriously. Who thought we needed a State Vegetable? Who decided that it needed to be a Watermelon? And why, Why, WHY did it need to be decided in April of our 100th year as a State? We got along just fine for over nine decades, without a dome on our Capitol Building and without a State Vegetable. Someone was really wasting time and money, and they really need to cut it out.

Imagine the new State Seal, with the fancy cut Watermelon, full of little melon balls, next to a Peace Pipe , a Horse and an Oil Rig. What's next? The State Slouch? The State Shoe? The State Tattoo? A note for you non-Okies... Oklahoma was the last State in the Union to legalize tattooing, and that also happened in our 100th year. Go to Texas for a few years more if you want a good one. Give these guys a little time to practice. You want experience when you get a tattoo. Otherwise, you get a junky tattoo or a disease.


Speaking of disease, this looks like Magenta has chicken pox. No, really we just painted her (Magenta is a girl, right?) with strawberry marshmallows stuck on by using strawberry icing. This was a variation on Pin-the-Tail-on-a-Something. Jelly Bean's 2nd Birthday Friends Party was a Blues Clues party, and it was the cutest thing! The kids got their own Handy Dandy Notebook, and followed BIL all around the building, and find the Clues that had been planted. They found a tattoo/sticker, a package of Fruit Snacks, and an empty goody bag. Then, they came back where they started, and sat in their chairs to Think, Think, Think. Then Jelly Bean gave everyone a goody bag. This was really a clever way to do a party! One of Jelly Bean's gifts was an inflatable red Thinking Chair, like the one pictured below on the Handy Dandy Notebook. I even got DH to wear a striped shirt to the party.


This is me, holding the Gum Drop, at Jelly Bean's party. That little foot is only as long as my index finger.


On Labor Day, we went to Stillwater to have lunch with some friends. Ferret's daughter Ani would turn 5 on the 5th, so we had a party for her. We ate at Eskimo Joe's. We got our drinks in the famous cups (this time we got yellow cups that turned green when they get cold) and had a grand time. They even announced her (twice, because we missed the first one). On the way back to town, we ended up taking the Mother Road less traveled. We came back by way of Route 66. We passed the Big Round Red Barn, and then we came to a nifty little attraction that I didn't even know about.

This is a Soda Shoppe of the old fashioned variety. They have rare, odd and popular sodas of all shapes and colors. The biggest one is... this.


This is the Pops Soda Shoppe bottle. {Edit: I found out that the bottle has a name. It is "Bubbles". Isn't it cute?} It is (you could guess) 66 feet high. The cool thing about it for me was that it lights up at night.


Each of those rings lights up individually. They have it in motion, looking like the bottle is filled and then emptied for each color of soda the thing has. I saw Green, Red, Orange, Yellow, and Purple, as well as the basic White. I got this picture because of the "perfect" filled height. This was close to the example we saw when we went to see the Dr. Pepper factory in Dublin, TX. I hope Fuzzy looks at this page, because they carry more than one variety of soda from the same company that makes the Black Lemonade he so loved. They also had a Cherry Bomb Jolt (pretty good, better than the Black Cherry Soda we also tried) and lots of other amazing and long-lost soda favorites. If you ever get a chance to come see me, I can take you there. It is fun. This is a link to show you the "raising of the bottle". Here is the link to their official website.

Note for today's post: All photos by me or my Dear Hubby, on our digital camera. Designs of products pictured are property of individual copyright or trademark owners. I took my own pictures in a public forum, and gave credit to the official site. This way, Pops can thank me for the free ads instead of persecuting me for plagirism or something else just as ugly and not intended.

Have a great weekend. Think deep thoughts, and blog them for the world to see!

Fragrant Oil and Healing Prayer

Word of the Post
Today's word is: anfractuosity
/an*frac'tu*os"i*ty/ noun
The state of being anfractuous (yeah, like that helps), or full of windings and turnings; i.e. spires on a horn, or roads near cliffs.
Like a road full of hairpin turns, the mystery was full of anfractuosities.
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Enough about my mood....

I have been doing a lot of reading in the past few days. I love to study. The Bible, Dictionary, Encyclopedia, the Harry Potter series, whatever book I can get my hands on. I love to have discussions with people who read the same things, and actually think about what they have read. Ideas get stuck in my brain, and I have to express them, generally in writing. Usually, I make notes in a binder, and either tear up the paper (the angry writings) or keep it forever, to clutter up my house and make me wonder what I was thinking.

Today's ramblings were inspired by Niki's miracle story. Go check out her Journey blog (there is a link on the left side of my front page). She expressed sadness that the people who raised her (religious family) told her that the miracles died out with the Apostles. I was brought up with this notion as well. Now, I think the reasons for those early miracles are no longer valid. The Apostles were given the power (I believe THAT power was given to the Apostles, and only the people they laid hands on to pass it on. That bit of power DID die with the Apostles) because they were spreading the Gospel to a world that could not read the Bible for themselves. The miracles were performed in public, to glorify the God who was offering salvation to the masses. I think that the frequency of the miracles is no longer necessary, either. Any miracle can be done at any time, with the approval of God, but we no longer need to have public forums with multiple miracles in order to share Jesus.

Now, having said all those classic ideas, I agree with Niki that I (we humans) have no right to limit God's power. I do not want to express hubris by telling others that miracles are not possible anymore. God's power has not changed. The God who created the "laws" of physics can just as easily rewrite DNA, clear leprosy, remove tumors and allergies, and relieve physical distress. The fact that I do not have the faith enough to bother to ask Him to do it is not a limit on God's power, but on me.

I have said for years that the churches I grew up in didn’t seem to believe that the elders could pray and lay on hands, and that they could really bring about healing by these things. What a sad loss to the faithful! The church has missed out on a great power. In all my years in the churches of Christ, over 5 states I have lived in, through 8 congregations I have been an active part in... I have never seen, or even heard of, an elder in the church going to visit the sick, anointing the person, touching them and praying over them. The elders go visit, and pray, and sometimes touch. But the anointing is overlooked.

James 5:14-15 (New American Standard Bible translation) ~ "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him."

I think that the practice of anointing has fallen out of popularity. I see this New Testament verse as a direction. It is the responsibility of the elders to do, but also the responsibility of the church members to call the elders. In Niki's story, there is no mention of anointing, but only prayer. God is powerful, and I believe that the hearts of the petitioners were pure in their request to God. I see that anointing is not the only component, but it is the one that I know the least about, so I decided to research it.

When the Bible talks about anointing a King, or things in the Temple, there is an Holy Oil mixture. There is a recipe in the book of Exodus. It speaks of fine spices and the measure of olive oil. The Holy Oil is supposed to be very fine, the work of a Perfumer. This is not to be any run-of-the-mill oil. Like tithes, it is to be made of the finest ingredients, the best of what we have. However, there is a warning. Exodus 30:33 ~ "Whoever shall mix any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a layman, shall be cut off from his people." So this is not the oil intended for anointing a sick person.

Most of the "oil" references in the Bible, that I have found anyway, are speaking of Olive oil. It seems that Olive is a good "carrier" oil, that works well with other scents, and does not overpower the spices used with it. Almond oil tends to have its own (while usually sweet) aroma, and the mixtures would smell differently. There are many spices, fruits and essences that are mentioned in the Bible. Cinnamon, Myrrh, Frankincense, Henna, Rose, Lily, Apple, Grape, Fig, Pomegranate, Milk, Honey, Cedar, Cypress, Dates, Balsam, Fruit Tree Blossoms, Herbs, and "mountains of spices".

I had trouble finding any example of anointing oil recipes, other than the Holy one. It seems that the oil itself is good. I need to research the customs of the Jews, hoping that they have a "common man" oil recipe. I have seen bottles of "anointing oil" that are used by others, in places like Mardel and Cokesbury (local Christian supply stores).

I have not completed the research I wish to do on this subject. Please do not think that I have made any definite findings. I don't want anyone who reads Niki's story to be critical. Her son is healed. God did it, and God gets all the glory for it. Humans asked for it, with fervent prayer. In her post, she quotes a Scripture in reference to one healing Jesus performed.

Mark 9:24b ~ "I do believe; help my unbelief."

I am ending this open post with part of my response to Niki's story.

"We are bound by the limitations of our finite thoughts, and I think God laughs. He wants us to break out of the limitations and jump like crazy into trusting only Him. I must confess, I was skeptical when I started reading. Now, I am convinced, and convicted. God also used you to help our unbelief!

Praise be to God alone!"