black friday...yeehaw!

...not! look, don't get me wrong, i'm one for bargains. i don't even really shop unless it's on the clearance rack or at the goodwill store! and i'm suuuure there are some great deals today. if i find some online i will take full advantage of them. but, to get out in the madness today? no way! i think i did it once... maybe. today is more my sister shannons type of day. i think she would enjoy the crowd of people. maybe she will pick me up something nice. :)

me...i'm content to work today. maybe i will drive around town when i get off at two and see if the madness has died down. or....maybe i will just go to the redbox and rent me a good movie! then go home and eat left over turkey and ham...mmmmmm.

man....the holiday season is fun...it goes by fast yet seems like it's here forever (does that make sense to anyone but me?). the best part of the holidays is watching the kids....that is priceless. i'm excited to watch the kids at christmas .... opening the presents...to watch them play out in the snow (yes i know, that's not real likely here in southeast mo, but i can wish)...coming in with their little cheeks all red and nose running down their chin.

my favorite christmas show is charlie browns christmas...

Charlie Brown: Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

Linus Van Pelt: Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. [moves toward the center of the stage]

Linus Van Pelt: Lights, please. [a spotlight shines on Linus]

Linus Van Pelt: "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'" [Linus picks up his blanket and walks back towards Charlie Brown]

Linus Van Pelt: That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

can you hear it? man i can hear it just like i'm watching it...i love it! how silly is that! i like rudolph...and all the other classics. but charlie brown is just great...and will live on forever!

the fog...

so i grew up in southeast Missouri…close to the river. living close to the river, we experienced some great fog! i mean heavy fog…like the dog couldn’t walk to his water bowl cause of the fog on his back. fog so thick you couldn’t see the car in front of you until you were about to run into his bumper…you couldn’t see that you should have stopped at that red light until you went through it. i’m talking thick fog! As a kid I loved the fog cause we would get out of school for the entire day…yes, school got delayed because it was so foggy…and if it got delayed more that 2 hours then they would just cancel school for the entire day! It would be perfect weather outside after the fog cleared…we prayed for these glorious days!

now as an adult…sometimes i feel as if my life is a fog. i can’t see what’s next or which road to take until I’m right up on it…or just passed it. fog causes confusion and second-guessing. Now don’t get me wrong, life isn’t always a fog. but sometimes I wish God had email, or better yet text messaging! something where He could respond back to me a.s.a.p. i mean, there are many times when that i am not 100% sure i am making the right decision…when there might be two possible good choices or when there is just no clear choice. no one likes being “in the fog”… or so I’m assuming. i’m assuming most people like some clarity in life. fog makes things more difficult…harder…

we’ve all got plans. we all had/have an idea of how we want things (life) to turn out. does it ever happen that way? like we planned? seriously…not often. even when we do everything we are supposed to do in order to accomplish things, to plan things out…there are other factors and/or people that alter the course. that’s called life. no matter how much you rationalize things or strategically plan things out…life happens and plans sometimes fail.

but life goes on. we keep planning. we keep seeking answers…hopefully in the right places and people. we wait for the fog to lift...to see a "break" up ahead. for me personally, i have a few people i trust and respect, whom I feel are good Christian people, and I know they will pray with me and help me to make the right choices. i’m blessed like that.

happy thanksgiving!

happy thanksgiving! i hope you all stuffed yourself and spent lots of time with your family and those who mean the most to you.

i'm currently at work. i volunteered to work today so that those with children could spend the day cooking and being with their kids. me personally, i will let everyone cook for me and then show up to eat it! lol...that's just my style...

being here helps remind me how much i have to be thankful for. the women who are here are here because they are homeless and have been abuse...beaten both physically and emotionally. yet it would appear by talking with them today that they themselves realize that they have a lot to be thankful for! just a reminder that no matter where you are or how bad things may seem...things could always be worse. there is always someone out there worse off than you.

i hope today you take time to thank God for all that He has blessed you with!

grown up...(is that one word or two?)

i feel so grown up right now(is that one word?)...i'm sitting at my desk, drinking my coffee (with caramel flavoring)...doing what grown-up's do (maybe it's hyphenated)...work...that's what grown ups do...work...yeehaw...and to think i couldn't wait to grow up!


i have always said i would never grow up. and in many ways i have proven this statement to be true (hold your comments to yourself please). but in some ways i do see my self "grown up." and sometimes i don't like it.


at times i am less patient with youth...because i can "see the future" and i know that the choices they are making are not good ones, and that these decisions can and will affect them for the rest of their lives. they are daily changing and shaping their future. so...me being the "fixer", i just want them to listen to me and do what i say! lol...but i try to keep this in check cause it's definitely not the way to relate to them!


i'm more voicestrous..if i think someone is acting just ridiculous or treating someone disrespectfully i say so. my sister says i do not do this in an appropriate manner when it comes to my family....but she's very opinionated (hahahahah)!


i'm more cautious about most things. i try to think things through better...that is a good thing. thinking before acting was never one of my strong points, as most know.


now, on to other news...i have a new job! i start dec 8th with children's division. i'm excited. i'm not excited, however, about telling the people i work with now that i'm leaving! i have really enjoyed my short two months of working here! the people i work with are great and i love what we do here. however, the opportunity of advancement and the benefits of this new job i just could not pass up. hopefully i will be able to partner with the shelter in the future as a volunteer. i think they are definitely a needed in this community!