Me and lambs - I was about Elizabeth's age here

The one with the horns is Bo.

Sheep Talk

Today I am reading about sheep again. Fence crawlers are sheep that are not content with their pasture and run the fence lines looking for a hole to jump out and run (and a lot of the time the dumb followers will run right after them). They have the "grass is always greener" mentality and are restless.
Paul says Phil 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.
Whatsoever state I am - where am I right now? Am I content or not? I guess I am not a fence crawler at this point, although there are times I dream of bigger and better things, like the house in Adel that we want to get, and the day when I will no longer have to work weekends so I can be at church on Sundays and fellowship on the weekends. I miss out on a LOT and I do struggle with that sometimes. But all in all, I think my status would be content. Hope I don't have to learn a lesson now.... Do everything in Christ's strength.

I found my pictures of my lambs. I will have to see if I can find the one of Bo when he was a baby.

Weekend is Over

This weekend home was great. It was relaxing and calm. Saturday after Edgey had his a.m. coffee and was no longer a morning bear, we went to have breakfast at Ryan's Steakhouse on 86th. Wow! I was completely impressed. They had 3 buffets of breakfast food, sausage, ham, links, breakfast pizza, pancakes, waffles, grits, hash browns, corn-beef hash plus eggs/omelets to order, fruit bar plus pastries and cereal. Now please tell me who is going to pay $8 for a breakfast and eat cereal? I was not hungry again until about 8 p.m. It was awesome!
Then we went for coffee at Caribou coffee. Edgey got a coupon for a free one. I like it better than Starbucks. It doesn't have that burnt, bitter taste. This is a smoother flavor even though it is still dark roast.
Edgey had to go take care of a honey-do list at his Aunti's house and pick up the kids. I went shopping and had fun trying to find some "cool" things for the kids store. I did find some cool cross necklaces that are pretty hip hop looking. Edgey wanted it for himself and I had to fight him off. The brand name of them was called "Bling, Bling." I also found a couple of other boy things, but nothing for the girls yet.
After that I went to worship practice at the church. That was probably the highlight of the weekend. I rarely get to go to practices. I truly miss singing. Speaking of passions, if I had a choice to do anything all day long, that is what I would do. ALL DAY. If I would somehow lose my hearing, I think I would really have a hard time with life. If I had to pick between being blind and being deaf, I would definitely be blind, not that I would ever want to have to make that choice. Anyway, I learned a few new songs (that of course everybody else already learned) and got to worship for a couple of hours. The Lincoln Brewster music is kickin' and I am likin' it. As a matter of fact, I am listening to it right now while I am writing.
Sunday, I was privileged to go to Sunday church and got to sing too (bonus). For lunch we met Aunti for chinese buffet and then went back to the house to play a mean game of Monopoly. It lasted for a good 4 1/2 hours. I won but I really wouldn't have cared because by that time I was just ready to be done playing Monopoly.
I only thought about work one time all weekend. It was great!

Pastor (shepherd) was talking about sheep again.... so I got out my sheep book. Sheep are soooooo stupid. My grandpa used to raise sheep on his farm. I grew up with them and even had a pet lamb. I brought him home and kept him in a box in my basement until he got too big then took him back out to grandpa's. His name was Bo. Get it? Bo sheep? not Bo Peep.... ha. But back to stupid...... sheep fall down and can't get up, they eat too much and make themselves sick, they eat anything including poison stuff if it is in the pasture, they run the fence lines and jump through any hole they can find, they fight by butting heads and can knock themselves unconscious. Talk about stupid. So look what Jesus is comparing us with. So yes we definitely need to pray for pastor 'cause he's got a lot of stupid sheep to deal with. Good things that shepherds love their sheep and give their lives for them....

Helloooooooo

You know, I really do love my husband, but sometimes I REALLY wonder what he is thinking. Since I was home for the weekend, I thought we would be able to sleep in and then leisurely wake up and go out for brunch and coffee and hang out this morning. He even said how nice it was going to be to be able to wake up together and spend some time (kids are all 3 spending night at Aunti's). So what happens this morning. HIS alarm clock goes off at 6:00 a.m. Helloooooooo! Do you think I can go back to sleep? No, that's why I am writing this at this time of the morning. So while he continues to hit the snooze button and snore in the nice warm bed, I got up and did laundry and came downstairs for a Mountain Dew, since we will be having coffee later, I didn't want to get totally burned out on a whole pot of coffee. It's not like it is going to be a long day or anything.
So what is God trying to tell me this morning?
I was reading Titus again. As you can see by my favorite links, I have one that says Titus2.com. Titus is one of those letters from Paul that talks about how we should live. This particular chapter 2 talks about right teaching. Teach the older men and women to be worthy of respect and to live wise, to have strong faith and be filled with love and patience, to appropriately serve the Lord... THEN these older women (which, unfortunately, I am probably considered one at this point in life) are to turn around and train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to take care of their homes, do good, be submissive, etc..... Right now I am trying to figure out what I am supposed to be doing and where I am supposed to be in this chain of events.
Well, the morning bear has awakened. I must go now.

Weekend Musings

I am very thankful this morning. The weekend is already here and normally I would be thinking about how great of a weekend I would be having at work (sarcasm). Not that I don't love my job, I do, really. I even wrote a song about it for our work Christmas party. But there are so many other things I would prefer to be doing, like spending time with my family or shopping or even cleaning out the attic. But this weekend I am not thinking about work because I am off this weekend. Wahoo! That means I actually get to go to Sunday Church and spend some time with Edgey when he is not tired and this weekend we are planning on playing Monopoly with family.

Here's the song from the Christmas party - it's to the chorus of "Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music.

When the docs bite, when admitting calls (that means a new patient is coming to the floor), when I'm gettting mad, I simply remember that I love my job, and then I don't feel SOOOOOO bad.

Ethan got his next belt in his karate last night. It is a purple stripe. He was happy. He is one belt away from his brown belt. (order = white, yellow, orange, blue, green, green stripe, purple, purple stripe, brown x3, black) His instructor is excited because he wants to use him to help teach his classes. Because Ethan is so flexible and has great balance, the sensei is hoping he will advance quicker than the current senior student. Ethan is excited because this is definitely a passion and he has discussed possibly teaching someday in the future.
For me, I am excited because this is the first time I have seen a possible career for him to use his God given talents - and to have it be a passion makes it all the more exciting. How often do we truly get to work at a place that we are passionate about?
I worked at an insurance company for 8 years until I realized I was just another number in the fishbowl - very expendable and very underpaid. It was pretty disgusting that after 8 years a brand new employee was coming in with the same salary as I was making. I prayed and prayed to figure out what I was supposed to do with my life. When you start thinking about calling in sick all the time because you hate your job so much, it's time for a career change.
I went to a Joyce Meyer conference and got a knock in the head from God and decided to try to be a nurse. I really stunk at Chemistry in highschool. It is my only class I got a D+ when I was used to getting A's and B's my whole life. Chemistry was a prerequisite for nursing and I figured if I took Chemistry and passed I would go ahead and go back to school to become a nurse. Well, if you know me, then you know I passed the class and actually I got an A in it.... so it encouraged me even more to go into nursing and gave me confidence that I could still do "school" after 8 years of glazed over mindless existence.
Hope you all have a great weekend.
Kim Lea

Quote: It is not real work unless you would rather be doing something else. JM Barrie

Proverbs 16:3 Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.

More Maxine

This one is for you Maxine lovers out there.

God Save Us.....

So.... I am driving down the street after ditching my kids at my mother's and see this bumper sticker in front of me on some toyota that says: GOD SAVE US FROM YOUR FOLLOWERS

What does that mean? And who is it directed towards? It really bugged me.... and I was sort of offended that maybe this person was really disgusted with Christians, but then after pondering for a while, I did realize that I can see THAT viewpoint too.... pathetic. You know, sometimes Christians are the worst examples of the Christlike life that we are supposed to be living; hypocritical, unloving, etc...
Well, when I finally got home I had to look this up on the internet to see what it was about. There is an entire web store with clothing and cups and bumperstickers that say this.
http://www.cafepress.com/godsaveus
The owner of the website states:

I just like this particular saying because it's so true...I mean, I'm a religious person myself, and the people who are most violent toward the GLBT community are my fellow Christians...hopefully they'll see their mistakes someday...

If you don't know what GLBT is - Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, Trans-sexual

The second website was discussing God in politics and how certain people cannot stand it.

A week in the United States, such as I have just spent, is enough to make
anybody feel a trifle fed up with God, or rather with the relentless
invocation of the deity by American politicians, led by their president. No
public occasion would be complete without the blessing of the Almighty being
besought for whatever endeavour tops the agenda, most prominently the war in
Iraq. The appeal to faith, seldom mere ritual, is usually founded upon
conviction.

Another weblog from a liberal mother at some protest in the name of God and then my favorite site was an Atheist poem...
Boy this one makes you think. Hope I don't get in trouble for posting this in here.

An Agnostic's Prayer
Written following the events of Sept. 11, 2001

Save us, God, who don't believe in you,
Save us from the multitudes who do.
Save us, who just want a little peace,
From those who worship you, without cease.
Save us from those Holy Lands
Where descendants of nomadic bands
Wrap their heads in holy towels
And pray to Y*W*H, without vowels.
Save us from those faiths Abrahamic,
Whether Judaic, Christian or Islamic.
Save us from every hegira
Whether it starts in Mecca or Palmyra.
Save us, God, from Christians' anger
When we won't display their babe in a manger.
Save us from Muslims' wrath
When we follow not Muhammad's path.
Save us from those orgies of piety
That religiously follow every calamity.
Save us from every minaret and steeple,
Save us from every Chosen People,
Save us from the armed Muslim, Christian, and Jew:
Save us uncircumcised dogs, us unchosen few.
Save us from the crusade, the jihad, the pogrom,
Save us from wise men who are dumb.
Save us from all those believers
Who express their faith with cleavers,
Or who, with orders direct from heaven,
Fly into buildings in a 747.
Save us from televangelists with visions,
Save us from unmedicated Pat Robertsons.
Save us from zealots straight from hell,
Save us from bin Laden and Jerry Falwell.
We don't want you as our co-pilot,
We don't want your terrorists either;
Instead of all this religious rot,
What we really want is a breather
From God-Bless-this and God-Bless-that,
From General Sharon and Chairman Arafat,
From mullahs, rabbis, and popes
From Taliban sharp shooters with scopes,
From Massad agents with Bond-like flair
Who assassinate Palestinians in their lair;
From Palestinians who stand and wait,
Holy time bombs, wired by hate.
Save us from all sectarian strife,
Save us from that religious life
Where the individual neurosis
Gets collectivized in psychosis.
Save us, God, we unchosen few,
Neither Muslim, Christian , Jew,
Save us from your followers true,
But save us, above all, God, from you.

Robert Forrey



Psalms 14:1 The fool says in his heart, there is no God.

Movie Critics

Recently a new movie has been released called "End of the Spear". There is a great controversy surrounding the Main actor as he is a gay activist and is playing a missionary in this movie. Many people have boycotted the movie and still others are pleading for Christians to go see this as it is presenting Christians in a positive light unlike most media today. This is a GREAT article about the whole thing---

http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=22478

So here I am on the fence. Don't want to be there. Lot's of controversy on this.
Here is a pastor's viewpoint:
http://www.sharperiron.org/showthread.php?t=2244

and another viewpoint:

"Why not find a homosexual in your community, and offer to go see Brokeback Mountain with him/her, and invite him/her to see End of the Spear- starring well known homosexual activist Chad Allen- with you?"

http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/it-ought-to-be-a-parable-its-that-good

We had a discussion regarding this last week at our monthly homeschool mom's meeting and I really can see both sides of the issue. My close friend was very adamant about NOT going to see it. Here is some of her argument.

Let me ask you, would you go see a movie about the life of Jesus followed to the jot and tittle, if Jesus were played by a convicted child molester who used his money to try and change the laws and make sex between children and men legal?

Hey, as Paul says Christ is being preached, does it matter who is preaching? We're all sinners, right?

It matters not where your money is going? Oh wait, I have heard that half of the profits from this movie are going to the tribe. How noble. Perhaps some child molester will make a movie about Jesus and give half his profits to help children at risk.

Do you buy gas at a station with slot machines? Groceries at a store where they have slots? Hey, as long as you don't play them, what does it matter? Right?

And I think my answer is going to be not to pay to go see the movie but maybe wait till it comes out on video/dvd. Is that a copout or what? What would Jesus do?
Probably take the gay guys out to see Brokeback Mountain........ Hmmmmm
Any thoughts on this? Please voice your comments.

Quote for the Day: If homosexuality is inherited, shouldn't it have died out by now? George Booth

The Wind

You ever hear Billy Graham talk about God? He says that God is like the wind. You can't see the wind but you know it is there because you can see the effects of the wind. Well, today I can surely see the effects of the wind. Our privacy fence is lying in the driveway behind the van..... AND it broke my favorite adironak bench in the back yard. Now, what are we going to sit on while we are waiting for the grill to cook our food? WHAAHHHH!
Ok, that breakdown is over. There are leaves flying around all of our windows. It looks like a hurricane without the water. Tree branches down in the yard, garbage can knocked over and garbage can lids flying down the street. I feel drafts coming throught the door and window today, even after Edgey put in the new windows. BRRRR. Amie is sitting in front of the heater too. Edgey is not answering his cell phone so I can make sure he has some wood screws to fix the fence.
Oh well.

Quote: If you want the Iowa weather to change, just wait a minute.

Maxine

I have always loved Maxine cartoons. They make me laugh. Maybe because I feel the way she does sometimes but am NEVER able to say the things she says. Is that awful or what? Is it cynical or sarcastic? Maybe a mix of both. I hope I am not too much of either one but I sure think that way sometimes.

Cynical - 1. like or characteristic of a cynic; distrusting or disparaging the motives of others. 2. showing contempt for accepted standards of honesty or morality by one's actions, esp. by actions that exploit the scruples of others. 3. bitterly or sneeringly distrustful, contemptuous, or pessimistic.

Sarcasm - 1. harsh or bitter derision or irony. 2. a sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remark.


Example: When my husband is doing really nice things for me and I am not quite sure what the motive is behind the niceness.... Am I going to have to pay him back for something in return? Or is this just out of the kindness of his heart? I hate having those thoughts but my mind is trained so...... He is not happy with me if it is just kindness but, you know, most of the time there IS an alternative motive and I'm sure you know what I mean.
I guess that comes under the cynical definition 1 and 3 - distrusting motives and distrustful pessimism. Hmmmmm.

I mean, don't you ever just want to tell somebody to take a hike, but you're too nice to do it?
Just can't bring yourself to be unkind and unloving so you force self-control and tolerate them?
Come on... be honest.




My day went well. We did our school and current issues with God's World News and then my Grandpa who is 85 came by to see the kids after his cardiac rehab. He hadn't had lunch yet so he took them all to lunch. They were excited to see him. Then Elizabeth (6 y.o.) and I (not telling how old I am) watched the Felicity, American Girl movie and now she wants a horse. The boys were not into the movie. Ethan (11 y.o.) was traipsing around making fun of girls having tea and dressing up and Jesse (5 y.o.) said "That's boring" and ran off to play with transformers.

Edgey came home early and actually cooked dinner for me. Was I cynical? LOL

Quote for the day: If you build your house on a crack in the earth, it's your own fault.

Mr & Mrs Edgey

New Beginnings

I just finished reading a bunch of cool blogs from some "family"..... way too much fun. SOOOO, why not me too? What an easy way to keep everybody up to date on the psycho daily life of the Edgecombs. Anyway, I need an writing outlet. I hate journaling but typing is a different story.
Much easier to edit too.
I worked all weekend and it was kind of crazy there. At least there were 4 staff today. Why do women totally freak out if they have any little kind of pain and they are pregnant? I don't understand. I didn't do that. Just tough it out. What a bunch of wimps these days. Yeah, I had back pain and hip pains and had to go to the chiropractor for adjustments so I could walk but I didn't go to the hospital because I was having pains..... wahhhh.
Anyway, I got that off my chest.

Quote for the day: I would rather sink with faith than swim without it!