I have a confession to make.
Like any confession, it's one I'm not proud of and I'm nervous about making.
I have an addiction.
It creeps up most when I'm traveling in my car for long lengths of time. I usually stop by a random gas station and then... addiction happens.
It's a hard addiction to have. Not just any gas station will do. I've only found a small handfull. But when I find just the right one...
It makes me happy. It makes me content. I don't focus on the long drive anymore or how I've listened to this CD fifty times already. Just me and my addiction. Together. What's so bad about that, right?
I know what you're thinking. But it's not coffee. That's a given. Don't need to confess that one.
Strawberry sour punch straws.
*choir of angels sing*
They make my teeth hurt, but I don't care. They make my jaws hurt when I pucker from the initial sour, but the following sweet is so... sweet... I just don't care.
I have a method. It's part of the addiction.
I eat a bite at a time. Usually about 2-3 inches of straw.
I suck all the sour off, then with my teeth, I bite open the straw so it lays flat in my mouth. There's extra sweet goo in the middle you can get to if you do this. So wonderful...
Then I chew and swallow.
Chewing poses its difficulties. Especially when I'm several straws into the package (which always comes with 10 straws, by the way).
As I've already pointed out, these delicacies are especially hard to find. Not all gas stations have them. But when they do... I stock up.
I like to couple this addiction with another one--liquor.
Good, cold, hard liquor with my strawberry sour punch straws. Nothing beats it.
Let me clarify something, for those of you who don't know me very well.
Liquor=cherry coke.
And it's okay; my parents know about this addiction. In fact, my mother's very words were, "I will not support any of your addictions...except coke." Viola! Addiction supported!
Not just regular liquor, though. It's gotta be the hard stuff (Hard=cherry, for those of you not catching onto this metaphor). I love the bite. *roar* It's so good.
So there you have it. My confession. And while I'm at it, another confession: I wasn't really nervous about making this one. :-)
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
God-sized hole
The other day a man knocks on my door. So, naturally, I answered it. He was from the Houston Chronicle and, long story short, I've got a free summer subscription to the Houston Chronicle's Sunday paper.
We got our first one recently, and I was reading an article in the Parade about Shia LeBeouf, the kid from the Transformers movie. It was a really sad article, but he said some things that really shocked me.
The article says, "When LaBeouf is feeling insecure, he sometimes stops his bike on the side of a busy road to see if people passing by recognize him. He is scared that they won't." I don't know about any of you guys, but I know that I grew up wondering what it would be like to be famous. I thought about all the screaming fans following you everywhere and how that would make me feel less insecure. Deep down, I knew it wouldn't work, but you can't help but wonder. You read articles about celebrities and they always say things like, "I'm just like everyone else. I'm just a normal person," but I think this article tells the real story.
Shia says, "I don't handle fame well. Most actors on most days don't think they're worthy." But here comes the clincher. "I have no idea where this insecurity comes from, but it's a God-sized hole. If I knew, I'd fill it, and I'd be on my way."
Raise your hand if you now want to share the Gospel with Shia LeBeouf. I know I sure do! He's looking for the answer--he says he wants it! Lord, I pray that You would send someone with the Answer to his problems, his insecurity, his sin-filled life. Use him to transform a worldly market into one that brings You glory.
In related news, I no longer desire to be a celebrity. I'm sure you're all relieved. It's okay, I'm just not tall enough. *Sigh* I'll save that for the little bro'. :-)
We got our first one recently, and I was reading an article in the Parade about Shia LeBeouf, the kid from the Transformers movie. It was a really sad article, but he said some things that really shocked me.
The article says, "When LaBeouf is feeling insecure, he sometimes stops his bike on the side of a busy road to see if people passing by recognize him. He is scared that they won't." I don't know about any of you guys, but I know that I grew up wondering what it would be like to be famous. I thought about all the screaming fans following you everywhere and how that would make me feel less insecure. Deep down, I knew it wouldn't work, but you can't help but wonder. You read articles about celebrities and they always say things like, "I'm just like everyone else. I'm just a normal person," but I think this article tells the real story.
Shia says, "I don't handle fame well. Most actors on most days don't think they're worthy." But here comes the clincher. "I have no idea where this insecurity comes from, but it's a God-sized hole. If I knew, I'd fill it, and I'd be on my way."
Raise your hand if you now want to share the Gospel with Shia LeBeouf. I know I sure do! He's looking for the answer--he says he wants it! Lord, I pray that You would send someone with the Answer to his problems, his insecurity, his sin-filled life. Use him to transform a worldly market into one that brings You glory.
In related news, I no longer desire to be a celebrity. I'm sure you're all relieved. It's okay, I'm just not tall enough. *Sigh* I'll save that for the little bro'. :-)
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Slow Day
I told myself I'd never do it. But I'm doing it. Because it's so slow today--two posts in one day. *gasp* I know, I know, but here it is, regardless.
Today I became a Master Shredder. Yesterday, I was the Flash Drive Finder, but today--today I am the Master Shredder [teenage mutant ninja turtles plays softly in the background].
I am in charge of the shredder. When the trash can receptacle gets full, I pull out the bag, tie it up, and place it out in the hall. Today, there were three (yes, count 'em), 3 bags full of shredded paper. That I shredded. The Master Shredder.
Yesterday, I was the Flash Drive Finder. That entailed sifting through over 20 lost flash drives to try and find their owners. And find them I did! It was scary, not knowing what I'd find. But since most of the flash drives belong to engineering students, they mostly consisted of labwork and assignments. *Sigh* No goop on them.
Ironically, one flash drive had nothing on it; nothing except the entire 1st season of Friends. Hmm. Can I keep that one? o:-)
Today I became a Master Shredder. Yesterday, I was the Flash Drive Finder, but today--today I am the Master Shredder [teenage mutant ninja turtles plays softly in the background].
I am in charge of the shredder. When the trash can receptacle gets full, I pull out the bag, tie it up, and place it out in the hall. Today, there were three (yes, count 'em), 3 bags full of shredded paper. That I shredded. The Master Shredder.
Yesterday, I was the Flash Drive Finder. That entailed sifting through over 20 lost flash drives to try and find their owners. And find them I did! It was scary, not knowing what I'd find. But since most of the flash drives belong to engineering students, they mostly consisted of labwork and assignments. *Sigh* No goop on them.
Ironically, one flash drive had nothing on it; nothing except the entire 1st season of Friends. Hmm. Can I keep that one? o:-)
Casting
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 NIV
I read this passage this morning. It's not an uncommon one; one I've heard since I was a little girl. But recently, it has had a new meaning.
How do you cast your anxiety on Him? What does that look like?
cast –verb (used with object)
1. to throw or hurl; fling: The gambler cast the dice.
2. to throw off or away: He cast the advertisement in the wastebasket.
Throw it! Hurl it! Fling it like a cockroach away from you!
I like to think of a fishing rod being cast. You fling that sucka as far away from you as you can.
The King James Version translates the word "anxiety" to "care." Things you care about.
I have a tendency to try and safeguard the things I care about. I hold them close to me for safekeeping, if you will. I watch closely to make sure things go the way I want them to go. Rarely do I fling those things away from me. Yet that is exactly what we're supposed to do!
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
Why do we allow ourselves to hold onto anxiety and cares? Proverbs says that "an anxious heart weighs a man down." I don't know about you, but I don't want to be weighed down! After all, "in his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." (Prov. 16:9)
Praise the Lord that because of his "great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.'" Lamentations 3:22-24
So rejoice! Fling off anxiety and hurl the things you care about into the arms of the Lord! He cares!
I read this passage this morning. It's not an uncommon one; one I've heard since I was a little girl. But recently, it has had a new meaning.
How do you cast your anxiety on Him? What does that look like?
cast –verb (used with object)
1. to throw or hurl; fling: The gambler cast the dice.
2. to throw off or away: He cast the advertisement in the wastebasket.
Throw it! Hurl it! Fling it like a cockroach away from you!
I like to think of a fishing rod being cast. You fling that sucka as far away from you as you can.
The King James Version translates the word "anxiety" to "care." Things you care about.
I have a tendency to try and safeguard the things I care about. I hold them close to me for safekeeping, if you will. I watch closely to make sure things go the way I want them to go. Rarely do I fling those things away from me. Yet that is exactly what we're supposed to do!
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
Why do we allow ourselves to hold onto anxiety and cares? Proverbs says that "an anxious heart weighs a man down." I don't know about you, but I don't want to be weighed down! After all, "in his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." (Prov. 16:9)
Praise the Lord that because of his "great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.'" Lamentations 3:22-24
So rejoice! Fling off anxiety and hurl the things you care about into the arms of the Lord! He cares!
Friday, June 19, 2009
In Need of Trousers
Sorry for two posts in one day, but I had what I consider a great idea and I wanted to act on it before I forgot. :-)
So, as many of you probably don't know, I am gaining weight. This is actually a good thing! Except that now I can fit into all of 2 pairs of pants that I own. So....
Is anyone looking to get rid of pants? And if so, would you consider giving them to me? :-) This would save me the hassle and the money of going to buy new pants, and it promotes unity and fellowship within the body! Okay, so maybe not so much the last stuff, but it sounds good, right? :-)
So, as many of you probably don't know, I am gaining weight. This is actually a good thing! Except that now I can fit into all of 2 pairs of pants that I own. So....
Is anyone looking to get rid of pants? And if so, would you consider giving them to me? :-) This would save me the hassle and the money of going to buy new pants, and it promotes unity and fellowship within the body! Okay, so maybe not so much the last stuff, but it sounds good, right? :-)
Zeal and Hastiness
Choose Your Own Adventure chapter 3 is up! Check it out and comment! http://ladysimonedos.blogspot.com/
"It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way." Proverbs 19:2
zeal (zēl) n. Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance. [emphasis mine] (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/zeal)
How many times have we let ourselves get fired up over a sermon that held little Scripture to support it's main focus, then petered out over the week? I think too often we look to motivational speeches to get our emotions and feelings high (giving us the illusion that we have true zeal), and then we wonder why we're not living joyful, abundant lives. I think the verse in Provers 19 tells us. Life is not good when you have zeal with no knowledge. We need to know the Truth, and we need to be reading His love story to us daily. Then we will know the direction to go with our zeal.
I think we also often are "hasty and miss the way." Recently I sensed God leading me to pursue a masters at a seminary. So I got all excited because now I had "new direction," and I got information from a local seminary, began asking local students what they thought about seminary and even started an online application! Long story made short, God said "not now." It's still something I would like to pursue, but I will only pursue it in God's timing. There have been many other times, too, when I sensed God leading me a certain direction and I got ahead of him.
It may seem like a -duh- issue, but Proverbs says this is not good! Easier said than done, right? I think we could also add to the Proverbs something like, "It is not easy to wait on God's timing, but it is better in the long run."
It probably already says that. I should go read all of Proverbs now... they're so smart! :-)
P.S. On an unrelated note, I just vomit-burped kolache. Also not good.
"It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way." Proverbs 19:2
zeal (zēl) n. Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance. [emphasis mine] (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/zeal)
How many times have we let ourselves get fired up over a sermon that held little Scripture to support it's main focus, then petered out over the week? I think too often we look to motivational speeches to get our emotions and feelings high (giving us the illusion that we have true zeal), and then we wonder why we're not living joyful, abundant lives. I think the verse in Provers 19 tells us. Life is not good when you have zeal with no knowledge. We need to know the Truth, and we need to be reading His love story to us daily. Then we will know the direction to go with our zeal.
I think we also often are "hasty and miss the way." Recently I sensed God leading me to pursue a masters at a seminary. So I got all excited because now I had "new direction," and I got information from a local seminary, began asking local students what they thought about seminary and even started an online application! Long story made short, God said "not now." It's still something I would like to pursue, but I will only pursue it in God's timing. There have been many other times, too, when I sensed God leading me a certain direction and I got ahead of him.
It may seem like a -duh- issue, but Proverbs says this is not good! Easier said than done, right? I think we could also add to the Proverbs something like, "It is not easy to wait on God's timing, but it is better in the long run."
It probably already says that. I should go read all of Proverbs now... they're so smart! :-)
P.S. On an unrelated note, I just vomit-burped kolache. Also not good.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Choose Your Own Adventure!: Update
Chapter 3 is almost ready to go to the printer! I had originally written the story in the wrong direction according to my comment requests, so I had to re-write. But it's just about here... so stay tuned! :-)
For those of you who aren't in the loop yet, come join us! The web address is ladysimonedos.blogspot.com and leave a comment letting me know how you want the story to go!
For those of you who aren't in the loop yet, come join us! The web address is ladysimonedos.blogspot.com and leave a comment letting me know how you want the story to go!
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