New Nickname

WHITE GIRL FUZZY BALL! Yes I am.
This morning I was walking towards a faculty, who did not have her glasses on at the time and was really squinting at me then put her glasses up to her face and I gave her a weird look and she told me I was just a white girl fuzzy ball without the glasses on. I am down. I figured I would find some pictures that matched my white girl fuzziness.

Here I think it portrays my trendiness. I don't think it gets any trendier than a puff ball cat that has just come out of the dryer and has now taken residence in your hair.


I could be a cutesy white girl fuzzy ball. One your cat would want to play with.

So I am cute and playful.





Or this sort of frightening looking plant. It looks like it would be harmless, but from my experiences as a child, it would only look that way and then take out your finger upon touching it. Something you would want to squish and would leave porcupine-like quills in your tender little finger.

Or I am nice and innocent looking on the outside and treacherous to be near.

Is this what she was trying to say about me?



When I am rich and famous I will be known as White Girl Fuzzy Ball.

Pics that Would not Post

The other day these two pictures refused to post.

This is above the creek, it was so beautiful.

This is Rachel braving the creek, even before she got into the water. Oh and once they got in this aluminum death trap and put it in the water, they tumped on the first rapids. And every subsequent rapids. Aluminum just can't cut it.

She ended up later trading spots with another of the guys and was much more successful. Although she tumped like 10 times more than me, I ended up with a lot more bruises.

Praise the Lord

I received my letter this weekend. It is now official I have been accepted into UAMS Surgical Technology school. Now my prayer is that my boss will look favorably on me having some weird hours in the fall semester. If not I have been looking at other job listings in UAMS. I would like to stay where I am but I want God's will.

Big Piney Creek

Here is our fearless group, who braved the Big Piney Creek. Bryan, Matt, Jonathan, Luke, Rachel, Elijah and me. This was at the Outfitters.

This is the beginning of the creek. The water was great, kind of cold but very refreshing, the sun was shining brightly and warmly upon us.
Here is Luke and Matt, at the beginning they were the only ones to never tump. Luke ended up only tumping like 3 times total.
Another picture of the beauty surrounding us.
Ahh yes I am scouting out the area, oh no wait I am paddling, but I look like I am scouting the area. You see the tee shirt behind me. That was there along with my shorts and top I was attempting to dry them out.
Here is my excellent partner, goofing off. He really was great at directing us and together we made great decisions minus one.
Here is me again.
Here is a beautiful refreshing waterfall that Bryan brought us to. I was totally excited, they make me so happy. I get all giddy and such.
Here is Rachie and I enjoying the cold fresh water. I love waterfalls.
The boys got a little adventursome and climbed up in search of more waterfalls.
Elijah was so adventuresome that he climbed up the waterfall in search of more waterfalls.
We finally got everyone back and got ready to head back out on the creek.
This is the top of the Mother, the most dangerous rapids on this creek. We did not know we were there until we were going over it.
That rock in the middle is the Little Mother. This is the rock that you are supposed to avoid and if you go to the left it is a level 3 to the right it is a 2+. We all took the 3. Well Bryan and I tried to take the 3 but we ended up ramping Little Mother, which was so much fun, especially for me since I was in the front. We almost made it through but I was like half hanging out after we made it over, so we tumped. Bryan made me pull my knees up which probably saved me from being totally covered in bruises.
The Little Mother would be to the very left I think you can barely see it. That huge rock is the Mother and the boys are headed right to it and hit it head on.
Here is Luke coming down on the kayak. The only ones who made it down without tumping were those on the kayak. When Bryan and I tumped I totally forgot about the clothes drying on our canoe and lost my outfit and Rachel's tee. I went back down just floating and found her top but my outfit was lost.
This is the very end of the rapids, it is very swift right here and Bryan hung onto the canoe and it pulled him between these two rocks that you can barely see and the canoe got stuck and he was being pulled under but somehow he got it unwedged. I asked him if I could just float around where it looked safer. I let him be the brave one.
This is all the way at the bottom of the Mother, Elijah is pulling me in the canoe. This was after I had found Rachel's tee shirt.
More beauty on the creek.
The beauty behind us and Bryan paddling away.
On the very left of this picture in the sunlight right by the shore is a beaver. When he was right beside us I was fishing for the camera and he was swimming up creek so the picture sucks. He was so cute though. Jon had been yelling beaver over and over before this and then we saw one. I was so excited, I have never seen one in the wild before. I am not sure I have seen one in captive either.

This is the huge bruise I walked away with. The front of my legs were covered in bruises. I looked like I was a battered woman. I was sort of fearful someone may call the cops when they saw my legs.

5000 Fed

This weekend we decided to invite everyone from Bible study over for lunch on Sunday. I did this thinking about 10 may come tops. I asked that everyone email me and RSVP to know how much I should cook. By the time we made it home and started the food off, we were up to 18 coming. Not only was I fearful about providing food for them all, but also adequate seating or even space in our 2 bedroom, 930 square foot townhouse. I had tripled the recipe but even that was only supposed to feed 15. Someone asked if I had prayed over the food (joking) because we all were satisfied and there was a tiny bit left, after it all. We had sides along with it, if not we would have run out of food.

Ministry of Music

This is my prayer today.

Draw Me Close
Michael W Smith

Draw me close to You
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear you say that I'm Your friend
You are my desire no one else will do
There's nothing else can take Your place
To feel the warmth of Your embrace
Help me find a way bring me back to You.
You're all I want
You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know you are near.

I add help me want you and nothing else, because nothing else will do.

Have a Slice of Humble Pie

It is so quiet here today that you could hear a pin drop. Well that is everywhere other than my office. To make up for the lack of talking and hussle and bustle I have my music going full force and I am totally Jammin here in my office. Once again the faculty are all at their yearly retreat so I am ALL BY MYSELF! If my faculty can retreat today so can I.

As usual I finished all my work I had by about 9 maybe 9:30, I did have quite a pile. I am beginning to wonder what all the other staff do around here when they are done with their work. I know they have about as much as I do some maybe a little more, so what do they do when they get it all done.

I wonder because when I came in this morning I had a pile of tests that I just had to plug in the score on my computer, so I did it first thing. It took me about 15 minutes at the most. So I finish some other things and then head to turn some of the tests to the registrar and some to the staff who gave them to me. She was just coming in so I gave them to her she looked at me in like shock and wonder and said, "You are done with those already!?!?" I said, "Yeah all I have to do is type in the numbers and then check over to make sure I have them right." You would think no one would be impressed by doing this in this sort of time frame. But she claimed I am such a fast worker and stuff like that. I mean how should I take that, it's not like I typed it all faster than anyone in the world. I know for a fact plenty of people can type numbers faster than me and could have done it in a more timely manner.

I think I have the answer, at least this is what one of my faculty and I came up with when she was talking about the difference between my predecessor and I. Basically my faculty had to do pretty much everything themselves, because my predecessor would claim she could not do it or did not have time. I guess she spent a lot of time just staring at the computer screen. How she could spend even an hour doing this I can't even comprehend. When I came I had to show my faculty that I could work and I desired to work, I CAN'T stand staring blankly at a computer screen. They had to learn how to delegate things over to me.

Don't get me wrong I am not perfect and I am not trying to claim to be. Months ago, actually in December one of my faculty gave me something to do but had told me it was no rush. So I put it off and ended up never doing it. Well then yesterday she was looking for it really hard on her computer and could not find it but was sure I had done it and sent it to her. Because she has like 300 unopened emails, this is hard for her, but she was really trying to find it without having me send it again. She finally gave in and asked me about it. I thought about it and then remembered she had told me no rush so I had totally forgotten to do it. My pride was crushed, as it should be. Serve me up a huge slice of humble pie. They tend to brag and carry on about how fast and wonderful I am then I pull a stunt like this. Not only that but this was a document she needed to edit and have turned in by tomorrow. She ended up having to take it home to finish it, if I had done it when she asked me, or just done it a week ago, she would not be stuck having to try to get it done at home. So in NO WAY am I the best Administrative Assistant there is, but there is a difference between how I work, and how my faculty claim most everyone else works. Note to self always do work right when you get it, or after you finished what you were currently doing.

The lesson I learned... Ephesians 6:5-6
Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

Eww now I think back what have been my motives for doing the work in a quick manner? Was it to receive more praise from my faculty or was it I was working as if Christ were my boss? Yeah that one is easy, the answer should be I work for God and He has only put my boss over me, so therefore I have a great attitude about getting work and I do it as quickly as possible because that pleases God. The truth is not so pretty. I do love the praise and although I do not blatantly think how can I get them to praise me, because sometimes it embarrasses me, I still think more of doing it for the praise/reputation/raise/etc. rather than because it pleases Christ. Another area of growth for me.

Mother

God custom made me for this mother.

Psalm 139:13-14

For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother's womb.

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

They say birds of a feather flock together.

My Tribute to Mom

This is my tribute to my mother. This mother's day I wanted to honor her by telling her how much I appreciate her and what she has done.

Judith Ann Johnson

“You’ll turn out to be your mother.” This phrase is threatening to some people or a source of fear. But that is not true for me. I am happy that I see glimpses of my mother in my day to day life. It is great to see how much I am like her and yet I have far to go.

You see the most important aspect of my mother is that she is a woman of God. Every day she draws her strength at the Wellspring of Life in her morning devotions and prayer. Mom prays for us in the morning and used to tuck us into bed and pray with us at night. Mom always had some biblical truth to teach my sister and I. She could turn almost any conversation heavenward. She lived out Deuteronomy 6:6-7

These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

Mom loved her roles in life. She loved my dad and kept our house nice and tidy, until we could get our hands on it. My mother taught me submission although I did not know the name for it. She supported and honored my father and his leadership. She cared and provided for us. It pained her when we did not obey. She kept a balanced budget and showed me how to make things work within your budget. She was a jack of most trades I acquired a love for sewing, cooking and gardening from her. My mom taught me how to be productive and not waste your time. She would not just waste a few hours or more watching a movie and not getting anything done she would put in a movie and pull out sewing, ironing, or a new recipe.

My mom played an essential part in my salvation. She has prayed for me always and when I came to the end of my rope she showed me Christ’s sacrifice and love by sacrificing a weekend trip with my father to stay home with me. I am pretty sure if she had not I would not be where I am today.

Mom was a nurse without a degree. She was so compassionate and cared for all our bumps and scrapes. When we just could not sleep she would come and lay with us until we nodded off. When we were scared in the middle of the night she would answer our helpless cries in amazing time. She was a haven for us. A place of comfort where we knew we were safe.

She taught me the healing power of tears and laughter. It is not good to bottle up your emotions, and mom never let me cry alone. She would listen patiently as we told her our pains and fears. I knew exactly where to turn when things looked bleak and I could not find my way.
I love my mother and pray I continue to grow into a woman of God like she is.

Saturday

On Saturday we attending an Unlocking the Bible conference at our church. There were three sessions: the first The Old Testament Knowing God the Father, The Gospels Trusting Christ the Son, and The Epistles Living in the Spirit. It was wonderful and I was blown away. For each session he had a diagram of mountains and valleys that he used as an outline guide.
For the Old Testament the mountains are what God has done and the valleys are what man has done.
The Gospel shows Christ in His Highest Place (mountain) and in His Lowest Places (valleys).

Then the Epistles couple the Christian walk.

In about 6 hours he covered the entire Bible. I was very blessed to be able to attend.

The downloadable sermons are available at http://64.19.50.210/. I would highly recommend listening to them. He used great illustrations to illustrate his points, I learned a lot.

My Weekend

This weekend was marvelous. It started out at a Travelor's baseball game. Aaron brought Aaron Job and Abby and when they first walked up she was reaching out for me so I was holding her. She told me she wanted to sit by me at the game. After a little while she announced that I could put her down now. When we finally went in I sat by her for the most part some of the time she sat on me. I learned a sharing song because I love nachos and it seems she does too. Yes I was being sanctified at a baseball game. I love them so much it seems really hard to share, but when you have a cutie like this gazing at you asking nicely it is hard to turn down. We also sang the BIBLE, and she tried to teach me the sharing song but I can't sing it right obviously. I guess I will have to take some lessons. I think we may have become like best friends in one night. I was a little distracted from the game but do I ever truly watch the game, well no I would have to say I don't, so Abby provided my entertainment and I think the feeling was mutual.
I will have to tell about the rest of my weekend tomorrow. I have a reception to go to now.

Of Sergers and Sewing Machines

Ah to have another job on the side. What a blessing and a stress. Saturday was the momentous occasion where I got my first 3 sewing projects. I also got to borrow a serger and have since fallen in love. Oh yes true love with a piece of machinery. Ah life is sweet. When I was ready to do serious damage to my sewing machine and quite possibly put it in it's grave I had the bright idea to serge the edge and then attempt to hem the narrow flounce. Now let me start by explaining that flounces are evil continually and I just may boycott them altogether. Flounces are ruffles that are possessed. Instead of a straight piece of cloth that you gather you cut out circles or half circles and stitch them straight on the cloth and they naturally ruffle. But you must hem a round edge and the more ruffled you want it to look, the more curved it will be. Thus it is near impossible to fight to get it all rolled under without little tucks in it or something else to make it look messy. This is where the serger became my hero. I decided to serge the rough edge and then try to turn it under and hem it. The serger proved itself good and dependable. After serging it, the cloth wanted to turn under nicely and not cause any creases or such. It only took about 2 hours of fighting before this idea came to me. But that was nothing compared to the 3 1/2 hours it took me to get the flounce measured out and cut. I am used to making clothes with a pattern or altering already made clothing, not make my own pattern or just wing it by eye. This caused much stress and use of all my store of creative juices. And Mountain Dew was by my side to help my sanity along the way.
I just love Brenda's outlook on all this. She said although we do not get paid by the hour so all that time I took to figure it out will be unpaid for, you have to take into account to learn how to do it otherwise would cost for classes, so to work it all out you are not having to pay but learning so I can know how to do it next time.