I Hope You Don't Hate Me- 50 Days of Christmas Blogging

Okay, I know some of you will hate me but I just can't hold it in anymore. I impatiently waited for November 1st to post this because I figured give Halloween its due, but Halloween is over and this is the start of a new month and a new season and even a new week so here we go.

I have hinted about this, but it is about to start. That's right, it is almost time for Christmas and because of that I have chosen to start my tradition of 50 Days of Christmas Blogging. I know what you are thinking- How am I going to do 50 days? Why 50? When does that mean you have to start your blogging?
Well, I have come up with things about Christmas and the season that I want to blog about and when I got em all down, I found i was close to 50 so I figured I didn't want 47, but 50, so I found a few more to settle my Monk-ness. You may also notice I tried to have my prompts coincide with other things happening- such as Christmas Eve- on christmas eve and Christmas Morning ON Christmas morning and advent on the first advent sunday. Also, I have picked a few special Christmas movies to blog specifically about and those coincide with the day they will be watched on my 25 Days of Christmas Movies- Oh Yes, that is still happening.
Soooooo, that means that I start my blogging nice and early- November 6th to be exact.

I am writing about it today to warn you that it is coming and also to invite anyone who would like to join me and write about their traditions and Christmas Spirit. Granted, you won't have exactly the same topics as mine because I doubt that you do everything as my family does during the Christmas Season, but in case you want to take on this exciting task and would like some ideas- here ya go- My grown up Christmas List (Amy Grant reference)

PS- please notice that you actually start on November 6th at the bottom of Page two and go UP!

So, go, Blog up a storm and be sure to make your own list of 32 Days of Christmas Blogging or 25 Days of Christmas Blogging, or 8 Days of Christmas Blogging, or however many prompts you have. I think this will be a totally fun blogging activity.

Halloween (cuz Jon says I need to)

I thought I would write a blog posting on Halloween because Jon Acuff says I need to. He goes on to say that there are three views on Halloween within the church sector-

I Hate Halloween

We Love Halloween

and then of course there is

Christian Hybrid Halloween.

Id like to start off with a funny very short clip from How I Met Your Mother:

I am sorry if that is offensive to anyone, but... in the general community it sure seems like a true sentiment. Girls starting in Middle School or perhaps High School and then traveling on into their 20s seem to have this idea that for Halloween costumes they need to look sexy. I don't exactly know why. Perhaps because they can blame it on Halloween and not their personality because on any other day, others might think... wow thats inappropriate, but on Halloween.. it's okay?

But, getting back to the Halloween traditions of Christian ideals I have encountered people of varying backgrounds in the church. Some are totally against Halloween- saying it is a Pagan holliday and should not be celebrated- "No my kids don't go trick-or-treating. "Halloween is of the Debvil, Bobby" (Waterboy reference in case you missed it and, Yes, I meant to spell it that way)

I feel this approach is legalistic in its roots.

Then there's the "Harvest Party/Fall Festival/Pumpkin Party/Autumn Bash/insert your own non-Halloween name here. I would say most churches plan some sort of party (Not calling it a Halloween Party) at their churches- especially this year, since it lands on Sunday. They give out candy, and have booths, and you can dress up in costumes. This is supposed to be an alternative to trick or treating.

Then there is the "We Love Halloween" stance. To be honest, I don't hear that much within the church.

You may be wondering what my stance is within this spectrum. I'm glad you asked...

As a child, I enjoyed Halloween. You might think since dad is a pastor, I did not get to go trick or treating, but you would be wrong. My parents let me go trick or treating until after my 6th grade year. After that I was "too old" and I was bummed about that. I can remember one year when I was in High School and I wanted to trick or treat, so I climbed out my window at the house and trick or treated at my own front door. Now, there were some limits to my trick or treating in elementary school. Of course we had the safety issue of bringing a flashlight and not eating any candy until we got home to go through it. But also, I was not allowed to dress up in anything totally gruesome- not that I wanted to.

I had a few friends that were not able to do the trick or treating thing.

Sure, I can go and say I am not going to participate in this celebration, but I feel that, even though there are those who use the day to do bad spiritual things, Halloween is not that bad of a holiday with the right intentions at heart.

Call it in sick- shesh

I was having lunch this afternoon at a local fast food joint (I won't name names this time) and I was kinda scared to eat what I was given... Why? you may ask...
Well, the reason is because I noticed that one of my servers was coughing a whole bunch. She was putting tray sheets on the trays, coughed a few times, then continued and then a lady shows up and she takes her order and again she is hacking up something nasty. If I was the lady that was giving my order I would not feel comfortable. Anyways, she was even the one who was fulfilling the order and getting the food into the togo bag and everything. Now, being a former fast food worker, I know that you don't always take the time to wash your hands between the time of exchanging money and then fulfilling orders, but when you are coughing and then handling someone else's food, I would be disgusted. WOW.
Luckily, I never saw the cougher touching any of my food and I gave my order to someone else, so that is a good thing, but she could have had her infected body near my area at some point.
I was that manager, I would have to say that I would want to send that worker home.
If you are in the fast food (or food service in general) I would say that you need to be in top health condition to go to work and if not, call in sick.

Apples out my Ears!

Apples coming out my ears and filling its lovely aroma all around the house.
Yes, I had such a great time getting apples from Hood River at Rasmussen Farms. Now, I have to say that it was much more fun to pick apples from the trees myself at Alice's Orchard, but there were so many different varieties at Rasmussen. They were all in big bins and for a reasonable price too. I got some:

*Granny Smith

*Tokyo Rose

*Jonagolds

*Golden Delicous

*Winter Banana

*and then some odd varieties that were "Saucin Apples" that were a bit bruised and at a discounted rate. (How can you go wrong with .40cents/lb)

I have to say that so far my favorite to eat has to be the Tokyo Rose which is a variety of Fuji. They have kind of a waxy feel to the outside- red with yellow streaks. They are amazingly juicy and scrumptious (that word reminds me of Roald Dahl books- remember those). 

I have been using my apple slicer/peeler/corer NONSTOP. If you are ever going to be making apple things such as Apple Sauce or Apple Pies or bread or whatnot, I certainly recommend them- I think you can still get one for about $20 or less. It is great when making pies because it slices in rounds and keeps them all together and then I can just use a knife to cut in quarters (from top to bottom) and it makes the perfect size for the apple pie.




I have been recommended (when asked on Facebook) to make Apple Bread, Apple Crisp, and Apple Butter.
I have to say that it is such a great thing to have lots of apples from an independent company to use in baking and other applications.

Just Wrong!

I saw something today that I have never seen before- a car that had the steering wheel on the wrong side. Seriously, this was not an abnormal car- it was an Acura- of which I have seen many before, but this one had the steering wheel on the normal passenger side. Why did this guy have his steering wheel on the wrong side? I really don't know. It wasn't a mail truck or anything of that sort. It was very weird to see in my rear-view mirror as I was driving. At first I didn't even notice, and then as he got closer I noticed it looked like there was no driver, just a passenger. He even passed me (which seems very unsafe considering it was a two direction road and the driver being on the wrong side it would be tough to know for certain that no one was coming until you got most of your car on the other lane.) It was the craziest thing ever.
I just had to share.

Familiar sights and sounds

I was so happy tonight when I came across something familiar. To continue, I much move back a bit. Today on Facebook I had a friend post a YouTube video about XChristmas- a christmas cd that I enjoy. Of course, I had to take a listen to most of this cd when it was brought up. Also, I moved down all the christmas boxes from our attic which gets me in the mood.
Then, by pure chance, I have a playlist on my iPod and many songs from this CD (XChristmas) came on and I had to listen again. Just as I was listening to one of the tracks, I was driving back home at night and I saw my first Christmas lights lit up. So exciting. You may be very upset that there are christmas lights out even before Halloween, but I am happy to see the familiar song and lights and feels.

Music of the Night or Afternoon & My Preoccupation

Anyone who knows me knows that I like plans and lists and schedules. I like to know what is going on right now and what will happen in the future.
When I was taking college courses I thrived on the class schedules when they came out. I knew which classes I wanted to take and I found the best ones at the best times. I had a four-year plan for each class I wanted to take and checked them off when I accomplished them. I looked forward to that day when they released the new schedules of when and where the next term classes were available. I'm just weird. "God made me special and He loves me very much! Goodbye" Well, not really goodbye, but you get my reference (I hope)

Anyways, I was thinking about my freakiweird-ness (yes, I mashed those two words up when I was in Jr. High and just thought my mashed up word would be great in this context) today as I was listening to my mothers quartet plus one, minus one in their Music in Public Places concert at the Redmond Library. I took a seat in the front area and inadvertently sat in a place that I could watch the music go by. I did not do this on purpose, but I did find that it was very nice to watch the music pass as it did. I thought about how it made it more interesting. Now, someone who could not read music might not appreciate this as much as those of us who can read music, (If you can read this, thank a music teacher - Its a bumper sticker that I have see pointing at a piece of music) I found it exciting. Although the lady that I was sitting by was asking my mother a few questions about the music and mentioning how she could not read music but it was also invigorating for her as well to watch the music go by.
Well, as I was sitting there and watching the music go by and listening to the awesome sounds of the Dove String Quartet minus one, plus one, I was thinking about why I might enjoy watching the music go by?

Was it because I wanted it to end and I wanted to see the finish line? No, I don't think that was it.

Was it because I had nothing better to do and was bored? Nope.

Was it because I like to know the schedule and what is coming up next? Yup. I think that was the reason that I enjoy watching the music go by. I like to know what is going to happen next.
I find it very interesting that I like to know what is happening even while I am listening to a live classical music performance.
Now, I know there are some of us out there like me, but I would venture to guess that most people in this situation would not be thinking about what is coming next, but would instead just soak up the music and perhaps visualize the music or a scenario that the music might be portraying.


What about you?
What would you be thinking, watching, listening to, visualizing, at a live performance?

Scammin'

Ever had someone try to scam you? It's not that fun, just in case you were wondering.

Well, I have put up my roommate request on Craigslist and I got a response from someone saying they want the room and to count on them. They went on to mention that they were from Finland and they work as a humanitarian nurse. They said they wanted the room and the ability to move it as soon as they got back but had to travel back to Finland to take care of an ill uncle. At first this sounds a bit odd but legit enough. Then through conversations I found out that their stuff was being shipped here before she gets here and that she is going to send me money for the rent for the first month and also for the shipping fees. Ok, now its getting a  bit more awkward and sounds a bit hinky.

Then, as I knew it would, it turned south totally. I got an email just yesterday saying that the money from her should arrive today and that the moving company that is taking care of her stuff is getting mad and if they don't get $2000 they are going to take her stuff back. She says that she is worried about the stuff, but it's alright because I can pay for it and then she can get the money to me. 

Well, of course I'm not that stupid and so I have no intention of sending money via Western Union.

That is the sad story of how a scammer tried to take advantage of me. I even looked up online with a few choice keywords and found other internet sites mentioning the same sort of things she was to me. It is def. a scam and I am just so sad that it took up so much of my time and energy trying to get this person into my house. 

I know that God has some roommates for me and I am excited to meet them (when they show up)

Remedy- Or is it?

Who actually likes the Hiccups? I know that I never have. I always heard all these cures for hiccups:
*Holding your breath
*drinking water
*drinking as much water as you can in one sitting so you can't even breath
*ect, ect

Well, none of those things ever worked for me. I just always had to wait it out. Never fun. Well, I don't quite remember where I heard this one (it very well could have been a Pillsbury telling me about it) but this cure actually works for me 100% of the time. It Peanut Butter.
Now, if you have a peanut allergy, I might stray away from this remedy, but all it is is just taking a spoonful of peanut butter, and magically the hiccups stop.
Now, when I first heard this and tried it, I took a huge spoonful of peanut butter. Not smart.  It took forever to go down. Now that I have used this remedy a few times, I know that the size of the spoonful doesn't have to be huge.
Maybe its all in my brain because I just a few hiccups this afternoon and I went to go get the Peanut Butter and a spoon and when I opened the jar and took a spoonful, my hiccups were gone- even BEFORE I ate the peanut butter spoonful. Who knew, right?!

Well, since I am on annoying habits of the body, lets talk about sneezing. Thats another one of those things that you hear all these different ways to make yourself sneeze- Pepper and whatnot. Well, I found out the best way to make yourself sneeze when you have that tickle and I learned it from a movie a long time ago- Angus, I believe.
It is to tilt your head back and look straight into light. It works. Every time that I need to sneeze, all I have to do is look at a bright light.
Try out these remedies sometime. They work well.

Beware the last line- Just Wright Review

Okay, so I have been waiting for Just Wright to come to Redbox and being the releasing tuesday (that is not restricted to just Blockbuster- Stupid cheating-type deals) of the movie to Redbox, I picked it up. Yeah, I know I am cheap, but I will wait another month to rent at Redbox and pay $1 rather than pay up to $5 for a few days from BlockBuster.
I just got done with watching this movie and I have to give it 5 stars on my side. I did not hear much about this movie when it was in theaters but every once in a while I check online on Apple's Trailers and search for good movies that I would like to see in theaters or rent or buy. Well, I knew that this one looked good enough to rent, and I was totally right.

The premise is about Leslie Wright, a physical therapist, who is a die-hard NY Nets fan. (On a side note, I think it is really funny that there are a number of NY teams that are short names that match- Nets, Jets, Mets, ect) She meets one of the stars of the NY Nets and just as you would expect, he breaks his body- He tore something in his knee and needs her help. Another major part of this story is that she has a cousin that is self-involved and her plan is to marry a famous person so she doesn't have to work. She is so fake and makes terrible choices so much so that you just HAVE to not like her.
Leslie is always passed up in her dating life because of being a "Homegirl"- someone who is so cool but not considered more than a great friend. She deals with throughout the movie.

The characters are so wonderful. I love the fact that Leslie (Queen Latifah) is herself,  not someone that is fake. And the basketball star is a genuinely nice guy- you just wonder why it takes him so long to realize certain facts.
I believe that this movie has moved to one of my current favorites. Yes, it is a chick-flick/Romantic Comedy and I am a fan of that type. That's just me and I want to be like Leslie- true to myself. ;)

So, as for me, I highly recommend Just Wright. I also love the fact that it PG with no language and sexual content (except the fact that the main characters "Hook Up"--they just don't show more than needed to get the point across.

Be aware though- the very last line of the movie is sweet but incredibly cheesy!

Have I lost it?

This weekend's services were very well done. I should know, I got to be at all three. This was the first week of being on the soundboard for me. I enjoy the power. Well, somewhat true, but really I enjoy helping out where needed. I like doing the sound because it is something (at least to me) that you get it where you want it and leave it. Sure you have to do some adjusting here and there during worship, but during the sermon, you pretty much turn Pastor's microphone on and let it go. That is a nice thing for me because I have doing other jobs such as the media/slideshow/Powerpoint type before and you really have to concentrate on what is being said so you don't miss out on a cue. Sound, you can go eat on Saturday night and just hang (yeah, New Hope's got a meal for the volunteers- worship leaders, sound tech, ect on saturday nights and it's ALWAYS GOOD!)

Anyway, getting off that subject and back onto my original, I was very moved by this weekend's message. We are traveling through a series called MORPH and it is going through Revelation and the Seven Churches. I was challenged this morning by Christ's call the the church at Ephesus, to Remember their first love. O, how I long to have the same yearning and heart for God as I did when I was younger. I want that sense of wonder and Awe for God. I want to be motivated to have my daily devo rather than think of it as a chore. I want to be TRANSFORMED or MORPHED into what God wants me to be.

I feel like the church at Ephesus- having Good deeds and hard work and perseverance but having lost my first love.
Lord, may you work in Me (and all of us) and MORPH us, our whole being, into what You would have!

I Like It...

So, I am a curious person. There are two meanings to that statement. One might say I was curious (as in weird) or you might describe a trait that I have as curious. Sure, curiosity killed a cat, and it gets a certain famous monkey in trouble, but for us higher-thinking beings, I believe that curiosity is a good trait. It shows an interest in things. It shows that we are aware of the things and world around us. I have always been one to be curious about how things work. I like to take things apart to see exactly what they do. Now, don't get me wrong, that has brought problems before, when I take something apart to see how it works and then, low and behold, it stops working. Anyway, enough with those examples.


 I will re-state- I AM A CURIOUS PERSON! I guess that is the wonderful thing about Google for me. When I get curious about something, I can just pop on the internet, head to my favorite search engine- GOOGLE of course, and type in my question and 83% of the time I get my answer (That was a How I Met Your Mother reference if you didn't get it- Barney always uses the same percentage when he is making up a stat). It is a wonderful thing to have an ever-expanding knowledge base that I can always go to. However did we find information before the Internet??

So, stating that information about my curiousity and the Internet, I have a confession to make....
When I see things on Facebook or whatever and they keep coming up, I have a curiousity that I need to know what is being said. Take just a few days ago. I had a friend mention on FB as a status that she liked it on the table and on the floor. I didn't really think too much about it, just thought it was weird. Then I see another friend mention where she likes it. That is what got me confused even more.  The curiousity getting the best of me, I did a simple Google search

And there you have it. I found out what it meant.  Now, to be totally honest, I am not a fan of secrets.
To quote the office- "Secret secrets are no fun. Secret secrets hurt someone!" It's just like last years Bra color thing. But, ya know, I am not one to spill the beans on this one. I am, though, commenting on it like I know. (because I do) So, there you have it- my insane curiosity and the pursuit of useless  knowledge!
So, any of my friends of the girl persuasion that has not posted about the I Like It, feel free to, but just know that I will most likely comment as I know about the Secret secret.

200,000 on the 200th

On this momentous occasion, it is only fitting that my 200th posting on my blog is my special 200,000th mile. My Green Machine- the 98 Plymouth Breeze that I have been driving for over a year and the very same car that has been in the family for about 7 years. Yes, tonight after my HUB meeting, on my way home, I passed that momentous 200,000th mile. Not many cars can reach it to that many miles. But, I am lucky that this car has lasted this long. Dad had taken good care of this car for years.
I enjoy using this car in my commute. I love the fact that it has more guts than my previous car (the Red Hot). I think it is wonderful that I can use the Cruise Control and the A/C.

Moving and their Violations

It's been a while. I usually try to post more often than this, but its been a busy (and slow) month. Most know by now of my takeover of the house. The parents are moving and are willing enough to leave me the house to rent from them. This is very special because we had this house built for our family and to me the thought of selling it was very sad. All I have to do now, is find three roommates. WOW, that's really a task. I have posted on Craigslist and gotten a response from one.
Not only is looking for roommates a task, but so is moving; especially when we have lived in this house for 15 years. We are slowly making progress. There are many boxes around filled with mom and dad's stuff. We simultaneously packed up their kitchen stuff and unpacked my kitchen paraphernalia. It was a blur of pots, pans, utensils, dishes, and glasses. The guest bedroom is filled almost to the brim with boxes being stored. The walls are empty of their picture frames. It's the end of an Era.
The up-side is that it seems that the move date has been pushed up a bit if the closing papers get signed earlier than expected. It could be as early as next week. That will be such a relief when everything is moved where it needs to be and my parents can live together once again. Mom and Dad have been living apart for these few weeks because Dad has the new job in La Center and mom has things she needs to finish up here. It'll be such a great feeling when they are all settled in the new house. I can't wait to come and see it at Thanksgiving all put together. Exciting.

Something way off topic- I wave at police officers when I see them coming in another direction or sitting by the side of the road. I assume that most of them don't see me because we go by so quickly, but I really appreciate those officers of the law putting their lives in danger to keep me safe- even if it means I get a ticket or two every once in a while. Well, on my way home from La Center, I saw a police officer coming in the opposite direction outside of Madras. I waved, and the lighting must have been just right because he saw me and waved back. What a surprise. With all the waving I have done to officers, this was the first to wave back. So, thank you, officer driving northbound outside of Madras. You made my day, and I can only hope that I might have brightened yours a bit too. Let us all rise up and thank those officers who put their lives on the line and keep us in check! (Just to clear something up. In my 10 years of driving, I have gotten only TWO tickets and both times the police officers were very kind to me. Both of which were taken off my record by going to safety school- One was for following to close- and the other was a seatbelt ticket)

Exsistential thoughts on my pool!

As I was emptying the family pool this afternoon- something happens that happens each time the pool is emptied- Worms sprung up from the ground because of all the gallons and gallons of water invading their dirt homes. They start to squiggle and squirm from the water that is so intrusive. Those worms are- to take from  Dead Poets Society- "food for worms." But, it got me thinking..., if a worm dies, do they become food for worms? Are worms cannibals? Its a perplex-er, I know. My guess is that these worms actually don't eat the other worms. My guess is that these dead worms, of which we will have all around our pool, will just lie there dead until a bird or some sort of fowl dives down to eat it or bring it back to family. Who knows for sure.

But, as I was contemplating these worms that were dieing and the massive wave that I was creating by emptying my pool, I thought about that all-consuming water that I was letting go off.  

When I fill this pool, it is full of water, something very nice to relax in, but that water doesn't do anything special- it just sits there getting lukewarm from the sun (and occasionally it is a place for insects who jump in on their own and die to make the water nasty). That is kinda what we can be like. Those of us who are Christ-followers and are filled with the Holy Spirit can choose to just sit there- a pool of water getting luke-warm from the sun. It really doesn't do much else. And then on top of that, we can get grotty stuff in our pool and not be very enticing or exciting. 

But, there is a different way we can choose to be- a way that impacts. We can be that pool that is full of water and then let's its water go- enveloping and impacting everything around it. As I look at the wave that pool has made, there is no ground around it that is untouched by the water. It's everywhere! This is the way that our lives should be because of Christ- we need to take that pool and empty it around us to change our world for the better. 

I know what you are thinking-if we let our pool be emptied, then we will not have water at all. But that is the great thing -even though my pool (literal) will eventually be empty- it will be filled up again. AND, our spiritual pool will never go empty- when we let our pool go- we are filled up again and so much so to the point of overflowing. 

Won't you join me in letting go of your pool water so as to envelop everything around you!? If not, your pool won't do much and could very well get all scummy and green!

Freedom: Not for the Weak Pt2.

It's that time of year again. September 11. 9/11. Sometimes it makes me think, the way we remember 9/11- is that what was intended by the terrorists? Did they want us to always remember this heinous act? While we remember this day each year, is their act of terror accomplished? If I were totally being honest, I would have to say, in part, Yes! It shows us that the great nation of the United States in not above attack. It shows us that these types of bombing and such are not just limited to 3rd world countries or the middle east, they can happen anywhere.
But, am I going to stop remembering what happened? Should you? NO WAY! We need to remember those whose lives were taken and we need to honor those who gave their lives. Join me in the remembrance of this infamous day, won't you!

On September 11, 2001. I was in my senior year of High School and had an easy class schedule that allowed me to go home early. I took that time after my school to be at home and record the news coverage of the day, so as to remember years from now. Perhaps, I will get those tapes out and remember this infamous day. Or perhaps, I will watch the movies that were created from the event: World Trade Center and United 93. These are both excellent movies that depict the events as they happened.



Just as I wrote in my blog exactly one year ago with Freedom, Not for the Weak I have entitled this post- Freedom, Not for the Weak Pt.2

Doing Dating Detective Work

Well, I just HAD to re-post this on my Blog because I got such a kick out of it and so much of it is true for those of us who are looking for that special someone. I found this via a blog I follow and now I have decided to follow Lyndsay as well. 

(in bold is what I have to say about this- not on the original posting)

Doing Dating Detective Work

(Lyndsay Rush is hilarious. Her last guest post blew up and I think this one is even better. She shares some great ways to identify a potential Christian when it comes to dating. (Unless of course, you feel called to date hot, non-Christians and win them over for the Lord with your dates.) I’m a big fan of Lyndsay. Enjoy!)

“I feel very blessed…” said our waiter as he cleared away our empty appetizer plates. He was responding to one of the many questions we had asked him throughout the night as we flirtatiously tried to determine if he was single and–even more important–a Christian.
I couldn’t tell you what he said after that because with one distinct word he had told us all we needed to know. Let’s just say he had us at ‘blessed.’ (great)
You may be rolling your eyes at this ridiculous assumption but the chances are you know exactly what I am talking about. Truth is, when you are a single Christian person in your 20s or 30s, this amateur detective work comes with the territory.(I think this is just amazing because it's true)

Whether you have Facestalked someone (Done it) in order to examine their “religious views,” invited them somewhere on a Sunday (nope) to ascertain their church involvement (or lack thereof) or dropped your Christian school background to study their reaction, you’ve undoubtedly played a part in the Christian dating version of Clue; Professor Hot Guy with the Donald Miller Book in the Religious section of Borders.
And like any good Christian single, you know the importance of this due diligence. If you don’t nose around for a few weeks and read into specific word choices, you’ll miss your chance to determine their ‘pursue-ability’ and probably miss out on your future husband/wife.
Or at the very least the chance to evange-date them for a few weeks.
With that in mind, I bring you some helpful hints for discerning whether or not the hottie at Starbucks/guy in class/girl volunteering at the soup kitchen is in fact a Jesus lover.
1. Show them your ‘Beloved’ tattoo and see if they get it. (nope)
2. Put your hand on their back when you say hello and see if they bow their heads and assume you’re praying over them. (I don't think that one would actually work)
3. Pull a ‘Paul’ at the beach and slyly draw half of the Christian fish in the sand and see if they complete the symbol. (I like the concept)
4. Try and drop Darwin into small talk and see where they stand on evolution vs. creation (good Idea)
5. Invite them to watch a Harry Potter movie to determine what they think of the dark arts. (now, I like Harry Potter so that doesn't really mean anything, but funny still)
6. Go in for a full hug and measure the seconds it takes for them to switch it to a side hug.
7. Say, “Oh rats, I forgot my Bible at home–do you have one in your car?” (I need to try that one)
8. Observe if they have ever Retweeted @CSLewisDaily or @OswaldChambers
9. Do a quick Facebook photo scan and see if they’ve been out of the country helping children at least once in the last 3 years :)
10. Hum “Come Thou Fount” and see if they join in. ( Im totally going to do that one)
11. Keep your eye out for encrypted scriptures in their graphic T’s
12. Drop a “my body is a temple” line near a group of the opposite sex at the gym and see who takes the bait.
13. Pay attention to his/her email sign off. Look specifically for “His,” “Decreasing as He Increases,” “Addicted to Jesus,” and “Warmly,”
14. Slap them in the face and see if they turn the other cheek.
15. In the facial hair arena, be on the lookout for the “spiritual scruff” aka a soul patch. (Maybe I need to grow some "Spiritual Scruff")
16. See if she owns a tank-ini or wears a XL t shirt over her bikini at the beach (Modesty is always good)
17. Check to see if he put a ring on it, and by he I mean her dad and by ring I mean promise ring.
18. Ask him about his career and listen for him to use the words “will”, “purpose” or “calling”
19. Drop a homeschool bomb and see how they react.
20. Watch him greet his friends, if he ever uses the word ‘brother’, you’re gold.
21. Check their DVD collection for, “Fireproof”. (ownage)
22. If you’re feeling bold, ask him to draw his dream woman. If he simply writes ‘Proverbs 31′ on the paper and passes it back to you, you’ve got your answer. (even if I do believe that Pr. 31 is ideal woman (and I do), Im most likely NOT going to write that as my ideal woman)
23. Pretend you need help figuring out a math problem involving 10%. Her speed at calculating will let you know if she tithes or not.
Armed with these tips and more, you will have no problem determining your crush’s Christianity, and consequently, their date-ability.
Happy hunting my friends. And godspeed.
For more great stuff from Lyndsay, check out her blog http://www.lyndsights.com/


I had fun with these ideas of detecting if a potential mate is a possibility or not. I hope you find it funny as well.

Put a Smile on Your Face!

Tonight, I spent some time eatting dinner at a certain World-famous burger joint. Now, this was an ordinary visit but what happened there changed my views.

As I was eating my din din, I heard the person at the counter call out- Oberon....... Oberon of the Underworld. Why did they call this out? Well, at this burger joint they ask you for your name when they take your order so they can call out your name when your order is ready. My guess is that they want it too feel more personal than order number 2227. Anyway, it seems that Oberon of the Underworld was a teenage male. Yes, those hooligans. Not necessarily hooligans, but at my first thought I was thinking about how immature these teenagers were.

After thinking about it for a while, I did not understand why it was SO bad to change your name for your order. There are a lot worse things a teenager could do than to make the cashier call out Oberon of the Underworld.

Well, it brought a smile to my face, and I decided during my second thought, that maybe we need more of those moments in our lives, right? Times that maybe are a bit silly, but (to quote a song lyric) put a smile on your face- make the world a better place!

Well, after that, I just KNEW that more psudonyms (fake names) would come across the McDonalds counter and sure enough, there were. (because there were about 6 of those guys all hangin' together.)

The next name that I recall was Kevin Bacon. One of the guys ( I think the one that actually gave that name) said "Kevin Bacon's here?!" Another one showed up next. Mclovin'. Now, I def. do not recommend the movie that that reference is located in, but I did find it very hilarious that Mclovin' was ordering at McDonalds -purely for the namesake. Last and probably my favorite was Buzz Lightyear. I'm a big fan of Buzz Lightyear- the character, not the person who gave the psudonym. 

Again, at first instinct I thought how stupid and immature that teenager was. I felt like an old man off of a ScoobyDoo show who says "I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling kids" But, after my second thought, I realized that it did "Put a smile on my face"

We could all use that every once in a while.

How exciting

The bouquet of sharpened pencils. 

The smell of crisp clear air. 

The change in season. 

The excited (and sad) feelings of students getting ready. 

The end of Summer. 

The bittersweet taste of lost freedom. 

They are all signs of Back to School.

Back to School Song- Billy Madison 

(keep in mind, I'm not a huge fan of Billy Madison- but it is a funny scene.)

I, personally always enjoyed the back to school time. By this time every year, I was bored out of my mind. Sure I loved Summer, but I always had a great time getting ready for school. The family always went to Ptown to Clackamas Town Center to shop. We each got our own money to use and buy as much clothing as we could with the money provided. We were let loose on the mall and given a time to meet back at the car. I always felt odd having that much money in my pocket to start. For starters, I very rarely had money, let alone THAT much, and then there was also the fact that Portland is a big city and for an 11 or 12 year old, I was worried that someone would find out I had lots of money and come to steal it from me. That makes me laugh.

Anyways, I had a system. I would systematically go through the mall- start at one end, and walk through it, go in stores that were interesting, and when I got to the end. I would go up to the next floor (multi-level malls are awesome) and then do the same for that floor as well. I found that I usually bought most of my clothes in one or two stores- the big chains- JcPenny, Sears, or Macys or something, and usually on clearance so I could get the most out of my money.

Then of course, after 1 hour (when given 3) I was all done. I had gotten all the clothing I needed and was out of money. What do I do then? Well, I would just have to kill time.

On the first day of school, it was always exciting for me to get to my class(es) and see who the teacher was and if I knew any of my classmates. Such great, exciting feelings those first days are. I miss them.

And then when I went to college, the same feelings happened as I was getting ready to move to the new school and looking for a place to live. And the move day- so chaotic.

I truly look forward to the days when I have my own classroom and can set up the class the way I want and get to have those great, exciting feelings once again. I will be a teacher this time, but I will be excited to have my own class and see who my students are.

To all those who get the opportunity to go back to school tomorrow- Have fun. Make the most of the year. You start with a clean slate.

Desire is Irrelevant. Or is it?

"Desire is irrelevant, I am a machine." These are the words of the Terminator in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. The scene starts where the Terminator- a cybernetic organism sent from the future to protect John Connor- has been reprogrammed to "Terminate" John. He knows what his job is, but cannot control himself- He is a machine after all. He has John in inevitable death, and tries to explain that Desire is irrelevant- He's just a machine. In other words, He doesn't want to harm John, but can only do what he is programmed to.

It got me thinking- how much does desire have to do with our outcome? Sure, we are not machines. We can change our plans and affect our lives, but how much stock should we all put into our desires- our hopes- our dreams? Can we change our lives with just a bit more desire, or a bit less for that matter?

Right now, my main focus is on the job market- it's just where I'm at right now. Does it make a difference how much I want a job? If I desire a job more than if I were just interested in a job, would that make me get a job faster?
I would have to say that I believe that Desire is relevant. If I desire a job, I am going to work hard at getting a job. I'm going to be checking the job listings often. I'm going to pursue job opportunities harder than if I was merely interested in a job. I desire to teach in the Central Oregon area more than I desire to teach in other communities- so it is logical and true that I have applied for more of the jobs listed in that area. I desire to teach in a Third grade class more than I desire to teach in a Sixth grade class, and so I find myself applying to those Third grade positions more.

I believe that the way our lives turn out and the things we are interested in affect our desires. If I desire something more than another, I am going to work harder at it.

Sometimes in life, I feel like the Terminator- desiring to do something in particular, but feeling that that desire is IRRELEVANT. I can't help my desire- all I can do is sit back and watch myself do what I am "Programmed" to do. But, isn't it great to know that God gives us free will. We can choose to do the right thing or the wrong. We are not machines. Our desires can make a difference in our own lives as well as others.

Always know there is a choice and DESIRE IS RELEVANT!

The Only Home I Know (Yes, Musical Theatre, who knew)

I have been thinking lately about the inevitable move of my parents. Its quite a task. Granted, I am excited for it because that means I get to take over the house and move my own furniture into the house. I get to use my own appliances and couches and get to move into a larger room with direct access to the Hot Tub (that is very important).
Mom has started packing up some of the decorations and ornaments that are usually left out on the various table tops and such and I think it is really sinking in for both them as well as me.
I am looking forward to being able to move my junk into the house as well as finding roommates. If anyone out there that reads this is looking for a place in Redmond, let me know.


Not only is it exciting for moving, but it is also sad for the parents. They have lived in this house since we built it in '96 and have lived in Redmond since '86 so living in one city for 24 years and then moving to someplace new is difficult.

Finding my ALL in ALL!

Sometimes feelings and thoughts run through my mind...

Am I doing what God wants?

Does the lack of a permanent job mean I should look into changing?

Am I ever gonna find a job that is satisfying to me?

Do I really give all I have to God?

Is there more I could be doing during this time of lull? To change lives? To serve?

Am I always too scared to do things that would be good for me?

How can I change my personality for the better?

Why do I value items so much and take my Savior for granted?

Life never goes as planned does it?! I planned my life when I got out of HS that I would go to college, get my degree in 4 years, and then that summer find a permanent job. I would then proceed to find a wife to settle down and have children with. Of course, along the way, we would also purchase a house and pay it off within 20 years. That is how I planned my life. It seemed so charmed. But that is not usually how it goes.

As, I was thinking about this post, I paused a song that was playing on my computer (to help me think better) and I would like to share it with you. It is an older hymn that was re-done (as many are these days) and made contemporary.

It's Called Jesus Paid it All

 (By Kristian Stanfill)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onxhvivQYfI 

I hear the Savior say
Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness watch and pray
Find in me thine all in all

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Lord now indeed I find
Thy power and thine alone
Can change the lepers spots
And melt the heart of stone

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

It's washed away! All my sin! And all my shame!

And when before the throne
I stand in him complete
Jesus died my soul to save
My lips shall still repeat

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Oh praise the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead (x6)

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow 

 This incredible song is just a reminder to me that everything I have is God's. I need to realize that my Strength indeed is small. I need to watch and pray and find in GOD my all in all.

Many times, I find myself trying to lean upon myself and that does not work. I know that in due time, God will provide (and has already provided) a path for me to walk down. HE knows my name and what's best for me.

May we live up to God's best for our lives. May we Trust HIM completely. May we realize that All to Him we OWE. May we know that our Strength is small and we can find in Him our ALL IN ALL!

-All to HIM I owe.

My Personal Website Evolution

Everyone these days is talking about HTML5 as the cool new way to do websites that is very compatible with everything, but I still really like Flash. To me, Flash websites are so impressive. I have never been one to want to pay for a website of my own but would rather use free services for my personal websites that I create.

I started off on my first website with a Microsoft online tool that started out free, and then it eventually went to a fee site. The cool thing about that site was that I had a free domain of www.timkirkman.com  It was quite a cool feature to have my own name as my domain. But, as I said, eventually that went to a fee site so I ditched it.

The next site that I created was with google. I love pretty much everything Google. They are very innovative. I tried out a Google Sites. Sadly, I never really got into the sites web. I liked that Google linked it to my google account and I could get to it easily and I liked that other google products (like Maps and Cal) could be imported into it. 

The next free site I tried was Weebly.com  Weebly is a great free site and looks very professional. Weebly is very easy to use and has some great abilities. I still have my Weebly.

The latest site that I have found via a google sponsored link is WIX.com  WIX is the first flash site that is free that I have found. WIX is very user intuitive and i think anyone could create a very diverse and professional looking site. Check it out. Its fun to use- but be warned- you will start working on it and not want to stop- There is so much you can do with it.

Day Thirty: A motto or Philosophy

I'm gonna 

go ahead 

and 

give 

my motto, 

but 

keep in mind 

that it is very deep 

and you have 

to really think about it 

for a while 

to get it...

"Never

Fry

Bacon

Naked!"

Yes, this is not my creation, but my Brother-in-Laws. 

But, I thought it was very catchy and true, so I have adopted it.

This is Day Thirty and that means that my 30 day Posting Challenge is over. How sad right? Where else are you going to get random facts and knowledge about my life? Well, stay tuned, because I spew out random thoughts and entries all the time 

(Hence the reason that the name of my blog is 

"Random Thoughts And Entries from Timothy James Kirkman."

Day Twenty-nine: Hopes, Dreams, and Plans for the next 365 days.

I think the biggest, hope and dream for my in the next year is to get a permanent job. A job has been the major thing on my mind since I ended my College career (With a Bachelors) and that was about 4 years ago- even over 4 years. A permanent job will be such a fulfilling feeling. As a substitute, I do enjoy my life- the ability to not have any homework to correct, being able to stand a super bad class for at least a day and to know that I don't have to go back to that horrible class again- but I would so enjoy the ability to have much more financial stability. I would love to have a class and classroom that I could call my own and really get to know the students on a deeper level, not just their names or only the names of the troublemakers. I want to make a difference in childrens' lives and as a substitute, it is very difficult to do that on a deeper basis.
I would love to have a job.

A plan I have for the next year is to get done with my Masters degree and pay it off totally. I know this is a big goal considering I have about 9 thou that I need to pay off, but I would love to make that happen so I could start saving my extra money (if there is any) for other purchases such as a newer car (notice I did not say, new, I said NEWER!) and larger items such as that.

Movies, Movies, Movies

Well, I just recently watched two movies in the silver screen. I watched Despicable Me and The Other Guys.
One of those movies was hands down a great movie, the other had its parts. I bet you can guess which is Better- Despicable Me! It was an amazing movie. There was a part in the movie where Gru, the main character, takes the girls to a theme park and they have some great bonding time. I was amazed that a movie could make me feel the way it did. Not in the, Oh how cute way, or emotions even, but in the sense that when they went on the Roller Coaster Ride, the first big dive actually made me have a momentary queezyness. I did not think that movies in theatre that are stationary could make me feel that way. Granted, if you go to Disneyland and go to the Star Tours ride, it is in a movie theatre and the chairs move and that can somewhat make me queezy, but thats a bit different.
Anywho, I really enjoyed Despicable Me and will most likely ask for the movie for Christmas or whatever. It had some great parts and great animation and great acting. ... It was just GREAT.

The Other Guys on the other hand, was not bad, but not as good as I thought it might be. I love Will Ferrell. He cracks me up so much.There were def. some good parts for this movie and many parts had me laughing out loud (yes, indeed, I was LOLing) but there were other parts that just made me think that they had nothing better to do than do some crass humor. I mean if they cut these crass, obnoxious parts out, it would be a truely great movie, but the film was riddled with these parts that they could have done without. So, even though there were parts that made me laugh SO much, I would have to give this one a 9.... out of 15 rating. (yes, I know its crazy, my ratings system and all, but I think that having just 5 options doesn't allow as much of an opinion as adding more stars to rate on.)

Day Twenty-eight: a Scar you have and your story

Well, the most infamous scar I have is from when I was probably in 3rd or 4th grade. It was summertime. My sisters were in Jr. high and having a friend over. I was being the annoying little brother that I AM and was making faces at my sisters through the outside window-door.

My sister decided that she would run up to the door and block my face from them so I would perhaps go away. Well, she gets up and starts running to the window where I was, and she ran right through the window. Well, needless to say since my face was pressed up right against the window when she was running her hand through it and it broke the glass and shattered right into my upper lip.
My mom was outside and saw the whole thing and had to come and help me and my bleeding all around my face. She didn't even see Kristin's wrist cuts as well.

Day Twenty-seven: A Feature You Like

Well, I would have to say that to find the feature that I like about me, all you have to do is look at the top of this page. I love my Eyes. The most physical comments I have ever gotten are about my EYES. The beautifulness, the bigness, the Blueness, whathaveyou. Also, in relation to my eyes is my Eyelashes. They are very long.
My one and only girlfriend, came up to me the first time I met her and asked if I was wearing mascara. Kinda funny right, but thats what I get for being a male with long eyelashes and big beautiful eyes.

Day Twenty-six: A Childhood Memory

I would have to say the childhood memory that stands out in my mind the most is kindergarten. Being the youngest and having my mother a stay-at-home mom for my early years, came with some great rewards. My sisters were off in Elementary school 3rd grade to be precise, and I was in Kindergarten.

Now, I went to an early Kindergarten at Sonshine School- my church Kinder, and then I also went to an afternoon Kindergarten at the Elem. school that I spent my years at. What I remember the most was coming home for lunch in between Kindergarten and having a Girl or Boy Cheese Sandwich and watching Perry Mason.

There are two things you need to know. One is that Girl Cheese was Cheddar. And Boy Cheese was Mozzarella. Being young, I did not know it was called Grilled Cheese. Those were good times.
Another very persistent childhood memory was when my mother was cleaning the kitchen and dining room floors, she would move all the table items to the living room and I would get to arrange them into a fort and use blankets to cover them up. IT WAS AWESOME!

Day Twenty-five: A recipe

Well, it seems that every time I create this pizza recipe, everyone says that it is best Pizza they have ever had. And It's true. Tristan's is AMAZING. So, when this post came up, I knew exactly what recipe to use. The dough has some weird ingredients- Molasses-but try it out even if it sounds gross. These are actually two separate recipes- Tristan's Spiffy Pizza Dough and then the Pizza sauce. I learned of Tristan's from my Redmond High Restaurant Class and the sauce I just found by searching the internet.                                     

Pizza (a few parts)

Preheat: 375 Time:20 Min.

Tristan’s Spiffy Pizza Dough

Makes:

3 C. Water	2 tsp. Salt
1 ½ tsp Sugar	1 TBS Molasses
¼ C. Oil	8 C. Flour
3 TBS Yeast	¼ C. spice mixture (Garlic Salt, Italian Seasonings, anything else sounding good)

Directions:

Add salt, sugar, molasses, and yeast to 3 C. of warm (not hot) water. Mix together with spices.  Add about ½ of the flour slowly. Once mixed, stir in the oil, then remaining flour. Place in large bowl and cover with warm, damp, cloth. Let rise until doubled in size, then divide and roll out into pans.

Pizza Sauce

1 (15oz) can of Tomato Sauce	1 (6oz) can of Tomato Paste
1 TBS Ground Oregano	2 tsp. Dried Minced Garlic (or fresh)
1 tsp. Dried Basil	Pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
Italian seasonings @ your discretion.

Directions:

Mix tomato sauce and paste together until smooth. Add other ingredients and mix well.

For Pizza:

Roll out Tristan’s Spiffy Pizza Dough into pizza sizes. (Its best to make 4-5 equal dough clumps to create individual pizzas).  Add the pizza sauce in a thin layer. Add generous amounts of shredded mozzarella cheese.  Add any chosen pizza toppings. For the final touch add more mozzarella and a light sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Place on a pizza rack or cookie sheet and bake at 375 unto fully cooked.

Day 24: A movie no one would expect you to love.

 Well, I am not going to presume that there is a movie that others would not expect me to like. What I am going to be blogging about today is a movie that I did not expect I would like. That movie was August Rush.
It did not seem like a "Tim" movie, but I found out a few years later that I did like it.
To be totally honest, because I had this preconceived notion that I would not like this movie, when it was given to me as a gift for Christmas about 3 years ago, I left it in the packaging cellophane until just a month or two ago when I finally decided to give it a try. Well, I found out that I really did like it quite a bit. Not an absolute favorite, but a good movie, especially if you are into music.

Day 22: The way you want to be remembered.

I think that I would like to be remembered for my character. I want to be remembered for my sincerity. I want to be someone who is known for saying true statements. I don't want to be someone of whom you can't trust. I want to be remembered as a great friend. As someone who loved his wife and kids (the future ones, you know). Someone who values family. Someone who is helpful. Available to talk. Someone after God's own heart. That is the most important thing that I want to be remembered for- following after God's own heart.

Day 22: A Website

There are so many good websites out there. How can I choose just one. The post challenge doesn't even have a criteria. It doesn't say a favorite website. It doesn't say a website that you hate to go to. It doesn't say a website you created. It doesn't say a website that you go to everyday. It doesn't say a website that has your personal content on it. It doesn't say a website that you find very useful.

So...
Because there is no criteria, I have decided to find websites for all those above criteria that I wondered about.

It doesn't say a favorite website. 
Google.com
I love Google because for one thing, I can find pretty much anything I need. And another reason is because Google has amazing products and services too.

It doesn't say a website that you hate to go to.
 edzapp.org
 I do not like to go to edzapp because it is a teacher job search and everytime I go there, I see the sad state of no jobs around or the fact that the few jobs there are, that I applied to, are already filled. I don't enjoy going to Edzapp.

It doesn't say a website you created. 
 http://timkirkman.weebly.com/
 I created this site specifically for my schoolwork last year. It was an easy interface and if you want to create your own website for free and make it simple, try out weebly.com.

It doesn't say a website that you go to everyday.
facebook.com
gmail.com
blogger.com
There are a number of websites I got to everyday. I enjoy checking my mail, my facebook, and my blog each day to see what is new with people around me.

It doesn't say a website that has your personal content on it. 
http://www.youtube.com/user/timothykirkman1984
YouTube has my personal content on it. I enjoy uploading videos to YouTube. My YouTube channel has 71 uploads on it plus a number of favorites that I enjoy watching.

It doesn't say a website that you find very useful.
 http://churchmediadesign.tv/
 I find church media design to be a great website that is useful to me. I enjoy watching the vodcast episodes that Brad puts out. He has a plethora of knowledge and I like to learn more and more things in that field.

Day 21: Something you know you do differently than most people.

WOW, this post challenge is quite a tough one to think about!

I have to think about things that I do that others do differently. What could it be.

I have even enlisted my family to think about this with me, but we have no idea.
Now my sister thinks that I, along with the rest of the family, sing the Messiah parts during the Christmas story, but I totally deny that. Most people would not sing the Messiah parts during a reading of the Christmas story, but my family does. That is something they do differently than most.

One thing that I do differently than my family though is wanting a schedule.
When we go on vacations, I like to know when we are leaving and where we are going and then what, and then what...
The rest of my family is very flexible, but I enjoy knowing exactly what is going to happen.
I know it is not all that much different than most people, but it is different than the rest of my family.

Day 20: A hobby of yours

My hobby is my technology. I love everything about technology; The way that the tech keeps getting better and faster and smaller all at the same time. I love the innovation. I love the ability to connect to others. I love how smart the technology can be. There are many out there who are nervous about this idea of smart technology, but I think it will all be great for use.

A big part of this hobby of Generalization of Technology is Video Editing for me. I could (and have) spent hours on video editing- creating footage and splicing it together to create something wonderful.

I had a great time with the Life in a Day sponsored by YouTube. I had the opportunity to upload footage from my day into the major producers and director. That is all due to Technology.

Day 19: A Talent You Have

Well, anyone who knows me, 

knows my talent 

because 

I do it 

all the time.. 

Picking my nose.

Just Kidding, my talent is singing. I love to sing and I am confident to say that I am good at it. I can make people cry with my singing (in a good way- not the PLEASE please stop singing way)
I was able to do many extra things in High School because of my singing talent. I got to be in District Honor choirs 3 of the 4 years I was in school (Freshman year, I was still trying to hold onto the trumpet, but was not enjoying). I got to sing at District solo festival all four years. I got to go go All-State choir two times and All Northwest Choir once. It was all awesome. 
So, there is my talent that I have. (But, I am pretty good a picking my nose too)

Day 18: Time when you felt passionate and alive

I am not one who shares feelings in such a way. I really cannot tell when I feel passionate and alive. Im not really an introspective person. I like to take a look at the outside of myself rather than in, I would say. Passion is a funny thing. I think that most of us are those who think of passionate as a love language. Its something you feel for something or someone really really deeply. Most often to me though, when I think of Passionate or passion, I think of an intimate relationship between two people. Now, I know that people use passionate for other things too. Like someone who really enjoys hiking might say they are passionate about hiking, but the default for my understanding is still the relationship type of passionate that infers intimacy. So, as I discuss that, I have not felt that way yet! I am looking towards God for that spark of passion to ignite when He brings someone into my life that creates that Passionate feeling within me.

As for the word, Alive, I feel alive everyday. When I wake up in the morning, I feel alive. When I see the beauty of God's Creation, I feel alive. When I sing, I feel alive. When I drive in my car, I feel alive. When I dunk my body into the swimming pool, I feel alive. Everyday I feel alive.
He's Alive, Alive, Alive- Hallelujah, Alive-Praise and Glory Amen. (repeat)