Gosh am I sick today.   I hurt all over, achy, chilling then breaking into a sweat.  My throat is sore, I have a fever.  My teeth even hurt!

ugh

Prayers appreciated.

you all have a good day and don’t get sick!!

Great Weekend! Thanks Tim!

There was a super bonfire at the home of Tim ‘The Real’ McKoy on Saturday!  Lots of nice people were there and we enjoyed talking with new folks and looking at the big, bright moon in the sky and watching the ‘spark dancers’ fly up, up and away as a new piece of wood was tossed onto the fire.  It was a perfect night in my humble opinion.  Yeah, I guess I do like fall… at least a bit.

Our church service seemed much more low key Sunday, but I think it was due to our Mission’s Conference effecting us all in two ways.  Firstly, the realization of the peoples in other countries and their needs and condition made for a more somber atmosphere, and secondly, we were all a bit more tired after being there 3 days in a row for the conference.  Still, it was a great weekend and I feel blessed and encouraged and inspired due to the way things went.

I’ve started 2 new books, I’ll grab one below in the ‘Currently Reading’ section today, then the other a bit later.

Have a super week everyone!! Be Blessed!

Go Big BLUE!

Tomorrow night Missy and I are going to the Monroe game at Fenwick High School’s new stadium.  It should be fun.  Fenwick and Monroe were always such rivals.   :whispering: “I sure hope we kick their tails!”

So after the game, not sure what we’ll do, but no Moose for me.  I just don’t fit there really.  I have seen a few people I know & I always enjoy live music.  It’s just not the environment in which I feel at ease.

In other news; I’m trying to determine whether or not I should buy a business.  I’m truly considering this.  More later after I research it a bit more.

Well, I have a busy weekend.  So I hope to see you all at your sites soon!

be blessed

Did I ever mention I really don’t care for fall?

Well, I guess I’m liking it a little more this year. And if I am, it’s gotta be due to the fun I’m having with all the church events and fun there has been lately!

Also, I need to say thanks to all of you who prayed and are praying.  I am making some choices that, though the right ones (and I can tell because of the peace God is giving to me as I move forward), have created some painful situations and it would almost be easier to leave things as they have been.  I know however, that that would be the wrong thing to do.  Inaction is wrong at times.  Being a very ‘pleaser type’ personality, I find it extremely difficult to make anyone feel anything negative.  It’s not fun for them… or me.

With that said, I want to quote a line from the sermon I heard today that helps express my perspective on my future;  “God does not mulitply mediocrity”.

me·di·oc·ri·ty(md-kr-t)
n. pl. me·di·oc·ri·ties

1. The state or quality of being mediocre.
   
2. Mediocre ability, achievement, or performance.
   
3. One that displays mediocre qualities.

mediocrity

n 1: ordinariness as a consequence of being average and not outstanding [syn: averageness] 2: a person of second-rate ability or value; “a team of aging second-raters”; “shone among the mediocrities who surrounded him”

OK, so raise your hand if you want to be mediocre!  NOT!

With this as my mindset, I want to be willing to do and be anything and everything God has planned for me to do and be.  This requires some refining of my life, like the gold that has to endure the heat of the fire to become pure and clear.  But you know, once it has been purged, that the refiner can look into it and see his image.

Life is OK

There have been a number of things on my mind of late.  I got almost zero sleep last night, but I don’t feel too bad considering this fact. I’m getting quite a bit done at my house for a change.  Resisting the urge to run to the store and all the other things I’d really rather do and trying to stay focused.  It’s tough too, because I have been getting out a lot and enjoying going with my niece to several places and sometimes just sitting and watching a movie or something with her.  I do need to get caught up at the house though. So back to it.  But a pic first…

This is my niece’s 2 younger kids at my church’s Two Year Anniversary Block Party.  They were on a big air-filled slide thingy.  It had a ‘moonwalk’ part too on the other side.  Aren’t they too cute?? (and I’m in the background, because Missy took the pic).

There was a balloon launch too.  The kids put notes in balloons that invited people to come to church sometime and let them loose to fly far and wide.  It gives our church’s address and information and the child signs their names.

This was just as they released them.

Prayers appreciated.

I am in the throes of making a few decisions and I’d sure like to make the right ones.

Pics soon (grandson’s birthday, niece’s and great-niece’s birthday, church 2-year anniversary).

Have a good week all.

A song I listen to often these days is Natalie Grant’s The Real Me.  I thought I’d share the lyrics, but you really ought to take a listen if the link works.  Very moving song, regardless of why you’re glad He knows The Real You

The Real Me

foolish heart looks like we’re here again
same old game of plastic smile
don’t let anybody in
hiding my heartache, will this glass house break
how much will they take before i’m empty
do i let it show, does anybody know?

CHORUS:
but you see the real me
hiding in my skin, broken from within
unveil me completely
i’m loosening my grasp
there’s no need to mask my frailty
cause you see the real me

painted on, life is behind a mask
self-inflicted circus clown
i’m tired of the song and dance
living a charade, always on parade
what a mess i’ve made of my existence

but you love me even now
and still i see somehow
but you see the real me

hiding in my skin, broken from within
unveil me completely
i’m loosening my grasp
there’s no need to mask my frailty
cause you see the real me

wonderful, beautiful is what you see
when you look at me
you’re turning the tattered fabric of my life into

a perfect tapestry
i just wanna be me
but you see the real me
hiding in my skin, broken from within

unveil me completely
i’m loosening my grasp
there’s no need to mask my frailty
cause you see the real me
and you love me just as i am

wonderful, beautiful is what you see
when you look at me

Rodeos Can Be Fun

I wasn’t so sure when we made the plans to go.   I could never have called myself a ‘cowgirl’, but with the right group of friends (and costumes lol, although you can barely see my hat since it is black and the background is dark), a pleasant night weather-wise and add to the mix a cute little puppy and voila… one evening of fun appears!

If you stop by Missy’s site, you’ll see some of the same pics.  I took about 9 or so, and downloaded them to her computer before coming home.  I couldn’t take pics of the coral, due to it being dusk when we got there and being too far from it for my camera’s flash to light what I was shooting.  (I really need to read the manual and learn to use the nighttime settings on it so I can still get a decent shot in less light).  But they tied a smaller bull behind us after letting one of the rodeo bull-fighters (formerly known as ‘clowns’-but they don’t like being called that anymore) ride him and the announcer made jokes about him being a ‘real cowboy’.  The announcer was as much fun to hear as the bull riding was to watch.  I told my other niece, Ashley and her husband, Garry (who does ride bulls and is a bull-fighter) that my favorite part was the barrel riders on the horses and the trick riders.  Garry said to me, “that’s your favorite part, really?” I said, “yeah.”  He said, “they shouldn’t have let you in.”  lol  Ashley is the young lady in the first pic above between Missy and I.  She’s my brother’s daughter and is the same age as my son.

Anyway, Missy and I have had a nice time going places the past 3 weekends but I did tell her that this is the last ‘run-around’ weekend for a while for me.  I need to stay in for a weekend and get some housework and crafts done.  She agreed.  It was just that this was her birthday weekend so she and I (and some other friends from her church) wanted to help her celebrate.

All in all, a nice time.  I am glad I went to the rOdEo.

Talk with you all soon!  Be Blessed!

Happy Birthday Missy!

Stop to say ‘Happy, Happy’ to my niece.  She’s new to Xanga and it’s her special day!!

We’re going to the high school football game and not sure what after that.  Then tomorrow we are headin’ to a rodeo!  Yeee haw!

Hey everyone!  Stop and see my niece’s site when you can and welcome her to Xangaland! (Friday is her BIRTHDAY TOO!)

Pics soon I hope, but lots to do outside (before cold weather ruins my opportunity).

Have a super weekend and enjoy church this Sunday!!

Huggles galore to you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!