"Chillax!"

A few random quotes/things that make me laugh lately:

A Facebook message from my wonderful friend, Laura, about my next dentist appt, signed "Front Desk Goddess." :)

Attorney: "Describe what happened leading up to this accident."
Witness:  "I was just driving along in my car, you know, chillaxin'..." 
(Definitely had to look down for a sec to stop myself from laughing.)

Same girl, during a recess, the attorneys were at the bench talking to my judge, so of course I was still seated at my desk.  Suddenly I hear, "Psst" ....I finally look around and realize it was her, and she mouths, "Really cute shoes!  Where'd you get them?" 
Haha, sooo not the time to chat.  But really funny.

"I've got enough eye shadows to make a drag queen jealous."  -Danielle :)

"Thank you, Oscar losers, for doing your best acting when you find out the bad news.  Your forced, frozen smiles as you watch someone else get your trophy demonstrate the kind of acting talent you should have brought to the set when you had the chance."  ~Jimmy Fallon's "Thank You Notes" lol

"And you never seen, so they tell me, such downright domesticity, with a Roman baby on each knee named Claudius and Brute!"  -Adam, SBFSB :)

Witness:  "I can't remember any of the details or anything, like, my memory's just really vivid."
(Said it that way several times... the witness who had "vivid" and "vague" mixed up.  He reminded me of Phoebe's brother on friends, which also made me laugh.)

"The sniper rifle? Saboteur! Saboteur! ...I'm gonna kill you for real!" -Andy Bernard, back when the Office was still funny :)

"THAT gets the 'Good Deed of the Year' award!" -exhausted Chet Lee, after being awesome and helping a stranger push his car a bit farther than he'd originally planned - lol
"I have a feeling we're gonna be hearing this story for a while..." ~Nathan, responding to above-mentioned good deed :)

American Idol Info:  "Miley Cyrus mentors the 11 contestants."  NOPE.

"That's it!  You are hearing from my attorney.  Who, by the by, is my cousin.  Who, by the by, likes me VERY, VERY MUCH!"  -Lester to Casey, Chuck

While at the dentist recently, he asked if I'd been to SeaWorld and I said yes.  I, of course, couldn't talk, so the rest of it was one-sided.  He went into the most bizzare and detailed story about a show with dolphins who carried a chimpanzee on a tight rope... he would randomly crack himself up remembering how, "that chimpanzee was so freaked out."  
(Funny because it felt very much like I was on nitrous oxide, but sadly, I was not. lol)

These commercials: 


(I just LOVE them.  Especially the way he waddles in this next one.)  Ahhh, cuteness!


How often before eating something sugary, I think of the Candy Mountain video and sing in my head, "Fill me with sweeeet, sugary goodness!"  :)

The "Fireflies" song by Owl City.  I actually really like it, but the line, "''Cause I get a thousand hugs from 10,000 lightening bugs, as they try to teach me how to dance" is just so absurd and funny to me.  I do really love the line: "It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep, 'cause everything is never as it seems... because my dreams are bursting at the seams."  .....aaand on that note, I'm off to bed. :)

"Bon Appetit!"

Just watched Julie & Julia.  I'd forgotten how great it was!  I really love the two marriages in the movie -- the way they love and enjoy each other... and the way they handle life's disappointments and are so supportive.  And even though I have zero desire to either cook or eat any of the meals depicted in the movie, I do love the passion and joy they find in cooking, and it makes me wanna learn to cook or bake something new and amazing! 

....or at least to have some project to really throw myself into!  I love that Julie just randomly decides to do that blog because she's a bit bored and feels like her life isn't as exciting as her snobby friends.  "I could write a blog.  I have thoughts!!"  She just chose a hobby she enjoyed... and she loved and studied Julia Child, and followed her 'fearless' example and cooked her way through every recipe in the cookbook. 

It could be because I'm snowed in and a bit bored this weekend that the idea of having a unique, specific project sounds so appealing.  (It would definitely be more exciting than updating my i-tunes library, which is what I've been doing most of today.)  It could also be that I've been hoping to change the style of this blog lately.  I know this could sound absurd because I don't have that many readers, but the fact that anyone anywhere can find it on the internet is really not my favorite thing, and has become somewhat inhibiting as far as sharing anything personal.  So I want a more defined theme or project... I'll let you know.

It occurs to me that if my life is going to boldly follow the example of anyone, it should be Jesus -- who better for us to study and imitate?  Much like the movie, all I have to do is take life one day at a time and follow the example of the One who did all the work and went to the trouble of teaching it and writing the book... I may make some mistakes and have a few "meltdowns" in the learning process, but in the end, putting my faith into action will bring me closer to Him... bringing me more purpose and joy, hopefully inspiring a few others along the way. 

"I have given you an example to follow.  Do as I have done to you... You know these things - now do them.  That is the path of blessing... Just as I have loved you, you should love each other."  
(~John 13:15,17) 

Love that verse - so challenging!  My knowledge of God's Word has transformed ME, but is doing very little for others unless I purposely act on it.  I so want to do a better job of walking in love and using the passions and talents God's given me to benefit those around me.  To step up and make a difference, and to remember that I'm here to be an example of Christ and to share His love and serve others.

The movie just made me think about some of that... but having said all that, my new blog idea will probably have nothing to do with that, as I would hate to completely miss the heart of God by making this a continual celebration of my own good deeds or making anyone else feel like they're a "project," if that makes sense.  I do have several vague ideas floating through my mind -- photography, calligraphy, painting, something fun and artistic -- one way or another, the new project will be something I love and enjoy and can be excited about!  I'll update as soon as I officially decide on something... so stay tuned. :)

The Antidote

Well, Spring Break is already over... lame.  I technically worked on Monday and Tuesday, then spent most of Wednesday and Thursday cleaning and decorating my sister's apartment with Mom... so it felt more like having one actual day "off" than a full week.  Mom and I got to do a fun lunch on Friday, and I'm obviously getting to relax and laze around a bit today and tomorrow, thanks to being snowed in.  This spring snow seems so random, but I remember it snowed in March last year too.  I also filled out a March Madness bracket and entered an online tournament, just for fun, and am doing surprisingly well for it being total guesses. :)

The best part of my lovely spring break week was that Malori and I got to hang out more than normal - not that we wouldn't have talked anyway, but it's just more fun being in the same city... dinner at Bravo Tuesday then dinner at IHOP on Thursday... I had chocolate chip pancakes for the first time ever - yum!!  We went back to her apartment and ate GirlScout cookies and watched SBFSB (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, in case you couldn't crack that code).  So much fun -- I've really missed that movie, but all the song lyrics came right back to me, and so did my love of the "lonesome polecat" song and bizzare dance choreography!  

"Milly and me's goin' to town!"

"You mean men are learnin how to dance!?  Yes, it came direct from Paris, France!"

"Oh, they acted angry and annoyed...  But secretly, they was overjoyed!"
"Each nest is twitterin, they're all babysitterin.  Spring, spring, spring!"

We also had several lengthy conversations this week.... there are a few things going through my mind and going on in my life right now that I don't exactly feel free to blog about in any detail, but it's so helpful and encouraging to have loyal Christian friends that I can talk to!  So hooray for Malori!!  :)

So switching gears, last night, I went to dinner with some friends, then came home and watched When Harry Met Sally, followed by most of The Breakfast Club.  There were a couple of scenes that really hit me and brought me down for whatever reason... you know how sometimes the smallest thing can throw off your whole mood and change the way you view everything around you.  I was suddenly feeling really negative and pathetic and annoyed with men and all sorts of things.... I sat down to write a blog and truly couldn't come up with anything positive to say.  I played around on facebook, then finally decided to read my daily chapter of Proverbs before I went to bed, and one verse after another perfectly addressed the things I had been so down about.  I had a random fleeting thought (which I do believe came from God) that reading that chapter was like taking a small dose of the antidote to the mood I had been in. 

Then, being myself, I pondered that for a little while.  How the enemy is viciously seeking to destroy us and poison our hearts -- whether with something that works hard and fast to knock us down, or a more subtle poison that weakens us over time.  And how helpless we are without God -- not only eternally, but our heart and soul here on earth -- are dying without Him.  And how God's Word and the TRUTH & WISDOM it offers is the only "antidote" to the constant barrage of attacks and soul-killing lies our culture and Hollywood tend to feed us.  The only 'medicine' that will truly heal and restore us.  I'm not trying to be overly dramatic, but after letting myself dwell on some small thoughts that started while watching those movies, my soul felt poisoned -- you know, that weak, sick, fading feeling of negativity and depression, losing heart and a growing desire to just give up..... but I began to gain strength and feel refreshed after reading just a few verses and dwelling on God and what He thinks of me.  It was exactly what I needed at that moment.  

It makes me especially sad/concerned for those who don't know God, or simply don't care what He thinks... people who feel that their only hope is fighting one "poison" with another.  Using alcohol, drugs, sex, violence, etc. as a method to escape some other pain, or to numb out to a culture that does everything it can to destroy their self-esteem.   They are trapped in a growing web of lies, and the more they try to escape, the further they dig themselves into a pit, totally oblivious to the fact that they're being held captive by the enemy and going down a dangerous path that leads to death.
 
I so want them to know that there is freedom and healing available in Christ.  There is deep fulfillment in Him, but you have to seek Him with all your heart to get there.  It can't be halfhearted or lukewarm or apathetic; it has to be real.  But there is an opportunity to live above the lies and cruelty and pain and trials we all experience here on earth.  There is peace in the middle of awful circumstances that no one around us can quite understand.  My life is not perfect, and my faith certainly isn't perfect either.  Yes, I go through spells where I don't feel close to God, where I really struggle to hear from Him or to understand His purpose in certain things, or feel that He has forgotten me and wonder if I'm destined to be alone forever.  I have those selfish moments of feeling pathetic or inferior or a bit prideful or just totally negative.  BUT, in the deepest part of my heart, I know God, and I know He is the answer.  I have come a long way in trusting Him, and I know that when my heart and focus is set on Him, I am at peace.  My Deliverer is the Lord, and I always come back to Him.  

Proverbs makes it clear that wisdom is far more valuable than anything else we can acquire here on earth.  That we should seek God and His wisdom with all our heart!  There is death and destruction awaiting those who live selfishly and ignore the warnings of God.  But there is real LIFE and power and peace available when we know God and trust His heart, when we live our lives based on the wisdom and truth found in His Word, and remember that He is the antidote, the cure, to every type of poison the enemy can possibly throw at us! 

Some verses that have hit me lately:
"Your eye is a lamp for your body.  A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul.  But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness.  If the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness will be!" ~Matthew 6:22,23

"People ruin their lives by their own foolishness, and then are angry at the Lord."

"You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail."

"Ears to hear and eyes to see - both are gifts from the Lord."

"The Lord's searchlight penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive."
(~Proverbs 19 and 20)

"Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.  Again I say, don't get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.  Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people's hearts, and they will learn the truth.  Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil's trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants."  ~II Timothy 2:22-26

"Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves.  Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will be also.....
So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.  Today's trouble is enough for today.....  The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way.  But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it..... The way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced." 
~Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount

"And the reason is you."

Song of the week.  (These are always totally random, and usually something on a burned CD I've been listening to lately.) 

Random, but I once had a dream where a guy really made me angry, but then he came back a few weeks later and did the Say Anything boombox move w/this song (which I really loved at that time).  So that was a fantastic and dramatic dream. lol  Note to any future men... that will work like a charm if you need to 'win me back over,' (assuming you haven't done anything too terrible).  This dream was also before I'd actually seen the movie... I had only seen little clips of that scene, and I always imagined it to be far more romantic than it actually was.  I at least thought the girl would come outside to meet him.  Disappointing.  And yet another reason that I love previews, sometimes more than the actual film.  My dream version of that whole scene was so much better.  Anyway, bizzare and random sidenote over.  Enjoy the song.

Also, Happy Saint Patrick's Day!! <3

Let the Sunshine In!

• "The choice is black or white.  Not a shade of gray.  Because in love, there's no such thing as halfway.  Devotion can't be swayed.  Emotion can't be torn.  He'd rather we be hot or cold than lukewarm!"  -Avalon again, totally loving that CD
• Spent most of the weekend painting a canvas for Rach's new apartment w/Mom... not my usual style, but a lot of fun to paint! :)

• 
  
  I kinda wish I was going to the Black Eyed Peas concert in Tulsa this weekend.  Fergie's just cool, and all their songs are fun and exciting..... and sometimes hilarious. :)
• 
  
  "Tonight's gonna be a good night."  (x8)   :)
• 
  
  I haven't been in much of a blogging mood lately -- hopefully that will pass soon.
• 
  
  Last week and yesterday were extremely productive weeks at work!  Yay me!!
• 
  
  Only worked half a day today, and now I'm officially on Spring Break!  Woo-hoooo!
• 
  
  Had a cavity filling replaced this morning... ugh.  Painful.
• 
  
  The anesthetic paralyzed half of my facial muscles for a few hours, and I had a tearful mini-breakdown thinking he'd hit the facial nerve and I was back in B.P.  ...but my smile is back and all is well! :)  Get excited!
• 
  
  Highlights of the week include dinner with Bobbi at Cosmos.... starting the Breaking Free Bible study with a group of women at BattleCreek - so great.... running hard and having my first assessment at FT.... painting the Peace canvas w/Mom.... and dinner at Bravo w/Malori tonight!  =)
• 
  
  I'm seriously tired of the Office and American Idol.  Both are too full of themselves to be truly entertaining or relevant anymore - to me, at least.  Still loving Chuck, but hate the current storyline w/Casey.
• 
  
  The guest speaker at BattleCreek this Sunday talked about Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.... how he made a major point that we need to not be hypocritical when we pray, give, or fast.  Not to do it for show or out of prideful motives, but rather in secret and trust that God knows our heart and will reward us.  Convicting.
• 
  
  I love that we serve a God who wants substance over style.  I LOVE that. 
• 
  
  I'm tired, and I'm about to go to bed.  On a random note, I'm really glad about the time change this year - leeeeet the sunshine in! ;)
• 
  
  I'll end w/a good verse to think about from today's Proverbs chapter...  "We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall." ~Proverbs 16:33