Waking Up on the Wrong Side

Today is one of those "I woke up on the wrong side of the bed" days.

I rarely have these anymore. In fact I can't even remember the last time I had one. Nevertheless, today is an irritable day.

The hard part about a day like today is that while I know nothing will satisfy me, I strive for happiness anyway. I have high hopes in not being disappointed by everything. Still, my hope is crushed like an unmet dream in an inspirational movie.

Everything annoys me.

I have this strong urge to punch my little old secretary in the face because she's being too loud in the office. I want to yell at the painters & landscapers who woke me up this morning at 7am when I had full intentions of sleeping in. Screaming obscenities at the ringing phone in my office & my full e-mail Inbox is my greatest desire. I even thought about taking a pair of newly sharped scissors to my jeans this morning because they were looking at me the wrong way.

I'm tellin' ya. . . Wrong side of the bed!

The kicker is that I know I'm being crabby & I know it's not a good thing. I want today to be a happy day, like so many others, but when the cleaning people barge into my office to sweep the disaster under my desk, I want to hiss & sneer at them while casting an evil eye in their general direction.

What is wrong with me? Is it okay to have bad days? Sometimes I feel like Society pressures us to play the game of happiness & joy, even when we secretly feel like smashing our car into the person who cut us off on the freeway, just to teach them a lesson. Are we allowed to have bad days? Parents teach us to be happy & kind to others, but what happens when you just don't feel like it?

Maybe it's not about whether or not we are allowed to have bad days. Maybe the problem lies in the consequences that are issued to us as a result of those bad days.

Sure, I could go out & cause some serious bodily harm to all the gum smackers, chew-with-their-mouth-open eaters, non-signaling drivers & humming maniacs of the world, but there are consequences.

If only we lived in a world without the restrictions of cause & effect. . .

Unfortunately, we don't. We live in a just world filled with annoying people, annoying habits & bad teeth.

So, as I persevere through my bad mood, I'm reminded that bad days happen. It's how you take those bad days that counts.

For me, it's a closed office door, Hillsong & a mid-morning Margarita!

Important Women's Health Issue

I got this in an e-mail from my older sister, Jo & just couldn't help but post it. SO hysterically funny!!!

Enjoy! :)

Important Women's Health Issue

Do you have feelings of inadequacy?

Do you suffer from shyness?

Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, ask your doctor of pharmacist about Margaritas.


Margaritas are the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions.

Margaritas can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the whole world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.

You will notice the benefits of Margaritas almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses, you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.

Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past.

You will discover many talents you never knew you had.

Stop hiding and start living, with Margaritas.


Margaritas may not be right for everyone.
Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Margaritas. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.


Side effects may include:

Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration
Erotic lustfulness
Loss of motor control
Loss of clothing
Loss of money
Table dancing
Headache
Dehydration
Dry mouth
A desire to sing Karaoke


WARNING:

The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you are whispering when you are not.

WARNING:

The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to tell you friends over and over again that you love them.

WARNING:

The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to think you can sing.

WARNING:

The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you can logically converse with member of the opposite sex without spitting.

Bored Out of My Mind!

Bored out of my mind!
Can't go home because I have a meeting in 45 minutes. . .
Okay, so I could go home if I really wanted to, but that would just be silly, wouldn't it?

I'm at a lull in my job right now. A few days ago, I boasted of being in the "Calm before the storm", but now I'm just totally lost. The thing is that I have a list of things I need to do, especially before my family flies in tomorrow night for the weekend. However, I find myself apathetic to anything related to ministry & I just don't want to do anything. Maybe the heat is the cause for my lack of motivation? . . . Maybe I just need to be a grown up & start doing my job?

The best part about all of this is that even though I may have a serious case of apath-stination (apathy & procrastination combined!!) I'm still doing my job. Today, I met with a volunteer & tomorrow I'm going to meet with a parent. I checked out our Grapple website & checked e-mail. So, really I'm still doing my job, I'm just not doing it. . . If that makes sense.

Anyways. . .

I canceled my appointment, so I'll be heading home now. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a whole lot better.

Prayers please! ;)

Twitter Will Kill You!!!

The Calm Before the Storm

I'm curious to see how long this "Calm" will last. My life is full of preparation right now with ministry starting in September & wedding madness in the Fall. Right now, I'm taking full advantage of the quiet solace I have in life.

Today, Lenore interviewed me for my Bio that will be put into the program for my Installation/Commissioning on Sunday (2pm, central/eastern time). Among many questions, she asked me what my goals were in life.

What are my goals in life?

Now, I have my "Top 5" lists & things I want to accomplish within the next year. . . but, when I think about my life as a whole, my "Bucket List" doesn't seem efficient. Shouldn't I have one underlying goal? A force that drives me?

In the movie "Rudy", this scrawny 5 foot-nothing kid lives & breathes Notre Dame football. His goal in life is to play for the Fighting Irish & he does everything he can to get there. Finally his day comes & at the end of the movie, his dreams become reality. I saw this movie for the first time this past weekend, so it's fresh in my mind. Sorry if I ruined the ending for everyone. . .

Sometimes I expect to have the same kind of passion as Rudy. Something that drives me to the very core, like music or travel. What do I dream of doing?

Then, I'm reminded of the passion that does drive me. . . my relationship with the One whose Passion claimed me as His own & gave me something to live for. Dreams & goals are great, but it's nothing like the hope we have in the one, true God of all, the Savior! Yes, I have goals & dreams for my future: do ministry, get married, have a family, experience the world & serve God. Dreams keep us going, they keep us outside the routine of mundane living, they help us embrace our innocence & creativity, but nothing should drive us more than living for the One who lives for us.

This epiphany was epiphanized 2.5 seconds after Lenore asked me, "What are your goals in life?" & this is what I told her. . .

"My goal in life is to never stop growing or feel comfortable with where I'm at. God puts us in uncomfortable situations to grow & mold us. When we are no longer uncomfortable & embrace comfort, we stop growing.
I never want to stop growing.
I never want to be comfortable in my relationship with God.
I never want to go unused by Him.
So, wherever I'm at, whether it's being a Mom or working in South America as a missionary, I want to be used."

I have been crucified with Christ & I no longer life, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me & gave himself for me. - Galatians 2:20

<><

Work, work, work!

The craziness of the summer has ended. Most of my kiddos started school this week & the rest will start next Monday. I have one lone youth who won't start until the end of August, but as far as I'm concerned, the summer is over! Which means, we're now entering the quiet lull before Fall events start up again.

First off, I'm very proud of myself for being able to survive a St. Matt Summer! VBS still looms in the air through the occasional craft left behind & rogue fliers were found behind the couch in the Youth Room. Pictures of summer camp have been uploaded onto my computer & I've been able to asses the entire year of events, retreats, Bible Studies & worship services. Overall, things went pretty well for my internship.

Second, starting the year all over again is a piece of cake! I have my entire year (tentatively) planned from now through July & all I have to do is hit the "Repeat" button on most of my events. No more pulling fun activities to do out of thin air! No more tedious hours of putting together postcards & fliers to be sent home! Now, I get to focus on more important things! Like. . .

Small Group Ministry!
Though the youth may not know it, Small Groups are going to be AWESOME! I've already been able to recruit at least 2 parents to help lead (which is quite the feat with everyone's busy schedules!) & I'm meeting with 3 more next week. Praise Jesus! Honestly, I was a little skeptical about starting Small Groups this year, but I was so convicted by God that I knew He was going to bless us. So, we'll see how it goes once September rolls around.

"The Starting Line"
This is a NEW Intro. to Bible Class for 5th & 6th grade students. I'm so excited to have this program be my little baby. Again, don't know if it'll work, but I have many very interested parents who are ready to sign their kiddos up for the class. Heck! An hour & a half of free babysitting. . . Oops! I mean "Bible Study"!. . . Who wouldn't want to sign up!?!

LOTS of great stuff going on this year! I can't wait until September gets here. . . Then again, maybe I can. I'm enjoying the extra free time I have right now to organize my office, clean, etc. I might even try to paint the walls in my office! We'll see if I can fly that by the Properties Board. New Building = Crazy Strict Rules!

Blessings! <><

Top 5 for the "New Year"

Today marks the completion of my Internship & the start of my first year as an official DCE! So, in light of this momentous occasion, I made a list of things I want to accomplish (or attempt) this next year!

1. See the following: Yosemite, Mammoth, & Seattle.
Not in that exact order, but these are the places I want to check out before next August. Two of them are local, so it shouldn't be a problem. . . right?

2. Learn how to play the Bass Guitar.
Thanks to Steve in the praise band, I'm almost there. I just need a little bit more practice.

3. Read more.
I have a "list" (more like a pile!) of books I want to read, I just never get around to actually doing it! The list includes classics like "Jane Eyre" & "Confessions of a Shopaholic" :)

4. Get a bike & learn how to ride it in the wilderness.
No, I don't own a bike. Yes, I know how to ride one. I've never been mountain biking before. It looks like so much fun, but I've always been a little intimidated. I want to kick Fear in the face & prove to myself I'm not a wuss & can do it!

5. Learn How to Date.
I want to master the first date like nobody's business. I've been going out on them a lot recently & I'm absolutely terrible! Do you think they have coaches for this sort of thing?


<><