The Post About Blue Teeth

I just finished at the dentist. Six months and all clean! So how does one foolishly reward themselves after such an accomplishment?I don't always make the best choices. Which is also why the shirt I am wearing today has blue dye on the sleeve. See...I think my teeth and my washer are more powerful than they really are.

The Post About The Notebook(s)

I love the fact that God designed me (Psalm 129:13-16). Not just hair color and leg length (shorter than most), but personality and favorites. He chose my parents and the time of my birth. All with a plan in mind. (Ephesians 2:10). It was as if He sat down with a notebook and started sketching and filling in a To Do list. All for me.

The problem is Satan seems to have his own notebook.
------------------------------------------------------------------
"Be not deceived, Wormwood, our cause is never more in jeopardy than when a human, no longer desiring but still intending to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe in which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys." Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis

The Post About Alligators.

I am swamped. I am blogging from my phone while waiting for my coffee to present itself.

I have taken on another person's job responsibilities at work through next Wednesday - the end of the fiscal year.

Fiscal = Finances = Spreadsheets = Eye Twitching.

I am counting the hours until October 1.

The Post About My Adopted Children

I work in the best job - all about adoption. My job duties include:

• assisting with statewide recruitment of adoptive families
• coordinating a summer camp for adopted children
• coordinating a conference for professionals who serve adoptive families

I work with some fantabulous folks. One of which is Beverly. She is 32 years old and working on her 5th adoption. Her kids ages are 22, 19, 10, 8 and 22 months. She loves God and orphans. No better mix.

Could I be like her? Not really. God has only called me to adopt these babies:

My home is multi-cultural.

Of course, if you are interested in learning more about adopting human children who desperately want a forever family - visit www.adoptuskids.org or ask me. I can hook you up with as many as you need!

The Post About Alliances

Football. I don't particularly get fired up about the sport - until I watch it. Then I am all about it for some reason. I think it's the same thing I love about Tivo - instant replay.

College football falls somewhere between God and pageants in Alabama and you must make a decision in utero as to where your loyalties will lie. For all intents and purposes, I support the University of Alabama over Auburn University. This decision was made after much research and taking family history into consideration. OR - I simply prefer the color red over orange.

In my family - we are not diehards, which explains the following system of support:

1. Always root for UA.
2. Always root for Auburn, unless it conflicts with #1.
3. Always root for SEC teams unless it conflicts with #1 or #2.
4. Never root for Tennessee, even if in conflict with #3.
5. Never root for non-SEC teams, unless their opponent is higher ranked than any SEC team (sans Tennessee.)

My alma mater had an agreement with a past donor to never develop a football team because of the violence. We have rugby instead. The Fighting Emory Eagles!

The Post About Red States

My friend Beth bought me this super-snazzy mug in honor of the election season.

The fun part is that when you fill it with coffee - the red states swing the other way. That is what caffeine can do.

Disclaimer: I love everyone - red or blue. I tend to be purple.

The Post About Gatekeeping

I coordinated an event at a church where this sign hung in the window.
I know their intent is to protect the equipment found in the great workout facility in the building, but...

The Post About Good Purpose

I have a great friend who is living out Philippians 2:12-13 which says "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."

He reminded me of some things that are so easy to forget:
1. Mountaintops don't last forever - you must visit the valley.
2. Demons are tough buggers and they know all your junk.
3. Christians make mistakes. Even big ones.
4. God likes to be all up in your business. For better or for worse.
5. You can stop your bad behavior. It's called free will.

I have had some fear & trembling recently about an array of issues. And trust me when I say that that part of the verse is not always snazzy. However, I must remember the "shakes" are completely worth being a part of "His good purposes."

The Post About Leaving

I am in a new Sunday School series on "Chasing the Lion." This is my memory verse this week:

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for My sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. Matthew 19:28-30

So easily memorized - so difficult to live.

The Post About Ron and Picabo

My parents are great - smart, funny, and compassionate. And when it comes to gossip - they don't really struggle in the least. So much so, that when they have a juicy nugget of information, they don't even realize it.

Exhibit A:
I was driving with my parents to the beach last Thanksgiving and we saw a "Ron Paul for President" sign. I start talking about his views on different issues and my mother shares that he is "very nice." I asked if she had met him. She says "Honey, he was my OB/GYN and delivered your brother." Nugget.

Exhibit B:
I was eating dinner with them last night and referenced a hopeful trip to Snowmass, CO to go skiing this winter. My parents state that I should ask Picabo Street what she thinks. I ask them how I might go about chatting with the champion olympic skier. My Dad says "She goes to our church." Nugget. (This one is of particular interest because my parents live in a rural community in Alabama.)

Both are true and insignificant in their eyes.

The Post About Umi

While I was at the store yesterday waiting to check out - I saw this:Here's the sales pitch:

The first-ever So Truly Real® collectible baby monkey doll, by renowned doll artist Wendy Dickison and available only from Ashton-Drake
• Included FREE pacifier to keep Umi feeling loved and secure
•This incredible collectible orangutan baby doll is perfect in every detail, with head and limbs crafted of collector-quality silicone that recreates every realistic detail of her face, hands and feet
•You'll be entranced by Little Umi's gentle eyes, thick dark lashes and her all-over wispy red hair, meticulously rooted by hand for a totally natural look
•Little Umi arrives dressed in an adorable pink baby outfit with a heart detail and the word "Sweetheart" on the front
•Certificate of Authenticity

Cost? $139.99

While I was in Mexico, I saw this monkey on a leash and she was the family pet.

And we think we are better than Mexico? Umm...no.

The Post About Guillaume

Come to the edge, he said.

They said: We are afraid.

Come to the edge, he said.

They came.

He pushed them

and they flew.

Guillaume Apollinaire

God is calling us.

The Post About Tchotchkes

I am anti-tchotchke. You know, those things that sit around your house and gather dust on their heads? Like Precious Moments angels. Umm...no.

My best friend, Kara, and I went shopping on Sunday to Home Goods. There, we found some fabulous things at fabulous prices. She had $120 to spend that she earned on a yard sale and her total rang up to $120.85. How's that for a budget?

But with fabulous comes funky. And with funky comes foul. This was the strangest thing I saw:
Yes, that is a jellyfish inside glass. Whose memories of jellyfish are ones they want captured on their coffee table or bookshelf? This just makes me think of Joey and Monica and urine.

The Post About Being Dainty

Last night I was walking from my kitchen to the living room. I looked down to see a companion on the journey - a HUGE green lizard. And by "HUGE," I mean about 4 inches long. However, size in the situation absolutely did not matter. He was in enemy territory and must be banished.

After my initial reaction (gnashing of teeth and girlie screaming), I tried to think of my options. I knew the best bet was to pick it up and throw it outside. But then I remembered that I don't touch living things without an evolved brain stem, so that was out. I grabbed my weapons of choice - broom and hairspray. But then I remembered that I don't get within 6 feet of living things without an evolved brain stem, so those were also out. I kept the broom, but traded the hairspray for "outdoor" bug spray which shoots 10 feet. I was set.

A simultaneous shot of toxins and a high pitched series of screams didn't even phase it. I needed a new weapon. So I called Christy Mixon, my friend who I call in all emergencies. Yes, this was an emergency.

After sufficient mocking, she came. She captured. She threw that lizard's sorry self out the front door. Sweet relief! I then joined her in the living room (I had been keeping a two-room safe distance) where she pointed it out on the porch - grinning at us and clearly plotting its return inside. Umm...no.

No offense to PETA, but it had to die for its actions. And it did. I even helped, by holding the flashlight at a safe distance so Christy could carry out the execution.

As I shared this story with my father and one of my closest friends last night - they both called me "pathetic."

I prefer dainty.

The Post About Completing Sentences

In my Sunday School class yesterday, we did a little activity to help us dig deeper into each other. I would start a sentence and then each class member would finish the sentence on their piece of paper. Then they would pass it to the left. This went on for the following seven questions:
1. If I had $1000, I would...
2. I wish I were...
3. The happiest day of my life was...
4. If I could start this year over, I would...
5. The hardest thing for me to do is ...
6. The most important thing in my life is...
7. I always laugh when...

How would you finish those sentences?

This class of very different folks - guys, gals, teenagers, middleagers, musicians, athletes, gadgeteers, talkers, mothers, children - shared so much wisdom on #6. Every single person referenced a relationship that mattered the most.

But it was #4 that stirred a much-needed humility in me. I finished that sentence with "...be more committed to working out." Not that this is a pathetic regret, but one student finished it with "...prevent my father's death." Perspective.

2 Corinthians 4:8-10; 16-18: "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."

The Post About Vacation - Part 2

A few more recaps of my little getaway...

I learned a card game at a FUGE camp in St. Louis more than 7 years ago called MAO. It has gone international.

In MAO, you get "stupid cards" for breaking the rules. My dinner table companions had our waiters, other friends, and complete strangers present me with stupid cards throughout our last night. At least they match my outfit.

When I take trips - I'm most interested in two things: 1. seeing sights I haven't seen and 2. relaxing. I was able to do both during this week. Below, you will see the window seat I occupied for more than 7 hours total while reading the works of Kristen Billerbeck, Ted Dekker and Donald Miller.

I normally avoid trips where kids will appear in over-abundance (boo Disney...). However, our travel agents' children were so crazy great. This is the one I tried to put in my carryon and take home. Hunter, not Caryann.
I got to take a tour of the galley (a sight I've never seen) and got to do it with friends - new and old (as in vintage).Is it sad that I'm already hankering for the beach in October and California in December?

The Post About Vacation - Part 1

Gustav lost his gusto and my vacation went off without a hitch. Well, almost...a few rough waters as seen below attempted to trip us up. And in terms of running on the treadmill, it did. I fell off once.
So many great moments from this trip. I shall recap a few. The first was the ongoing theme of our voyage. Bon Qui Qui from King Burger (a MadTV skit – youtube it.) My friend Allison and the absolutely fabulous Perry children (Kayla, Morgan, and Andrew) imitated it without fail – it made so many moments funnier. This is them striking a “Do it your way” pose.

We had 10 at our dinner table. There are 5 of us who have traveled together in the past so we were interviewing 5 fun folks with whom to break bread. Jennifer, Julie, Clint, Candace, and Brittany made the final cut. This is us holding up the recipes for the snazziest dessert ever – chocolate melting cake.

While in Cozumel, Mexico, we trekked to the jungle for some 4-wheeling. I've never even been on an ATV or “switched gears” on a vehicle, so it was definitely an adventure. I have now decided I should own a 4-wheeler, even if I can only scoot around my one acre or go back and forth to church.

This is sunset at sea. God gives Bob Ross a run for his money.

Part 2 tomorrow...

The ABC Post About Encouragement

1. 2 Corinthians 4:16-28: "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."

2. Romans 8:28: "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them."

3. Philippians 4:6-7: "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

Note: Tomorrow I am back from the brink with new bloggies...

The ABC Post About Shoes

A. Peep Toes: I am sporting a new pair of Enzo Croc 3½ inch peep toes in eggplant on my vacation. Two toes are definitely better than five – any day.

B. Flip Flops: Specifically the Old Navy kind. Cheap and a rainbow of colors. Plus, you can fit three pair in one shoe cubby.

C. Crocs: Umm...no.

The ABC Post About Premieres

A. Prison Break: My DVR is hard at work while I am gone capturing that Sara is alive. I really watch this for eye candy.

B. Life on Mars: Detective going back in time. Concept is not that fab, but Jason Mara is.

C. Chuck: Zachary Levi loves Jesus and I love them both.

Note: I am shallow.

The ABC Post About Holidays

A. Thanksgiving: Not really because of pilgrims or food or even gratitude. I love 40% off.

B. November 5: It's my birthday. Yes, that's a holiday in my universe.

C. New Year's Day: A worldwide attempt at a fresh start. His mercies actually seem newer this day.

The ABC Post About Local Dining

A. Homewood Gourmet: No better pasta salad. No better sandwich. Gravy? Not actual gravy, but a baby bleu salad.

B. Acapulco Bar & Grill: Who isn't looking for a great Mexican restaurant?

C. Niki's West: There's yelling and an amusement park line. Plus, all the food is yellow.

Happy Labor Day!