In Less Than a Month...

I'll be going here

in order to celebrate three of these

Looking forward to some family time!

Raindrop Tears

Yes, even the weather knows it's a sad day to return to work after a three-day weekend. I struggled out of bed this morning and on my way to work was met with sprinkles. In California that's like a FLOOD! Only four days to the next weekend :o)

The Price of Freedom

Last night Earl and I watched Valkyrie.  When the movie came out the History channel began playing show after show and documentary after documentary on the true story behind the July 20th attempt on Hitler's life.  We had a lot of background heading into watching the dramatized version of events.  It is a great story of courage. 

Courage. The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt, From a speech given in Paris at the Sorbonne in 1910

Without men and women who are wiling to spend themselves and have their faces marred by dust and sweat and blood, we would not have our freedoms.  In response to their efforts, my "thank yous" seem paltry and weak.  But thank you for laying down your life so I may have freedom.

The cost of freedom is a high and steep price.  So often, in order for a people, a nation, an individual to have freedom and to know life, it costs someone else a sacrifice of theirs.  I think of a mother, who, in those first few months, gives up her sleep, her body, her energy so her child will be able to live.  

And to the One who paid a price so great so I could have a life so free, thank You. 

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  John 15:13

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.  John 8:32

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Summer Here I Come!

Sun? Check.

72 degree weather? Check.

Lounge poolside with a stud? Check.

So far this three-day weekend has been amazing.  Slept in, ate some scrambled eggs with pan-fried potatoes and onions, did some mild cleaning, got the grocery shopping out of the way, cooked pork tenderloin for dinner and a yoga class. Now, Earl and I are getting ready to head out to the pool for an hour or so.  The band is playing tomorrow in Santa Fe Springs and maybe sneak in some time at the beach this weekend (although it is going to be PACKED OUT!) This is as relaxing a weekend as I can ask for.

I will say I sure am missing having family around this weekend, but am eagerly planning all our trips to see them!!

One final note, Life has been canned for the fall and it looks like Jack McCoy & ADA Connie may be gone come the fall as well.  There are two unhappy NBC watchers in this household!!! But, at least Southland has been picked up for another season.

Hope y'all are relaxing as well!  (How 'bout those NBA playoff games - WOW!! First time EVER that the first four games of the conference finals have been decided by 3 points or less. CRAZY EXCITING games to watch!!) 

Moving & Shaking

Earl brought me Matryoshka dolls back from Russia over two years ago.  They neatly line the top of my bookcase and I often find that one or two of the littlest ones get turned around from time to time.  I'm not sure if it's the sound waves from Earl's bass, but I often suspect that little tremors move the little dolls.  

Last night, it was an earthquake.  Not much else moved, but those Matryoshka dolls are all out of line.  The scariest part of earthquakes is usually the sound that comes first.  I can actually hear the ground lift up and crash down.

I'm off to work - just one more week and then a holiday!

Fine Swine Food

Today Earl and I pulled into church and noticed a pick-up truck with a logo that read "Fine Swine Food" and a picture of a pig.  We are assuming it was for a BBQ joint in town, but you never know!  This did remind of a story I heard at work this week.  First, a little background.  

We pass out nicknames to various people in our office building.  We have a Borat (curly, black hair a la Borat), Monk (brushes his teeth a few times a day and seems a little OCD), Medusa (crazy hair).  Then there are two ladies who come up from the first floor to the eighth floor to use our restroom.  Finally, we have a lady who does not wash her hands after using the restroom - yes, a non-hand washer.  Completely grosses me out every time we are in the restroom together (which, thankfully, is only a couple times a month). 

I went with a friend to lunch on Friday and missed out on an encounter the firm had in the elevator heading out to lunch.  The lawyer who employs the non-hand washer informed us that she has been diagnosed as having the swine flu.  Yes, the panic-inducing, cancel all flights to Mexico, wear a face mask SWINE FLU!  I'm not surprised she got it - she doesn't wash her hands, people!!  I am, of course, concerned for her health and prays she makes a full recovery, but hopefully she will begin to wash her hands.  I am washing quite vigorously to make sure there isn't any chance it could still be passed on!

Just for giggles, hop over to the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon blog for their take on the Swine Flu!

I'm off to enjoy the rest of my Sunday with Earl!!

Tea & Dolls

I may have to resort to doing multiple mini blogs over the next few days in order to get you all updated. 

For today, I'll start with last weekend's women's tea. Gisela Yohannan spoke and one of the first things she said when she got up after worship was asking us what would happen if Jesus answered our prayer and He was really all we had.  Would we be okay with that?  Or would we not be satisfied?  It was refreshing to have our focus shifted back to the fact that life is but a vapor.  I really enjoyed the fellowship - but it was a TEA and there was no HOT TEA!! 

 

Some of the lovely ladies at my table - made a couple new friends which is always GREAT!

Today was the second annual Down Syndrome Association of Orange County conference held at the Costa Mesa Hilton.  As usual, I love these events.  It's usually the same core group of volunteers, so there can be a bit of socializing before and after.  Poor Kristin, our wonderful and dedicated volunteer coordinator, has a hard time keeping us focused when we get there.

This event is especially put on for parents, educators, psychologists, therapists and self-advocates.  Our main duty as volunteers was to assist the self-advocates with going from class to class and assisting with any questions they had.  The sessions were on empowering the self-advocates to make their voice heard in their community, school, church and family so their needs and wants were known.  

One of the session leaders had us all make a wish board by cutting out pictures and words from magazines on what we wanted to accomplish in our lives.  Another leader invited various self-advocates to share what goals they had and we all discussed how to make those goals a reality.  Kathy, a 21-year old woman with Down syndrome, wants to work in day care.  Kathy didn't think it could ever happen though.  She doesn't have any experience right now, but we brainstormed various ways for her to garner experience and knowledge in order to start the process and achieve her dream job.  It was very exciting to watch her realize that her goal could be a reality!

Finally, we had a self-advocate, who lives on his own and has been in the job force for 20 years, share his story and answer any of their questions.  Ralph is a true gentleman.  He was also like an uncle as each participant told him about their jobs. He was smiling and would make comments like, "That is a perfect job for you" and "Awesome."  He is a pleasure to be around!

And, if all that wasn't enough, a little 14 month old baby girl, Rosemary, was there with her parents.  A doll!!  While fear may be a common emotion when a parent finds out their child has Down syndrome Rosie's mother was full of hope for her daughter's future.  A lot of the volunteers have a family member who has a special need and she was very inquisitive while we all stood around and ooed and aahed over her little girl.  Her mother said she is a very loved little girl and I think that is a great way to begin life!

Come on Barbie, Let's Go Party - EDITED!!

My Monday night Bible study group had a few birthdays around each other and we decided to get together, get dressed up and paint the town red.  Before I knew it, our plans of getting dressed up had morphed into playing dress-up - as in costumes.  We had lots of ideas (different dwarfs, different Disney characters, monochromatic themes) but we finally settled on Barbie.  

I was going to make my own costume, but my dear, sweet friends didn't think I would be "crazy" enough and they took it upon themselves to make my costume. This is what they created (I contributed Frank the Flamingo)  Oh, yes, I was FLORIDA BARBIE!!

We all got ready at Lindsay's and headed over to Home Depot where our other birthday friend had to work and surprised her with a visit. It was GREAT!

Then it was off to Downtown Disney and we got plenty of smiles, stares and people encouraging us to have a good time. It was great!  We figure you need to be able to have fun and go for it every once in a while.  Although, we these crazy girls, it seems to happen a lot!!

Today is our church's Women's Spring Tea.  I am really excited about it because Gisela Yohannan (KP Yohannan's wife - Gospel for Asia founder) is going to be speaking. I can't wait to hear what she has to say!!  

Happy Saturday!!

EDITED TO ADD: When we were looking for a parking spot at Downtown Disney (we got a little lost trying to find the correct area) the fireworks went off and What a Wonderful World was playing on the radio.  I was sitting in the backseat with Lindsay (my other type A friend) and we felt like we were in a movie with the music playing, the fireworks going off right above us.  It was pretty special to sit back and enjoy instead of doing. Thanks, Christy for driving!!! And thanks Lindsay for making the costumes.  I swear I just show up and they do all the work :o)  Now, I am running late to my tea!!!

Time is SHORT!!

Yesterday I had my heart set on going to another Yoga class and then I get a text message from my friend, Christy. Hey Girls! Just a reminder that tonight is Titus 2 and I'd love to see you all there! In the church cafe at 7 :) And then my plans changed. I had been meaning to get to a Titus 2 women's fellowship event for months - but it's only held once a month and tax season got in the way of a lot of things. So here I was sitting at my desk with no real good reason to not go, so after work I changed, ate some chicken Pad Thai from Pei Wei and headed to church. WOW! It was on how the Lord is coming quickly and how we need to be ready. We need to be living with an expectation and an anticipation of His return. People Earl and I know have been going through some ROUGH times lately - cancer battles, marriages falling apart, sick children, adultery, and the list goes on. It is so hard and can be so overwhelming to look around and see what a fallen world we live in. It's so true that the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike. Bad things happen to good people and to bad people. But what relief to know that I serve the God who sees - He knows my needs and struggles. I serve the God who provides - He takes care of those needs. He is my Healer, my Protector, my Deliverer and my Defender. Fernando Ortega has a song, Just Give Me Jesus. The first time I heard this song it was done with Anne Graham Lotz speaking a poem of the same title interspersed throughout the song. It is beautiful and moving and TRUE! The ONLY thing in this world I need is Jesus. Mr. Ortega's Lyrics: In the morning, when I rise In the morning, when I rise In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus, You can have all this world, But give me Jesus When I am alone When I am alone When I am alone, give me Jesus Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus, You can have all this world, But give me Jesus When I come to die When I come to die When I come to die, give me Jesus Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus, You can have all this world, You can have all this world, You can have all this world, But give me Jesus Mrs. Lotz's Poem: He is enduringly strong. He is entirely sincere. He is eternally steadfast. He is immortally gracious. He is imperially powerful. He is impartially merciful. He is the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizons of the globe. He is God's Son. He is the sinner's Savior. He is the captive's Ransom. He is the Breath of Life. He is the centerpiece of civilization. He stands in the solitude of Himself. He is august and He is unique. He is unparalleled and He is unprecedented. He is undisputed and He is undefiled. He is unsurpassed and He is unshakable. He is the lofty idea in philosophy. He is the highest personality in psychology. He is the supreme subject in literature. He is the unavoidable problem in higher criticism. He is the fundamental doctrine of theology. He is the Cornerstone, the Capstone, and the stumbling Stone of all religion. He is the miracle of the ages. Just give me Jesus! He makes God visible!