Spring has Sprung

I know this because I can barely sit a minute without sneezing. My nose is stopped up and as one of my coworkers said, "[she knew] something was wrong because I am so quiet." What exactly is that supposed to mean, I am loud otherwise? As I drove to work I shuddered at the pollen I saw dangling from trees. I have been on my shot almost a year now but I started getting them when spring was almost over. So I was not subjected to so much potent pollen. It is rough. I can only pray that God would keep sending rain to wash it all away once it starts collecting. I love plants and all that but I just hate the awful stuff that comes with them. I mean look at it, that looks like scary stuff and my body reacts accordingly.

Weekend Update

This weekend was a ton of fun.
Friday night we went to our friends house for dinner and to watch the Princess Bride. There were many of us including myself who were giggling as we quoted half of the movie. That is a classic. Even the guys were cracking up at it especially those who had not seen it before. The party was dying and my sister came to the rescue with Dance Dance Revolution. There were two guys who you would never have thought would participate but did. I was highly entertained and we all let it hang loose.
Saturday was shopping as usual. I went to the River Market that morning with some friends, I did not buy anything but had some marvelous chai and a muffin. Then Rachel dragged me to see Nanny McPhee. We wanted to go to the 7:30 show but you just can't go to Tandy at that time on Saturday. The line was about 70 people long and we would be late if we waited. Rachel came up with the so-called bright idea to go to the mall. I hate the mall. Oh how I loved to just go and shop as a teen but I hate it now. I used to spend hours at the mall and love every minute of it. We tried to drag out at least an hour there and it was torture to me. So we went to a couple more stores around there then it was time for the movie. I had been skeptical about the movie but it was really fun and cute and I did not feel like I had wasted $1.50.
Sunday we had church and after we just came home and ate. I prepared the casserole for Care Group and then took my usual nap. Oh yeah I have to admit I was happily watching NASCAR before I took my nap. Oh the guilt and shame. Now I could not sit and watch the whole race but I bet I would love it if I were there. Then we had marvelous food at Care Group. Even one of the single guys made a casserole. The women decided next time the men would be grilling for us or something like that. But that leaves us to make the side dishes, there is just no escape for us women. But at least they appreciate us right?
Oh and last night we celebrated one of the women's birthday. Her husband had not been able to do anything for her because he had been violently ill the week before and so he called our pastor's wife and had her get a cake. But he was so out of it when he called he told her he would call back on a secure line about the cake etc. That killed me. Someone joked that they did not know he was a federal agent.
It was definitely too short though.

Solution

Sit on the same side of the bus and it makes it harder and more awkward for him to stare at you. Still a little wary because for the past month or more he gets on the bus when I do every day. And the bus comes every 10 minutes or less in the morning and I am not here at the same exact time every day. Ahh!

So on a positive note, I received "Praying the Names of God" yesterday and started reading it last night. Again I have been greatly influenced to pray to God and praise God using His names by the wonderful ladies in our Sunday school. His names as revealed to us in Scripture help us to know Him. She takes one name a week and goes over 26 names for God. On Monday she gives you the background information and a study to understand the name. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday you are given devotional readings to help you pray Scripture that contain the name or relate to it. Friday there are Scriptures to memorize and reflect on that connect His name to His promises.

Creepiness Quotient

Question for you all: What is more creepy, having a complete stranger try to pursue you and use cheesy pick-up lines, or act like they know you from somewhere, or having someone shamelessly stare at you day after day in the bus on the way to work, never dare to say a thing to you or stop staring if you glance their way? Not only does he stare when I sit across from him but also, like today when I am farther up and he has to stare between some bars in his way. Ahh so creepy to me. I try to ignore it but it makes me nervous and I try desperately to find something to stare at to keep my attention away from the fact that his eyes are boring into me. It makes me nervous and I want to fidget and don't really know what to do with myself.

Megan's Wedding

These are a little late in the coming but here they are. Actually I forgot about posting them and found them as I was organizing my scrapbook stuff.

Mom and dad, Bob was a little offended that you did not make it a priority to come.

I found out the hard way to always tilt up the flash especially if there is anything in front of you.
The happy couple
I think they were praying after lighting the unity candle, how cute is that or they were just talking to each other.
Oh yeah mom's favorite picture.
Flash did not want to warm up in time and Photoshop can't help it.
Off they go
Cutting the cake
The nice
The ugly mom I can hear your moan from here and see you cringing.
Here is Megan's side of the family. Well most of them at least. I met quite a few others.

Blessings from our Elders

These past two years I have really been blessed to be under the teaching of Ms. Anne Cheairs and the ladies in our Sunday school class. Ms Anne has been real weak lately and so she has not been able to come to class. Our dear Dal Fletcher though came to her house one cold night and took her to her house to care for her. I received a desperate call from Dal on Monday night. She wanted to know if Rachel and I would be able to visit/babysit Ms Anne the next night because her granddaughter was having a birthday party they wanted to attend and she did not think it wise to leave Ms Anne alone. I was more than glad to offer myself and ask my sister if she would like to come too. My sister would not be home from work then and she wanted to work-out so she declined. I was excited.
I tried to think of some questions to ask her to gain more wisdom one on one with her. I really did not get far but that was good. She was napping when I got there and Dal showed me around and then we woke her and told her I was there. She got up and I made some tea. We sat down to tea and I am really glad I could not come up with questions for her because she had tons for me. Wow we went from how the Sunday school class was, to if there was any romantic relationships in my life, to pray requests, to how my parents were doing. I think she may have learned more about me that night than I was aware of at the time. It was great though. All in all we talked about 2 1/2 hours and then we closed by praying. Which would be one of her favorite things to do.
In classic Ms Anne style she asked a few questions during prayer then closed the prayer by telling me to pray for my parents since she did not know all the scoop on them. This reminded me of Care group a few weeks ago. One of my friends was praying and was saying he was not sure of the book of the Bible that had been translated and I had to hold my tongue not to tell him because we do that so often in our prayer time in Sunday school, but it may shock some there. So I withheld and told him after what it was. I was not the only one who wanted to tell him though.
Ms. Anne is marvelous and I pray that she will be well enough to come back to class soon. She said it was a great blessing to get to know me then too. She would love to really know us young ladies in the class but she says she never wants to push it on us. This was God's way of opening a door for both of us.

Let me take you back

As I sat at my desk journaling today about who I would like to be in Christ I was brought back to the days of Psalty. I think this may be a moment when I feel old. Like younger people would ask, who is Psalty? What about Patch the Pirate, Antsillvania, Music Machine, Sir Oliver, and Bull Frogs and Butterflies? Those tapes would reverberate through our house as children. To be real honest I think I may collect them again. I just love those songs.
Back to my point the song that came to mind was Just Like You from the Psalty family album I think it was number 3. It went something like... Give Your peace, show Your joy, give Your love Lord How I want to be like you. I want to be like you and do the good things that I want to do.
I compiled a list of the character traits I would like to possess and the ones I do possess but chose not to use often.

• I want to be wise, now I know this comes with time and I will never know it all until I reach heaven and who knows what then.
• Along with being wise I want to be a scholar and a prayer warrior, like all the women in my Sunday school class, I just have to consistently follow their example.
• I want to be a woman who is content, joyfully. I want to recognize that God has me here in this place for a reason and I am to be bringing Him glory here and now. God thinks this is the best for me and who am I to argue that what I want would be better now.
• I want to be selfless and giving, of my time, energy and things.
• I want to be quiet and uplifting.
• I want to be meditative and think before I speak or act.
• I want to be an encourager and uplifter.
• I want to be a listener, this means not thinking of my response while someone is talking but soak up everything they say and then comment. I really think this would lead to a lot less foot in mouth syndrome.
• I want to be merciful and sympathetic. One great thing I learned in nursing is even if there is no reason you can see for a patient to be hurting and you don't think they are if they say they are then it is real to them so you react accordingly. Where as I would want to argue with them that they are not hurting.
• I want to be a supporter and a helpmate (the second will come if the Lord has a husband for me).
• I want to be unhurried and not dying for some form of pure entertainment every moment of the day. I want to learn to relax and rest. There should be more Quiet retreats all around the world. I was so blessed by taking the time to get away into the quiet to sit at the feet of my Lord and Savior and soak Him up.
• Along with that I want to be patient. Be content to wait upon God to act.
• I want to be self-controlled, especially with food. I have been very convicted about my eating habits lately. I had a coworker come in and ask if there was anything scientific behind ear stapling to decrease hunger. I told her I am sure that it does decrease your hunger but at the same time I don't have to be hungry to eat, when I see things I want I eat them. She was saying she was the same way. So I was saying no amount of ear stapling is going to do the trick. Whereas practicing self-control and not eating every time I am given the chance works every time.
• I want to be submissive, with joy.

I plan on taking each one and pray and practice it for a week or two so my character will change also.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Girls Night Out

Last night we had the first of our Girl's Night Out meetings each month. Our topic was godly communication. As I am reading at work, no I don't have anything else to be doing. I found a whole chapter on communication in Josh Harris's Boy Meets Girl. I thought I would share his principles for authentic communication. I know these really hit the nail on the head for me.

1. Communication problems are usually heart problems. If our words are selfish, sinful and uncaring that is because we are selfish, sinful and uncaring.
2. Your ears are your most important communication tools. That is why we have two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as much as you talk. When you ask a question absorb the answer.
3. Good communication does not happen by accident, just like we were talking about last night. Meditate on things and conversations will flow more naturally.
4. The absence of conflict does not equal good communication.

• Learn to express your feelings and frustrations honestly without attacking or accusing the other person.
• Choose words, expressions and a tone that are kind and gentle.
• Don't exaggerate, distort or stretch the truth. Avoid extreme words such as always or never.
• Give actual and specific examples. Make notes if necessary before communicating.
• Commit yourself to seeking solutions and not just airing your grievances.
• Listen to what the other person is saying, feeling and needing. Try to detect their underlying concerns.
• Refuse to indulge bitterness, anger, withdrawal, or argument. Those emotions are normal but indulging them is sin.
• Don't hesitate to acknowledge your own failure, and be quick to forgive the other person.
• Keep talking and asking questions until you are sure that you both understand clearly what the other is saying and feeling.
• Train your mouth and heart until you can say the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right reasons.

5. Motive is more important than technique. We need to want to be loving and serve others.