NYC Trip

Diane and I met her sister and her friend in NYC for a girls weekend! We had a blast!!!!! We saw Mary Poppins on Broadway, Central Park, Bryant Park, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, SOHO, 5th Avenue, Empire State Building, Wall Street, NYSE, and on and on.....all in 3 days!

My favorite pic (of the 5 I actually took) was of these beams that were left behind when the Twin Towers fell on Sept. 11th and they were found in this exact formation. What a testiment to the fact that our Lord is still working in our world today! He surrounds His people even in the middle of a national crisis!

We had an incredible and action packed weekend but my wallet is glad that I'm home. Now off to Gatlinburg for another girls weekend.....

Community

Definitions of community: a group of people living in a particular local area; common ownership; common interests; agreement as to goals. Today I am joining a new community (click the link to join one too)! A community of people who are curious about our Creator and who desire to live life as HE desires. We are meeting once a week at my house and are studying a book called Jaded by Mike Harder. We will also be eating...because I think Webster left that definition off the list. In my opinion, community = food. :) My prayer for this new group is that God will show up and move in BIG ways, that we can learn from one another and hold each other accountable, and that we will develop healthy friendships and have some fun along the way! I think it is crucial for Christians to have a small group of believers to "do" life with. Some call it a support group, I call it a community. Sometimes we need someone from the outside looking in to guide us, teach us, pray for us/with us, and love us! Sometimes we need to talk things out and sometimes we just need to listen. That's what community is all about! Do you think its crucial for believers to be involved in a small group or a community that study's God's word and lives life together?

Global Warming

Here are a few pics of the recent ice storm to take over many parts of the US including Kentucky and that caused my family to all come stay at my house! It was a treat for me to have my family here, but the circumstances are devastating for them. Many of my family members are still without running water or electricity and are having to stay in hotels. You'll love this: my dad ground up (smashed) coffee beans on a plate and ran bottled water over them in a filter into a pan. Then he heated the pan on the grill in 20 degree weather in order to get his morning coffee....HA HA That was before he scraped his steps with a 3" ice scraper and then chainsawed his way out of town to come see me for the weekend!! :) I so wish I had pictures of that!

So, be thankful that you can drink hot coffee while you read this because there are thousands, probably millions of Americans right now who cannot even get water from the faucet or take a hot shower! And they say it will be weeks before they get power back. Heavenly Father, thank you for the many many blessings we take for granted every day, Amen.

My Apologies, Mr. President

I have been feeling very guilty for my last post. Although there are many issues I disagree with, it isn't my place to judge him and make "exaggerated" comments because I'm bitter. I clearly am not as smart or as courageous as Obama and I haven't even given him a chance to show our country that he is truly on our side and desires to see us grow and prosper as a nation. As Christians, we have a right to our political opinions, but we shouldn't judge, accuse, or condemn others for their opinions. Especially when we haven't given them a chance to succeed or fail. And to those 2 million Americans who attended the inauguration: I have no idea how you paid to go and clearly I don't care. My concern is that a great number of you look to Obama as an idol or icon rather than the next president of the United States. I just hope that you truly see something in him that will change our nation for the better and that you don't just see the color of his skin. I hope you aren't just jumping on the emotional bandwagon, but that you truly care enough about our nation that you would travel to DC to show your patriotism and prayerful support for our next president, Barack Obama. Now, to those of you who quit your job to be on the Bachelor.......I have no apologies.

What Recession? The $170 Million Inauguration

You're probably thinking I'm just bitter because my candidate didn't win. Well I can't say I'm jumping for joy! I told myself that there is nothing I can do to change the election results and that I should start supporting and praying for Barack and hoping that he can and will do what all he says he's gonna do. But so far I'm honestly just feeling like all this "by the people, for the people" B.S. and all the other promises Obama is making are all JUST CRAP!

I mean, who says, first thing on the agenda is fixing our broken and recession tagged economy ...................... right after we throw a $170 million party to celebrate ME! (monetary figure from ABC.com) Let me add that a portion of the money raised to throw these parties was donated by executives who were recently "BAILED OUT" with your tax dollars. That makes a lot of sense. And what about the 2 million Americans who traveled to D.C. just to see this extravagant event take place? I thought we were in a recession. I guess they just put this trip on the VISA or perhaps failed to pay their mortgage so they could swear in the president who will take their money and give it to the lazy people who don't want to work for a living or the ones who quit their job so they can make an appearance on the Bachelor. Maybe if they are lucky, there will be a bailout plan for Obama supporters.

And how much did Stevie Wonder make from this? Sheesh, I thought the guy was dead. Apparently not. He starred in every song. What ever happened to honoring those who fight every day for our freedom? Instead of paying Beyonce, EZE, Usher, Stevie, Vanilla Ice and Rapper Joe to sing at the inauguration, what about paying for our troops to fly home to see their families for just one day? To see their sons and daughters and perhaps to be honored in their own country for the hard work and sacrifice they are making?

I confess I am bitter and not one bone in my body is excited that Obama is President. However, I am going to commit (though I will need some very faithful accountability partners) to overlook the contradictions, false claims, and other ridiculous facts about this entire election/inauguration process and pray for our future, hopeful that Obama will commit to living out all of the miraculous plans he has claimed to achieve for this country and that we, the people, will come together and ensure our rights are preserved rather than abused. We must do everything in our control to bring justice and equality to this country, which is not achieved by spreading the wealth (just so you know). The money you work very hard to earn for your family is yours to freely give as YOU see fit and as God tells you to give. But that's just my humble opinion.

Thanks for letting me vent. Now in all seriousness, God bless America and God bless Barack Obama, Michelle and their girls and especially YOU for reading my blog. We truly live in a great Nation. Let's keep it that way! :)

Butterflies

Apparently my four year old nephew is capable of giving girls butterflies! He is in pre-kindergarten for crying out loud!! Look at this girl...she is so giddy! This is Emma, his girlfriend. I can't get over this pic so I just had to share. I mean, who could blame her? He is the cutest thing I've ever seen! :) We are gonna have to lock him up or lock the girls out!

I miss the Holidays already!

This is a prime example of why I will miss the Holidays. No more colorful strolls down Huntington Parkway! HA HA HA I think they must have a savings account JUST for Christmas decorations!! Unbelievable. I should have gotten a day pic too because you are missing Santa in this picture....he is hanging off the roof! :)

A Holiday Spectacular!

Yesterday I attended a 2.5 hour Christmas spectacular with my co-workers. We were wined and dined with everything from grapefruit/shrimp salad to exquisite fruit cobbler. Then after we gave the IS dept. 17 door prizes (none of which I won), we were to tune our eyes and ears to a variety show unlike anything you can even begin to fathom. Rows of blondes in tight pleather dresses and sequins and men in tight leather pants......and sequins..... lined the stage singing dreamy renditions of "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" and "Jingle Bells". But the show didn't stop there. We got a little taste of Trisha Yearwood, Johnny Cash, Willie, and even the Temptations were there! (see photo) There was also some other girl who I think was Christina Aguilera but I can't stop thinking about her outfit long enough to remember the song that she so passionately belted out. As if seeing a pregnant woman in sequins and hearing "Go Away Little Girl" from Bill Clinton weren't enough excitement.....then there was Four. If they aren't currently in your 6-disc changer, here's a refresher. Four is a hip hop group that proceeded to break dance, do the robot, and even rap all at once!!! "Word to your mother" was one of their hits. At least that was all I could make out. We were asked to sing along which no one did and were not asked to dance along, which some did anyway. The climax of the show must have been when Elvis threw his hip out on "Blue Christmas". Nothing says Emmanuel like cheap costumes and tasteless jokes! Happy Holidays!

A Forgotten Angel

I am fortunate enough to work with a group of people who are so giving of their time and money. Together, we sponsored a Forgotten Angel from the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program and look at all the great things we were able to get her!! The best part is, Tara and I got to do the shopping!!!

If you want to sponsor an Angel Tree child, it's not too late! You can go to any Daily's Market (gas station) and get a Forgotten Angel that didn't get picked during the Angel Tree process. You have until December 19th to shop and return the unwrapped gifts to the same store where you selected your child.

Good luck and Happy Giving!!

Most Important Person of 2008

Time Magazine is currently working on their "Most Important Person of 2008". Of course, Barack Obama is in the lead. My pastor posted a blog http://www.withoutwax.tv/ on the topic today asking who in OUR lives should be nominated for Most Important Person of the Year.

It got me thinking about who has influenced me or impacted my life most in 2008 and I'll be quite honest no one came immediately to mind. That's not to say no one impacted my life over the course of the year or that I don't surround myself with absolutely amazing people, but there wasn't one person that stood out more than the rest.

After some deep thinking, I have selected my nominee......my grandmother, Mary Jean Ramage. She is the most selfless and Godly woman I know, and she has taught me many things this year.

1. She has taught me to be positive no matter what the circumstances. We lost my grandfather, her husband, in January to cancer and I've never seen anyone respond as well as she did. I'm sure she has had her share of tears and grief, but she has always been such a joy to be around and did more to lift our spirits than we did to lift hers. She was an amazing wife through thick and thin when papow was at his best and his worst.

2. She is the most selfless, thoughtful person. She has been suffering from chronic luekemia for almost 2 years now and no one really even knew until a month ago. She claims that we were all so worried about papow that she couldn't bear the thought of us worrying about her, too. She was able to keep it under control with medication until about a week ago. It was when I found out she would be undergoing her first 6 hour chemo treatment that I found out she was even sick. She hasn't complained, she hasn't griped, and she still has the same joy in her heart that she has had for years.

3. She lives life each day knowing that God is in control and that we can do more good by remaining positive and joyful than by dwelling on our sorrows. I hope and pray that I can be the woman, mother, and grandmother one day that she is today.

I love you mamow!!!! I'm praying for you!!!