ugh!

As it seems I've been operating with a higher level of stress than usual, I thought staying in my home all day Thursday and actually taking my day off from work would be good therapy for me. That is, until I started driving to work this morning.

I must have missed the memo about it being National Drive Like An Idiot Day.

Not one person driving near me seemed to have their head screwed on straight. We had people flicking cigarette butts out into the grassy shoulder areas while we're in the midst of a burn ban. We had people driving 20 miles under the speed limit for seemingly no reason except to annoy others. We had a truck going so fast that the empty water jugs that had not been properly secured within the bed were flying out onto the street, nearly causing several collisions. We had drivers on their cell phones, not paying attention to their surroundings. We had a lack of yielding, lack of turn signal usage, and multiple instances of sudden and unwarranted braking. By the time I got to work, I had seriously begun whether this was my cue to return to small town living.

The drive home proved no better. I am considering writing to the powers that be with a suggestion for a new motto, as "Drive Friendly The Texas Way" seems completely inaccurate and untrue. Ugh!

communion crackers and comedy

This past Sunday, things were going well. Despite it being the start of spring break, all my teachers had shown up. The kids seemed happy. There were no parent conflicts. All was right with the world. I went into worship feeling a great sense of peace and gratefulness for God blessing my life and was excited to praise, pray, and commune before heading over to SONshine Worship with my K-2nd Graders. And then it happened.

I was passed the communion tray with the pretty white doily and...nope, that was it. Just the pretty white doily. There was no cracker! I tried to get the attention of the server but he was very focused. Finally, I decided to extend my shiny silver plate, hoping it would stir his senses like a little rodent animal who hoards shiny things. Indeed it did. Out stretched his hand to collect my tray. I caught him by surprise when I retracted my tray. As if to say, "What?! This isn't protocol!" he looked me in the eyes, wondering what shennanigans I could be up to during this sacred time. At last, I had his attention!!! I pointed out the lonely doily with nary a garnish of Matzo but he didn't get it. So in a hushed whisper, I had to explain that there was no cracker. He looked at me, shrugged, and broke off a small square of cracker from another tray, tossed it in mine, and went about his business.

Perhaps he was saddened that he could not pass my tray, that I'd held up the show, that the guy on the other side would now have to go out of his way to retrieve my tardy tray when it finally reached the end of my pew, for the rest of their trays were rows and rows back by now. But he didn't even crack a smile at the humor of the situation. I was disappointed.

Trying to get back into the mindset of communion, I felt poking at the back of my shoulder. I turned to investigate and saw the white corner of a membership card as it made its way over my shoulder and into my lap. On it, a note. It simply said, "Budget cuts demand we leave every 4th plate empty." Who was the mysterious person with a quick wit and humor? None other than one of our elders! I felt a strong sense of pride at that moment. I heart this church....

yet another quiz

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

what do you think?

Go HERE and do this little Johari thing and/or go HERE where you can do this little Nohari thing. It's interesting and will only take a few seconds. Don't complain!

hmmm

I was going to wait to post this till I had a picture, but since my loyal reader (Hi, Mandy!) insisted upon another entry, I decided to go for it anyway.

So I was sitting in my car at a traffic light on my way to work this week. Being the very focused individual I am, naturally my mind wandered and my sight drifted away from the red light to this very bright, crisp, new white banner sign in the lawn at Jack In The Box. What did this very bright, crisp, new white banner say?

Now Hiring Managers -- Starting Up To $45,000

Medical - Dental - Vision

Retirement - Term Life - 401K

And More!

What?! A manager at Jack In The Box can start with a higher salary and more benefits in a position that does not require a college education than I can with my "priceless" undergraduate degree from a Christian university and my nearly-completed-degree from a well ranked master's program at a state university. But more importantly, I find it interesting that we pay our fast food managers a high premium to ensure the quality of our fries yet we pay our educators a meager wage to ensure the future of our nation. Does anyone else think that odd? As a minister, I didn't expect to make a boatload of cash. But if I do ever decide that financial gain is important to me, I know where to go...right to my neighborhood fast food joint.

3's

Apparently the latest craze in bloggerdom is "4 Things," but since my blog is about variety, I'll spice it up and do 3 instead. I'm such an over-achiever....

3 Jobs I've Had:
- Hostess at Willie's Grill & Ice House
- Sales Associate at The County Seat
- Therapeutic Play Group Leader at P.A.C.

3 Movies I Can Watch Over And Over Again:
- Pillow Talk
- The Shawshank Redemption
- You've Got Mail

3 Cities I've Lived In:
- San Manuel, AZ
- Evanston, WY
- Prairieville, LA

3 Favorite TV Shows:
- Gilmore Girls
- Grey's Anatomy
- Project Runway

3 Recent Vacation Spots:
- Key West
- Grand Cayman
- Costa Maya

3 Websites I Visit Daily:
- www.google.com
- www.msn.com
- www.weather.com

3 Favorite Restaurants:
- Olive Garden
- Texas Roadhouse
- Chipotle

3 Favorite Foods:
- Thin Mints
- Ice Cream
- Apples

3 Places I'd Rather Be:
- In my bed
- On the beach
- On a massage table

monday night musings

I commend the parents attending our Bringing Up Boys class on Monday nights. It is encouraging to see parents seeking to be the best they can be, and relying on godly support to do so. I don't have kids (which makes it particularly ironic for me to be co-teaching this class), but I pray that if I ever do, I will remember to be humble.

He's the potter and I'm the clay. I wouldn't change that; I know it's his plan. In my quiet time, I've begun asking him to pick up the lump of clay that embodies me and begin kneading it and shaping it more in his image. He's faithful and he answers prayer. So please pray that I allow him to complete in me the work which he's begun.

What ties these seemingly disjointed thoughts together is this: Tonight in our B.U.B. class, we were discussing peer influence and how it can be both positive and negative. I have to say a huge prayer of thanks for God raining down on me some amazing friends who encourage me spiritually, who lift me up regularly in prayer, and who hold me accountable for becoming the woman God designed me to be. It truly does help to know you're not walking the road alone.

End of the Spear

Okay, some of my blogging friends have already put in a plug for the movie End of the Spear, out in theaters now. But here is one of my own. GO SEE IT!

It's not "entertaining," per se, but it is important. I'm amazed that this movie was made, let alone playing in mainstream theaters. Based on a true story that began in the 1940's and continues to this day, it is set in the jungle of Ecuador at the Amazon Basin. This movie is about reaching out to be Jesus to others and having a heart that sees beyond the box. It's about forgiveness and grace and mercy. It is a powerfully moving story. It's still stirring my personal thought and introspection and I saw it 3 days ago.

Seriously, hit up the matinee for $6. Part of the proceeds go toward the work being done with indigenous tribes so you're not only getting to see this great story, but you're helping others at the same time. Now...go!

change is in the air...

One of my best pals in the whole wide world is moving this week to pursue an adventure and dream. I'm excited for her to step out in faith, knowing God will guide her. I'm scared for her to step out onto the street, knowing there are more crazies per capita where she's headed. But mostly, I'm proud of her, knowing this is the first of many steps outside the box that has confined -- and in some ways, defined -- her. She is a special individual God put in my path many years ago and I thank him daily for it.

It's hard for me to realize, at times, that people change and grow and move on when I can't see them. Life doesn't stop just because you leave one particular environment. I wish I could bottle up all the smells and tastes and sounds of certain times in my life and store them in a container a little more sturdy than my memory. But I'm thankful for what I can recall. The bits and pieces of my history, trapped in my mind, are the threadwork of an exquisite life quilt, even if I do say so myself.

...After all, seasons change. So do cities. People come into your life and people go. But it's comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart. And if you're very lucky, a plane ride away...

SPAM!

Do you know what is just as gross as actual Spam, the alleged meat in a can? Comment spam! I've had this blog for well over a year and a half and not once had I gotten spammed in my comments...until today. The most ridiculous part is that the spammer commented on a post back in August of 2004...and it wasn't even related to that post but a post further down the page! If I didn't have my comments emailed to me, I would never have known. It kind of irritates me that my spammer wasn't even remotely intelligent. Unfortunately, this means I am now turning on comment verification. Boo.