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.