God at work

I was supposed to have worked over tonight (Tues), but I had one of those weird feelings. At 9:30 something was telling me to go home. As it got closer to time to leave, the worse it got. By the time 11 rolled around, it was like a drum repeating over and over "go home, go home, go home." I was starting to feel physically sick.

So, I told my boss I couldn't stay. He wasn't too happy with me, but oh well. I had to obey my gut feeling.
So I left...
As I approached my house, there was a SUV sitting two houses away. (On the other side of my parent's house). A young girl (okay, anyone in their early 20s looks young to me.) was shivering by this vehicle. The first person I thought of was Ashley. This girl is about the same age and height. She was crying uncontrollably.
I pulled into my driveway, and instead of the "go home" drumming in my head, it was now a "go back, go back" feeling.
So, I backed out of my driveway, and stopped next to her. I rolled down my window, and asked her if she was ok. She said "I ran out of gas,my cell phone's dead, and I have no clue where I am." She started crying even harder when she said "I've tried flagging down cars and no one would stop."
Two major factories just let out, so there were A LOT of vehicles driving through town, yet NO ONE thought to help. By the time I got home, the streets were empty. After praying for God's protection, I said "It's freezing out here, why don't you get in and warm up." As she climbed in, I noticed that her tears were frozen to her face and she was shivering and crying uncontrollably. I turned the heater up full blast and just sat there for a while. That's when she told me her story....
This girl lives 2 hours away in Southern Indiana. A guy she worked with asked her on a date to the bar here in town. She said she was wanting to get gas on the way, but he was afraid of being late. So, after a couple hours at this bar, this girl's "friend" was still playing cards, she told him that she'd be right back she was going to get gas. By this time, the gas station was closed. Since she didn't know her way around she stayed on the same road. Of course there aren't any gas stations except here in this town. So, she turned around, came back, and ran out of gas. She called her "friend" and he had left with some friends.. . He said I'm almost to my mom's house, and I'm not coming back, so you're on your own.
As we are talking, a guy I work with (and trust. Nice guy, married with two kids, and 3 grandkids.) pulled up behind me. I went home, grabbed the gas can out of the garage, and the three of us took his truck to a gas station. She was pretty hysterical until we assured her that we were "safe", she could trust us, and everything will be okay.
She was so cold she didn't realize she'd broken her finger until we got to the station.
We get back, put the gas in the tank. Now by this time the neighbor of the house we were "blocking" came out and was trying to help. He eventually had to get some jumper cables and jump her vehicle.
Now here's where it gets really interesting.
She was trying to figure out how to get to an interstate. "ANY interstate would be okay." Since I was the ONLY one that knew how to get to 465 from there, it was up to me to give her directions. So, we get back into this coworker's truck (It's only 8 degrees outside) and I start telling her. Well, a police officer decided at that moment to pull up, turn on his lights, and ask for IDs and this coworker's and girl's reason for being in this town.

Here's my question.. What business was it of his to ask that? We had already explained about her running out of gas, and just trying to help her.
Since when are good samaritians "punished" for good deeds by cops? All any of us wanted was to be on our way home. And lastly... Why couldn't he have helped give her a hand? He never bothered asking if she was ok, needed directions, or more gas. Isn't that what police USUALLY do?

This poor girl finally got out after thanking us 100 times or more, and left with a quarter tank of gas.

Here's another thing...... This coworker is from New Castle. He said "I just had a feeling I had to take this road home." So, What if I had worked over until 3 am? What if this coworker had taken his normal way home? This girl could've frozen to death before anyone noticed she was there. My neighbors don't get up until AT LEAST 4. She would've sat there for 4 hours or more in 8 degree weather with no heat.
That was 2 hours ago, and my thoughts are still on this poor girl. I pray that she made it home safe and sound.
Talk about God's perfect timing.

I FOUND IT!!!

As you know, I am a 4th, 5th, and 6th grade Sunday School teacher.. Before that I was the High School Sunday school teacher. So, when I switched classes I noticed that the posters in my class were over the heads of my 10,11, and 12 year olds.

I have been searching for 2 years now for the "PERFECT" picture for my class.

A couple weeks ago, my aunt Carol and I went to a Christian bookstore, and I fell in LOVE with a picture. I told Aunt Carol that this picture was THE picture. Well there were two small problems.... 1 It was framed... We are not allowed to put nails in the walls. and 2. It was about $100. (That's with the 30% discount... It was $139)

With a downcast heart, I ran across a postcard similar to that picture, not exactly what I was looking for, but on the same style.. I looked on the back.. Sure enough there was a website. Went to the website and FOUND several pictures PERFECT for my class. The great part is...... They are only 99 cents each. Okay so they're 5x7 postcards, but I do have a bulletin board in my room. Perfect size to tack up.


This picture I fell in love with is called "Storytime". It's a picture of a bunch of kids sitting on the floor as their teacher is reading a story to them. Jesus is sitting on the floor with these children listening along.

The other pictures I bought from this site are:
Johnny Made Whole
My Friends
The Family of God
and
The Lion and the Lamb (Which is really neat.)

The picture I bought at the bookstore is called:
Family Worship

You can see all these pictures at: (By the way, this web page has all of the pictures on one page. Don't have to search, just scroll down. Click on the picture to see a bigger picture of it.)

http://www.hartclassics.com/products.php?show=by_size

I found not one picture, but 5, ordered, them and now to wait for them to arrive. I am one HAPPY camper. :)

Books, Books, Books, and more Books!!!!!!

Everyone that knows me knows that I LOVE to read. I have a goal for this year..... 52 books in 52 weeks..... So far, I'm right where I should be...

I read a book last week that really grabbed me.... It's called "Between Heaven and Ground Zero." It's a true story about a woman that worked on the 36th floor of tower one. She described what she saw and how she felt so well it was almost like being there. She said she was reborn after leaving the towers. Before she was arrogent and "proud", afterwards she suffered from post tramic stress syndrome, but she learned to hand everything over to the Lord.
I learned things about the towers that I didn't know before.... I didn't know that tower one was leaning after the attack and never uprighted itself, and the ceilings were caving in. TV showed a much different picture. I started this book one morning, couldn't stop until it was done. Very dramatic, WILL make you cry, but it's a worthwhile read.....

MY 100th post!!!!!!!!

For my 100th post, I'm going to sing a song for the occasion.... Okay, maybe I won't, after all who wants to hear me sing? Besides, you CAN'T hear me sing,because this is a BLOG... You can only READ..... So, singing would be pointless and a very big waste of my time, not to mention yours, since you won't be able to hear me sing.


But, I do however have plans....... I discovered the other day that I am the only grandkid of the T side of the family that does NOT know how to play or is learning an instrument...I've already been told that the radio doesn't count, since ANY ONE can do that. So, to find an instrument I can play..... Instruments that use alot of air is OUT... I have no desire to pass out from lack of oxygen....
So, I'm thinking of either taking up the banjo or the Dulcimer..... I've heard that Dulcimers are very easy to learn. We'll see....

You sure you don't want to hear me sing? You do? Well..... TOO BAD, because you CAN'T.... Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Yes, I am laughing at you, and the best part is..... YOU CAN'T HEAR ME!!!!!!!

Morbid or preparing?

Okay, I'm going to leave it up to you, my dear readers, to tell me if I'm going insane or is this "appropriate behavior." Ok, here goes.........

Several months ago (as in November) I bought this book thing called "Making Things Easy For My Family." It a "journal" type thing that I write down what my family would need to know at the time of my death.. The first page is a step by step thing to do.(call family,friends, employer, etc).then the next pages are important phone numbers, Location of personal papers, Benfits you can expect (life insurance etc)insurance polcies, real estate and auto papers/information, record of what I owe, banking info, Record of what is owed to me, Burial and Memorial preparations (Where I want to be buried, who I want to speak, who I want as pall bearers, and desires for the funeral), personal notes, and personal property.

Okay, I know what you're thinking........ NO!!!! Don't even think about it..... Yeah, I agree, but you know.... I went one step further...
Okay what I did next is even more morbid than the first part of this post... Ready?

I am in the process of putting my favorite songs on cd to be played at my funeral... Yes, All my favorite songs (that would be appropriate at a funeral) on one cd. That way all the songs are there, there will be no hunting or searching for songs.

But that's not all. If you order now, we'll send you not 1 BUT 2 cds. Wait.... There's more..... If you call within the next 10 mins, You not only get the funeral cd and the free cd, but we'll throw in a set of steak knifes all for $19.99. WOW!!! That's a $289 offer for only $19.99... Order now supplies are limited.

As you can see, I've watched WAY too many informercials. Then again, they are usually the only thing on TV at 2AM.

Lost money found again........

Don't you hate it when you go to the bank to get money and you lose it? I went to the bank to get money out for a bill, I went straight to Walmart to get a money order (the place I pay my bill doesn't accept checks or cash.) I get there and realize that I'm $100 short. I searched my pockets and emptied my purse. NOTHING. We counted the money 8 times. So, I thought, ok the bank shorted me. I go ahead and get the money order, drive downtown to pay the bill, and then drove ALL the way back across town to the bank. Pull into the parking lot, open my purse, and there's the $100 bill laying right on top.
There's NO WAY I could've missed it.

Backwards spelled backwards is sdrawkcab

I pulled a 12 hour shift yesterday.... 11-11, so by the time I got off work, I was pretty slap happy. And it didn't help that I stopped by Starbucks on the way home. My best friend, Lois, worked over 3-3. By 2/ 2:30AM, we were texting each other crazy/silly things.... She started it by saying... "Did you know that Captain spelled backwards is niatpac? I didn't." We'll it just snowballed from there.

eW detrats gnitxet ekil siht. I dlot reh taht ew era hcus sresol. We texted whole conversations BACKWARDS. I told her one good thing about it, is if anyone found our cell phones, they'd think we were speaking a different language. I have made up my mind that I am going to be able to type/text backwards just as fast as I do normally. That is my goal in life. Pretty pathetic isn't it? Then again, it would drive everyone I know insane.
Things you think to do when you're bored and sleep deprived.

Chasing Rainbows

One rainy summer day when I was 12, my friend, Sandy, and I waited out the storm in her garage. After it rained there was a HUGE bright rainbow. Well, being kids we decided to follow the rainbow hoping to find the pot of gold. As we walked we discussed how we were going to spend our new found money. They were childish dreams full of candy, ice cream, and buying out toy stores.
Of course, the rainbow disappeared before we got anywhere near it, but we did find ourselves a few miles from home in a beautiful meadow in a woods. This meadow had 20 different flowers (we counted), rasberries, and wild strawberries. We spent a couple hours exploring this meadow. This meadow became our "secret" place. We promised NEVER to tell of it's existance. Mainly to keep my brother and her brother and sister away from it.
Sandy moved to St. Louis two months later. On the first day of school while I was meeting my teachers, she was heading out of town. I didn't get a chance to see her off. We did send a couple letters back and forth, but before long, we lost track of each other.
That summer was the first and only time I went to that meadow. After she left, it just seemed wrong to go by myself. However, my mind goes back to those lazy summer days.
I discovered recently that life is like chasing rainbows. It's always fun to dream, plan, and wish for things to happen. But when they don't, and if you take the time to look around, you might make wonderful discoveries about things you never new existed.

Finally got it!!!!

Well, I finally got IT. No it's nothing you can buy on eBay. It's more personal. I finally caught the flu. Came down with it Wens. night, and missed two days of work. THANKFULLY I worked 4 hours over one night and worked Sat. So, I came out even with 42 hours.
All I can say is......... Is this week over YET????

Gloom, despair, and Agony on Me.. Whooa

I apologize for the lack of posts lately, but my phone lines are still down, so I'm using my parent's computer. This has been a ROTTEN few weeks........
As you know, my grandma T. passed away before Christmas, which was hard enough.

Two weeks to the day she passed away, our previous neighbor died of cancer. He found out in September that he had it.

Then I go to work yesterday and found out that one of my coworkers, and a good friend, Tim, committed Suicide. If someone told me last week he'd shoot himself, I would've laughed in your face. He was a strong Christian man who was taking care of his seriously ill wife, and his ill mother-in-law. He was told he had cancer about a month ago, and that's when his drinking started. I guess he got some bad news at his last doctor's appointment, and decided to end it all.

Then when I told my sister about it this morning, and she said "I hate to add more rain,but....." I don't feel free to go into all the details here, but please keep Aaron and Chris in your prayers, they are having a HORRIBLE time right now. In which it very well can and possibly will affect the whole family.

I told my friend Lois that I've cried so much in the last few weeks that I could sink a ship. I keep thinking of that old Hee Haw song.........
Gloom, despair and Agony on me... Whooa
Deep, dark depression excessive misery... Whooa
If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.... Whooa
Gloom, despair, and Agony on me.

Christmas Past

The other day my mom and I went on a trip down memory lane. It was a nice little trip with plenty of good memories... So sit back and come with me down the road to Christmas past.....
My fondest Christmas memories are of Christmas Eve.......
One of my most memorable Christmas's was when I was around 6 or 7. I was just learning to read and I remember Grandpa T. placing his HUGE Bible into my lap (Hey, I was only 6 or 7 EVERYTHING was huge back then). I remember I couldn't read the big words, so grandma would quietly tell me what they were, and I'd say them out loud as though I really did know them all along.

Then of course the time that Aaron, Carrie, Jeremy, and I all took turns reading the Christmas story. One would read a verse or two and pass it on down the line. I don't know about other family members, but I found being picked to read the Christmas story to be a great honor. To see grandpa looking quickly around to see who he'd pick, and I'd always be hoping it would be me. Then again, it would be selfish if I read it every year. The honor should've and was passed equally around.

Then the presents..... Oh the presents. I could always count on Aunt Ida giving me a new dress. She always gave me such pretty dresses... Then there was the year of the "mixed up Christmas gift." Grandma T gave Carrie and I "My Little Pony's". HOWEVER she accidentally switched them, and I remember when we switched back Carrie said "But that's the one I really wanted." I felt HORRIBLE about that. Carrie, I would have traded you, but I was so afraid of hurting Grandma's feelings. Now that I'm grown, I realize she wouldn't have minded if we had switched back. At the time, I just didn't want to see her hurt. But I always had felt bad about that. Still do in a way.

Then there's the "missing baby Jesus" memory. Ashley was 20 months old. She had been sick with a fever her first Christmas, and so her first Christmas Eve was actually her second Christmas. She was an adorable girl who had a dreadful pacifier addiction. Anyway, Grandma and Grandpa T. had a good size, plastic, lit up nativity scene inside their house. It was just Mary, Joseph, and a "detachable" baby Jesus. Once Ashley realized that Baby Jesus could be taken out of the manager, she held onto it for dear life. When we would try to take it away, she'd cry and scream. If I'm not mistaken there's a picture in Grandma's hallway of Ashley sitting on someone's lap (Mine? mom's?) sucking on her pacifier, and holding baby Jesus. It was like pulling teeth to get it away from her.

Then there's a few memories that aren't Christmas Eve related.....
We moved when I was 10. We had just gotten our new house, and wasn't even moved in yet. The only thing in the house was our Christmas tree. On Christmas Eve. Mom, Dad, Aaron, and I all slept in sleeping bags on the dining room floor.

That was the same year that the cabbage patch dolls came out, and I wanted one. I remember seeing on TV people fighting over them. I remember clearly a man on TV holding two dolls saying "I got two of them, I got two of them." I turned to mom and said "That's kind of selfish don't you think? He should only take one, and give the other to another dad that wants one for his little girl."
I wanted one so badly, but I knew there was NO WAY I'd get one. My dad JUST got back to work after being laid off for four years, and money was still tight. We went over to Grandma and Grandpa M's for Christmas day. When it came time to open presents, there was a big gift for me from my Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Rick. It was a Cabbage Patch doll. I don't think I've EVER hugged anyone so much in my life. I was truly a very happy girl.

There are so many memories, but these are just the one's that stick out..... If you need something to warm your heart, or to put you in the Christmas mood, here you go..........

A couple years ago, my Aunt Rebecca took her granddaughter Chelsea (Who was about 7 or 8 at the time) to see Santa. Santa asked her what she wanted for Christmas.
Chelsea said "I want everyone in the world that doesn't have a good job to get a good job. And I want everybody in the world that doesn't have enough food, to get enough food."
Santa said: "That's nice but what do YOU want?"
She said: "I want everyone that has to live on the cold streets to have a nice warm bed and a warm house to live in."
Santa: That's wonderful, but what do YOU want?
Chelsea thought for a min, and said: There's a little girl in my class that's poor. Her clothes are old, and she doesn't have a coat. She shivers when she walks into our classroom. I want you to bring her a new coat and some warm clothes, so she won't be cold anymore.
She then climbed off his lap, and Santa called her back. He gave her a HUGE hug and said "God bless you Chelsea." She was so happy that she went running to Rebecca and said "Santa hugged me and said "God Bless you, isn't that the neatest?"

Putt putt, Chuck E Cheese, and one EXHAUSTED teacher OH MY!!!

I wanted to do something special for my Sunday school class for Christmas. Since I only have two kids ages 10 and 11, I thought they were old enough to enjoy a "field trip."
I had planned this trip a month ago, and kept my fingers crossed that I would not be forced to work the planned Sat. Since I knew the ladies of L.I.F.T. (Ladies In Fellowship Together) group from my church was planning a Christmas Party at a local resteraunt this evening, I thought it would just be easier to throw in a Sunday School party the morning of the party. I figured it would be easier to get one Sat off than to try to get two.....
So..... Rewind to yesterday (Friday). I worked a 12 hour shift, and halfway through my shift I was really craving homemade chili. (Chris gave me a great SPICY chili recipe. Can't wait to try it).. SO... After work (mind you I'd been up since 9 AM, which is extremely early for me and pulled a 12 hour shift to boot.) I headed to Walmart and bought the "fixins" to make chili. Amongst other things..... Didn't leave Walmart until a quarter after 1 AM, and FINALLY went to bed at 5 AM. (Forgot I had laundry to dry, and I don't sleep with a dryer on. I also had to wrap some gifts for my SS kids.)
I had told the kids we would leave the church at 10 AM. So, I dragged myself out of bed at 9 AM, left at 9:30 and both kids were waiting for me at the church.
We got to this indoor, glow in the dark putt putt at 10:30, was supposed to open at 10, but the employee didn't show up until 11. Not only that but this other family was already there, and had reservations for a birthday party at 10. To say they weren't very happy was a gross understatement.

She finally opened the doors to let us in, and I found out that this putt putt place is AMAZING!!!! If you have kids, do yourself a favor and take them. It's very reasonable.... $6 for kids 12 and under, and $8 for adults, and you can get glow in the dark necklaces for the whole group for only a buck. It's in the old Lazurus store in the Markland mall. When you walk in it looks VERY small, and I honestly thought that there were MAYBE 9 holes. However after about the fifth hole, you turn the corner, and go behind the wall, and you'll discover it seems to go on forever. There's 40 holes of endless golfing (we counted). Okay so there's no windmills, nor fountains, and there's not even any water, but hey, EVERYTHING glows in the dark. The only lights in this place are the black lights, so if you go wear white. It's awesome. It's really amazing....
We started playing at 11, and we didn't finish until noon. After "golfing" we headed over to Chuck E Cheese, which one of my kids had never been there before. We spent about 2 hours eating and playing games.. Well.... so they played games, I just carried on an interesting one sided conversation with Chuck the mouse.... Yeah, I was a little bored. LOL.

I got the kids home around 2:30, went home, grabbed a 40 min nap and went out to eat with the LIFT group and their spouses.
To say I'm about to drop is putting it lightly. I do know I AM going to bed early tonight. Might throw the ingrediants for chili in my crockpot before church in the morning....MIGHT be done by the time I get home...

My Christmas parties are finished for the year, and I can concentrate on family.

Christmas trees more the merrier?????

Growing up our tradition was that Christmas decorations didn't go up until the first weekend of December. Well, with the weather being so warm last weekend, I put up my outside lights. It's not much just 3 strands outlining my front porch. My tree will be put up this weekend sometime.

I USED to have a 6 and a half foot tree, but I found stringing the lights such a hassle that I downgraded to a 4 foot PRELIT tree last year. It only takes about 2 mins. to put it up. Just snap the two parts together and put it in the stand. I can have the whole tree up and decorated in less than 10 mins.


I went into work four hours early yesterday, and started talking to a lady about Christmas and Christmas trees. She goes all out for Christmas. When I asked her how many Christmas trees she had in her house, her answer about knocked me over..... She has 13.

She has a tree for each of her 13 grandkids. They come over one or two at a time and help put up and decorate their own tree. She told me that each tree matches the personality of that grandkid. For example one grandson is into race cars, so his tree is NASCAR covered, one granddaughter is into princesses, so her tree has a princess theme. Her youngest is into Sesame Street, so there's a SS tree for her. Her oldest grandkid is 21 and her youngest are 2 year old twins. She's done this every year since the oldest was born. When they are born they get a small 2 foot tree, as they get older and add more and more to their tree, they get to "Upgrade" to a bigger tree every 5 years.

Also in Dec. she has all the females in her family come over for a baking fest. They bake TONS of cookies, pies, and goodies. She said they ALL help.... From the youngest to the oldest.. She told me that she started that when her daughters were little, and now it's grown to include all the granddaughters..... Including her 2 year old granddaughter.

All I can think is, she must have a lot of patience to have the 2 year old to help, and to have that many people in her kitchen.

Helping the less fortunate.......

Please don't think I'm bragging, because that's not my intentions at all... I just had the opportunity to help a poor, extremely under employed young man that normally wouldn't have been able to afford Christmas for his family. I just HAD to help him out, since I always try to help the less fortunate. So .....I took Austin Christmas shopping this weekend....

It brought back so many happy memories of our Friday night shopping sprees... When he was little he would call my cell phone while I was at work, or mom would give me a letter he'd written BEGGING me to take him to Walmart or Meijer Friday night. Being the adorable kid he is, I'd always take him. He would wait up for me to get home from work, and we'd go shopping at midnight. We had a routine. He'd run to the milk section, grab a small container of eggnog (around Christmas) or banana milk,(Which by the way is just as gross as it sounds. This is the same kid that would go through a whole gallon of milk a day if mom would let him.) and he'd drink it while we were shopping. If he was hungry, he'd find something open it up and start eating. It was okay since he always asked, and of course I ALWAYS paid for them. It's funny the clerk would ring up empty things and ask "Do you want to keep these?" That always struck me funny. We normally just went grocery shopping, but more times than not, he'd walk out with a new toy.

He would always fall asleep on the way home, and we'd finally arrive home around 3 am.

I love that kid.... Yes Ashley, I love you too.

Flu Shots and other yucky things....

I had been trying to find cheap flu shots. They were giving them away at work for free, but when I went to get one, they had already packed up and left. So, I found out that some community center was giving them away for $25 each, which is cheaper than the $30-35 I have been seeing. My mom had already gotten hers the day before, and she asked if I wanted her to go with me. Since I didn't know where it was, I agreed.

So, I filled out the paper work, rolled up my sleeve, and turned my head away. If I look, I pass out. I was feeling dizzy and lightheaded, but passed it off as "just in my head". Since this was my first flu shot EVER, the nurse wanted me to stick around for 15 mins, to make sure there wasn't any allergic reactions.

I realized something about myself today...... When it comes to shots/needles, I discovered that I hold my breath. Which would explain the lightheaded, dizziness I was feeling. My mom was a lifesaver though, she pulled out a notebook and we played SEVERAL games of tic tac toe. (By the way she's a wiz at it.) Which got my mind off my feeling "faint", and in no time I was feeling like my old self.

We did stop at McDonalds afterwards. I laughed and said I felt like a little kid being rewarded for being a "big girl".

Then another thought hit me.... I just paid $25 dollars to let them poke me with a needle.... I'm sure I have siblings that would be willing to do that for FREE! Then again, if one of my sibs gave me a shot it would hurt more than just that little poke. It would feel more like a stab. Maybe paying isn't so bad after all.

Copyright police....... They are watching...

Last Feb. I one of my blog posts was about my favorite picture.... "The Touch". In my blog I mentioned that due to copyright laws I couldn't post a copy of the picture on my blog....
So, imagine my surprise when I received the following email recently.............

Subject: Your Feb 2006 blog post
Angela,

Recently I stumbled on a post on your blog: http://angelaslifeorthelackofone.blogspot.com/2006/02/old-answer-to-prayer.html .

In it you mentioned your inability to find a website that would let you display Ron DiCianni's The Touch. First, we appreciation your restraint and your respect of the artist's copyright for this image. The good news is that we here at Tapestry are Ron's agents and would be pleased to give you permission to include the image in your post if you are still interested.

Please let me know and I will get you the appropriate links and permissions. -gjd


Grant DiCianniVice President


This person had also included a phone number and email address, which due to personal information, I didn't post on here.

So, word to the wise... Watch your copyrighted material, you never know who's reading... Infringing copyright laws can be very costly..... So, be careful what pictures you are using.

Christmas Season Has Officially Started..

Even though I have ALMOST all my shopping finished (only 4 people to go), the Christmas season didn't officially start until Today (Thursday).
Every year the local radio station has a "trim a tree" auction... Different businesses, churches, and schools decorate Christmas trees.. There are close to 50 trees with 50 different themes. The trees and wreathes are displayed in the local mall for 2 weeks. On November 11? 12? All the trees and wreathes will be auctioned off. the winners not only win the trees, but also whatever is under the tree. For example "Texas Roadhouse" has a tree this year, you not only win the tree, but also all the gift certificates that are under the tree...

The money goes to several nonprofit charities... I know the Salvation Army and the Rescue Mission are only 2 of the charities that the money goes to..

Every year my mom and I go look at the trees. We always go during the week before I go to work. We always admire each tree and pick something that's really neat or really unusual. (The chains of glued peanuts on the Texas Roadhouse tree did make an unsual, but very fitting garland.) There were a few trees that brought tears to my eyes. One was a red, white, and blue tree with pictures of every Indiana soldier that has lost their lives in Iraq.

After looking at the trees, we went to the radio station store in the mall (which is only open until the tree auction) we bought some Doo Dahs (Which are chocolate covered carmel corn) and a couple Christmas cds. The artists are all local people and churches. Really neat.

After leaving the mall, we popped in the cd and listened to it all the way home. I am now in the Christmas mood. :)

A Flattering but Overwhelming Offer.......

Last night as I was leaving work my friend Dave stopped me. Dave is our fill-in Union steward. When our normal one isn't there Dave steps in, and he's really good. I told him that he needs to run sometime for a full time stewardship. Anyway, he was telling me that a lot of people on second shift has been complaining that we don't have a second shift chaplin. There's one on the two other shifts but ours. Dave, being the person he is, brought up my name. He then asked me if I'd be interested. I know IF I do this, I would be an "intern" until they think I can handle it on my own, and I'd be on the chaplin commitee. I told him that I have to pray about it, and he said "See? You just proved that you'd be perfect for it." I am still overwhelmed by this idea. I'm not a preacher, nor am I Bible College graduate.I'm just a quite, partly shy, backward, 32 year old 4,5, and 6th grade Sunday school teacher. I'm praying for guidence and wisdom in this situation...

Scared little girls turn into Brave Women...

My friend Lois and I realized the other day that we had some of the same fears as kids. The only difference is she was the youngest and her older brother and sisters were always scaring her.
She said that every night she'd go to her room and her brother would say "Watch out for the green eye." Even though she had NO idea what that was, it always scared her.

Even though I didn't have that fear,I did discover that we both were the champs at long jumps. I found out that she (like myself) would turn off the light and jump as far as she could to the bed. Why you ask? Because we KNEW there was something under our beds that would grab our ankles and drag us under the bed if we were caught. Once I did miss the bed and fell straight to the floor beside my bed. I thought for sure I was a goner, but I guess the under-the-bed-monster was off duty that night.

She was also scared of skeletons. She was so scared, that her parents bought her a little, tiny, plastic movable one that she slept with every night. She even named it, I THINK she said it's name was Scaley. But something sad happened to poor "scaley?" She thought he was cold one night, so she put him on top of her lamp. In the morning it was just a melted plastic pile.

It's so hard to believe that this person that was terrified of skeletons, green eyes, and things under the bed..... Grew up, joined the Air Force, and served in Desert Storm. Her job was to identify body parts after battles. She would go to the field, and when she found a body part, she'd put a flag by it, then someone else coming behind would know where the pieces were and put each piece in individual body bags. She told me that you NEVER stand there and try to figure out what body part it was. "You don't stand there and think 'that's an arm, or that's a leg' You just stick your flag in the ground, and move on to the next part. You don't waste time thinking about what you're really doing. If you did, you'd need counseling."

Her 7 (now 8) year old son, Philip, asked "Mommy why are you retarded?" She said "What do you mean?" "Why are you retarded from the Air Force?" Last April, Lois retired from the Air Force. So, now we refer to her as being retarded. Lois, you're my hero, and I salute you!!!!!!!!!


With Veterans day coming up, do me a favor and thank a veteran.

Great friends....

I have a friend, Lois ('Ello Captain!)who I work with and is my best friend.

We text each other ALL the time at work. One day I had over 80 text mess. from her and vice versa... Thankfully we both have the same service provider so all texts are FREE!!!!! Lately we've been on this pirate kick. We be textin' tryin' ta sound like pirates all day.. AARR matey. (By the way I can type/write piratey better than I can speak it.) I gave her the nickname Captain, and she gave me the nickname Poppet. (Okay family keep that in mind when we play Curses.... I am getting pretty good at piratey talk. ;)

Talking about pirates...One day I was trying to text Lois, and my mind was on pirate talk... My boss walks up and asks if skilled trades was working on my machine. Keep in mind that my brain was in pirate mode... I look up and said "Aye Captain.... AAAARRR." He looked at me VERY strangely and walked away. I was laughing so hard that of course I had to text Lois and tell her what I did, which she found funny as well.

A couple weeks ago we went plunderin' Starbucks after work, and didn't leave until close to 3AM. Gotta love 24 hour Starbucks. We were the only ones in there and the guy working there gave us free drinks.. That's how I got hooked on the Spiced Pumpkin Lattes.

She's always been there for me. After Grandpa T died, she called me to make sure I was ok.... I was at work when Grandpa M died, and she was right there letting me cry on her shoulder... Wonderful friend to have around.....By the way her birthday is.......... July 7.... So every year we do something to CELEBRATE...

Now skip to my other friend, Dave. He's Lois's boyfriend.... When my ex boyfriend, whom I don't speak of....(Aunt Carol knows who I'm talking about.)backed out of taking me to my 10 year class reunion, Dave is the one that spoke up and said "I'll go." Lois said "There you go. Go with Dave." I was shocked. I kept asking her if she was sure, and she said "Of course." Later when Dave wasn't around, I asked "Are you positive that you're okay with me going with Dave? If you're the least bit upset about it I won't go." She said "If you were anyone else, I'd be mad, but I know what kind of person you are and I know you're not out to "steal" Dave." So, I went to my reunion with Dave.

Okay so fast forward to last week...... The Monday after my birthday, Lois took me out for lunch before work (She gave me a book about pirates I thought I was very funny.) On the way to work I got to a stop sign and heard a loud Thud and then grinding noise. It sounded like the whole back end of my jeep fell off.

I made it to work, and told Lois about it. She told Dave, who in turn told me about this guy that fixes brakes at a really cheap price. Here's the problem, I wasn't going to have the money until the next (this) week. So, Lois took me to this guy's house, dropped off my jeep, drove me ALL the way home, and was willing to pick me up for work the next day. (I borrowed my mom's car. No reason for her to pick me up for work then take me home. That was too much.)

She drove me home (By the way does anyone know the words to the Silly songs with Larry about the caribou? We've tried our best to think of the tune. If I had the words I would know the tune.)

The next day I called the brake guy up (Dave gave me the number) and asked how much it was going to cost....... ALL 4 of my brakes were down to the metal and the brake cable in the back broke off... Was told that was the thud I heard, and it's a wonder I had any type of braking at all. So, I'm thinking ok this is going to cost a lot of money..... The guy said "Dave took care of it."

So, I picked my jeep up with a heartfelt gratitude for having such great friends..... So, I told Dave that I needed to know how much it was so I could pay him back.... He said it was $175. So, I was thinking $175 a brake, but no that's for the whole thing.... (I called the guy and asked. I don't want to cheat my friends.)

So now I have great brakes and WONDERFUL friends.....