Stories

I have to write a research paper for my online class. I haven't written one of these in AGES, so I dug up some old papers from school to remind myself how to write a bibliography. I ended up coming across some old files I wrote in elementary school, and started wondering why I went into computer science and math instead of becoming a writer. Like this one that I wrote when I was 10. Pay attention to the character development.

The Unsuccessful Trip

One day Mr. Yaglad decided to go to El Paso, Texas. He took his knapsack and headed that way. He was half way there when he stopped at a house and said "Howdy. I'm Mr. Yaglad, but you can call me Orange. I'm headed for El Paso, but it's too late to keep going. Can I stay here for the night?"

"Sure. I'm Mr. Hay, but you can call me Lotsa. This is my daughter Loada," Mr. Hay said.
"Nice suit," Orange said. "Where'd ya get it?"
"Wellll, one day I was sittin' in a tree when all o' the sudden a 12 point buck walked right under me. I fell right on top o' it and I jabbed it in the stomach with my foot. Then I drug it all the way back here," Mr. Hay replied.
"That's not true," Loada said. "Grandma made it for you. Don't lie!"
"Go and round up the horse, Rocken, like you're supposed to," said Lotsa.
"Where'd ya get it?" Orange asked after he saw the horse.
"Wellll, I was ropin' cattle when this horse came jumpin' at me. I threwed my rope and caught it by the neck. Then I rode it bareback all the way here," Lotsa said.
Loada, who had overheard, said, "That's not true. Mom got it for your birthday. Don't lie!"
"That's enough," Lotsa said. Then he picked her up and threw her in the hay.
Mr. Yaglad wondered if that was why his last name was Hay. He ended up going back home because he didn't want to get thrown in the hay or meet another person like Mr. Hay.

Nephew

I'm the proud aunt of my first nephew: Joshua Chase! Can't wait until I'm in Texas and get to hold him!

Your Grace is Enough

Great is Your faithfulness Oh God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters and to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me

Great is Your love and justice God
You use the weak to lead the strong
You lead us in the song of Your salvation
And all Your people sing along

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me

Your grace is enough
Heaven reaching down to us
Your grace is enough for me
God I see your grace is enough
I'm covered in your love
Your grace is enough for me
For me

Radio Trivia

To any single girls out there, here's something I heard on the radio this morning:
The average woman kisses 29 men before they get married.

First off, what kind of statistic is that? Who's job is it sit around and think up some crazy statistic and then go out and measure it? Let's see, I wonder how many pairs of jeans the average woman goes through in a lifetime. I wonder how many flavors of ice cream the average woman has tasted. I wonder how many minutes it takes the average woman to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies. I can whip out a batch of cookies in less than 28 minutes, and that's only using 1 pan at a time in the oven so the cookies bake evenly. I wonder if that's good. I should contact a Gallup Poll Consultant and get answers to these burning questions!!

Second, I don't even want to think about how long it would take me to reach that statistic. Good thing I'm not an average woman!

Here are some other ridicuously silly kissing "statistics" for your entertainment:
- The average person spends 336 hours of his or her life kissing. For you non-math types, that's 14 days.

- Ever wonder how an “X” came to represent a kiss? Starting in the Middle Ages, people who could not read used an X as a signature. They would kiss this mark as a sign of sincerity. Eventually, the X came to represent the kiss itself.

- Talk about a rush! Kissing releases the same neurotransmitters in our brains as parachuting, bungee jumping, and running. Personally, I hate running. But parachuting, now that would be cool!

- Men who kiss their partners before leaving for work average higher incomes than those who don’t.

Great Love

21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

Rainbows

The thing about rainbows is that it has to rain before you can see and appreciate the beauty of a rainbow.

12 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

He Will Watch Over Your Life

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Don Miller

I love Chapter 13 of Blue Like Jazz.

Cars!

Today I learned that my Mustang has a vacuum hose. And I learned that it is very important for it to be properly connected. Else, the engine doesn't run well, or at all for that matter! Thanks to the super nice tow truck guy who took care of me and got me going again, and for Drew who stuck with me to make sure things turned out okay. I wish I knew more about cars.... maybe someday I'll find someone to teach me.

And finally, thanks to Samir for your kind words this evening. You are a softy, but I won't tell anyone! :-P

Passion

I had dinner with my friend's parents tonight, and they were so adorable! They are both from Texas, so that gave them major brownie points. They are fans of t.u., so that lost a few points, but that's okay. Their conversation really made an impact on me. They were telling stories, reminsicing about the days of their youth and the first time they met. It was so cute. I'm not in a hurry to "grow up", but I do hope that when I am "more seasoned" in life, I will speak with such passion and excitement about days gone by.

They gave us young'uns a little advice: Do what you love. Don't build a life that you feel stuck in and can't get out of. Don't work in a job you aren't passionate about or interested in. Keep money stored away for a rainy day, so that if you need to take time to find something new or take a refreshing break, you can do just that. Ask yourself if you feel trapped. If you do, evaluate why and work toward your passions. You can't take it with you when you're gone, and life is too short to waste. Dream big. Don't settle.

"Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it."

"Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion."

"A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position."

"Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, the romance and you find out you still care for that person."

Psalm 145

8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.

10 All you have made will praise you, O LORD;
your saints will extol you.

11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,

12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.

14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.

16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.

18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.

Encouragement

For those of you fortunate enough to know "rev k", I know you will back me up when I say he is an amazing servant of the Lord. Rev K and Sally are like second parents to me, and I honestly do not know what I would do without them. Yes, life has taken us down different paths from those "Old Army" glory days at A&M, but through all the changes, Rev K and Sally have provided an unending supply of unconditional love and encouragement. I am forever grateful that the Lord has put them in my life.

And guess what: rev k is having a birthday on Saturday, June 7th. Happy Birthday, rev k!!!

"I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3