I would never be able to sleep with that unnecessary apostrophe on my chest.
Be thankful ~
Sunday, July 31, 2011
You never know where a grammar faux pas will show up.
Seen on a pair of pajamas in JC Penney:
I would never be able to sleep with that unnecessary apostrophe on my chest.
Be thankful ~
I would never be able to sleep with that unnecessary apostrophe on my chest.
Be thankful ~
Friday, July 29, 2011
Childless.
Ben and I are childless for the weekend. Abbie and Man-squared went to meet Leah for a weekend campout. This morning we loaded Abbie's truck with enough stuff to survive a month in the wild. Abbie took typical girl stuff (she said at one point, I have the most important thing--chapstick.), and Man-squared went armed for bear. He takes his role as protector seriously.
Around dinnertime I got this text with the attached photo: Best campground ever!
Nothing like a beach to make that girl happy. She gets it honest.
Tomorrow Ben and I have a wedding in the morning and a birthday party in the afternoon. We thought about escaping to the beach ourselves, but decided to be responsible adults. Isn't that sad?
Have a great weekend!
Be thankful ~
Around dinnertime I got this text with the attached photo: Best campground ever!
Nothing like a beach to make that girl happy. She gets it honest.
Tomorrow Ben and I have a wedding in the morning and a birthday party in the afternoon. We thought about escaping to the beach ourselves, but decided to be responsible adults. Isn't that sad?
Have a great weekend!
Be thankful ~
Seen at the gym.
Abbie and I decided to start a new blog series called "Seen at the gym."
This morning we were waiting for Strive to begin when we saw a woman on the stair-climber (not to be confused with the StairMaster, which according to The Man is what non-wimpy types use). Emblazoned across her butt was this message: Keep it beautiful.
Rock on, sister.
Be thankful ~
This morning we were waiting for Strive to begin when we saw a woman on the stair-climber (not to be confused with the StairMaster, which according to The Man is what non-wimpy types use). Emblazoned across her butt was this message: Keep it beautiful.
Rock on, sister.
Be thankful ~
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Coming up for air.
I've been working my brains out lately (not quite literally, but almost), and all that sitting at a computer editing e-books doesn't make for good blog stories, hence my silence. But I do have a few random facts to share.
1. A few months ago I decided to have my body fat percentage checked. The first time, it was a little over 23%. Not bad for an almost-50-year-old. So I kept working at it, and just a few weeks ago it was down to 21.3%. I'm feeling pretty good about that, but I'm not allowed to try to lower it any further. And that's all I'll say about that.
2. Last week one of the trainers at the gym was doing body fat measurements, so Abbie stepped up. Granted, she is only 21 and hasn't had five babies, but honestly, 16.8%? I'm trying not to be jealous.
3. Then today Man-squared had his measured. You know Man-squared, the guy with all . . .
the . . .
muscle?
Yeah, him.
His body fat percentage is so low it doesn't even register on the machine. And they tried two different devices just to make sure. (For the record, they know the machines go down to 4% because they've seen that number on them.)
Jerk.
4. On the upside, I bought a dress the other day and it's a small, so I guess 21.3% isn't so bad.
Be thankful ~
1. A few months ago I decided to have my body fat percentage checked. The first time, it was a little over 23%. Not bad for an almost-50-year-old. So I kept working at it, and just a few weeks ago it was down to 21.3%. I'm feeling pretty good about that, but I'm not allowed to try to lower it any further. And that's all I'll say about that.
2. Last week one of the trainers at the gym was doing body fat measurements, so Abbie stepped up. Granted, she is only 21 and hasn't had five babies, but honestly, 16.8%? I'm trying not to be jealous.
3. Then today Man-squared had his measured. You know Man-squared, the guy with all . . .
the . . .
muscle?
Yeah, him.
His body fat percentage is so low it doesn't even register on the machine. And they tried two different devices just to make sure. (For the record, they know the machines go down to 4% because they've seen that number on them.)
Jerk.
4. On the upside, I bought a dress the other day and it's a small, so I guess 21.3% isn't so bad.
Be thankful ~
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Wildlife.
I looked out my bedroom doors today and saw this guy in the bushes way out back.
He's got his head stuck in there searching for whatever keeps bringing him back. We see him all the time.
When I grabbed my camera and opened the door all stealthy-like, he stopped and looked up at me.
But he didn't run like he usually does. He just stood there watching me tip-toe across the deck. I didn't have time to go get the zoom lens from Abbie, and I was trying to get to the rail so I could use it as a tripod with my prime lens. He just kept standing there, and finally I got this one.
He kept his eye on me until I went back inside, then he turned around and went back to eating.
Ben went fishing last week and brought home a bucket of fish guts for the garden (think Indians showing the Pilgrims how to grow corn), and it's still sitting way out by the woods. I keep waiting for our resident bear to show up. Hopefully I'll have the zoom before then.
Be thankful ~
He's got his head stuck in there searching for whatever keeps bringing him back. We see him all the time.
When I grabbed my camera and opened the door all stealthy-like, he stopped and looked up at me.
But he didn't run like he usually does. He just stood there watching me tip-toe across the deck. I didn't have time to go get the zoom lens from Abbie, and I was trying to get to the rail so I could use it as a tripod with my prime lens. He just kept standing there, and finally I got this one.
He kept his eye on me until I went back inside, then he turned around and went back to eating.
Ben went fishing last week and brought home a bucket of fish guts for the garden (think Indians showing the Pilgrims how to grow corn), and it's still sitting way out by the woods. I keep waiting for our resident bear to show up. Hopefully I'll have the zoom before then.
Be thankful ~
Saturday confessions 15.
1. I want to complain about having to run in the heat and humidity all week, but I'm on a campaign to stop whining about exercise, so I won't. You already know it was 106° here yesterday.
2. That said, I ran in humidity so thick this morning it was like pea soup. When I stepped out the front door I almost turned around and came back in, but I knew I'd feel better after I was finished, and sure enough, I did. It's nice to be able to say I did it in spite of how awful it was. (It sounds like I'm complaining, doesn't it?)
3. I forgot my mother's birthday yesterday, so I called her today. She said it was okay, and that once you reach 76, you're just an old bat and birthdays don't really matter. But my daddy is a smart man. He bought her a new car and had it wrapped in a huge red bow. (Go ahead and say, "Awwww!)
4. I need to do a small amount of writing for work today and I'm procrastinating by writing this post. Confessions are much easier to write.
5. I found organic ground beef for $2.97 a pound today at Target (it's usually $5) and bought all they had, which was only 3 pounds. That's not really a confession but more of a brag.
You can read more confessions at A Familiar Path. How's your Saturday been?
Be thankful ~
2. That said, I ran in humidity so thick this morning it was like pea soup. When I stepped out the front door I almost turned around and came back in, but I knew I'd feel better after I was finished, and sure enough, I did. It's nice to be able to say I did it in spite of how awful it was. (It sounds like I'm complaining, doesn't it?)
3. I forgot my mother's birthday yesterday, so I called her today. She said it was okay, and that once you reach 76, you're just an old bat and birthdays don't really matter. But my daddy is a smart man. He bought her a new car and had it wrapped in a huge red bow. (Go ahead and say, "Awwww!)
4. I need to do a small amount of writing for work today and I'm procrastinating by writing this post. Confessions are much easier to write.
5. I found organic ground beef for $2.97 a pound today at Target (it's usually $5) and bought all they had, which was only 3 pounds. That's not really a confession but more of a brag.
You can read more confessions at A Familiar Path. How's your Saturday been?
Be thankful ~
Friday, July 22, 2011
1.2 degrees warmer than the day I got married.
Taken at about 3 pm today. And yes, the sensor is in the shade.
Being thankful for A/C ~
Being thankful for A/C ~
Thursday, July 21, 2011
I am my mother.
I just uploaded a few photos from my camera and was surprised to find the spider I had forgotten about.
What you can't tell from this picture is that he (or she) is snacking on whoever got caught in the web. I could have gotten a better photo, but I would have had to hang out over the deck railing 15 feet above the sinkhole in the backyard to shoot from the best angle, and I think we all know I'm not that dedicated.
While I was scrolling through the rest of the pictures, I found a bunch that were taken by Abbie on Sunday while we were making dinner. Whenever I'm photographing a recipe for the blog, I get Abbie to do the shooting because she's much more talented than I am, and because it's hard to cut potatoes and take pictures at the same time.
When I got to this one, I gasped because, hello? What are my mother's hands doing in this picture when she was 100 miles away?
Did you ever say when you were younger that you would NEVER grow up and do (fill in the blank) like your mother? I did.
And then I grew up and became my mother. The difference is that now I think that's a good thing.
Be thankful ~
What you can't tell from this picture is that he (or she) is snacking on whoever got caught in the web. I could have gotten a better photo, but I would have had to hang out over the deck railing 15 feet above the sinkhole in the backyard to shoot from the best angle, and I think we all know I'm not that dedicated.
While I was scrolling through the rest of the pictures, I found a bunch that were taken by Abbie on Sunday while we were making dinner. Whenever I'm photographing a recipe for the blog, I get Abbie to do the shooting because she's much more talented than I am, and because it's hard to cut potatoes and take pictures at the same time.
When I got to this one, I gasped because, hello? What are my mother's hands doing in this picture when she was 100 miles away?
Did you ever say when you were younger that you would NEVER grow up and do (fill in the blank) like your mother? I did.
And then I grew up and became my mother. The difference is that now I think that's a good thing.
Be thankful ~
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Best slogan ever.
Two of my daughters have been talking about moving to Austin, Texas, after they finish school. One will get her master's degree next May and the other will have her bachelor's the following December. They hate the cold, love the heat, and are currently swooning over Texas. They decided on Austin because they are both studying the arts (music and studio art, respectively) and it sounded like a good fit. (I think the real reason is that it sounds like an awesome adventure.)
So this morning I was glancing over the Yahoo news headlines and saw this article about cities with the most jobs and cheapest housing, so I clicked on it, and wouldn't you know, Austin is #5 on the list. Lots of jobs in the arts, good housing, thriving music and education, and their slogan is "Keep Austin Weird." My daughters will fit right in.
I ran my two miles this morning in the 178% humidity, came back and drank two 20-ounce glasses of water, and still felt thirsty. Abbie and I are going to Pilates (in the air conditioned Mind/Body Studio thankyouverymuch), and then Man-squared and I are going up to the Marine Corps base to get our military IDs renewed and buy food. I'm a little nervous about taking Man-squared grocery shopping with me—you know, that whole burn-it-faster-than-he-eats-it thing.
Have a great Tuesday!
Be thankful ~
So this morning I was glancing over the Yahoo news headlines and saw this article about cities with the most jobs and cheapest housing, so I clicked on it, and wouldn't you know, Austin is #5 on the list. Lots of jobs in the arts, good housing, thriving music and education, and their slogan is "Keep Austin Weird." My daughters will fit right in.
I ran my two miles this morning in the 178% humidity, came back and drank two 20-ounce glasses of water, and still felt thirsty. Abbie and I are going to Pilates (in the air conditioned Mind/Body Studio thankyouverymuch), and then Man-squared and I are going up to the Marine Corps base to get our military IDs renewed and buy food. I'm a little nervous about taking Man-squared grocery shopping with me—you know, that whole burn-it-faster-than-he-eats-it thing.
Have a great Tuesday!
Be thankful ~
Monday, July 18, 2011
Saturday's confessions continued.
1. I don't think I finished one thing I started over the weekend. I have half-written blog posts, two-thirds of the photos I need to post the Crack Potatoes recipe, a partially edited E-Book, most of a grocery list, a lot of the laundry done, and six quarts of beans that are washed and snapped, waiting to be put in the freezer.
2. Tomorrow may not be any better. I have a Pilates date with Abbie, a military ID date with Ben and Man-squared, and a buy-a-lot-of-food date with the commissary. Somewhere in there I need to finish the E-Book. And run two miles.
3. Abbie made cookie dough Saturday and had the brilliant idea to freeze it in cookie-size pieces, so now every day we have fresh oatmeal-whole-wheat-dark-chocolate-chip-cherry cookies hot out of the oven. I've given up losing any more weight until she goes back to school.
4. A few months ago, we took the hot rod to Firestone to get an estimate on some work we needed done. Yes, it's old. Yes, it has over 200,000 miles on it. Yes, there's duct tape residue all over the driver's door from when the window wouldn't work and we had a garbage bag taped over it. Now the only window that works is that one. No A/C, no temperature gauge. Anyway, the guy told me it wasn't worth putting any money into. He said, "That car won't go another five miles." Since then, Ben has driven it to work and back most days (45 miles round trip), drove it to Tennessee (1300 miles round trip) to work on our house, and just got back from Ohio (800 miles round trip) where he was visiting friends and fishing.
No, that car won't go another five miles.
Be thankful ~
2. Tomorrow may not be any better. I have a Pilates date with Abbie, a military ID date with Ben and Man-squared, and a buy-a-lot-of-food date with the commissary. Somewhere in there I need to finish the E-Book. And run two miles.
3. Abbie made cookie dough Saturday and had the brilliant idea to freeze it in cookie-size pieces, so now every day we have fresh oatmeal-whole-wheat-dark-chocolate-chip-cherry cookies hot out of the oven. I've given up losing any more weight until she goes back to school.
4. A few months ago, we took the hot rod to Firestone to get an estimate on some work we needed done. Yes, it's old. Yes, it has over 200,000 miles on it. Yes, there's duct tape residue all over the driver's door from when the window wouldn't work and we had a garbage bag taped over it. Now the only window that works is that one. No A/C, no temperature gauge. Anyway, the guy told me it wasn't worth putting any money into. He said, "That car won't go another five miles." Since then, Ben has driven it to work and back most days (45 miles round trip), drove it to Tennessee (1300 miles round trip) to work on our house, and just got back from Ohio (800 miles round trip) where he was visiting friends and fishing.
No, that car won't go another five miles.
Be thankful ~
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Saturday confessions 14.
1. I haven't been to the gym since Tuesday. I've been staying home, trying to get caught up on the virtual mountain of work I have. I ran 2 miles yesterday and today so I don't feel too bad about it, but I do miss the weightlifting. And the Pilates. But definitely not the StairMaster.
2. Thursday Abbie and I went to the beach. When I left that morning, both inboxes were empty, and when I got home at 10 pm, they were overflowing. I would say that will teach me to take a day off in the middle of the week, but why would I lie? We're already planning the next beach day a few weeks from now.
3. This morning I was up before everyone else and when the sun started peeking through the trees, I saw an awesome spider web covered with dew, sparkling in the early sunlight between the deck rails. So I grabbed my camera and went out to take a few pictures. Aside from Pete getting in the way, I realized I wasn't going to get a decent shot with the mediocre lens on my camera. Abbie has the good one right now and I didn't have the heart to wake her that early. Someday I'll buy another 35mm f1.8, but apparently there's a shortage right now.
4. I'm already looking forward to lunch tomorrow. I'm cooking tilapia and the famous Crack Potatoes. And maybe some squash and zucchini and grape tomatoes.
5. I just realized I never posted the recipe for the famous Crack Potatoes. I'll take pictures and put it up here soon.
Be thankful ~
2. Thursday Abbie and I went to the beach. When I left that morning, both inboxes were empty, and when I got home at 10 pm, they were overflowing. I would say that will teach me to take a day off in the middle of the week, but why would I lie? We're already planning the next beach day a few weeks from now.
3. This morning I was up before everyone else and when the sun started peeking through the trees, I saw an awesome spider web covered with dew, sparkling in the early sunlight between the deck rails. So I grabbed my camera and went out to take a few pictures. Aside from Pete getting in the way, I realized I wasn't going to get a decent shot with the mediocre lens on my camera. Abbie has the good one right now and I didn't have the heart to wake her that early. Someday I'll buy another 35mm f1.8, but apparently there's a shortage right now.
4. I'm already looking forward to lunch tomorrow. I'm cooking tilapia and the famous Crack Potatoes. And maybe some squash and zucchini and grape tomatoes.
5. I just realized I never posted the recipe for the famous Crack Potatoes. I'll take pictures and put it up here soon.
Be thankful ~
Thursday, July 14, 2011
At 10:44 pm, you get a list.
1. Abbie and I spent the day at the beach, and despite the red flags (rough surf, no swimming), it was perfect. Sunny, breezy, not too hot.
2. My phone has sand in it and I can feel it crunching when I text.
3. Virginia Beach has a Jersey Mike's Subs, and we found it thanks to Leah in South Carolina finding their website and calling me with directions. Technology is awesome when you're craving a #2 with no onions.
4. Have you seen the movie Pursuit of Happyness with Will Smith? Great movie. But have you read the book? It's even better. I only put it down for two naps today.
5. It's 10:58 now and my brain shuts off at 11.
Be thankful ~
2. My phone has sand in it and I can feel it crunching when I text.
3. Virginia Beach has a Jersey Mike's Subs, and we found it thanks to Leah in South Carolina finding their website and calling me with directions. Technology is awesome when you're craving a #2 with no onions.
4. Have you seen the movie Pursuit of Happyness with Will Smith? Great movie. But have you read the book? It's even better. I only put it down for two naps today.
5. It's 10:58 now and my brain shuts off at 11.
Be thankful ~
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Short and sweet and to the point.
I ran this morning and went to Pilates. Then I went back to the gym this evening with Abbie for 30 minutes of cycle and totally earned my dinner at Bonefish Grill. The entire time I was on the bike I swore I would never put myself through that again.
Then I came home and checked out the upcoming cycle schedule. What is WRONG with me?
Don't answer that.
Tomorrow I'm not going to the gym at all. I've got this e-book the size of Texas I need to get through and sent in, and I'm determined to get it done tomorrow. So that's it. I'm going to get up and bury my face in the computer until it's finished. I'm so exciting.
Happy Wednesday!
Be thankful ~
Then I came home and checked out the upcoming cycle schedule. What is WRONG with me?
Don't answer that.
Tomorrow I'm not going to the gym at all. I've got this e-book the size of Texas I need to get through and sent in, and I'm determined to get it done tomorrow. So that's it. I'm going to get up and bury my face in the computer until it's finished. I'm so exciting.
Happy Wednesday!
Be thankful ~
Pure excitement.
Ben is on his way home, Man-squared is working, Abbie is helping a friend, and I just finished editing the last of three marketing blasts. I'm on page 191 of the gargantuan e-book I started working on 3 weeks ago (First time through. I'll have to go through it again, but it will go much faster the second time. Right now it's like climbing Everest.) and thought this was as good a time as any to bore you with the mundane details of my life.
Saturday we had our Sunday school class over for a barbecue (or cook-out, depending on whether you're rebel or yankee) and as usual, wound up with way too many desserts. I successfully avoided the massive chocolate chip cookies until Sunday afternoon, but they went perfectly with my two cups of coffee. And the brownie I ate at the bridal shower Sunday night was just to make sure I got no sleep at all. Monday I woke up with a food and caffeine hangover.
After a weekend of no exercise and too much food, I couldn't wait to get to the gym. I jumped on the StairMaster for the first time in 3 or 4 weeks because apparently I am a fan of pain. After 90 floors I decided I'd better save some strength (ha!) for the Strive class that came next. That would be the class in which I was told to hold a plank while balancing on one elbow and the opposite foot, and you better believe I whined about it, but not before I did a face-plant in the carpet. No more cheesecake for you-know-who. ;-)
And then the storm came and we shut the computers down, so here we are the next morning and I'll spare you the details about Pete and his drool and putting him in jail.
Happy Tuesday!
Be thankful ~
Saturday we had our Sunday school class over for a barbecue (or cook-out, depending on whether you're rebel or yankee) and as usual, wound up with way too many desserts. I successfully avoided the massive chocolate chip cookies until Sunday afternoon, but they went perfectly with my two cups of coffee. And the brownie I ate at the bridal shower Sunday night was just to make sure I got no sleep at all. Monday I woke up with a food and caffeine hangover.
After a weekend of no exercise and too much food, I couldn't wait to get to the gym. I jumped on the StairMaster for the first time in 3 or 4 weeks because apparently I am a fan of pain. After 90 floors I decided I'd better save some strength (ha!) for the Strive class that came next. That would be the class in which I was told to hold a plank while balancing on one elbow and the opposite foot, and you better believe I whined about it, but not before I did a face-plant in the carpet. No more cheesecake for you-know-who. ;-)
And then the storm came and we shut the computers down, so here we are the next morning and I'll spare you the details about Pete and his drool and putting him in jail.
Happy Tuesday!
Be thankful ~
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Saturday confessions.
Melissa says this is #14, but I'm sure I haven't posted confessions 14 weeks in a row because I'm lame like that.
1. I've done nothing but work and go to the gym lately, with a little cooking thrown in. Abbie does the laundry, nobody cleans. It's been a rough couple of weeks, but the end is in sight. I think I'll finish what I'm working on this next week. I hope.
2. I'm having a bunch of people at my house for a barbecue (cook-out?) today and all I've done is make a cheesecake. Lame again. Do you call it a barbecue or a cook-out?
3. I'm going to cook Man-squared's groundhog in the crockpot today. Never say you came to my house and didn't eat something interesting.
4. For those of you who aren't friends with me on Facebook, here's the bill we got from the hospital last week. Five days, one surgery:
Notice the "Please Pay This Amt:" line. I always look at that part first, then go back and laugh at the total bill. We have amazing health insurance.
5. It's 7 am and I'm going to make a blueberry dessert for tonight. My mother always said you can serve a mediocre dinner but if dessert is awesome, that's what they'll remember, so I always make dessert first. Thanks, Mom.
Be thankful ~
1. I've done nothing but work and go to the gym lately, with a little cooking thrown in. Abbie does the laundry, nobody cleans. It's been a rough couple of weeks, but the end is in sight. I think I'll finish what I'm working on this next week. I hope.
2. I'm having a bunch of people at my house for a barbecue (cook-out?) today and all I've done is make a cheesecake. Lame again. Do you call it a barbecue or a cook-out?
3. I'm going to cook Man-squared's groundhog in the crockpot today. Never say you came to my house and didn't eat something interesting.
4. For those of you who aren't friends with me on Facebook, here's the bill we got from the hospital last week. Five days, one surgery:
Notice the "Please Pay This Amt:" line. I always look at that part first, then go back and laugh at the total bill. We have amazing health insurance.
5. It's 7 am and I'm going to make a blueberry dessert for tonight. My mother always said you can serve a mediocre dinner but if dessert is awesome, that's what they'll remember, so I always make dessert first. Thanks, Mom.
Be thankful ~
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
A guest post by Mike.
I love my children. The older they get, the more often they bail me out of my self-induced blog neglect. And since I am up to my eyeballs editing a really fantastic unit study this week, Mike stepped up and sent this guest post.
I have something my parents call "The Father Confessor Gene." This is the gene that makes you a prime target for drama-queens, lonely weird people, and those who have really screwed-up life stories. Most of the time I don't mind, but there are those times when I have told people to fix the unnecessary drama before they talk to me again. And those are just some of the guys. I've learned things about my generation's women that make me fear for the survival of humanity.
But I digress.
The Father Confessor Gene, as you might be able to tell from the name, means that people look to you for forgiveness of their sins, even though you can't forgive anyone's sins at all. They explain what they were thinking, make excuses, try to justify their behavior . . . and in the end, they're no more convinced of their own justification than when they started.
And for non-Christians, that's just where I want them—lost, and knowing it. But when a Christian does this, it makes me a little crazy.
See, when God saves someone, He forgives them of every sin they have ever committed. And since that's not quite awesome enough for such a great God as He is, He also forgives all the sins they have yet to commit.
And still, that's not good enough for God. So He takes that sin, and buries it in something called the Sea of Forgetfulness. God chooses to not remember that sin—which is exactly as if it had never happened in the first place. That is the power of the blood sacrifice of Jesus.
Now here's where I get a little irritated with Christians: If you asked God to forgive you, He did. Period. That is the promise of 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." So if you're already forgiven, why are you still acting like God didn't follow his own word?
God is a great God, who always keeps his promises. If you, as a Christian, asked for his forgiveness, you got it. So riddle me this: Who are you to go scuba-diving in the Sea of God's Forgetfulness, dredging up things he has already dealt with?
God always forgives you permanently, even if you don't. So if you are forgiven, live like it. Go, and sin no more.
And be thankful, for such forgiveness as this.
I have something my parents call "The Father Confessor Gene." This is the gene that makes you a prime target for drama-queens, lonely weird people, and those who have really screwed-up life stories. Most of the time I don't mind, but there are those times when I have told people to fix the unnecessary drama before they talk to me again. And those are just some of the guys. I've learned things about my generation's women that make me fear for the survival of humanity.
But I digress.
The Father Confessor Gene, as you might be able to tell from the name, means that people look to you for forgiveness of their sins, even though you can't forgive anyone's sins at all. They explain what they were thinking, make excuses, try to justify their behavior . . . and in the end, they're no more convinced of their own justification than when they started.
And for non-Christians, that's just where I want them—lost, and knowing it. But when a Christian does this, it makes me a little crazy.
See, when God saves someone, He forgives them of every sin they have ever committed. And since that's not quite awesome enough for such a great God as He is, He also forgives all the sins they have yet to commit.
And still, that's not good enough for God. So He takes that sin, and buries it in something called the Sea of Forgetfulness. God chooses to not remember that sin—which is exactly as if it had never happened in the first place. That is the power of the blood sacrifice of Jesus.
Now here's where I get a little irritated with Christians: If you asked God to forgive you, He did. Period. That is the promise of 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." So if you're already forgiven, why are you still acting like God didn't follow his own word?
God is a great God, who always keeps his promises. If you, as a Christian, asked for his forgiveness, you got it. So riddle me this: Who are you to go scuba-diving in the Sea of God's Forgetfulness, dredging up things he has already dealt with?
God always forgives you permanently, even if you don't. So if you are forgiven, live like it. Go, and sin no more.
And be thankful, for such forgiveness as this.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Happiness is . . .
. . . having a husband who is willing to drive the car with no air conditioning all the way to the rental house 12 hours away so I can have the good car.
. . . having a son who works at Bonefish Grill and brings home Bang-Bang Shrimp.
. . . having a neighbor who also works at Bonefish and brings me incredible hazelnut brownies with raspberry sauce and fresh whipped cream. It's a wonder I don't weigh 500 pounds.
. . . a beautiful organic garden (doesn't this cancel out the brownies?)
. . . last year's flowers that surprise me, popping up in the cilantro
. . . fresh basil
. . . and beans
. . . squash enough to give away
. . . tomatoes to go with the basil
. . . banana peppers
. . . and cucumber vines with swirly tendrils
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. (Psalm 68:19)
Be thankful ~
. . . having a son who works at Bonefish Grill and brings home Bang-Bang Shrimp.
. . . having a neighbor who also works at Bonefish and brings me incredible hazelnut brownies with raspberry sauce and fresh whipped cream. It's a wonder I don't weigh 500 pounds.
. . . a beautiful organic garden (doesn't this cancel out the brownies?)
. . . last year's flowers that surprise me, popping up in the cilantro
. . . fresh basil
. . . and beans
. . . squash enough to give away
. . . tomatoes to go with the basil
. . . banana peppers
. . . and cucumber vines with swirly tendrils
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. (Psalm 68:19)
Be thankful ~
Friday, July 1, 2011
The cold, hard slap of reality.
Well, then.
Apparently my daughter's commentary on homeschooling was a hit (get it? a hit?). This blog received more visits in one day than ever before. Thanks to all who came to read.
While Leah was busy keeping my website going, I was sitting in my beach chair with my feet in the surf, becoming a vegetable. I don't go to the beach very often (it's 2 1/2 hours away), but at least once a year, I like to go shut down for a day. And yesterday was it.
Abbie, Man-squared, J (Man-squared's friend), and I left at 7:30 am to enjoy a day in the sun, and it was the perfect day for it. Mid-80s, no clouds, warm water, and no jellyfish. It was lovely. I slept, didn't think, listened to a grandpa tell his 2-year-old granddaughter to shush, stop it, and quiet now at least 500 times and I really don't think I'm exaggerating (thanking God for iPods), and enjoyed a few salty swims with Abbie.
And because I've been made an exercise freak, I went for walk from our spot on 20th Street all the way to Rudee Inlet and back. That would be 2.6 miles.
No pictures because I didn't want my camera to get sandy and I just never thought to use my phone, but I can assure you the beach looks the same as ever.
So after a warm, relaxing day in the sun, today it's back to reality with Strive and then work, work, work. I have a huge project I'm working on and will spend the majority of my weekend on it.
Happy Friday!
Be thankful ~
Apparently my daughter's commentary on homeschooling was a hit (get it? a hit?). This blog received more visits in one day than ever before. Thanks to all who came to read.
While Leah was busy keeping my website going, I was sitting in my beach chair with my feet in the surf, becoming a vegetable. I don't go to the beach very often (it's 2 1/2 hours away), but at least once a year, I like to go shut down for a day. And yesterday was it.
Abbie, Man-squared, J (Man-squared's friend), and I left at 7:30 am to enjoy a day in the sun, and it was the perfect day for it. Mid-80s, no clouds, warm water, and no jellyfish. It was lovely. I slept, didn't think, listened to a grandpa tell his 2-year-old granddaughter to shush, stop it, and quiet now at least 500 times and I really don't think I'm exaggerating (thanking God for iPods), and enjoyed a few salty swims with Abbie.
And because I've been made an exercise freak, I went for walk from our spot on 20th Street all the way to Rudee Inlet and back. That would be 2.6 miles.
No pictures because I didn't want my camera to get sandy and I just never thought to use my phone, but I can assure you the beach looks the same as ever.
So after a warm, relaxing day in the sun, today it's back to reality with Strive and then work, work, work. I have a huge project I'm working on and will spend the majority of my weekend on it.
Happy Friday!
Be thankful ~
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