Becoming a wife

Ok so I am officially married now. I never thought I would see my wedding day. You see I never wanted to get married. Well, that's not too entirely true. I used to believe in love and marriage. I then experienced love and relationship as a teenager and a young adult. As a result of my experience I decided that I didn't believe in love anymore. The love that my parents had, the love you see in movies, and the love that we all dream and hope for  just simply didn't and doesn't exist anymore. And that was my belief for many years. My husband and God changed my belief. You see, my husband has been my best friend for seven years and has liked me the entire time but tried dating other people since I wouldn't give him the time or day. I knew he liked me but I didn't like him in the same way. He was a great guy but I just couldn't date him. I was ultimately afraid that if I acknowledged my feelings to him and we try to date then it would ruin our friendship and that was just not an option for me. So I gave him every excuse in the book as to why he shouldn't like me and should continue to date other people and find the right person for him. However, apparently God had other plans. Fast forward seven years and we come to earlier this year. Earlier this year my husband and I went to lunch as friends and we discussed our current and future plans. He again told me that he still liked me and knew that I wasn't going to change my mind but he wanted to know if I would agree to take a challenge and pray about it and see what God had to say about us dating. So of course I take him up on his challenge and we begin to pray both individually and collectively. 

The rest is history and I must get back to the topic at hand. Because of my husband and God I now believe in love again. I haven't been happier in a relationship than I am with my husband. He is very patient and persistent..Hahaha, took me seven years, I still can't figure out why he waited so long but I am so grateful that he did. Anyway, now that I am someone's wife I still battle with a few thoughts that I had prior to getting married. 

How does one become a good wife? What are the characteristics of a good wife? Do I have those characteristics and attributes of being a good wife? I know that there is obviously something about me that made my husband ask me to marry him. But still you have to wonder, you know? I don't know the first thing about being a wife. The only forms of a model that I have is my mother and the Bible.. My mother has been married for 30 years so far and she is very happy. In the Bible there are several verses about being a woman, a wife and how to be a good one. One chapter specifically is Proverbs 31. I wish I could live up to that standard. Anyway, I know how I am, I know my temperament, and it leaves me wondering will I make a good wife. I am not saying, I am a bad person or I have bad qualities. But I am very silly, quirky and still figuring life out. So here I am someone's wife...What do I do? How do I take care of him? How do we work as a team on a married level? What responsibilities do I have? It's not about me anymore,  I am accountable to someone now. My actions just don't affect myself but they affect him as well. I know that things won't always be as great as they are now because that's not realistic. Life is ever presenting challenges so now I have to figure out a new game plan to be the best wife that I can be and learn to live life with a husband.  My prayer is that God will teach me to be the best wife that my husband needs and wants in his life. 

Name Change

When a person gets married a name usually gets changed. Traditionally, the woman changes her name. Well, my husband wants me to change my name and take his last name. I had an issue with it because I have had my name since I was born. It is who I am. Its part of my definition. It's how I identify myself. I also wanted to know whose idea it was that the female should change her name. Why doesn't the man take on the wife's last name or why can't they both take on each other names and just hyphenate it all? Anyway, this week(yesterday) I went to get my name changed legally and I felt like a part of me died. I felt like I had to say goodbye to a life I once had.  I said goodbye to the person I have been all of my life. I said goodbye to what I related to. I wanted to cry. But needless to say, I changed my name because I love my husband and it means a lot to him that I don't hyphenate my name and just use his name solely. It will be something I have to get used to..But at least I have his love for the moments that I feel sad.

The last chapter of the book before I said "I Do"

So my life has never been my own and I have never felt that it would ever be my own. However, the week before a person gets married, life changes in so many ways (at least in my world it did)..Here is the summary of what life was like for me before I started a new book of life...

My last Monday, I realized that this is the only week that I would feel like "my life is my own". The day was full of events. I went to work, met with two Somali families (yes I did need an interpreter). A bicyclist and I nearly collided and we both stared at each other "where the hell did you come from?" We both clearly had other things on our mind. I ran out of money, so I didn't have lunch that day..I spoke to my fiance who was not having a good day either...Gosh, I was seriously hoping and praying that the week would get better. But I was excited that in a week I would be marrying my best friend.

My last Tuesday, I went to the dentist. Thankfully, at the this visit I was not told any dreadful news..I didn't have cavities or anything like that. I had clean and pretty teeth. But of course I still wanted whiter teeth because I needed to have pretty teeth for my wedding day. I went to work, work was rough that day. I had no motivation whatsoever. Today my brother and fiance would be coming home...I was super super excited. It ended up being a long long day. First my brothers flight was delayed about 2 hours...Then an hour and some minutes after that, the love of my life would get into town. His mother picked me up so that we both were at the airport for his arrival. The nice people at the counter let us meet him at the gate....Aww such a happy moment when we first hugged...

My last Wednesday, today was an even harder day than Tuesday. My fiance is in town and I am stuck at work. I didn't want to work at all. He came to work, met a few of my coworkers and then we went to get our marriage license. This was the moment that it all started to click for me. It was that moment that said in less than a week I would become someones wife..Yes I thought maybe we shouldn't go through this...but then I quickly changed my mind...what a better way to start a new book of life than with the person you love who just also happens to be your best friend.

Thursday, my last day of work for a few days....Thankfully, it was a quiet day at work. I didn't do much (Don't tell my boss). I finished some Christmas shopping. My fiance and I met with his pastor to go over some questions and information...Again I had that moment, this is real..

Friday, was an exciting day..its almost Christmas and my daddy was coming home. I also got my nails done with my mom and grandma. I locked myself out of my car, which I blamed my fiance for. He had me so excited to be getting married to him that I could no longer concentrate...He didn't buy it, haha. My brother rescued me and then took my fiance and I out to lunch. It was good times.

Saturday, my fiance and I went to church. Everyone congratulated us. It's also Christmas eve. It was a great day. I went to a Christmas eve service with my fiance and mother in law at their church. It was really good..Of course I cried (there is more to that story for a later date). My dad apologized to my fiance and I.

Sunday: Its Christmas day..One of my favorite days of the year. I did Christmas with my fiance and his mother in the morning. Then my family and soon to be family went to my uncles house in the Serengeti (not literally) for Christmas lunch/dinner. It was a lot of fun..Then I was surprised out of this world with a Christmas/wedding gift: my godmother is in town...Wooohoooo!!!!!


Ok so overall thoughts, it was a bland week in retrospect. I went through several emotions. I cried a lot, I laughed a lot, but overall I was out of this world excited. I did a lot of thinking. Marriage is such a huge life altering event. Its definitely not something that one can take lightly. There are so many aspects of life that you have to think about. The closer it got to my wedding day, the more excited I got. The closer it became the more thoughts I had. Some of those thoughts: Will I make a good wife? That's a huge question, because me, myself and I are a crazy set of personalities. I don't have many skills or talents, etc..So when you think about the nit and gritty, what am I really bringing to the table...but anyway..that's for another blog...

For now, I end this blog with my last week before my wedding was a roller coaster but I was definitely to take that leap of faith and marry my best friend.

A simple thought

I saw and read this on a friends facebook page who got it from a person O.N. I just had to share as it made me think about my own daily life and walk with God....

written by O.N. on Dec 13, 2011.

Early Sunday morning I was having worship, praying before getting ready for work. As usual, there was music playing in my head… it’s like there’s a constant soundtrack to my life; there’s always a song. Lol! That morning it was Fred Hammond’s “Keeping My Mind” and it starts with the words “Such a sweet communion as every day I seek Your face…” For some reason my mind stopped right there – on the word seek. I started thinking “hmm there isn’t really much seeking going on this morning.” When I started praying, I went straight into the throne-room, praising God, thanking Him, and then I started telling Him all my plans for the day. I mean, it really wasn’t a bad prayer though. I prayed for my family, my friends, all those studying for, writing papers, and taking final exams, everyone on my prayer list… my patients and coworkers for the day… But I wasn’t really actively SEEKING His face at all. I wasn’t asking or seeking His specific will for me for that day.

 I started to think that if I was really to seek God’s face, the right way to pray would be “Lord what do You have for me to do today?” That got me thinking of another song by Fred Hammond from that same album that starts out “Show me Your face, need to see You clearly…” (Yes, Fred’s songs make up a large majority of the songs in my mind’s playlist);-).

What a difference it would make in our Christian walk were we to decide to seek God’s face DAILY. Not just endeavor to stay in His general will for our lives, but asking Him every single morning “Lord what do You have for me to do today?” Then staying open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I would like to say that I got an important revelation from God on Sunday; or that He showed me exactly what He wanted me to do in a unique way that I can clearly relate to my prayer but that was not really the case as far as I can remember. Perhaps the all important lesson for me that day was that I need to stop living within the confines of my own predetermined goals and plans for my life, however great they may be. My life is not my own. I belong to God. That means that everyday, every moment, I need to rely on Him. More than that I need to seek His will. Even more than that I need to seek His FACE! Yo that’s deep I just got chills all over again!! Imagine living with the intimate knowledge of who God is and growing to love and recognize Him; His voice, His ways, His thought process!! Deep! I want to get on that level so bad!! It will only happen if I “stay keeping my mind on Jesus” – another verse from the same song. Funny enough He even promises blessings just for TRYING by The Spirit's help to get on that level.

The song goes on to refer to one of my all time favorite Bible verses: Isaiah 26:3 (read it) which gives us the formula for that oh so elusive PERFECT PEACE that God promises. I always knew about the power that comes from His Word, but now I will be seeking His face as well. I wonder if I even truly know what that means. Do I want to find out? Yes!!

And so the song ends – “Stay, keeping my mind on Jesus… Meditate on Him and keep His Spirit deep within.” Amen.

Another eventful trip to the post office

So today I decided will be the day I make my trip to the post office to mail out a few Christmas gifts and boy was it an entertaining trip.

The line was astronomically long. It went out the line. Thankfully, I reached the post office when it wasn't too busy but still busy enough to have a long line but I was still within the inside doors. There was a post office attendant walking around asking people if they needed any assistance with labeling boxes, picking up packages, or dropping of pre-stamped packages, etc.  With that said, here is the adventure I had in the post office this afternoon....

As I am standing in line and the line behind me is getting longer and longer I wondered why there are six individual stations yet only two attendants are working to get through this ever growing line. Christmas comes every year at the same time, you would think that at some point they would be able to keep the staff needed to get through the Christmas rush. Yes, I know budget cuts and the post office doesn't have any money...but good grief maybe better planning would help alleviate the line issues.

I, unfortunately and to my dismay, stood behind a man who clearly didn't believe in deodorant. And not only did he have a bad body odor but he was extremely sweaty. I stood behind and felt bad for him. I wish I knew his story, I figured there had to be a reason as to why he was smelly and sweaty.

Ok, so I am still in line when this 20 something year old young man walks in the post office and looks at the line and says oh gosh. He then turns to the post office attendant and asked "How much are stamps these days, you know like to mail a simple letter?" Ok readers, I looked at the guy and thought, "Is he serious right now, he has to be joking, right?". The post office attendant had the same thought, it showed on her face, but she politely answered "Sir, to mail a simple letter and the cost of a single stamp is 44 cents". They both said Merry Christmas and it was over.

I truly enjoyed my trip to the post office. It was a good day.

Marriage from a kid's perspective

1. How do you decide whom to marry?
• You got to find somebody who lies the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. ~Alan, age 10
• No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with. ~Kristen, age 10
2. What is the right age to get married?
• Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then. ~Camille, age 10
3. How can a stranger tell if two people are married?
• You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids. ~Derrick, age 8
4. What do you think your mom and dad have in common?
• Both don't want any more kids. ~Lori, age 8
5. What do most people do on a date?
• Dates are having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough. ~Lynnette, age 8
• On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for  a second date. ~Martin, age 10
6. When is it okay to kiss someone?
• When they're rich. ~Pam, age 7
• The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that. ~Curt, age 7
• The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do. ~Howard, age 8
7. Is it better to be single or married?
• It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them. ~Anita, age 9
8. How would the world be different if people didn't get married?
• There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there? ~Kelvin, age 8
9. How would you make a marriage work?
• Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck. ~Ricky, age 10

I am sure some of you have seen this email circulating around. But I thought it was a good one and had to post it.

Little kid's instruction on life...

• When your dad is mad and ask you "do i look stupid?" Don't answer him.
• Never try to baptize a cat
• Never trust a dog to watch your food.
• Never tell your little brother that you're not going to do what your mom told you to do.
• Remember you're never too old to hold your father's hand

This was taken from my calendar

Thanksgiving Day

Happy Thanksgiving dear readers (well those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving Day). What are you thankful for?

This has been quite a challenging yet interesting year. I have grown in so many ways and learned some tough lessons. Here is my incomplete list of things I am thankful for.

1. Life-Everyday you hear about people dying and yet here I am still alive to see another day...Life is short so I am thankful that I had another day to experience it.
2. Health-health is fragile, so the fact that I am not on any medications or need any medical attention is a blessing
3. My family-their love and support
4. My fiance-I can't begin to explain what a blessing he has been to me
5. My job-it is stressful, and i am overworked and underpaid. But I do love my job for the most part. I know there are many in this world that wish they had a job. So I am very blessed to have one.
6. My car
7. My cellphone
8. My friends
9. Just being able to walk, write, talk, listen, run, smell, eat, and think clearly
10. The hardships and challenges of this year
11. God continuing protection over my life. I know I should have been dead so many times. I have walked away from car accidents, etc.
12. The fact that though I have no idea how I am going to pay for my bills, I am not homeless and I seem to make my monthly payments each month.
13. Love
14. Smooth going wedding plans.
15. Just in general all the blessings God has blessed me with...

Well folks, this is all for now..I hope you can find something to be thankful for. Feel free to post what you are thankful for especially if it is not on the list.

The Veteran and a trip to McDonald's

Last week Friday was an interesting day on all levels of life. However, in this blog I am just going to tell you my experience with the Veteran and a trip to McDonald's.

Friday morning as I am driving to a workshop for work, I notice an old homeless man along the side of the street. My heart dropped because I just hate to see homeless people. It makes me so sad. I wish didn't have to hand people such a bad lemon where they end up in a situation like that. Anyway, he had on a cap that said army vet and a very worn out military shirt and a sign that said "homeless military vet, please help me". I have a soft spot in my heart for military personnel. So I grabbed the only dollar I could find in my car and gave it to him. He smiled and said "thank you, God bless you for your kindness". I said "God bless you too and I hope things get better for you". He replied, "thank you ma'am". The light changed and I drove off. For the next few moments I thought about that man and what his story could be, how did he end up on the side of the road like that. But whatever his story is, I was able to make him smile. I know there isn't much he can do with a dollar but every penny counts. Sigh....


Later that same evening I am on my way to a 6pm appointment. I am really hungry, but don't have time to get a decent meal or anything. So I decide to go through the drive-thru at McDonald's. Going to McDonald's is an extremely rare thing for me to do. One, I am a vegetarian and two I don't like anything on their menu. Yet here I find myself sitting at the window ordering an order of fries. When I get to the window the cashier told me that the lady in front of me paid for my fries because she has been blessed by God and this is one of her ways of thanking God for His blessings. The drivers message to me was that she wanted me to be blessed and to make sure I pay it forward by blessing someone else...

Given the week I had, it was seriously such a simple yet profound gift from God. I felt like He had heard all my cries from the week and was letting me know that even in the simple things in life He is going to take care of me and will be by my side. I drove away smiling and thanking God for a kind person and a huge blessing.

If not for Your grace

God has been blessing me and this is just one of the many songs that speaks volume of my experience with "The Great Almighty"....I love you Lord.  Hope this song touches your soul...

"Gerber Daisy" and her blackberry

My best friend/sister who I will call "Gerber Daisy" and her blackberry (the phone) makes me laugh and shake my head. Gerber Daisy has a bad habit of dropping her blackberry. She is forever dropping it on the ground, in water, etc. She even dropped it in orange juice. I still to this day don't understand how she did that. Anyway, I usually laugh at her and her cellphone. However, lately its been a bit ridiculous. Gerber Daisy has been dropping it all over the place and misplacing it everywhere she goes..Its amazing she finds it or that its even in one piece. Today she tells me she dropped it and it landed in her bust area...I laughed hard but decided that for Christmas I am going to try and find her a case and a chain for blackberry so that she can keep it near her and not on the floor, in liquid, or complain about how she doesn't know where it is..Hahaha...I love my Gerber Daisy.

The unwanted gift

So yesterday morning I was greeted by this deplorable creature. Something you should know about me is that I  truly abhor insects and bugs of any kind. It freaks me out, I get scared, and I either cry or scream if not both...Now back to my story. So as I was entering my cubicle at work I found this thing on my desk and immediately went into panic mode. I didn't know whether to cry, scream or pee my pants. All I knew was that I was about to die and no one would be there to help me or save me. Unfortunately for me, I went into work extremely early so no one was around to save me. So I call my father who lives in another state but of course he doesn't answer the phone..I tried my mother but her line was busy. I wanted to call my boyfriend who also lives in another state but I knew he wouldn't answer because he was in class. So I was left all by myself to decide whether to walk into my cubicle or just come back later when I think the stupid thing has left my area...I decided to try and be a "big girl" and face my fears...so I decided to bang the desk and see if it would make it go away..and lo and behold to my dismay it doesn't move...so after a few seconds it dawns on me that this deplorable stupid roach is FAKE!!!!! I breathe a sigh of relief walk into my cubicle and quickly get rid of my unwanted gift. When my coworkers arrive an hour or so later, I ask around who was trying to kill me...no one confused, but they did however, have quite the belly laugh. Looking back on the situation now, it is quite funny but let me tell you going through it I was outlandishly scared.

Gotta love my coworkers and my unwanted gift...

Contacts

I have been wearing glass for the past five years and recently decided I might need a change.  Last week I had my annual eye exam and decided to get contacts. It has definitely been a comical week. I am definitely a novice when it comes to getting these small clear objects into my eyes. The first time I put them in it took me about 25 minutes. Today, a week later it took me about 5 or 10 minutes....So I am slowly but surely getting better. I have learned a few things about life as I look through my contacts. So here are my life lessons from my teacher "the contacts"...

1. Everything in life takes time. Nothing is a quick fix or instant gratification. It all just takes time.....

2. There is something to the proverb "practice makes perfect". I can't say I will ever be perfect at utilizing contacts...but practice has proven to be effective in decreasing the amount of time it takes me to get my contacts in.

3. Patience....I have been learning another level of patience when it comes to inserting an object into my eyes. I realized the value of patience...Most things in life requires some amount of patience. However, because we are creatures of habit and want everything NOW we don't take the time to develop the patience. We miss out on so many things. Some forget to smell the roses, see the rainbow, or ignore the child that just wants to give you a hug and say "I love you".

4. How do you view life? I realized that there is drama, sadness, pain, etc all around..But do we have to focus on those events? Without my contacts and/or glasses, while I can still see I don't see clearly...But when I wear my contacts/glasses things become crisp and clear...so it is with life. In the midst of pain, suffering, etc there is always hope and something to smile about...Can you find those things to help you get through the hard times?
5. Contacts are flexible yest consistent. Sometimes in life we need to be flexible just go with the flow but at the same time stay true to ourselves, values, etc.
6. Contacts may be flexible but they are fragile. Life is short and we must not take it for granted. None of us are promised tomorrow. You could wake up tomorrow and try to put your contacts in just to realize there is a tear in it..So it is with life...Today you have your family member, friend, a loved one...just to find out that in the morning they are gone. Don't let life pass you by. Say "I love you" and mean it. Follow your dreams--achieve them, reach for the stars...Keep on keeping on...

Well those are the lessons I have learned this week....Anyone have any suggestions on inserting/removing contacts? If not, don't worry...in time with lots of patience and practice I will get better.

Jotta A. Agnus Dei

Simply amazing

Morning Laugh

Funniest video I have seen in a long time.

Long Distance Part 2

Ok so awhile back I wrote about long distance and the effects it has on relationships...So here is the second part of the that blog in my journey. My boyfriend is amazing. After an insanely long nine weeks, I finally got to see him. It was amazing. Our love for each other is so much more stronger. The few hours we spent together confirmed how much I want to be with him, how much I want to marry him, and how much I don't want to be apart from him. And here I am again, starting a new countdown....how long will it be this time? I don't know but its ok...I have lots to look forward too.

He was roughly 1785 miles away from me and the only form of contact I had with him was snail mail and the occasional phone call. I loved his letters. Now he is roughly 2110 miles away from me, but now I have more contact with him. I don't really like the distance but it just makes the opportunities we are together, or able to speak, etc that much more special. I seriously am so blessed to have this man in my life. God has blessed him with an amazing career and great opportunities. I am so looking forward to our future...I love him oh so much!!!

Bring on the adventure...One happy and madly in love girl!

Shoes

I have a shoe addiction...I am pretty sure I have close to a hundred pairs (and counting)...I am afraid to count but I do know I have at least 60 pairs (that's where I stopped counting recently). Anyway so today, my god-daughter who is almost three years old comes over to spend the day with me. She walks into my room and sees a new pair of flip-flops on the floor. She walks up to them and says oh Andrea you have new shoes...

I laughed so hard then thought about it...I have trained this child of mine to love shoes as much as I do but then the fact that she is a toddler and knows when I have a new pair of shoes...Oh my god-daughter is the best...I love you baby girl

Anticipation

So this has literally been the longest nine weeks of my entire life. I don't think I have ever been so anxious or  had so much anticipation for such a time as this. I get to see my amazing boyfriend tomorrow. So during these nine weeks I have learned a lot about anticipation and how it relates to my life..

1. It drives me crazy.
2. Anticipation can either cause one to learn patience or to foster impatience....I am working on the patience part.
3. Distance and time can make the heart grow fonder and the relationship stronger
4. I love getting snail mail letters from him
5. Even though we were apart, my boyfriend is seriously the sweetest and most amazing guy around.
6. Keeping busy helps the time go by  just a little faster (but not by much)
7. I absolutely without a shadow of a doubt am in love with my boyfriend
8. Anticipation eventually comes to an end. 

Well that is all for now...till next time my dear readers....Be blessed and try to have patience if you are anticipating an event, etc.

Angel in the form of hazelnut creamer

Yesterday I had an experience with my angel. My mom and I went to visit a friend who is in the hospital. On the way out of the hospital we stopped at the gift shop to do some browsing and picked up a few items for the next time we came back to visit our friend. We walked out with our purchases and headed home.

On the way home I decided I wanted to stop at Sprouts Farmer Market to get some fruits. We are at the checkout counter and I am grabbing the bags with our fruits, when the lady at the counter asked the gentleman behind us if he wanted a bag for his purchase. In her hand she had Silk Hazelnut Creamer. You may ask why that caught my eyes? Well, I like coffee with flavor but I don't like the regular creamers. I have for the past few months want to try the Silk Creamers but have always talked myself out of it.

Anyway back to my story, so my mom and I walk out and head to the car, and I kept telling her I really want to try that creamer I should go back and get it. So I did, this is the first time in months that I haven't talked myself out of buying the creamer. So anyway, I go back into the store pick up my hazelnut creamer and head to the checkout counter. When I get there and am about to pay I realize I don't have my credit card in my wallet. So I pay for my creamer an alternate way and walk back out to the car. I check the bag that I received from the gift shop to see if I accidentally threw in the bag rather than returning it to my wallet.

It's not in the bag, I asked my mom if I had handed it to her mistakenly she said no. So I call the gift shop using the receipt that I had in the bag. The lady answered, I explained my plight and asked if by chance I had left in the store. She apologized and stated that she forgot to give it back to me. However, the shop was now close but she would leave it with the security guard at the hospital so I can get it when I get there.

So long story short, I now have my credit card back. I honestly think that man and his creamer were my angel. If it not been for them and it compelling me to purchase the creamer. I would not have known my card was gone until Monday when I was heading to work and purchasing gas as is my normal routine.

God works in mysterious ways and we have angels all around us. Of this I am sure...Have you noticed God and your angel at work in your life lately?

7 times 13 equals 28

Who knew? 7 times 13 equals 28 Now isn't that clever, hahaha

Oprah and the yelling goat

I found this mighty hilarious.....the yelling goat

Kermit the Frog and Cookie Monster

Two of my favorite characters from my childhood..... Click the following link to enjoy video...Kermit the Frog, Cookie Monster and the Mystery Box

Lord Undo Me by Blake Williams

I heard this on KLOVE this past week and it truly touch my heart and I wanted to share it with you. I hope you  are as blessed as I was when I heard and then later read it. If you click the following link, you can hear it being read by JD Chandler, one of the DJ's on Klove. Lord Undo Me by Blake Williams

Lord Undo Me by Blake Williams

I don't really worship these days
I don't really stand up to praise You with songs
Or prayer or actions
Or with anything
I am full of all the right moves
I am full of all the right words
I am full of all the right religion
But is is all just illusion
I am really
Lonely
Lost
Calloused
Jaded
Cynical
Too religious
Too realistic
and well really just to lazy
to worship You anymore
I have lost my first love
I have lost the joy of Your presence
But most of all I have lost the fear of Your glory

Father I need to see You again
Like Isaiah I want to stand in awe of Your glory
To fall down at Your feet
To come face to face with Your
Perfection,
Radiance,
Goodness,
Holiness,
Awesomeness
I want to stand before You and see You for who You are
and me for who I am
I want to be undone

I want to know me for who I really am
I want to see the depths of my heart
And know that You are the only way
You are the only life
I want to see me and understand
What it really must have taken for You to
Love me
Care of me
See me
Speak to me
Want me
Communicate with me
Die for me
Die for me
Die for me

Lord, I want to stand in that place where all I can see is Your glory
And my sin
Because in that place I can't help but worship You.
Lord let me come undone
Undo my heart
Lord, undo my heart
Break down these walls that I love so much
No, wait don't,
I'm scared I don't know if I can handle this
Don't
But I can't live this way anymore
I can't stand here in this half-life
This  going through the motions life
This not really alive life
Father, I need You so come in and do what You must
Cut out the tumor on my heart
Break down the walls that I love
Lord let me come undone
Undo my heart
Let me worship You again.

At the post office

This week I went to the post office and the following is what I encountered as I stood in line.....

Postman: Would you like stamps today?
Lady: Yes please
Postman: Which one would you like? We have Lady Liberty, and [he was then stopped in mid sentence]
Lady: Who is Lady Liberty? (She was really serious)
Postman: With a look of bewilderment on his face, said pardon?
Lady: Who is Lady Liberty?
Postman: Still looking bewildered, stepped away from the counter and got the Lady Liberty stamp and returned to the counter and presented them to the lady
Lady: Her face turns beat red, and she says, I should have known who Lady Liberty is...I'll take them..

I couldn't hear the rest of the conversation as I at this point could no longer keep from not laughing...I laughed so hard I had a tear in my eye.

School

I read this somewhere and thought it was worth re-posting...

The church is my college, heaven is my university, Jesus is my principal, the Holy Spirit is my teacher. Angels are my classmates, the Bible is my study book. Trial and temptation are my exams, winning souls are my assignments. Prayer is my attendance, crown of life is my degree, and praise and worship is my motto. Enroll today there is room for all and tuition is free.

Long Distance

They say that distance and time makes the heart grow fonder. They also say that time goes by fast. They also say long distance relationship don't work out well. Here are my thoughts on these three statements..

Long distant relationships aren't for everyone. Distance isn't the best or ideal for any relationship, however sometimes it is necessary due to certain circumstances and situations. If a couple is faced with having to be miles or states apart they need to have a serious conversation and know their limitations and expectations. There has to be trust, love and God in the relationship to make it work. Now I do know that there are some people who do not believe in God and they make it work, but I personally think that God makes its a bit more bearable to deal with. Anyway, I do think that it is possible to have a successful long distance relationship. It takes time, patience, a lot of work. But then again anything regarding a relationship takes time, love, patience and a lot of work.

Time goes by fast. While that is generally the truth and time goes by way faster than one can handle sometime. I think time for me is going by so slooow. My boyfriend is at boot camp and this has been the longest 9 weeks of my life. The 9 weeks aren't up yet and I feel like its been a year. I know I need to be strong and that it is almost over. But oh my goodness, its taking forever. I am so ready for boot camp to be over so that I can talk to him, so I can see him, and life for both of us can resume and get better. The future is full of many great and wonderful things. I am so excited and cant wait for them to get here..In any event, it just seems like its taking a thousand years to get here. *Sigh*

When I want time to go by fast it goes by slow and when I want time to go by slow it goes by fast....How does one communicate to time....Stop for a minute, press pause I want to enjoy this just a moment longer. Or hurry up, I am ready for such and such...It doesn't happen. All we have is the present moment. So we need to make the most of it...

Distance and time: For the most part I have to agree with this statement. There are some situations that distance and time breaks the bond, but generally speaking it does make it stronger. Like I said earlier my boyfriend has been gone forever. (If you ask me how long, I will probably tell you since Moses was a baby- in the basket, back in Bible days). All we have at the moment is the ability to write hand written letters. So romantic :-) He isn't always able to write but when he does it makes me feel so much closer to him. I love the letters he write me, they are funny, sad, romantic, etc. I love that man! I seriously can't wait to see him again and I know he feels the same way. When we do see each other again, its going to be like he never left...But trust me I will know better...

Anyway, that's all from the rambling corner of Simply that...have a great day dear reader....

Baking a cake

One of the many things I like doing is baking. So this weekend I decided I would bake a carrot cake from scratch. I turned on the oven to preheat it, gathered my supplies and ingredients and started the baking a cake process. I get done with all my mixing, put the batter in a pan and had placed the pan in the oven. I set the timer and went about my business. I came back to the kitchen when the timer went off and checked the cake. To my surprise, the cake was not baked. I immediately thought to myself, oh no not again, the oven element is broken. But then I decided that's not possible, my brother and I just recently replaced it. So then I decided the oven has another problem...Oh boy now what. Then it occurred to me, the oven doesn't feel hot....so I look at the oven dials---the oven had been turned off...So I turned back on the oven and reset the timer.....Silly me, I had turned off the oven at some point during my mixing the cake batter process and didn't even realize it. So two sets of timers later, the cake was done and came out beautifully. Oh and it was quite tasty if I may say so myself...It is never a dull moment when I am around, hahaha.

The things kids say..

So my best friend and sister is a student teacher in a second grade classroom. This week she had quite the entertaining and interesting conversation with the class..

Teacher: Does anyone know what holiday is coming up on Monday and why we don't have school?
Class: No
Teacher: It's Labor day, does anyone know what that means?
Class: No
Teacher: Ok, does anyone know what labor means?
Girl: Isn't that when a baby comes out of your private parts?


Gotta love kids.....simply hilarious

Simply That's approved pet list

So if it were a perfect world and I could have any pet in the world..I would have these if I knew they would get along with each other....dogs, a hedgehog, a monkey and a penguin. They are all sooooo cute....

The confusion of the date and time

Here is another moment in life where I exhibit my infamous ingeniousness....

Yesterday my daddy emailed his travel itinerary, for his trip to visit me and my mommy. I made a mental note of the dates and times and opened my calendar. For a brief moment I was excited then I became perplexed. He was to be coming to visit yesterday and leaving on the sixth. As I am looking at the calendar I see that the sixth is a Saturday..Knowing that yesterday was Wednesday, I was sadden by the short length of stay but excited for him to visit. So I immediately called my dad at work and said "daddy, the sixth is this Saturday, why are you leaving so soon?" My daddy, lovingly replied "you are crazy, the sixth is a Tuesday. And tomorrow is the first. I'll be home for almost a week." I pondered it for a moment, then said "Oh ok, well have a great day and I'll see you tonight". I still was not convinced, I was still insisting that Saturday was the sixth. So I go back to my calendar and look up the dates again...and to my surprise, the sixth really is a Tuesday. So I sent a text to my dad saying "oops, I was looking at the wrong month :)" 

I am not sure how I squished six days into three days.. and I guess it would also help if I looked at the correct month...LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

Lizard

My disclaimer--I don't like bugs, insects, etc...If its not human or an approved "simply that" pet...I am not going to like...

So this past Thursday I had an unwelcomed visitor. I was in my bathroom brushing my teeth and happened to glance over to my right and sitting on the counter next to my lint roller was this four-legged creature thing. I didn't take a good look at it or try to determine if it was dead or alive. I immediately just finished brushing my teeth, grabbed my belongings and left the house completely. I got in my car and headed to work. On my way to work I called my daddy who lives in another state and told him, "so there is a four-legged something or the other in my bathroom". He replies "is it dead or alive? its more than likely a lizard and its probably dead." I said, "daddy, this is me, I didn't stand around to figure out what it is or if it is alive. I just need it gone before I get home tonight". He laughed and said "don't worry if it is alive it will be gone if its dead it will welcome you back home."

So I went through my day and forgot about my little visitor in my bathroom. Later that evening, I returned home and went to my bathroom to check what happened throughout the day. And to my surprise the unwanted visitor was still there, I was somewhat relieved that it was dead. But now I had another problem on my hand. How am I going to get it out of my bathroom. So I call my daddy again, and said "I have good news and bad news, which would you like first:?" He replies, "the good news". I said "ok, so the bad news, is the four-legged thing is still here. The good news is that it is a dead lizard" We both laugh and then I asked "umm daddy, how do I get it out my bathroom?" He laughed and told me he would tell my mom to remove it when she got home from work. I told him thank you and that he needs to come back home so he can take care of this issues for me.

So now my mom gets home, and she asks me where is this dead lizard of yours...I don't show her I just tell her where in the bathroom to look. She looks at me and says "you are so ridiculous, I am not disposing of that, you need to do it". So, what do I do? That's right folks, I call my daddy again and whine "She won't throw it away, daddy help" So again he tells my mom to get rid of it for me. My mother marches into my bathroom and as she picks up the dead lizard and flushes it down the toilet she annoyingly says "you are an adult, have a masters degree, have a job and have a boyfriend and you can't kill a bug or get rid of a dead lizard" I said "that is a correct. That is why I have a daddy and a boyfriend. They do the killings and disposing of". She looked at me shook her head and said "that's so ridiculous" and walked away. LOL!!!!

Thanks mommy for being so kind to get rid of my dead unwanted lizard....and thanks to my daddy and boyfriend for being so kind to kill and dispose of my unwanted "frienemies/visitors".

God is with us

This morning in my time with God, I read this short story and thought I would share it with you...Hope it touches you or helps you out as it did me. God bless....

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5,6..

We were driving from New Jersey to Canada when we stopped on the Pennsylvania Turnpike to get something to eat. My best friend, her husband and newborn baby were taking my daughter and me to my hometown where we would hold a memorial service for my husband who had died unexpectedly the week before. We were all grief stricken and not thinking clearly, so it wasn't until we approached the border crossing into Ontario, Canada, that we realized my friend's purse had been left behind in the restaurant.

I had carried her purse into the restaurant and in my state of mind had forgotten it on the way out. Everything important was in her purse: money, credit cards, all of her ID, including her passport and driver's license. Since her 8-week old son didn't have a birth certificate yet, the physician's letter verifying his parentage was also in the missing purse.

We were at least four hours from the restaurant where we'd left the purse and about an hour away from our destination, having traveled more than 12 exhausting hours with my 10-month-old daughter and the newborn infant. The thought of heading back to find the purse was unbearable.

We drove up to the immigration officer and explained what had happened. At the very least, I expected we'd be detained while they made phone calls to verify our story. But we were immediately admitted entry into Canada. We were stunned. As soon as we crossed into Canada, I began making phone calls. Using a receipt from the ATM at the restaurant, I was able to get the name of the town where we had stopped. Directory assistance gave me the phone number of the restaurant. We called. They had found the purse! When the purse reached us a few days later, everything was there; the money, credit cards, everything!

When I look back to this incident, it seems incredible. Sometimes in the midst of the worst times of your life, God gives you signs to assure you that He is still with you. If we choose to acknowledge that God has a plan for our lives, that there are no coincidences, we will be able to see His love for us. God will always find a way to let us know He is present and He cares for us--we just have to pay attention.

Written by Melodie Homer

Simple acts of kindness..pay it forward...

I was reminded of a valuable lesson on Wednesday. In my neighborhood, garbage is collected on Wednesday. Anyway, I was still home when the garbage collector/truck came to the house. So, I grabbed a cold bottle of water from the refrigerator and took it to the driver. She replies "thank you, you just made my day." As I walked back into the house I thought about her statement "You made my day". I didn't do anything extravagant or out of the ordinary. I just figured since its a hot day, and she is subjected to a smelly truck, the least I could do was give her a cold water bottle. I am not telling you this to brag but to say its the little things that matter.

How many times have you felt like you had the best day because someone smiled at you? Or gave you roses/flowers/chocolate, etc? Or because you got a hug? It wasn't the outrageous things that made your day extra special. Although those things make the day a delight. However, its the simple, thoughtful things that warm your heart and touch the soul.

What act of kindness have you done lately for someone? Have you touched a life? Think about simple things to do for people and see how it changes their day or even yours. It could be as simple as lending a pen, sharing a smile, giving a hug, offering a ride, helping a friend/elderly clean. It doesn't have to be time consuming, expensive or grandiose. Visit a friend in the hospital, cook a meal for someone, write a letter/note.  

My challenge to you my dear reader is to "pay it forward". Try to do at least one kind deed a day, don't do it expecting a gift, or  a thank you in return. Do it because you know it would make someone feel special or brighten their day. When someone does something kind for you, thank them and spread the wealth. For example, you ran out of money so a friend gave you a few bucks to get whatever it is that you needed, however, while leaving the store you see an elderly man struggling to put the groceries in the car, spend a few seconds helping him out....That my friend is paying it forward and a simple act of kindness...

Have fun making a difference in the life of someone else...

Strength

There is nothing you cannot do as long as you walk in the Spirit. In order to accomplish what is set before you it is imperative that you follow My leading instead of trying to fulfill the lusts of your flesh. If you will do this, there is no power of darkness too big to overcome and nothing too daunting that you cannot gain the victory over. Put your faith, hope and trust in Me, says the Lord, and you will not be disappointed.

Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Need a Laugh? Long Ranger versus Tonto

I needed a laugh and decided to share it with you...

The Lone Ranger and Tonto stopped in the desert for the night. After they got their tent all set up, both men fell sound asleep. Some hours later, Tonto wakes the Lone Ranger and says, "Kemo Sabe, look towards the sky. What do you see?" The Lone Ranger replies, "I see millions of stars." "What that tell you?" asked Tonto. The Lone Ranger ponders for a minute then says, "Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning. Theologically, it's evident the Lord is all-powerful and we are insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What's it tell you, Tonto?" Tonto is silent for a moment then says, "Kemo Sabe, you dumber than buffalo. It tells me someone stole tent".

You love me anyway

Have you ever felt that you aren't good enough to be loved? Or that you made a mistake that was unforgivable? Or you have a past that you are ashamed of? Do you have an STD? Or Tattoos you wish you never got? Have you lost friends, loved ones because of something you did or said? Do you feel lost and confused? Hurt and dejected? Or simply that no one loves you or that you are alone?

IF you answered yes to any of those questions or have other emotions to add to the list...I want to encourage you with a few words...I know it may be hard to understand/grasp or accept but despite how you are feeling and what you have done in life, there is One who loves you anyway. His name is Jesus. He is always there for you and is ready to forgive you and carry you when you need to be carried. He is there to help you when you need, to talk to, and so much more. He is there waiting for you with open arms just ready to grab you when you hold out your hands to Him. If you would like to learn more about it...please let me know and I will share more with you.

In the mean time here are the words to one of my favorite songs by the Sidewalk Prophets, its called You love me anyway..



The question was raised as my conscience fell a silly little lie it didn't mean much but it lingers still in the corners of my mind

Still You call me to walk on the edge of this world to spread my dreams and fly but the future's so far my heart is so frail I think I'd rather stay inside

But You love me anyway its like nothing in life that I've ever known You love me anyway Oh Lord, how You love me? How Your love me?

It took more than my strength to simply be still to seek but never find all the reasons we change the reasons I doubt and why do loved ones have to die?

But You love me anyway its like nothing in life that I've ever known You love me anyway Oh Lord, how You love me? How Your love me?

I am the thorn in Your crown, but You love me anyway. I am the sweat from Your brow, but You love me anyway. I am the nail in Your wrist, but You love me anyway. I am Judas' kiss, but You love me anyway.

See now, I am the man that called out from the crowd for Your blood to be spilled on this earth shaking ground. Yes, then I turn away with this smile on my face with this sin in my heart tried to bury Your grace.

And then alone in the night, I still called out for You. So ashamed of my life, my life, my life

But You love me anyway, oh, God, how You love me?

But You love me anyway its like nothing in life that I've ever known You love me anyway Oh Lord, how You love me? How Your love me?

You love me, You love me, You love me, You love me...How You love me? How You love me? How You love me...






I hope you find some hope and encouragement today....

Life

Life isn't about keeping score. It's not about how many people call you and its not about who you've dated, or dating, or haven't dated at all. It isn't about who you've kissed, what sport you play, or which guy or girl likes you. It's not about about your shoes or your hair or the color of your skin or where you live or go to school. In fact, it's not about grades, money, clothes, colleges that accept you or not, or the college that you attend or attended. Life isn't about if you have lots of friends, or if you are alone, and it's not about how accepted or unaccepted you are. Life just isn't about that.

But life is about who you love and who you hurt. It's about how you feel about yourself. It's about trust, happiness, and compassion. It's about sticking up for your friends and replacing inner hate with love. Life is about avoiding jealousy, overcoming ignorance and building confidence. It's about seeing people for who they are and not what they have. It's about choosing to use your life to touch someone else's life in a way that could never have been achieved otherwise. Most of all, its about your relationship with God. Live the life, God wants you to live.  These choices are what life's about.

We get preoccupied with so many things in life, that at the end of the day when we playback our day we realize it just doesn't matter..We place value in the nonessentials...We keep searching for this and for that, rather than being content with what we have. Life is short and despite it all we all have things life to be thankful for...

Make each day count.

Marriage

This year so far has been the year of engagements and weddings...Several of my friends and people I have recently met are getting married or have gotten married in the last few months or in weeks to come. So it got me thing on some questions...For those of you who are married or engaged  maybe you can shed some light on these questions...and for those of you who aren't feel free to add your opinions as well.

When is the right time to get married? Is there a certain/perfect age? Why should or shouldn't one get married? How do you know that the person you are in a relationship with is the one you are to marry? What are some things one should consider before making such a huge decision in life? How long should one date before getting engaged and/or married? How do you deal/face the battle of you know the one you are with is the one to marry but the outside world tells you no, not at all? How long should the engagement process be? Oh there are so many more questions to such a broad but narrow topic...

For those of you who have gotten married or getting ready to be married in the near future...I want to say congratulations. I pray for the best of the best and that the Lord will be with you guys each step of the way and blesses your relationship. I hope your life with your significant other will be filled much love, joy, happiness, peace and blessings that the both of you deserve...Don't forget to pray and keep God first and above all enjoy the journey/experience...

Need a laugh? Watch Bill Cosby

Where will this lead me?

Due to my sister/best friend coaxing I am finally creating a blog. I am not sure where or how I will formulate or take this...But this will definitely be a journey and an experience. My overall hope for this blog though is to help myself and/or my fellow readers to take a moment to press pause and take a break, a moment....Sometime these moments and breaks will be thought provoking, sometimes it will bring tears and/or laughter,and sometimes it will hopefully bring you closer to God..Where ever or whatever emotion/thought that is evoked, I hope that by the end of that moment we were able to just breathe and relax. Please feel free to leave questions or comments on my postings as well as suggestions of what you would like to see posted...Enjoy your moment.....