Solar Nails, The Sublime, and the Ridiculous....

I used to think it was a big joke to pay someone to do your nails or give you a pedicure or wax your eyebrows, or whatever other crazy thing we women do in the name of beauty.  As I have aged, I have submitted myself more and more to the process of the sublime and the ridiculous.  I get my haircut every 4 weeks (like clock work), colored when it becomes to much my new shade (can you say completely GRAY through and through!!!!) and when money and time allow I go to CoCo Nails and get a pedicure and have my nails done.  They love me there and let me tell you why.  I  don't understand a word they say and I am not picky about what is done to me (never have been and mostly because when God was passing out the femininity genes, I only got one!).  Over the years, I have let various friends that I trust or were being blackmailed by drag me off to various places to go through wacky beauty rituals.  The latest is Tina, the pedicure lady at CoCo nails.  She is incredible.  It is not just her random singing in Vietnamese or whatever obscure Asian country she hails from, it is her complete ability to disassociate from you and the world and still manage to scrape, scrub, trim, paint, and massage your feet and legs.  I have never seen anything or anyone like it.  I'd pay a million dollars for her.  She takes my yucky pedestrians (that is feet for those of you who are wondering and yes, I commit the foot sin of walking barefoot without socks - don't tell anyone) and in a mere hour or so transforms them into dainty (yes, can you imagine) baby soft beautiful feet.  I am amazed.  I always forget that all the nerve endings in my body seem to be located on the bottom of my feet, but after a brief interlude where my  body leaves earth for a few moments, I find myself back in the spa chair actually enjoying her otherwordly ministrations to my tootsies.  I swear today she sang and played this little piggy with my toes in her foreign tongue.  My nails are done too.  Today Kim, my nail lady said, "I give you solar nails, they pretty."  I say, "Hey, okay fabulous."  I think they are slowly working me up to the big time!!  

Anyway, I understand the fuss now.  When I drive away, there is something so feminine about having painted toenails and french tips!!  I love it.  I guess getting older has some plusses.  

 

The Rythm of the Blues...

I didn't sleep at all last night.  I couldn't sleep and for no reason at all I felt my melancholy self slipping up and out.  I am not sure what I felt sad about, but I felt sad.  Sometimes the blues have a rythm all their own and they just take ahold.  So, I laid there all night thinking about everything and nothing.  I finally got up about 6 something.  No point laying there any longer when you're wide awake.  I'll have to see what rythm today takes....

Late Night Ramblings...

Every few months or so, I go on this late night binge.  I stay up later and later for days until I can't do it anymore.  Then I have a headache and then I start to be normal again.  Tonight is a late night.  Everyone is in bed already.  I am listening to the sounds.  There was a train horn off in the distance.  The dryer is making it's noise.  The heat just came on.  The dogs are barking, probably at a possum.  I heard a window creak.  there is something else...oh yeah, it's silence.  Wow!  It doesn't happen, but every so often it is nice to hear the sound of nothing.  Sometimes it is cool to just watch someone you love sleeping.  Sometimes the children.  They look so innocent like that and I wonder at how fast they have grown.  I think about how they will be gone before I know it.  What will they look like then.  I hear their deep regular breathing patterns and  think about how much I will miss them, but I also look forward to seeing what and who they become.  I say a little prayer for each of them.  A bit philosophical.  The heat just turned off.  It really has quite a hum.  Now there isn't much sound.  I see some books I would like to read.  Should have been doing that rather than surfing.  The dogs have stopped barking.   Guess the possum ran off.  My eyes are getting heavy, after all it has been a long day.   I think I hear something....it is my pillow beckoning me to come and lay down.  My blanket may have spoken as well and I am off.  I used to think sleeping was a waste of time, now I know better.

G'night!

What about WAR?

I was thinking about something someone challenged me on earlier this week about war.   I think the word of God alludes to the fact that there will be wars and rumors of wars until the end of time.  War is not pleasant.  It is not desirable, but is it inevitable?  At times, I believe it is.  Is it justified?  At times, I believe it is.  People don't like war.  We don't like death or killing or negativity for that matter.  Not that we should like it.  However, if you read the Old Testament, you will see that there were times that God sent His people into battle.  He commanded them at times to wipe out entire people groups.  Sometimes when God made commandments like those it is hard for us to understand.  Another interesting note about those commands is what occured when His people didn't do what He had said.  When whatever group He had commanded be wiped out wasn't, they always came back to terrorize and hurt His people, the Israelites. 

If there weren't wars sometimes, there wouldn't be freedom.  Freedom for us to write these blogs and to agree or disagree about certain issues or worship in whatever church we choose each weekend.  For some there wouldn't be life.  Sometimes war is the only option.  

I don't want to get so far gone that I condemn the very thing that allows me to enjoy the freedoms of life that I have.  Just some thoughts....I will have to finish this later.

The Problem with Pain

It is midnight.  I just got home from teaching a class.  (The class went well by the way, but that is not the focus of this particular blog).  Okay, I am having problems with my teeth.  I got a large amount of work done before Christmas and nothing has been the same since then.  The original issue with this one particular tooth wasn't really addressed and so here I am writing to you in excruciating, and I mean excruciating pain.  

Pain is a problem, you know?  When your jaw is hurting so bad that you can barely focus on what you are thinking, it is too much.  Pain tonight - a 20 on a scale of 1 to 10.  I have to go get this things fixed.  The advil isn't working too much anymore and I am not going to be able to tough it out.   More in the morning!  Man, I hope I can sleep!

SNOW DAY!!!!!

When I was a kid, I loved a snow day.  We used to all get "stuck" over at my friend Bev's house.  We would stay a couple of days eating, playing games, watching movies, and just talking and joking around.  Those were fun days.  Now, snow days aren't as much fun because they mean there is work to be done and it will have to be done somehow regardless of the icy conditions.  :(  

I still love to hear the sound of the sleet coming down and early before the dawn looking at the pristine white that covers the ground and the rooftops.  A snowflake (which we didn't see last night) is one of God's wonderous creations and always reminds me of how we are each created unique and different and yet somehow the same.  Maybe I still do love a snow day!

 

We need a Savior....

You know, something occurred to me this morning.  Our world needs a Savior.  We always have and now is no different.  However, remember the Israelites.  They had God.  He talked and interacted with them in different ways, just as He does us.  But, they wanted a Savior.  So, they looked around and all the other peoples (peoples who did not know the One True God) had a king.  In response, they clamored for a king.  God had a plan to send the King of kings.  But, they didn't want to wait for God's plan.  They wanted a king right then.  God said, "okay.   I'll give you a king."  The trouble starts when we try to fill our inner need for a Savior with a mere human being.  Kind of like now.

   

16 Random Things About Me...

I have decided to abandon politics for a while.  My blood pressure has been going up (just kidding)!   It is great to be able to vent my frustrations and still be able to sleep at nigth (at least for now) knowing that I will wake up tomorrow and be okay.  

Anyway, I found an old friend on FB the other night and she had been challenged to write 16 random things about herself.  I liked the idea, so here goes....

1.  I remember being born.  I know it sounds crazy, but I have some vague early memories of some things.  I will share them with anyone who personally wants to know, but not on here for everyone because they will haul me off and put me in  padded room.  An extra note, my mom said when I was about six, I told here that I remembered this.  She said she asked me, "What do you remember?"  I replied, "I remember falling down, down, down from the dark into the light." Just saying...

2.  My dad and I were never close.  My earliest memories (after being born of course) are of him and my mom having their last big fight.  It was not pretty.  However, he died two years ago and truthfully, I will never get over it.  I was really mad at first.  Not so much now.  But, there were lots of things that I wanted to say to him and many things I wanted to hear him say.  One of my friends and I had had a conversation about talking to your dad before it was too late.  I missed this one.

3.  I love London.  It is the only city I have ever been to that "felt" like home.  The air, the people, the buildings.  I don't know how to describe it, but there was something magical about it for me.  

4.  The thing that makes number three the most interesting is that I have never felt a sense of belonging almost anywhere.  I have always had a wandering spirit.  I trace this back to number 2, not being close to my dad.  

5.  I love speed.  I should have been a race car driver.

6.  I love the stage.  There is nothing like performing a song, giving a speech, teaching a class, preaching.  Love it.  

7.  I love the mountains AND the beach.  The perfect day is getting up and smelling the fresh mountain air, catching the sunrise over the largest peak, or seeing some of God's creatures grazing near a mountain lake.  The perfect day is walking along the beach, picking up shells, wading in the mysterious waters, feeling the sting of salty air against your face and smelling it later in your hair.  :)

8.  One of my goals in life is to visit all 50 states.  I have hit 23 already.  Gotta work on the rest!

9.  When I was a kid, I collected tshirts from anywhere and everywhere.  I think at some point I had about 300 or so.  I wonder what happened to those things?

10.  When I commit to something, I do so with all my heart.  (even though I like the pressure of working on stuff at the last minute, my brain is already there)  Some would say I am extreme.  Maybe that is true.

11.  Most people see me as extremely (there is that word again) confident, but people who really know me know that I struggle with insecurities about important things, like who I am and my intelligence level.  I used to worry about whether I was really saved or not and whether I would really know if I was or not.  Glad I'm past that. 

12.  I have a keen sense of justice.  Sean taught me that justice must always be balanced with mercy.  I am still learning.

13.  I think my job is the best one in the world.  I get to listen to people's problems and watch their growth and healing.  Although there are some rough days in this, the good days make it all worthwhile.  When someone "gets" it, has a catharsis, makes a breakthrough, thinks a little differently, that is the greatest thing in the world and being a part of that is awesome.  I also love to teach!

14.  I am a night owl and a morning person.  When I was younger, I hated mornings, but somewhere along the road I began to love being the first one up and out.  I'm not saying I want to do that everyday.  The coolest thing though is being outside when the sun first starts to cross the horizon.  I also like being the last one to bed every night.  I know, I am an enigma.

15.  I have always loved the movies.  I could go to a movie almost every night.  My tastes are a bit more discriminating as I have aged, which is probably a good thing!

16.  I used to be afraid of dying.  I am not so much anymore, although I am not quite ready to go yet.  As I age,  I think about it more and more.  Isn't that strange?  Not like I am obsessed with it or anything, but I wonder about it.  Like how will it happen?  How old will I be?  Why did my dad die at 60?  The irony of his 80 year old mother dying six months before he did.  Will I make it past that?  Will I have accomplished the things that God created me for?  When I was a kid, I used to sit in the dark in my room and ponder the deep questions of life, "who am I" and "what is my purpose?"  I guess some things never change.   

I think I will do this again in a month or two!  Kind of interesting.  What are yours?

Whatever happened to FREEDOM OF SPEECH?

I really wanted to get off of politics, but I couldn't do it tonight!  The last time I checked this was still free America.  Did something change recently?  I know O said change, but is this what he meant?  I just read an article by CBS news about the Democrats circulating angry petitions against Rush Limbaugh.  Excuse me?  First of all, Rush has been misquoted in the whole "I want Obama to fail" comment.  But, even if he had said that, isn't that his right as an American citizen? One reader commented (and I must agree), "the first step of a new socialist regime is to silence the media."  People, we ought to be really scared.  

The first amendment says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise therof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or of the right of people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."  There are two biggies here.  The first is the right to free speech.  The second is the right of the press to speak.  We don't have to agree, but everyone is entitled to their opinion.  When we take that away, we are no longer America.  We are no longer the country our forefathers fought for.  The media crucified Bush for eight years.  They made fun of him.  They wished him dead.  They made bad movies about him.  I am an American.  I do not wish harm to my president, however, I do not agree with his policies.  He talks about hope and change.  My hope is that he doesn't change my country, my government, into something that is unrecognizable.  It all starts with the freedom of speech.  What's next?

Rewind

Okay, one second after I posted my last post, I read that O had decided that it wasn't such a good idea to use a trillion dollars to purchase birth control for poor folks.  The Republicans might have actually had a good idea when they criticized that whole plan.  Of course, O will probably make the idea his own.  I guess it doesn't matter.  We need some changes, but don't need stupidity!

Stay tuned for the first 100 days with me....

The Economy Saved By Birth Control?

Amazing.  In an enlightening interview, Nancy Pelosi told George "CryBaby" Stephanopolous that it was not really B. Hussein Obama that would save our economy, but rather our overwhelming financial investment in birth control.  Yes friends, it seems that family planning has become the business of the Federal Government.  The goal is to keep you from having too many children which in turn will keep our economy from totally hitting bottom.  Of course, what they aren't telling you...we have already hit bottom.  China owns us and O's trillion dollar financial stimilus plan is not going to stimulate much.  People are losing their jobs left and right.  But, we all know that Dubya is single-handedly responsible for the war, the economy, and the people starving on Mars.  Okay, enough of my ranting for today.  Does anyone but me sense the irony in everyday since O took office? 

New Baby

Today is Saturday!  I am grateful for a day to call my own.  I do not have to go to work anywhere!  I like that.  We just got back from going to see my new nephew, Alexander Judge Bogart.  This child has got natural blond highlights in his full head of dark hair.  I have never seen anything like it.  He is very cute.  We are thankful that he arrived here safely and welcome him to the family. 

Now see, I was going to write another Nobama message, but I decided to give it a rest for today.   He's been giving me lots to write about though!!  :)  Have a great weekend y'all!

Conscientious Objector

I have decided that for the next four years I am going to become a conscientious objector to the status of the nation.  I know many will not agree with me and that is okay.  Last time I checked this was still the United States of America and we both have a right to our opinions.  For as long as I have been able, I have cast my vote.  If you voted, you have a right to an opinion.  Another blog for another day is for those who complain and yet do not vote and in my opinion have no voice.  However, for today, I must say that I am disappointed.  I will respect the office of president, even if I do not agree with its occupant.  I was raised in a time when you had respect for the highest office in the nation.  (Very classy those of you who sang na, na, na, na to the former President Bush yesterday.  Great message!).  Anyway, my objection to this new president is not based on his color.  I am celebratory, as are many of my friends, to see the dawn of a new day of race relations in my country.  I have no problem with an African American president.  I have a problem with this guys beliefs.  Does anyone but me smell socialism?  As I expressed my concerns, one of my friends patted my hand and said, "well, you are a Christian.  You must pray."  Yes, I must pray.  I must pray for a man who claims the same label and yet supports partial birth abortion and numerous other things that I struggle to accept from a Biblical standpoint.  

We live in a postmodern world.  One that claims that absolute truth does not exist and that everyone creates their own reality.  In spite of this, there is a Savior (and the world only has room for one Savior by the way and He will return one day, but not in the form of Barack Obama).  The problem with this current attitude is that Christians are getting to the place where they do not have a right to stand up for what is right.  But, someone must!  There must be some healthy skepticism.  There must be someone who realizes what is behind the promise of hope and change.  This is how my conscientious objector status fits into the now.  I do not object to war, but I morally object to the stance of the current regime.  For now, I still have the freedom and the right to object.  There is a day coming when I will not have that right.  For all of you who disagree, I have a thougth for you.   Matthew 16:26 says, "what good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?"  I leave you with this...we must count the cost!

TGIF

Thank God it's Friday!  I am looking forward to a restful weekend. 

Today my class got into a rousing discussion (read mild shouting match) about the idea of prenuptual agreements.  We were equally divided between the two sides, one believing that a prenup showed a lack of trust.  The second side that it was necessary because people have a right to protect their interests.  Showing a lack of trust.  Right?  It was interesting.  Of course, the trust side was the younger part of the class and the second side was older and have experienced more problems.  So, what do you think?  Prenup or not?  Do you go into a marriage to protect your interests?  Or do you trust God to take care of you even when people change and disaster happens?  Something to think about. 

Almost home....

Well, it is Thursday.  I am sitting in class watching my students listening to a Dave Ramsey CD and hoping lunch time arrives soon.  I woke up at 4:30 this morning.  I couldn't go back to sleep, but I bet I could right now.  In this CD, Dave Ramsey just said one day the Crocodile Hunter was gonna get it.  If he did, he would have to go back and edit this CD.  How is that for foreshadowing?  Anyway, we are almost home.  What have I learned this week?

For one, it is better to be prepared for something.  I took on this class at the last minute.  I know it could be better.  I've learned I can hold my own with whatever.  There have been some challenges.  It helps me to think on my feet.  My brain is still working.  Good to know.

We are talking about finances in marriage, singles, and single parenting today.  Running the gamut.  I am glad to be almost home.

Salvation....

Okay, so my supervisor at my job calls on Monday around 10 and says, "Hey, we have a class going on and it started at 8 and the teacher didn't show up and we can't get ahold of him and it's an emergency and we need someone, is there any way that you can would be willing to do this?"  SO, with my savior mentality, I say, "Yeah, sure! No problem."  Anyway, here I am teaching this marriage and family class.  At moments, it is a complete beatdown.  I am tired.  I wasn't prepared totally (given the time frame with which I was given to prepare.)  And these students are giving me the business every chance they get.  They challenge everything I think and say and give them.  Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing because they learn from this, but when you are tired and barely prepared and all then it is a bit more difficult to deal with.  I am wondering today if maybe I am the one that needs salvation.  :) 

Job's Wife

This morning, my Sunday School lesson was on Job's wife.  We have been studying the women of the Bible.  We started in Genesis last January and reached Job this morning.  Anyway, I wasn't sure how to teach a lesson over a woman who has about 1 sentence in the Bible.  I knew that I didn't want it to be negative.  You see, I think traditionally Job's wife has been viewed in a very negative way.  However, I think if anyone of us lost our ten children to calamity add in our house and our livelihood, we would probably respond more in the way Job's wife did.  The Bible says that Job was a righteous and blameless man.  It does not extend the same courtesy to his wife.  The truth is she was more human.  Just like most of us!  These two lines actually opened the door for some amazing conversation in my class and some deep thought by myself.  Someone asked me is it okay to be angry?  My reply...yes, it is okay to be angry but it is not okay to sit in it until it becomes bitterness.  I have done this myself.  There are a few things that I have remained bitter over.  I need to be working on those.  So, for whoever stumbles across this and spends the time reading it, I would encourage you to examine your heart.  Is there some pockets of anger that have sat to long and become bitterness?  It is time to forgive.

And that is a post for another day.  I am praying for you as you pray for me!

I am...

I don't have time to write too much in here tonight.  I am trying to write a final exam for my multicultural class today.  I am posting a poem that comes out of an exercise I made my class to today.  It is an "I am..." poem.

I am a professional counselor - I will listen but not always have an answer

I am a teacher - I pass on information 

I am a wife - married for life

I am a mother - my children are the blooms of life

I am a friend - loyal to the end

I am music - it comes from my soul

I am complicated - what you see is not always what you get

I am a sinner - thankfully redeemed

I am a believer - this I know, Jesus died for me and for you

I am words - but I cannot always tell you how I feel or what I think

I am me - take it or leave it. 

Hot Topics

So, I changed my mind.....I'm baaaack!

My class had a rousing discussion today about gay marriage.  You know, besides the whole spiritual issue (which is a big deal!) there are a few other things to consider when pondering the whole gay marriage thing.  For one, what will come about after gay marriage is made legal?  If marriage is one person + one person, which is something I saw written the other day, then what defines the one person?  What if that one person is a child?  Will we begin to argue over that next?  The whole post modern thought that anything is okay for any given individual is very pervasive in our society.  My point here is that what will stop this issue at homosexuals marrying?  I am not a hater, just wondering what will become of an institution that has stood the test of time.  Things that have been redefined often get so distorted that it is difficult to recognize them anymore.  Enough for today!  Have a good one!

Monday/ Monday

Back when I was working on my undergrad degree, you had to go to class several times a week for a full semster.  Times have changed.  This week I am teaching a January mini.  This a class that meets for five days, eight hours a day, one week.  Full credit.  Lots of lecturing done by moi.  That is lots of talking.  I try to make it as interesting as possible, but hey, I am no miracle worker.  I am tired and this is only day one.  It will be interesting to see how the rest of the week goes.  It may be a while before I write in here again.  So, until then, have a lovely week.

H

Seven Pounds

Seven Pounds is an interesting movie about redemption.  Will Smith is great in the role of Ben Turner.  He plays grief well.  I don't want to give any plot away, but there were several spiritual questions to wrestle with, ultimately, life and death should not be in our hands.

Jan. 2

Nothing much special about today.  It is the last day of the holiday for children around the country.  I decided to take mine to see ICE! at the Gaylord hotel.  Great exhibit, much better than last year.  Brrrr. Cold!  Going to see 7 pounds tonight.  I'll let you know how it was tomorrow.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I can't believe it is 2009.  I am feeling quite introspective today.  Everyone always has resolutions, here are mine:

1. Lose weight (isn't that on 99% of peoples lists?)

2. Read the Bible and spend time with God in relationship every day.

3. Start working on my PhD. 

4. Read more books, just because.

5. Learn a new word everyday.

Okay, that is enough for now.  May anyone who passes this way have a blessed New Year!

Talk to yous oon.