Jackson’s “don’t like it” face

Unfortunately, I don’t know how to edit videos, so you get the whole thing. Oh, well. Believe me, I know I’m a dork.  :)

Congratulations!!!!

Congratulations to my best (boy) friend in the world, Ryan and his sweet wife Allison, who just had their 2nd little girl this morning. Her name is Amelia Mary Hooks and she’s a healthy 8 pounds, 1 ounce. Short and sweet, everything went beautifully and all involved are happy as can be and healthy. Praise God for this new little life!  

(Sorry, y’all- I stole this picture from your website…!) LOVE Y’ALL!  

Just in case…

…you were wondering if the country we live in is completely backward from where it should be… here’s another great example (besides the fact that we just elected Barack Obama as president of these great states). This song just won CMA’s “Song of the Year” award. It’s a song about a chick having an affair with a married man (implied married). She wants him to leave his WIFE, he won’t, she’s left alone crying while he goes home to the woman he married…well, read it for yourself. I can’t befreakinlieve this won song of the year. What in the world, people??!

I’ve been sitting here staring at the clock on the wall
And I’ve been laying here praying, praying she won’t call
It’s just another call from home
And you’ll get it and be gone
And I’ll be crying

And I’ll be begging you, baby
Beg you not to leave
But I’ll be left here waiting
With my heart on my sleeve
Oh, for the next time we’ll be here
Seems like a million years
And I think I’m dying

What do I have to do to make you see
She can’t love you like me

Why don’t you stay
I’m down on my knees
I’m so tired of being lonely
Don’t I give you what you need
When she calls you to go
There is one thing you should know
We don’t have to live this way
Baby, why don’t you stay

You keep telling me, baby
There will come a time
When you will leave her arms
And forever be in mine
But I don’t think that’s the truth
And I don’t like being used and I’m tired of waiting
It’s too much pain to have to bear
To love a man you have to share

Why don’t you stay
I’m down on my knees
I’m so tired of being lonely
Don’t I give you what you need
When she calls you to go
There is one thing you should know
We don’t have to live this way
Baby, why don’t you stay

I can’t take it any longer
But my will is getting stronger
And I think I know just what I have to do
I can’t waste another minute
After all that I’ve put in it
I’ve given you my best
Why does she get the best of you
So next time you find you wanna leave her bed for mine

Why don’t you stay
I’m up off my knees
I’m so tired of being lonely
You can’t give me what I need
When she begs you not to go
There is one thing you should know
I don’t have to live this way
Baby, why don’t you stay

“Thank you” seems so futile…

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VETERANS who have served overseas and on our home soil, who have sacrificed so much time away from their families (immediate and extended), missed the births of their children, bedtime stories and bath times, soccer games and flute recitals and birthdays. Thanks to those who have taken shots to the body, lost limbs and eyes and organs and senses or given up their earthly lives….all to protect the freedom that comes with being a citizen of the United States. 

THANK YOU to the men and women, moms and dads, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, aunts and uncles, boyfriends and girlfriends, cousins, friends and people we’ll never know or meet for fighting our foes for us so we don’t have to…for keeping our daily lives and standard of living the same day in and day out while theirs change on a daily, sometimes hourly basis…for keeping the best symbol of our freedom flying high and with pride and for making America “the land of the FREE and the home of the brave”. 

Since only less than 1% of Americans serve or will serve in the military, as a whole, we have no idea what they go through and sacrifice and see, all in the name of “liberty and justice for all”. So to all you veterans and current military personnel and those families who support you, a huge THANK YOU from this Southern girl. May God bless you and your families beyond your wildest imaginations.

No shadow

Today has been a day of….realizations? That’s not a good word, but it’ll have to work ’til I think of a better one. 

As I look back on my life (short so far- I HOPE), I realize some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned have come much later than everyone else learned them. I don’t know why. It’s been said that the lessons that stick the most are the hardest learned and sometimes come with the highest price paid. I hope to learn every day, but hopefully not at as high a price as I could have paid. 

A quick history: I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was around 8 years old. I was baptized that same month. At the time, I only knew “I’m a sinner and I need a Savior because my sins and lack of perfection are always greater than what I can do to overcome them.” That was all I understood- and all I needed to understand. I lived my life after that as best I knew how- having a “budding” relationship with a living God, going to church, obeying my parents, being a part of the youth group and choir, participating in mission trips and volunteering for things in and out of the church. Went to high school, met my boyfriend and thought I could do it on my own. Don’t get me wrong- I didn’t go crazy with drinking, drugs, pregnancies and treating people like crap, but I wasn’t living my life NEAR like I should have been. We rarely went to church, and we spent our time, money and energy on things other than furthering the kingdom of God. Compared to the world’s standards, I was great. Compared to the Lord’s standards, especially for a so-called Christian? Not by a long shot. We got married 6 years later and the cycle continued. We divorced in July 2005, and I was left with a life very unfamiliar to me. Instead of turning to God, I turned away from Him, lost in a pit of depression and self-loathing that apparently can be part of the “recovery” process. Again, I wasn’t “bad”, raging against the world and doing things I hadn’t previously been “allowed” to do, but I was not living my life for Christ. I knew it, and I could feel His call, His presence, but kept my wall up. It was not ’til August 2007 that I really realized (read: let God in and allowed His conviction of my heart) how far I had strayed from the truth. I remember being on my hands and knees in my apartment upstairs, crying out to God to reform me, save me, change my heart to want to live my life for His glory only and make me His servant. Literally, when I got up, I was a new person. I knew I was a Christian and had already accepted Christ, which meant that my name had already been engraved in the Book of Life. I needed a rededication (which my father will tell you happens every day if you’re a true believer. Excellent point, but not this drastic here.) I was at a precipice of huge transition in my life (unbeknownst to me at the time) and He was preparing me for that. Had I not been rededicated, re-redeemed, reborn, re-humbled and revived as a believer….oh, me. What a mess. Well, what more of a mess. My God, my Savior, slapped me upside the head and said “take My hand- I’m still here. I was here when you didn’t want Me and thought you didn’t need me. I didn’t take you out of this world and send you straight to Hell where you belong and I’m giving you a second chance. Here I am- come back to Me, My child, My love.” 

(I said it would be quick and I was wrong, wasn’t I?   OOPS!) 

The death of Rick Burgess’ son in January of 2008 really drove the point home to me. We are but a wave tossed in the ocean, the flicker of a light, the blink of an eye, the falling of one raindrop. Our lives are so short…AND SO POINTLESS IF THERE IS NO CHRIST WITHIN US, SHINING THROUGH TO A DARK WORLD AND BEING SHOWN AND SHARED WITH THE PEOPLE OF THAT DARK WORLD DAILY. Our God, in His all-knowing, ever-present and Almighty ways, brought so many saved lives- and rededicated lives to the Lord- out of that awful tragedy that no parent should ever have to go through…mine being one of them. I vowed to God as I listened time and again to Rick’s message that I would live for Him and tell as many people about Him as I could (since, really that is the only reason I am on God’s green earth). Anyway, since then my life has been lived differently day in and day out- never perfect, of course, but so much closer to that perfect standard that God set. And a few things have occurred to me over the past few days and weeks and months (this is where those late realizations come in):

- In Jesus’ eyes we are all the same. Just because I have never smoked (anything), didn’t drink ’til I was 21, didn’t have sex ’til I was married, was nice to almost everyone I met and everyone knew me as “the good girl” doesn’t make me any better of a person than Hitler. Jeffrey Dommer. That crazy man in Waco with the compound. Kim Jong Il. The man in the prison system accused of raping, murdering, dismembering and burning an unknown woman. I am no better because I am a sinner- because I was born, I am by default a sinner in dire need of life-saving blood of Jesus Christ. 
- Here’s another one I realized, though not in the past year. I even remember where I was! I was riding with my daddy past what is now the new Starbucks on 31 in Hoover (across from Bruno’s) when it clicked: When God parted the sea and the Israelites crossed on dry land and Egyptians were swallowed up in the sea behind them…they crossed on DRY LAND! Dry. Not wet. Not muddy. Not damp. Not with puddles and patches of wet spots where the Israelites got mud on their moccasins. IT WAS DRY. How did I not GET that before?
- This is my most favorite as of late: there is no shadow in the presence of Jesus. He alone projects no shadow.  Did you get that? Can you…grasp that? I can’t. That’s incredibly humbling. Nothing outshines Him, nothing is brighter, nothing is more lovely, nothing is more wonderful. We know how bright the sun is. How does that NOT outshine the Son?  Isn’t that awe-inspiring? Does that just blow your mind? It does mine. How is that possible? How is there no shadow? There has to be a shadow! No, there doesn’t. Why? BECAUSE HE’S JESUS, THE SINLESS, SPOTLESS LAMB OF GOD who is not of this world! John MacDuff (1870) says this: “He is the true ‘Angel standing in the sun,’ who alone projects no shadow; so bathed in the glories of Deity that likeness to Him becomes like the light in which He is shrouded—’no man can approach unto it.’” Mind-boggling.

The final thing that I haven’t so much realized but am unbelievably and forever grateful for on a daily basis is this: we are saved by GRACE ALONE  through FAITH ALONE in Jesus Christ ALONE, saved by no effort or goodness of our own AT ALL. Nothing we EVER do will be good enough because the standard is perfection. PERFECTION. Even if we tried our absolute hardest, we could never attain that goal. And I am so thankful because there are days when I think “well, screwed up again”. And yet He continues to forgive me because He knows I am His child. I am so in debt to Him for saving my life, but He doesn’t care. He knows that I am in debt which is why He paid that price. He cares only that I love Him, that I praise Him, that I call Him “Father” and that I tell others about Him and the sacrifice He’s made for us.

I remember hearing a sermon that made such a difference in the way I think. Sort of “self-confidence 101 for Christians”.  At the foot of the Cross, at the feet of Jesus, in the presence of the Father… I AM REDEEMED! He sees me as His forgiven, saved by faith, redeemed-by-His-blood-alone child of the living Savior. What a comfort! Just because I’m saved by Him doesn’t make me any better, any holier, any more perfect, any more righteous (the world would say “self righteous”) but it makes me FORGIVEN! REDEEMED! My sins cast as far as the east is from the west! YOU try to see how far that is, and get back to me when you have a number.  

The link to a link to a link cycle

Ever notice how you go to someone’s blog and an hour later, you’re on a stranger’s blog in cyberspace and you can’t remember how you got there? This is not one of those stories. But you know what I mean!  :)  

I was on my brother’s blog the other day and linked up with Jen Pinkner, who is the wife of his teaching pastor at his church in Knoxville. One of her most recent blogs was about Daniel Smith, a friend of hers whom she watched go through cancer- squamous cell oral cancer, to be exact- and he had such faith and conviction. You MUST read this blog. It’s long because it records everything from the day he found out (the blog was to relieve stress and stay in touch w/everyone) on May 4 of this year to just a couple of weeks ago. I don’t know him, and I never will because he died a few weeks ago. I wish I could have known him and spent time with him- I’m sure he would have been a friend for a lifetime and could have taught me so much. I’m learning, though, from his writing and thinking, his courage in the face of such adversity most of us can’t imagine and his faith…his strong, deep, unwavering faith in a loving-kind, relentless, amazing God. This blog is an absolute must-read, even if it takes you 2 days.

The second link is to a previous mentioned man. His name is Greg Pinkner and he’s the teaching pastor at my brother’s church, Fellowship Evangelical Free, in Knoxville. I went a few weeks ago to Michael’s white coat ceremony @ LMU-DCOM. We stayed and went to church with him and Jen that Sunday where Greg taught one of the best lessons I’ve heard in awhile. This is another must- you have to hear it. Then you’ll want to keep it on your computer for those days when you really need a good…lesson. It’s grounding and humbling to say the least. Read it and share it. Here it is: http://fefc.com/blog/2008/10/20/sermon-truth-the-anchor-of-the-gospel/

a preview of MY weekend

First off, Billy Graham’s 90th birthday is today. Just think back at the impact that man has had on so many generations of people! What a servant, what a man of God. 

Now to my weekend- I’m babysitting my precious babies this evening, which I’m so excited about because I haven’t seen them in so long!  My mama’s birthday is tomorrow and we have fantastic plans tomorrow night- but it’s a surprise, so I can’t talk about it here…because occasionally she peruses this blog and I don’t want to spoil it for her! I’m also trying out a new church on Sunday, so that should be exciting, too. 

Then there’s THIS monster, who’s staying with me this weekend. 

Here’s the preview of MY weekend…

Quirks- and other weird things

I was tagged and asked “what are your quirks?”- you know…what are things about you that people would look at you and say “well…that’s just a little bit weird.” So, friends, here they are:

- With very few exceptions, I write everything in lower case. I don’t know why.
- All of my carbohydrates have to be buttered, creamed or smeared in all corners and crevices.
- I proofread and correct even when I don’t want to- I can’t stop myself.
- I always drink something when shopping (maybe that’s not so weird).
- I have never ever colored my hair.
- I have never NOT  had music on in the car.
- I’ve never broken a bone in my body- OR had braces! (I know- I just “jinxed” myself…)
- I’m really, REALLY funny about my pens that I use to write- and I’ll NEVER use a pencil
- I can’t use a nail file on my hands or feet- it gives me heebiejeebies
- I will NOT use wide-ruled paper….ever.
- I’m self-diagnosed OCD…or CDO, which is as it should be.
- Though we were born 3 years apart, my brother and I were born on the same day…in the same room…delivered by the same doctor…our birth DAYS were 3 weekdays apart and we were born 3 hours apart and 3 minutes apart.
- I take showers by candlelight….to save power.
- All dishes have to be clean (or being cleaned) before I go to sleep.

If y’all know of anymore that I missed, let me know!

movies

So… I rented 3 movies this week- didn’t need to considering my lack of funds, but whatever…! – I rented August Rush, The Bucket List and Dan in Real Life. All of these are fabulous movies- none of ‘em involve murders or politics and it’s a great way to “get away from the real world.” First off- August Rush. A terrifically fake movie (I mean, who wants to see a movie about real life anyway? That’s the reason some of us watch movies!) about a one-night stand between 2 musicians who have sheet music and harmonies for blood and oxygen who have a child and don’t know it until a rash of circumstances that can only happen in a movie bring them both together on the same night in New York City where he’s the youngest composer ever of the Philharmonic- they meet again, they laugh, they grab hands, he turns and somehow knows it’s his parents. Of course- because that’s how real life happens…. anyway, it’s a long stretch, but SUCH a great movie. Worthy enough to keep in your colletion when you need a pick-me-up.

Second, Dan in Real Life- great movie. A bit more real than August Rush. Steve Carell, who is one of my all-time favorites, gives a fabulous, all-too-believable performance of a newspaper columnist who is the widowed father of 3 girls and meets the woman of his dreams in a bookstore (where they meet, talk and laugh for hours) while on a trip away to see the extended family. (Are you nn to the plot yet?) She leaves after she gets a phone call, saying she’ll be there in minutes, doesn’t know if she can see him yet b/c she’s just starting a new relationship. He wants to see her again and is reliving the time they spent together on the way back to the cabin. He walks in, tells his brothers he’s met someone great, everyone gathers around to hear about it, then one of the brothers bring HIS girlfriend around the corner, who’s there meeting the whole family for the first time….and of course, it’s her, the woman from the bookstore. They spend the next few days tip-toeing around the obvious tension between them because they both realize she likes Dan better than the current brother. Annie realizes she likes Dan, she leaves the “compound”, she calls Dan saying she wants to leave but didn’t get very far (code for “I left but I want to see you still”) and they end up kissing on the floor of the local bowling alley…where the WHOLE family promptly walks in on them, demanding an explanation. There’s punching and crying and sighs of exasperation…but it ends with the two together who should be together and the other two, who you KNOW are going to be together considering their pasts and the double date and . . . well, you need to see it. Also a good one.

(I don’t know why I’m starting to sound like a movie connoisseur or Siskel and freakin’ Ebert. We all know I’m not.)

Then there’s The Bucket List. Great movie with Jack Nicholson (eh…) and Morgan Freeman, who is one of my favorites! They play 2 men who end up in the hopital together- both with cancer, but from different income levels and backgrounds. Carter (Freeman) is a life-long mechanic, Edward owns the hospital in which they’re staying. They both get the news that their cancer is inoperable and they have between 6 months and a year to live. Edward gets the bright idea to complete everything on Carter’s “bucket list”, a to-do list before he “kicks the bucket”, which Edward found on the floor after they got THE news and it wasn’t possible anymore. They complete most everything on the bucket list, talking and getting to know each other and spilling secrets along the way.

There’s one conversation, as they’re flying over the polar ice caps, that really got me- enough to watch that part again and put it here. See how many things you can find wrong with this conversation.

Indescribably beautiful…the stars- it’s really one of God’s good ones.

So you think a “being” of some sort did all this?

You don’t?

You mean, do I believe if I look up in the sky, and promise this or that… the Biggie will make all this go away? NO….

Then 95% of the people on earth are wrong?

If life has taught me anything it’s that 95% of the people are always wrong.

It’s called faith.

I honestly envy people who have faith; I just can’t get my head around it.

Maybe your head”s in the way…

Carter, we’ve all had hundreds of these discussions and every one of them always hits the same wall…. is there a…sugar plum fairy or not… and nobody has ever gotten over that wall.

So… what do you believe?

I resist all beliefs.

No big bang, no random universe?

We live.. we die…and the wheels on the bus go ‘round and ‘round…

What if…you’re wrong?

I’d love to be wrong! If I’m wrong, I win….

Not sure it works that way.

Well you’re not claming you know something I don’t. . . .

Uhuh- I don’t. I just have faith.

 

Yes, I know- it’s a movie. But this is one of the things that is so wrong with the way some of us think these days. WE NEED THE TRUTH! What did you find wrong with that conversation?

 

“If I look up in the sky and promise this or that…the Biggie will make all this go away?” – - – hmmm, OK. If you ask Jesus to come into your heart, it has to be for the right reasons (you realize you [and everyone else on the planet] are a sinner and need the saving grace and redemption of the one and only Living God and want to live, now, according to His will for your life), not because you think it’s going to make your life better and all the bad stuff will “magically” disappear. Come on! Second of all, don’t call the God of the Universe “the biggie”- it’s disrespectful and demeaning. 

 

Second- “then 95% of the people on the earth are wrong?”- - - 95% of the people believe in God? I doubt that. Then, 95% of people on the earth have prayed THE prayer and accepted Christ into their heart, turning their lives over to Him to work His will through it? Unfortunately, I doubt that, too. 

 

Third- “I honestly envy people who have faith; I just can’t get my head around it.”- – -  Yes, that’s the point. You CAN’T get your head around it. You don’t have to. That’s why it’s called FAITH- believing in something you can’t physically see or hear or touch. Quit being so selfish and actually HAVE faith- don’t just talk about it.

 

Fourth- “Maybe your head’s in the way.” – - - Yes, I would agree with that. Our heads are often in the way! 

 

Fifth- “We’ve all had hundreds of these discussions and they all end the same way…is there a sugar-plum fairy or not….and nobody has ever gotten over that wall.” - - - Yes, we will continue to have these discussions. It is one way we get to the “we’re-all-sinners-in-need-of-the-Savior” result. We believe that by faith in a living, loving God. He is NOT, however, a “sugar plum fairy” (see #3 above) and does not, under any circumstances, tell us anywhere that because you accept Him as Lord and Savior that your life will all of the sudden come together and be wonderful and everything will be happy and rosy for the rest of your life. He DOES, however, tell you should you accept Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, saving us from the pit of hell where we would otherwise burn forever, consciously and eternally.

 

I don’t think I have enough energy to complete the rest of this. Those are the biggest ones, anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall in the South