50 Days: Love

To be totally honest, it was quite a while ago that I made this list of Christmas Blogging topics and this one is fuzzy for me, but I shall do my best.
On this posting I will be writing about two ways of looking at Love during the season.

My love of the Christmas Holiday is apparent in many forms- most of which have or will be discussed on this blog. It is everything from decorations, music, and the Tree, to the spirit, family, and traditions that my family has taken on. My love for Christmas started at a very young age. I really don't see how anyone could not love christmastime- its just so jolly. I do see how some could get upset with the materialism of the season, but that is something that is easily fixed- not giving into all the hype and remembering the true reason for the season. Just as I was writing that, I think of my time last year in Salem. I drove past a house most days that had a sign "Jesus is the reason for the season" of course I have seen this many times before and I agree with the sentiment, but this was a sign that was up YEAR-ROUND! With a sentiment such as that, I believe that it needs to be displayed only durring the Christmas season because those not familiar with the sentiment might not understand why Jesus would be the reason for the Summer season!

The next aspect of Love is not about my love for the season, but the love that goes around at the season. I feel the love of family around this most wondrous holiday. I feel the joy of the people around me during this season. I feel God's undying Love for mankind as the season approches the birth of our Lord and Savior. There is just so much love to go around during this season.

42 Days until Christmas! Can you feel the Love tonight? (Yes, Lion King- Totally)

(Disclaimer- if you have been following my last lines, you will notice that I skipped a day- numerical error on my account- I was counting Christmas Day- so the actual number of days left is truly 42. That just brings us one day closer than originally thought- SWEET!)

50 Days; Gingerbread Houses

Gingerbread is another one of those smells that puts me in the Christmas mood! The spicy aroma just tickles the nose with its tantalizing bouquet that screams out CHRISTMAS!!! to me.
Now, the making of the gingerbread has been a tradition in the family household for as long as I can remember, BUT, the making of Gingerbread HOUSES is fairly new.

Fake Gingerbread house-
BUT you see what I mean when I say I use lots of candy

Now, I am sure most of you have seen made or made your own fake Gingerbread house to decorate- by that I mean you get all the decorating stuff and use a Milk Carton and Graham Crackers to be the phoe-gingerbread house, and then decorate the house that way, but I contend that that, although simple and less agitating,  is not a TRUE gingerbread house.

A true gingerbread house is not glued to a milk carton, but instead is made of gingerbread and is one that stands up on its own. I guess I would say I am a gingerbread house pureist because I would also go so far as to say that the Gingerbread House Kits- Like the one you got last year at Costco or pretty much anywhere else, is also cheating and not a TRUE gingerbread house- Sorry if I sound snobbish there, just the way I feel I guess ;)

A REAL Gingerbread House-
With lots of candy- Yes, my Creation

Now, the real way to make Gingerbread houses is to make and bake the gingerbread yourself, then cut out the parts you need, and try as hard as you can to make it stand up (and stay up) by using as much frosting as needed. Of couse, the frosting must be homemade as well. My trials for this particular part really show through. We always used the wrong type of Frosting- certain types of frosting work the best. Royal Icing is one that is supposed to work well. Then of course, once your house is errect, then comes the fun part- using all your favorite candies (Don't worry, I don't expect you to make the candy yourself to have  TRUE gingerbread house) and place them in the ideal spot to decorate your house.
My strategy is to put on as much candy as possible and my favorite candies, so that means I can eat as much of the candy later as I have decorated. Now, my sister's strategy is very different- to decorate the house with what is needed to make it look as real as possible whether that candy is good or not.

Of couse, I have to mention a story that I think of pretty much every time I think about gingerbread houses- Video Equipment.  One Christmas (1997, I think), we had just done Gingerbread houses and my sisters and I had a competition of who could make the best gingerbread house. (Yes, theirs won in the creativity/beauty factor- but mine sure tasted good) We had just received a family camcorder for Christmas and I am sure you can guess where I was- Filming the day behind the camera. And I am sure, if you know my sisters at all, you can guess where they were- In FRONT of the camera. After a short time, I figured out how to do the basic operations of the camera. Kelli wanted a crack at it. So, I had to hand it over. She started filming Kristin and the gingerbread house they made as Kristin was describing the house to the camera for all the future viewers. Kelli decides she wants to zoom in on the house and so she asks. "How do you go in?" Right away Kristin thinks she is asking about the house and proceeds to walk her first and middle finger upside down through their gingerbread house door and says "Through the door.... and you go out through the door". This is a story that was caught on camera and is brought up each year, even though it was 13 years ago. That is still a great Christmas memory that I will remember for years to come!
Kristin, how do you go in?
BTW, I would also have to mention the Gingerbread Junction at Sunriver Resort each year. To be totally honest, I have not ever been there, but I want to change that this year. From this press release- it says that Gingerbread Junction is available for viewing from Thursday November 25 to December 26th. (that's Thanksgiving- the day after Christmas.)

44 Days until Christmas!  What's your favorite way to make Gingerbread Houses? (Personally, I still think eating Gingerbread men tastes better)

50 Days: Reindeer

"Reindeer aren't real!" I heard a friend say to me a few years ago. Sure, we were grown up- she being 19 and myself 21. "They are just like Santa- Fake!" she says. I knew myself that Reindeer were real and had known for quite a while. Was it because I believed? Was it because I still had a child-like faith? Was it because I knew more about zoological information? Nope on all accounts (but I do consider myself to still have a child-like faith). It was because I had grown up in Redmond Oregon and had seen Reindeer myself very often. Operation Santa Clause- Reindeer Ranch is located just outside of Redmond and probably less than a mile from my house. I remember going to the ranch quite a few times and visiting the Reindeer. I haven't been in ages but they are still being raised there. It used to be a big deal in Redmond with times for the public to take pictures with Reindeer and meet Santa and the like but in the more recent years they have been more private without public use.

"But Reindeer don't fly..... RIGHT?" my friend asks. "Right! I said. "Reindeer don't fly, but they are real!"
After our visit, I took her over to view (from a distance) the Reindeer at the ranch and she was a believer.

Supposedly, the local reindeer at Operation Santa Clause are shipped all over and were used in The Santa Clause movie with Tim Allen. Of couse, in those movies, the Reindeer talk and make funny faces, and fart, but real reindeer look similar to Deer- not being animated in the features like they make them in the movies.

45 Days until Christmas! Don't you wish Reindeer really COULD fly?

50 Days: Coming Up With Gifts for Family

I enjoy looking for presents for family, but I have to say, sometimes it is a daunting task. I have a father who is somewhat hard to find gifts for. I used to have a sure thing for my mother- Monk seasons on DVD. Yeah, Monk used to come out during my mother's birthday season and so each year I had a sure bet. I knew that she would want the season and she knew she was getting it from me (and usually a sister as well).

My sisters usually are tough as well. I know that it is all about the thoughts of the giver, but I really find it simple to ask for ideas from my family. Sometimes I find the perfect gift on my own, but other times, nothing comes to me.

A few years ago, for my sister Kelli, I found the perfect gift for her. It is a book published with clippings of 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s advertisements and such. It was perfect except for the fact that I found it in the summertime. I wanted to get one right there, but instead I took a picture on my phone of the ISBN#. I kept that in my phone until I was reminded myself about this present idea in November and looked it up online and bought it via Amazon. It was a great find and a great gift. I was very happy that I found it.
Another gift that I got a kick out of was a T-shirt for my brother-in-law. Granted, he is not a TShirt kinda guy, but He is a John Deere guy- He loves John Deere (don't ask me why) and I found a shirt in Canada that said John Moose. It was great. (Not that he wears it, but still fun)

Anyway, If everyone was like me- giving a list of presents ideas to a family member that asks, this it would be so simple.

46 Days until Christmas! Better start thinking about those gifts for your family members.

50 Days: Hot Spiced Cider

Hot Spiced Cider is one of the greatest  seasonal drinks ever. The holiday that I fully associate Spiced Cider with is Halloween. It is one of those drinks that you can not go wrong with. I have found the perfect recipe online and I have gotten rave reviews from my guests.

Hot Spiced Cider is pretty much Apple Cider (Which supposedly is different from Apple Juice because it is not as filtered and could have more pulp.) and is heated with ingredients such as spices like Allspice, Cinnamon, and possibly oranges.

If you have not tried Hot Spiced Cider before- you gotta taste this experience this Holiday Season.  If you are so inclined to try my recipe:

1 Gallon of Apple Cider
1/2C. Packed Br. Sugar
2 Cinnamon Sticks
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Whole Allspice
Pinch Nutmeg
2 Large Oranges- Peeled and Quarters
1 tsp. Whole Cloves

Pour the Apple Cider into a crock pot. Place the rest of the ingredients in cheesecloth or coffee filters and band them together. Place the crock pot to spice. Let cook until hot. (Take the spices out before the cider is too strong).


47 Days Until Christmas! What is your favorite drink?

50 Days: Bells- Jingle Bells

Bells! Jingle Bells! This posting is dedicated to the sound that permeates every child’s mind on Christmas Eve. 

"On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. 

I did not rustle the sheets. 

I breathed slowly and silently. 

I was listening for a sound- 

a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear- 

the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. 

"There is no Santa," my friend had insisted, 

but I knew he was wrong."

(excerpt from The Polar Express)

I love that quote from The Polar Express (the book). It is so wonderful in portraying the feelings of a child whose conflicted about Santa because they grew up thinking one thing and then find at a certain age, that everything you believed in Santa was wrong. It seems to me like that age is around 2^nd or 3^rd grade.

I never grew up with Santa being a big part of the holiday season and so I never really had this conflicting issue. Santa was not denied in our household, but not hyped up either.

I love the sound of bells, it is just one of those sounds of the season that always remind me of that special time of year.

When I think of bells, I also think of that wonderful song- Carol of the Bells. I love singing that song in choirs. It is certainly a sound that sounds the best in a huge choir rather than just a quartet.

If you have not hear the song in a while, go find it on iTunes or YouTube. It is amazing. I was at a Christmas Concert a few years ago at Summit High School and they had/have?  a tradition of singing Carol of the Bells to end their Christmas Concerts and invite any alumni to stand with them and sing as well. It was pretty neat to hear. For me, that song is a classic.

And of course, to end, I must also talk about Jingle Bells. What a classic song.

 “Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.”  

I don’t know about you, but I have actually not had that experience of riding in a one-horse open sleigh. Bummer huh. Perhaps I need to visit a Connecticut Christmas-type village during the season to actually experience that. If you know of a place in Central Oregon that has Sleigh rides, please let me know.


48 Days until Christmas! I'll be Jingle Belling all the way (and I hope I get to experience a One-Horse open sleigh at some point in my life.)

50 Days: Excitement

What is the most exciting time of the year? You can probably guess my answer considering that this is a blog session about the 50 Days of Blogging Christmas. It's Christmas. That is the most exciting time of year!

You may ask, "What's so exciting about Christmastime?"

Well, I will tell you. 

There are so many exciting aspects of Christmastime. As I mentioned yesterday, the christmas music. Christmas music is a very exciting aspect of Christmastime in the fact that we have to wait all year long for the ability to listen to the holiday music without getting scowls from those around us. Christmas music is always so cheerful and that is why it is exciting. I love the glorious music.

Christmas Decorations are exciting. They bring such a happy glow to the insides and outsides of houses.

She looks excited, right?

Christmas Trees are exciting. Whoever thought of having trees inside the house was a genius. The wonderful smell, the look, all decorated, ... Oh, I am getting ahead of myself- Christmas Trees posting is on November 27.

Santa is exciting. Oh, I know the truth about Santa, but the fact is that even the fictional character that Santa portrays is exciting- Getting to ride around in a sleigh, giving presents to all the children.

Giving Christmas Presents is exciting. It is so much fun trying to figure out what others want and seeing the look on their face when the perfect gift is given.

Getting Christmas Presents are exciting. Of course, not as fulfilling as giving the perfect gift, but still oh so exciting. When I was younger, I used to loose sleep on Christmas Eve, not because of Santa, but because I was so excited to open presents in the morning. Also, another sleep-loosing event that often happened around Christmas Day was taking a trip all the way down to Cali. Mom's family is all down in California and that means that we were always stuck with the task of driving down there for Christmastime.

There are such exciting times around Christmastime. What do you get excited about?

49 Days until Christmas. Are you excited yet?

50 Days: Christmas Music

I have a difficult time waiting for things. In the car, I get very uptight when I am stuck behind someone slow- (I got that trait from my mother, Shh- don't tell) When we were younger and the family was leaving for a trip, I packed a week early and was up first thing in the morning ready to go and very impatiently waiting for the rest of the family to get ready. Christmas is another one of those times in which I find it hard to wait for. There are many aspects of having to wait in the christmas department- but we will get to each one of those eventually in my christmas postings.

Today is about Christmas Music.

After a quick check of my iTunes Library, I have 326 Christmas songs in my arsenal with 48 artists represented. I so enjoy Christmas music and look forward to listening to the cheerful songs each year. In my personal life, I hold up in my room and listen to Christmas Music as early as before Halloween.  I know, I know, many of you don't like me for do that, but I do not subject you to this music until after Thanksgiving- its a Faux Pas to be listening to the holiday music before Thanksgiving is over- that is why I don't make anyone listen with me until after that wonderful feast.

Growing up in a household with classical music, every year, we listen to Hadel's Messiah, Dallas Brass, and The Nutcracker each year. I have very fond memories of those albums. With the exception of the Dallas Brass music, I didn't know at a young age that those were Christmas albums. One of the first Christmas albums (I should say Cassettes) that I remember loving was Amy Grant's Home for Christmas. It really is the most wonderful time of the year, isn't it? And of course Grown Up Christmas List and The Night Before Christmas were great songs as well. Really every single song on that collection is timeless for me.

Some of the more recent albums that I enjoy are:

The two middle albums came out just last year and I found them and could not stop listening. Click on any of those boxes to be taken to Amazon to listen em. Some of my favorite Christmas Originals are:

Joseph's Lullaby by Mercy Me

All I Want for Christmas- Mariah Carrey (I know, not Christian, but I still like the song, funny huh?)

The Christmas Song- Nat King Cole- Def. a classic.

Jesus, Born on this Day- Avalon - if you haven't ya gotta take a listen.

Putting on a Play- B.O.B. -mostly I love it because it reminds me of Christmas Plays in the church.

Holly Jolly Christmas- Burl Ives- Another classic.

His Favorite Christmas Story- Capital Lights- A very touching story- it makes me cry.

Christmas Shoes- Newsong- another one of those cry songs that leaves you with a feeling of contentment.

O, Come All Ye Faithful- tobyMac- great rendition.

The Chipmunk Song- This has a family joke in it- In First Grade I did a lipsync and it is hilarious. You can watch it here. Yes, I am Alvin.

I'm sorry that this post is WAY WAY longer than I expected it to be. I will try to cut back in the future 49.

50 Days to Christmas- Are you in the Spirit yet?

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.