Evil...I mean eccentric:)
My family is...ummm eccentric to say the least! I have often times found myself sitting amongst my family wondering how I am related to them...this afternoon my parents and I made an unexpected visit to my grandmother on my mom's side! I was once again reminded of how unique she is. First let me tell you that I love my grandmother...as different and challenging as she may be I wouldn't exchange her for anything in the world...
However today I realized that my grandmother is the old mean lady that neighborhood children fear and antagonize. I never knew anyone like that when I was growing up. Of course I have seen tons of movies that have that character in them...she always wore black, walked with a cane, screamed at children, had cats and silver gray hair. Well my grandmother doesn't wear black or walk with a cane but the other things are not so far from the truth.
About 2 years ago she moved out of the rambling old southern style house in the middle of nowhere she had lived in for 20 plus years and into a small middle income subdivision closer to town. Since then she has entered a war with the neighborhood children. And I do mean war...She has gone so far as to put up a huge fence around her yard and wrap barbed wire around it in order to prevent the kids next door from invading her space! Yes I said barbed wire fence! If you climb over you are in for some serious pain. The house next door seems to be the hang out spot for the 20-30 kids in the neighborhood. They seem to have an accessible basketball goal ( I personally think it is the daring of being close to the 'mean old lady' i only know as mema!) Her list of complaints in a mile long of the evil deeds they have all committed against her! Well my grandmother has drawn the line in the sand...all basketballs that fly over the fence become hers! She refuses to return them...EVER! Does that sound like a disney movie to anyone else but me!?
She cultivates the image by having 2 cats and 2 loud dogs:) of course the police department on speed dial is another tool she has....Yes this is the same grandmother who when I was nine decided she didn't want to celebrate Christmas anymore because she didn't like buying us presents:) seriously how am I normal?! Okay normal may be a stretch but I have never needed counseling! oh how I love my family...
Contentment...
Contentment- to be happy or at peace with where one is….I don’t know if that is truly the definition of the word but right now it accurately describes my life. Two weeks ago I thought my world had fallen apart. I was terminated from my job(what a disgusting term!). Shock and awe don’t even begin to describe what I felt…add anger, fear, and embarrassment to that list and we get a little closer to where I was 2 weeks ago. Today it is a 180 degree turn on my emotions. I am at peace, joyful, non-stressed and excited. Granted there is a layer of fear but at the moment it is buried so deep it won’t rear its ugly head anytime soon... hopefully :)
If you had told me that I would be content with losing my job under such unpleasant circumstances I would have probably laughed in your face….however if you have talked to me in the last few months you knew of my misery. Work was leaving a bitter taste in my mouth that had leaked over into every part of my life. My time with the Lord was plagued by anger, frustration, and bitterness. Pride was making me swell up with righteous indignation. It was festering to a breaking point…one that exploded about 2 weeks before my termination. The Lord took that mini explosion a month ago to tap me upside the head and remind me that I was getting in the way. I was not letting God shine through me at all. He started forcing me to do things I didn’t want to do and pray for people I honestly didn’t want to pray for! Then wham…the termination! You know what is funny is that I am glad it happened. I have been removed from a situation that was in no shape form or fashion good for me or my walk with Christ…
Right now I am cradled in His arms eagerly waiting to see what He is going to do! Yep you heard me correctly I said eagerly…I am so excited I almost can’t stand it…He promises to give me what my heart desires. I am going to spend the next few months finding out what that is…I was not at ease with my life two weeks ago. In fact I was down right miserable, but today I am grateful and well….content...how bizarre!
rambling thoughts
Lately I am finding myself with too many things running through my mind to stop and have any long consistent thoughts...you will just have read the rambles today....
How many of the struggles/hardships in my life are my fault? I love that God can and does use anything to teach me something or increase my faith....but most of the time I am the one who gets myself in trouble to begin with.
Lately watching the news makes me feel that I am in the middle of a made for TV movie! Seriously between all the depression talks and the pirate issues it is hard to believe this is reality!
I am on smart book overload! I have been reading too many classics and Pulitzers. I need to read stupid books to create a balance.
How sad is it that I have no idea what is playing at the movies and I am also pretty sure there isn't anything good out there anyway. Satellite TV has made me one of those people who never want to leave their house to pay for a movie...
I have been lazy lately in my own personal time with God again. I am preparing for my bible studies but not preparing myself for day to day getting to know Him more...How easily I lose focus.
I absolutely love storms....I know tornadoes are scary and I should always be cautious of them. But a small part of me is sad I didn't even get to see the tornado that caused so much damage in Murfreesboro! Apparently you could actually see it from our branch. They are the most amazing example of God's power to me!
I miss getting to be myself all day long. Who I am from 8 to 4 is not who I really am:(
I am so glad Ashley called and gave me some pretty awesome news last night! It made my day!!!
Memories
It is funny what makes you think of something you may not have thought of in awhile...
I associate certain things with memories...I see or do or touch those things and am immediately transported back to a memory that always makes me smile with nostalgia. Here are some of my favorites...
1. snickerdoodles...an all american cookie that takes me back to paris usually chez campbell
2. white pants & black shirt...bought for a date last summer-I have worn it tons of times since then but reminds me of that date
3. comets...a boy i dated in high school and our first kiss
4. pyramids....a lesson i taught in mobile-i still remember some of my students' faces.
5. nerts...faith's apartment on like 25 or 26th floor in paris
6. skiing...christmas in the alps with 4 1/2 people i love dearly-claire hadn't been born yet.
7. american idol...watching star academie or the french version of idol
8. marble slab...ice cream with ruth, amber, & jennifer
9. Les Miserables...high school library or london with shannon
10. Chili's...college thursday night bible study or chips and drinks with Ash in short pump, va
I could truly go on forever...I love that I have those memories and will continue to enjoy them and make more:)
Birthday Weekend Part 2
Okay I so meant to do this last week but time and drama made that impossible...
So where did I leave off? Oh yeah, Saturday...
It started out with some serious sleeping in and then off to shop. Amber took me to her favorite place to shop...I was on a mission for shoes and anything else that hit my fancy:) After some coffee we went to like 10 different stores. I left her in the afternoon and headed home. My mom told me we had to be in the boro by 6. This was the first I had heard that we had plans...
I get home, change and off we go...I should have known something was up. My mom drove to the boro which NEVER happens. I always drive. We left on time...which also almost never happens. My mom is likes to be behind and my dad likes to be overly early! Once we got off the interstate my parents whipped out a blindfold! yep..something was up! I truly don't understand why people enjoy blindfolding me! We spent the next 10-15 minutes driving around in circles or at least if felt like it to me:)
We arrived, sat in the car for a few minutes, and then we started walking. I would loved to have seen the looks on the faces of the people in the restaurant as I was forced to weave in between chairs and pray for safety! I was finally seated and the blindfolded removed...and was shocked to see about 15 of my friends seated at the table! People from college, old work folks, and church friends...My best friend Kelly had done it. A surprise party that was 100% a surprise! I really truly had no idea...and it was amazing! I was able to see some people that I hadn't seen in years! They had braved the pending bad weather to celebrate with me!
Once we got our meal the power went out...but the good thing was we all had our food:) We enjoyed the ambiance and questioned the reason for the lack of power. I mean it was raining but didn't seem that severe. About 5 minutes later the emergency vehicles began appearing and filling up the parking lot 2 doors down...We looked outside and saw the massive piece of metal wrapped around the power line...Well that explains the outage:) Kelly brought out the birthday cake and the candles lite up the table:) The waiters brought out little cups of butter with candles stuck in them to give us more light....My dad retrieved flashlights from the car so I could open presents...Good times all around...Laughter about old memories (chili's & the ice throwing being the fav) and new memories made....verbena not bare bottom. I felt 30 and fabulous...thanks Kelly....
old bsu friends...Kelly is in the black on the front row...she did good!
When we left, we learned the reason for no power was the tornado that had touched down two doors down from our restaurant....lots of broken windows and ripped off roofs...It was a party I will never forget! Sunday was finally family birthday time, dinner, cake and guitar hero .... day full of text messages and love...I always forget just how amazing my friends and family are. I needed to celebrate this birthday big time and we did:) I'll try to post more pictures too...or just look at facebook!
