Friday, January 30, 2009

On Being Hated

Or even disliked. I don't think most of us have to deal with this too often because of our faith,at least in this country.
Maybe for being mean or obnoxious or using parentheses WAY TOO MUCH. (I am not talking from personal experience. I'm just saying.)
But Jesus said they will hate us because they hated Him first.
Maybe our faith is getting a little watered down.
A little gray.
A little too nice.
And the problem is we LIKE it that way.
We are comfy-cozy with it like this.
Lord, help me.

Here is a blog that my friend (I accidentally typed "fiend" first. Hmmm)Randy Alcorn wrote yesterday that so spoke to my heart. The title ,"Are You Willing to be Hated for Speaking the Gospel Truth?" made me childishly wonder ,"Why should they hate me if I am bringing Good News?" But only for a second. Go read Randy's blog and let God stretch you and mold your heart like He did mine. Thanks for a great article, Randy. :-)

Speaking of being willing to be hated, here is a video that Sue from Praise and Coffee posted on Face Book this morning and it was flagged for removal because some Face Book users said it was an "abusive" video. (Thanks, Sue!)
Huh? It's not like it was a PETA ad with barely dressed young women posing with vegetables or something.
I think it points out a valid truth in a beautiful way. What do you think?


Tuesday, January 27, 2009

NEW Leather ESV Bible...Priceless

Maybe not priceless...but kinda is, you know.

You can take your Starbucks gift cards, your Bath and Body Works baskets and your gourmet chocolate bars because I am giving away



TRUTH AND LIGHT. (cue the "Hallelujah Chorus")


That's right, sister.






A gorgeous, brand new, gator-design leather ESV thin line brown and tan bible. This is beautiful and shouldn't just be sitting quietly on our book shelf. It should be changing lives.




Here is what John Piper says about the ESV Bible:

“The ESV satisfies the preaching, memorizing, studying, and reading needs of our church, from children to adults. We are building all our future ministry around it.”



And, here is a little excerpt, from the actual bible you will win, just to get you excited about reading it:


"Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?"
Psalm 8:1-4

When you win this bible, you can read more and even finish that chapter and book. It is that good!




So sign up to party in this give-away by leaving your name and email address in the comments area. You can live in the US or Canada, because I'm all about uniting our nations like that.
I almost missed this giveaway...unbelievable.
Go here to sign up for all kinds of other goodies, and although they may not lead you to eternal life, maybe they will help you look all sparkly or could be they might taste delicious. Perhaps both. Maybe all three. This is good.



Oh, and by, the by, if you actually do have any spare Starbucks gift cards, extra Bath and Body Works baskets or special gourmet chocolate, I am a big, big fan of all three. Huge fan. Love them all. Just thought I'd let ya know.


Diane

Friday, January 23, 2009

Diane is...

To borrow from Face Book....

Diane is...

A) Doing taxes. Git 'r done.

or

B) Doing BOTH her bible studies simultaneously AND writing in her prayer journal while feeding the hungry and clothing the nekked.

or

C) Wogging with Jesus out back on her trails, losing all her winter weight while singing, loudly and 100% off pitch, "All the single ladies...Put a ring on it..." Sounding rather like a cat falling off the Empire State Building. Thanks, Simon.

or

D) Watching last night's episode of "The Office" online with her fuzzy slippered feet up on the tax folder on the desk while licking the Crunchberry crumbs out of the bottom of the mostly empty Cap'n Crunch box.
Wrinkly pajamas still on. Waxy build-up on roof of mouth. Good times.

Diane is....just your basic over achiever.

What are YOU doing on this Friday??

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Historic Day

It's an historic day today but this inauguration just does not put me in the partying mood. I'm not saying that Mr. Obama is not is young , likable and ,
charismatic, as well as becoming the first African-American president.
It's just that he is for the killing of babies and I am not.


It's a fundamental difference.

I would love to be happy and celebrate with so many of my friends and a large portion of the country. But he is promoting the killing of children and no matter how much I want to overlook this because, HURRAY! HE IS BLACK! I can't.

He is for killing children. It's not as if he hasn't told us enough times. I'm sorry to rain on everyones' parade but I just can't throw confetti when he is throwing babies away.
I know, I know. I shouldn't use language like this, especially on Barack's Big Day.

Honest to goodness, I keep wanting to type "But I'm happy for him and all the people of color ...." but that would be such a lie. I am so not happy for them or for any of us. I can't believe that this is good for anyone.This has nothing to do with race. But I feel like we're throwing this giant birthday party when a massacre is going on.
It makes no sense. I just can't.

With all respect I don't know what it is like to be person of color in this society. I watched (and read) "Roots" by Alex Haley. I read "Dominion" by Randy Alcorn. They have broken my heart but I know this just gives me the tiniest fraction of a glimpse into that world. I won't try to pretend that I comprehend decades of oppression put upon my family because of the color of my skin. I'm probably inadvertently writing something right now that proves just how politically incorrect and horribly intolerant I am.



I get that I don't get it.

But I know we shouldn't judge someone by the color of their skin, but rather the content of their character. And I know that as President Obama has promised to sign the Freedom of Choice Act into Law ASAP.


The title sounds so good, I even want to support it until I read it and realize that it's passage will mean the undeterred death of millions of children,both black and white, as well as untold other races. All of us.
Here is the video of him promising us the change most of us wanted.













The days of Roe v Wade will be remembered as the good old days as the Freedom of choice act races right by Roe like it was a bump on a log, repealing laws that were enacted over the last 35 years.
Here is what the Family Research Council says:

"Focus on FOCA (Freedom of Choice Act)
What FOCA Would Do:
All sides in the abortion fight agree, if FOCA were to pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by a pro-abortion President, it would, among other effects,
provide for taxpayer-funded abortion on demand even late in pregnancy, grant abortionists immunity from legal action,
allow abortionists the discretion to perform abortions on minors without notifying a parent,
and deny health care workers the right to refuse to make abortion referrals as a matter of conscience.

"The legislation (FOCA) would invalidate existing and future laws that interfere with or discriminate against the exercise of the rights protected . It also would provide an individual aggrieved by a violation of the act a private right of civil action in order to obtain appropriate relief " - Planned Parenthood website.

"As a general matter, if FOCA were enacted, it would wipe out a very large number of existing state laws on abortion, substantially impede the ability of states to regulate abortion, and override nearly 40 years of jurisprudential experience on the subject of abortion." - USCCB Memorandum on FOCA

FOCA would automatically overturn state abortion reporting requirements in all 50 states, 44 states' laws concerning parental involvement, 40 states' laws on restricting later-term abortions, 46 states' conscience protection laws for individual health care providers, 27 states' conscience protection laws for institutions, 38 states' bans on partial-birth abortions, 33 states' laws on requiring counseling before an abortion, and 16 states' laws concerning ultrasounds before an abortion.
FOCA seeks to eliminate any civil pro-life opposition in the public square:
"The bill would give women the right to file civil suits against any person or government agency that sought to limit their ability to get an abortion." - MSNBC Briefing Book: Issues '08.

Presumably this would not only include federal and state legislators who merely introduce legislation seeking restrictions on abortion but also against peaceful pro-lifers who pray and offer alternatives in front of abortion facilities."

Did you get all that? If you go to the Family Research Council site, you will also find the report siting that for the states that already have FOCA-like laws in place, their abortion numbers are higher than the national average. So, if bringing the abortion numbers down is what this is all about, than it is already a dismal failure.
And shouldn't we question why on earth they should want to bring abortion numbers down, if in fact, there is nothing wrong with having an abortion? Unless, of course, that it ends a child's life and destroys her mother's and father's lives in the process.

Click here to see what Planned Parenthood has to say about the Freedom of Choice Act. Get your tissues out.


Click here if you would like to read the text of the "Freedom of Choice Act" (S. 2020) introduced in the U.S. Senate on January 22, 2004, by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Ca.) and others



I keep hearing about the parades and marching bands and dancers and gospels singers in preparation for the inauguration festivities. I am filled with sadness for what our nation is turning to.
I am not celebrating, Mr President. I am grieving.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Gracefully aging

Oh, it can be done, my friends.
I called Reader Brenda last week to wish her a Happy Birthday and to ask her how old I was.


I never remember any one's age including my own and she is the Gatekeeper of all Pertinent Family Information.


It's not right. Here is is. BRENDA'S birthday, and I'm noticing little tiny wrinkles radiating like broken concrete around my eyes.

It is almost like I'm self-centered or something.

Back to me now.


Shattered concrete is hardly an attractive look, especially on a face. Let's be honest here.
Especially on MY FACE. I'm sure it's fine for you.
"Age Defying" concealer just seems to settle like thick putty into the wrinkles making them look even dryer and deeper.
Nice.
"InvisiLift Line Minimizing Tone Enhancing Under Eye Concealer" is as expensive as it's lengthy name suggests and has the unfortunate effect of making lines, wrinkles and creases under the eye appear larger and deeper than they first appeared. It's like magic.



Sparkly shadow on my upper lids in a vain (get it?) attempt to draw the attention away from the bags and wrinkles underneath just doesn't do it for me.In fact, it may just reflect the creases and wrinkles below the eye thereby making them reflect as though in a mirror. Not a good idea.


But I came up with a plan this morning as I was blow drying my hair. Killing two or three birds with one stone, so to speak. Hides my under eye wrinkles and solves my currant hair dilemma in one fell swoop.

And all of you are looking good from my perspective, too.

Oh, and Happy Birthday, again Brenda. You have alot to look forward to.

P.S. I'm beginning to go through the Beth Moore "Esther" study. I'm betting it's good timing and I'm so enjoying it. Whatcha think?

Monday, January 12, 2009

Do I Google you? Let me count the ways...

"John 3:16" was the scripture inscribed in the black under Gator QB Tim Tebow's eyes during the BCS National Championship game.


And, just like that, the biblical reference became the most popular search item on Google.com.


Google Trends on the morning after the game had "John 3:16" ahead of searches for American Idol and even the Windows 7 beta download. Searches for the Bible verse reached a peak during the game.


This leads me to make some profound observations and ask some tough questions.


1) Tim Tebow rocks. You know he does, John Lewis, you Face Book trash-talker.

2)Google has forever changed the way we gather information. Did you notice it is used as a verb now?How did that happen?

How many times does a word have to be used by the general public before it is accepted by Websters or who ever is is charge of New Word Usage?


3) How heartwarming it is that a young home-schooled, missionary kid can have such drive and passion for the Lord, and accomplish so much with his talent and fame? (Answer:Very.)


4) It also begs the question: What else do people Google for? I wonder how those people in India and Toronto find "Meyers on the Hood"? (And a big shout-out to the person who found me all the way from Poznan Wielkopolskie Poland. I can't pronounce the name of your city, but you all have a pretty flag. Holla!)


Well, I can answer that burning question so you can rest easily and sleep like a baby tonight.


These are the actual queries that people typed into Google. They were then directed to my site by the search engine. Yes, ma'am,






"Speed demon: a Chopper profile" Google directed them to the post that included this picture:





I have no idea what they were searching the internet for, but I'm sure they were thrilled with what Google handed them.

Then there was the person who asked Google this: "How can I get super speed?" (if you see someone zipping around like monkeys on high octane crack, you know they found their answer.)



Because I write about God in my everyday life I have quite a few poor people who are directed to my blog when they type things like this in the Google bar:



"Breathe in breathe out get knocked out" (Really?)



" I get low down but I get up again " (Me,too, sister. Me,too.)




"I get knocked down in the bible" (Even in the Bible? That's getting low.)



"religious leaders:churches should be "nonjudgmental" about behavior that transmits hiv " (were they hoping to make a statement here?)

"god my life is in your hands I can't go on any longer "



I actually am very sad for the person who typed in that last statement and found themselves reading about my gray hair or Chicken Tortilla Soup on my blog. I am sorry.




The next little section I had to edit down because THERE WERE SO MANY. Everybody seems to have questions about their son's girlfriend and so obviously they need to talk to their son get some professional counseling GOOGLE IT.



Here are just a few of the people who have dropped out of the internet into my blog:



I don't like my son's girlfriend (I'm sorry.)


why my son's girlfriend doesn't want to visit our house. (She's just not that into you.)



my son never had a girlfriend. (Hmmmm.)



my son's girlfriend is a ___________.(yes. Somebody thought it'd do some good to type that into Google.)



Google was able to help at least one person when they pointed them to my site.

They typed in:

"pictures of the prettiest horses on earth" (I'm happy to oblige.)



Oh, and Tim Tebow rocks. Just wanted to say it again. Have a great day, amigas.

Friday, January 9, 2009

In which we look on the bright side

After hearing President Barack Obama give his speech about....oops, my bad.



After hearing Prez-elect Barack Obama tell us that the economy will probably get worse before it gets better, all I could think of was,

Oh no.

My hair.

More specifically.

My roots.

I have no doubt your thoughts were similar. Don't lie and tell me they weren't.

Because if our hair is good, everything is good.

You know it's true.

So, back to my roots.

When will I ever be able to afford to get my hair done again?
So,I'm thinking of starting a fad. Embracing this whole gray hair thing.

Looking for the silver lining, so to speak. Ahem.

Calling it "Recession Roots" and just letting my head look like a rodent lives there under my naturally blond tresses.

This could catch on.

Like my new "Debt Diet."

It will be simple. Don't eat. Lose weight.

Remember those soup lines filled with sad, skinny people wearing black clothing back in the Depression?

Nope, me neither.

That is why we can joke about losing weight this way.

So, back to my roots again. Because, really, what else matters? As I mentioned before, our whole economy and the good of society in general rests on how good or bad our hair is. Well, I didn't exactly mention it, but it was suggested and is generally known. Right?

I took close-up pictures of my root issues, but none of them properly displayed the magnitude of the problem. Now I have a folder in my picture file entitled "hair roots."
Fab.
Because I really want to have a picture for you I went on an internet search for "blonde hair with roots."

This is how I spent 20 irreplaceable minutes this morning until the phone rang and snapped me out of the weird place I was in. Thank you Verizon Phone customer service person. Thank you. (But, no. We are fine with our currant service.)

The best picture I could find was this one.

Yes it is Madonna.
Yes I am disturbed.
Apparently, she already tried to start a fad with showing roots that grow out.

Ewwwwwww.

Gotta go.

I'm calling my hairdresser. Right after I sell some of Rod's junk my stuff on Craigslist.

ASAP.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

I don't belong

That pretty much sums up how I've been feeling lately, so I thought it deserved it's own post title.


Our business has been limping along(not very productively, I might add bitterly) through this recession and various physical ailments have visited both Rod and me.


Oh and I gained THREE POUNDS. Hello-ooo, again my ginormous muffin top. Good Horrific to see ya.





Which added altogether with the other straw(s) that broke the camel's back made
me not want to go to bible study this morning.





I don't belong with the happy, beautiful people.


I am cranky. And ugly. And really cranky.

I don't even like me today. Not even a little bit.





Don't I sound fun to be around?





So, with a shiny, plastic smile on I headed in to bible study.

Where I shared my doom and gloom with those around me until it was time to go.


Good times.
This mannequin portrays how tightly I held my emotions in check during the study. Except she shows more depth. And feeling.











On the way home, I rehashed the conversations until I was sniveling and had convinced myself I needed to call my gals at bible study back and tell them I am not coming anymore and not to order me the new book.


Because I am not fit company for women who are trying to seek the Lord. I am just holding them back because all I want to do right now is crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head and cry. And eat this beef jerky. Except it kinda tastes like smoked salmon. Or dog food. Even my own taste buds are rebelling.


When I got home, Rod asked me how it went and I said, "Fine. I'm not going anymore."


Then I burst into tears.


Yesirree. That Rod is one lucky fellow.





Why does it feel like I'm all alone when things are going badly? I don't want to talk about things because then I'll cry and not stop until all my all eyelashes fall out.


Let's face it; that is not a good look on anybody.


I don't even want to talk to God about it because, frankly, that would be laying it all out there and I guess the pain of that is what I've been trying to avoid. Isolation is indeed a useful tool of the devil's.


So, in full avoidance mode, I began reading a few blogs from some of my girls.That backfired on me real quick.


Like this from Queen B. Click on this link and read about her honesty in "The Brutal Truth". I love you for this, Beth. Really and truly. You gave me strength to begin facing my little fears. Thank you.


And Amber. (His Girl) You always have an encouraging and sometimes painful truth and I love learning from you. Thank you. Click on her link and read what the Lord might mean by having us do some waitin'. It's not always what we think. I NEEDED this TODAY. 'Nuff said.





God has used you ladies today to get my eyes off myself and return the focus to Him.


Where it belongs.


Where I belong.





1 John 4:4


You, dear children, are from (belong to) God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.





So, even though I am cranky and now splotchy and tear-stained, please order me that bible study book anyway. I apologize for my selfish attitude this morning when I let it be all about me and forgot that I love you guys, and that He loves me.

Even when I feel I don't belong.
***Edited to add*** I just went over to Linda's @ A Trucker's Wife to view the videos she wrote about in the notes and OH. My. Word.
That is some powerful preaching. I am so glad that I went and spent the time listening to Louie Giglio on the "How Great is Our God Tour." Yes, I even heard a little from Chris Tomlin.
But mostly, as I listened, I began shrinking and He began growing.
It was AWESOME. So worth it. Go here to view the videos and say thanks to Linda for putting them up.
THANKS Linda. You know I needed that today. :-)