Random Dozen: Feb. 24

1. Have you ever fired a gun or shot a bow and arrow?

No, I haven't.

2. Do you know where your childhood best friends are?

Not exactly.  I think my friend who was my next-door-neighbor still lives in the area, but I haven't talked to her in years.  We eventually lost touch a few years after her parents divorced, and she moved out of town with her mom.

3. Do you usually arrive early, late, or on time?

I used to arrive early for absolutely everything.  Now I typically arrive on time or a little late.

4. Are you more of a New York or California type?

Can my answer be neither?  I can't see myself feeling comfortable in either region.  I am truly a mid-western girl.

5. Do you have a special ring tone?

I use one of the ringtones that came with this phone.  I tried "Who I Am" by Jessica Andrews because that's my dad's song for me, but my dog barks every time the phone rings.  It makes it just a little bit harried when I need to get to the phone, so I switched it back to the more mellow, generic ringtone.

6. What is your favorite type of chip?

Chocolate chip!  Ha Ha!  I guess maybe that wasn't the type of chip you were asking about.  I haven't eaten chips in many months, so I'll have to try and remember what I used to enjoy.  I believe Fritos were one of my favorites.  Okay, I totally have a craving now.  {sigh}

7. Best comedy you've ever seen is ....

I think I have to take a pass on this question.  I don't watch many movies, and I can't think of a comedy off the top of my head.

8. Have you ever cut your own hair? To quote Dr. Phil, "How'd that work for ya?"

I have only ever cut my own bangs, but even in doing so, I was very careful.  It would be so like me to make a mess of it.  I could tell you about an eyebrow waxing incident, but that's another story for another day. 

9. If you were going to have an extreme makeover, would you rather it be about your house or your personal self?

There's no question about it.  I would want a makeover on my house.  It's old and needs a lot of work.  Oh, what I wouldn't give for my kitchen countertops and cupboards.

10. Are you allergic to anything?

No, I don't think so.

11. Why is it so hard to change?

It's just easier to do the same things we're accustomed to.  Change requires effort to make the adjustments.

12. One last question dedicated to February love: CS Lewis said, "To love is to be vulnerable." Please share one example of that assertion or share any thought you'd like to about this topic.

It is definitely vulnerable to love.  If love means I'm denying myself to give to another person, it means I'm opening myself up to any type of response from them.  I have to sacrifice without expecting anything in return, and that might mean I get hurt in the process. 

For more Random Dozen blogging, go visit Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee.  Why not tackle the Random Dozen on your blog?

The Valley

Dear Lord, I don't want to walk this way, through this dark valley.  I've never been this way before, and....I'm afraid.  The darkness is oppressive, so much that it hurts.  I can't see what's up ahead, Lord.  I can't see!

But... if this is the path You're taking, Lord, then I'll go with You.... because I want to be with You.  I need to be with You.  I have to be with You!

So I'll go Your way, Lord.  I'll walk beside You all the way.  Just... could You hold my hand a little tighter?  And please speak Your sweet words of comfort to me as we go.  You always seem to know just what to say.

We're going to be the closest of friends.  Aren't we, Lord?

Chat Pack - Looking Back

Hi, friends.  It's Friday and another Chat Pack post.  The question for today is...

When you look back on the life you have lived to this point, what in particular amazes you the most?

Looking back through my 37 years, I have to say that I'm most amazed at the amount of heartbreak I've experienced, but in spite of the heartbreak I have survived.  I just keep on going.  My faith is still intact.  My love for God deepens, and my desire to seek Him continues to burn.  That is what amazes me. 

I know some people crumble under adversity and would rather walk away from God, abandoning the faith they said was real.  I just don't see that as an option.  Who would I be without my Lord Jesus?  And even more importantly, where would I go into eternity without my Lord Jesus?

In the time Jesus was on the earth, he had disciples that turned away from following Him after a time.  And then Jesus addressed the twelve,

Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (John 6:67-69 NKJV)

"To whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life?"  If Christ is the only way to eternal life, then I must follow.  I can't imagine where else I'd go.  I would be so lost.  My prayer is that I never stop seeking after Him who has the words of eternal life.

Random Dozen: Feb. 17

 

1. If you could compete in one Olympic event (not necessarily winter sports) what would it be?

I always thought the rhythmic gymnastics looked interesting.  Of course, if I was to compete I would have to actually...you know... be a gymnast.  And we know that was never gonna happen.  I don't even know how to do a cartwheel.  The whole notion of my feet being above my head and not on the ground is not my idea of fun.  You should've seen me in 9th grade when we had gymnastics in our P.E. class.  We had a whole weeks-long unit of learning various skills.  I had to do a routine that involved me getting into a tripod position.  Ugh!  It was a nightmare.

2. Do remember a specific Olympic moment from the past?

My favorite Olympics were Atlanta 1996 and the ladies gymnastics dream team.  They won gold when Kerri Strug pulled off a vault with an injured ankle.  Unforgettable!

3. Have you ever known anyone who competed in the Olympics?

No.  I don't believe I know anyone.  There was a young woman from my hometown, who I believe was a swimmer, but that's about as close as I've gotten to an Olympic athlete.  Which isn't very close, seeing as I don't know her.  :)

4. If everyday activities were Olympic-worthy, which activity would you have a gold medal in?

Hmmm... What am I good enough at to get a gold medal?  Nothing domestic, that's for sure.  Maybe if I trained really hard I could medal in typing.  I know if I practice, I can type pretty fast.

5. Do you know anything about your ethnic heritage?

I know I have some Irish and some British in me, but I really don't know more than that. 

6. Do you enjoy sleeping late?

I enjoy sleeping late, but I hate the effects of sleeping late.  I like routine, so if I get up later it throws off the whole system.  Makes me feel behind.  So I would just as soon get up at a normal time and go about my day.

7. Have you ever performed CPR on anyone? Do you know how? (Yes, that's two, I know. Whatevs.)

No, I haven't.  I was taught in junior high in Home Ec class how to perform CPR.  I think I remember enough that I might be able to implement it, should the need arise.  At least I hope I would remember.

8. Name one country you'd like to visit and explain why.

Oh, you're asking the wrong person this question.  I'm sooo not the traveler.  That would require flying, over an ocean nonetheless.  I guess if it came right down to it, it would probably be Great Britain.  I do love English accents.

9. Have you ever fixed up a couple romantically?

No.  I wouldn't want the responsibility or the blame if it didn't work out.  There's potential for things to get messy if I got involved with matchmaking.

10. What is the last book you read?

I read Winter Haven by Athol Dickson.  That was a fairly interesting novel and the first I've read by that author.  Very different from other Christian fiction I've read.  It was somewhat of a ghost story, and it creeped me out a few times. 

 
11. Do you enjoy sleeping late? NO, YOU write the question! How's that for random??

Alright.  My made-up question is "Now that we're in February, how are you doing on your goals for 2010?"

I am so glad I asked myself that question.  :)  I am doing quite well.  I wanted to read more and keep track of pages read and books completed.  So far, so good.  I also wanted to get disciplined about my laundry.  I throw a load into the wash before I leave for work, put it in the dryer after I get home, and then fold it sometime in the afternoon or evening.  I've stuck with that routine for the most part, but I must say this week it got totally out of control, meaning that the baskets of clean clothes were multiplying.  My husband is very kind, though, and he took it upon himself to fold everything on his day off yesterday.

12. What is your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant?

I think I'm gonna have to go with Shrimp Ravioli at Papa Vino's Italian Kitchen.  I also thought of my other fave, the Caesar Salad with Shrimp at Carraba's Italian Grill.

There's more Random Dozen to be had over at Linda's 2nd Cup of Coffee today.  Hop on over to her blog and say hi.

The Week in Words: Feb. 15

I recently found the Breath of Life blog, and I like how Melissa asks what important words we've come across during the week.  I would enjoy chiming in with other bloggers on this exercise because I'm a reader and come across lots of wonderful quotes during the week.

 

The first quote comes from Psalm 63, and if you saw my Saturday post you know I'm in the process of memorizing it.  These words are the cry of my heart right now as I walk through trials.  I have a deep thirst for my God and cling to His words every chance I get these days.

O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1 NKJV)

My dad preached a sermon last night about putting sin to death in our lives.  He was talking about saturating ourselves with scripture in order to poison the sin to kill it.  The sentence that struck me most was something like this:

Whatever dominates your thinking will affect your behavior.

That's not a new concept by any means, but I think we forget that we can choose what we think about.  It's important to fill our minds with God's truth.  Sin only comes to fruition after we've played with it in our minds.  That's where it starts. 

 

This final quote comes from Sacred Marriage, which actually contains lots of crucial truths about the sanctification process played out in marriage.

It took years for me to understand I have a Christian obligation to continually move toward my wife.  I thought that as long as I didn't attack my wife or say cruel things to her, I was a nice husband, but the opposite of biblical love isn't hate, it's apathy.  To stop moving toward our spouse is to stop loving him or her.  It's holding back from the very purpose of marriage.  (Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas, pg. 155)

Did you come across any important words that meant something to you this week?  Pay Melissa a visit at her blog.