Yes, we did it today. We broke ground on our church's land for our new church building. It was the most dynamic and fun day that I have experienced in church. I love my church and I am proud to be a member of Waters Edge.
The huge tent was put up and probably 800 or more people showed up. There was a baptism ceremony that included 80 or so people who demonstrated their faith in Jesus Christ in an outward manner and were baptized on our new land. That must have been very exciting for them. The music was phenomenal this morning and the band outdid themselves with that first song -- it really rocked that tent, and the whole service was great. I don't see how they can top this one, but I am sure that they will, somehow.
I am still amazed at how much the staff puts into the service every single week. They seem tireless, yet, I know how much work it was this morning and every week, for that matter. These people are awesome. They are so creative and so devoted to making our church something that we can all be proud of. We may be a vagabond church without our own building, but you would never know it if you came to one of our services. They strive for excellence and it shows. Sure, things happen, mics don't always work properly, people are human--sometimes mistakes are made, but it isn't for lack of trying. The staff and the volunteers are amazing in the way that they handle every single service at Waters Edge. They instill in the volunteers how valuable we are to them and how much they count on us, yet, they hold us up to a standard of excellence that we are proud to be a part of, and that we strive to attain each Sunday. It makes us want to do our best for them.
Come and visit our church sometime. You won't be disappointed. Check out our website at http://www.watersedgechurch.net/, and be a part of something totally awesome.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Aging
We just celebrated my husband's 59th birthday this weekend. Only one more year before my husband is in his 60's. WOW! That sounds old, even to me. I don't know how gracefully I will enter into my 60's. I have three years before that happens, but as I have said repeatedly, time passes so quickly, it will be here before I know it.
Just last night, we were talking about how old our dogs are. He said they are 15. Impossible. That would mean that we got them BEFORE we moved to Alabama for 10 years. We didn't get them in Virginia, we got them in Alabama. We moved to Alabama in 1994. We had a dog from the devil (Beagle Bailey--another story for another time) for 10 months and then we got Sophie the year Aubrey was born, and that same year, they got Maddie (our other dog--she used to belong to my daughter). Aubrey was born in 1995. I can't seem to get him to fathom that fact. It is quite annoying to me, it seems like it would be easier for him to remember that however old Aubrey is is how old those dogs are. He just doesn't seem to believe me. I know that I am right. That should be enough for me, but sometimes, it doesn't seem enough to just know that you are right.
Anyway, birthdays are fun when you are younger. Have you ever thought of this...When you are young, you always want people to think you are older than you are (I'm 4 and a half -- I'm almost 16 -- I'll be 21 in a few months)...When you are middle aged, you want people to think you look younger than you really are (Go ahead, guess how old I am -- No, really, I am 37, I have a 16 year old child. Yes, I am so a grandma -- I have 2 grandchildren.)...And, then, when you get really old, you want people to know how old you really are again (Guess how old I am -- No really, I will be 90 years old in 3 years). It is a cycle that never ends. It is when we realize that people believe we really are how old we are that it is not fun anymore. We just want to be younger looking than our age, act younger than we really are, have people mistake our age for being younger, and then live long enough to be able to say, "Do you have any idea how old I really am?" It is just funny to me.
Just last night, we were talking about how old our dogs are. He said they are 15. Impossible. That would mean that we got them BEFORE we moved to Alabama for 10 years. We didn't get them in Virginia, we got them in Alabama. We moved to Alabama in 1994. We had a dog from the devil (Beagle Bailey--another story for another time) for 10 months and then we got Sophie the year Aubrey was born, and that same year, they got Maddie (our other dog--she used to belong to my daughter). Aubrey was born in 1995. I can't seem to get him to fathom that fact. It is quite annoying to me, it seems like it would be easier for him to remember that however old Aubrey is is how old those dogs are. He just doesn't seem to believe me. I know that I am right. That should be enough for me, but sometimes, it doesn't seem enough to just know that you are right.
Anyway, birthdays are fun when you are younger. Have you ever thought of this...When you are young, you always want people to think you are older than you are (I'm 4 and a half -- I'm almost 16 -- I'll be 21 in a few months)...When you are middle aged, you want people to think you look younger than you really are (Go ahead, guess how old I am -- No, really, I am 37, I have a 16 year old child. Yes, I am so a grandma -- I have 2 grandchildren.)...And, then, when you get really old, you want people to know how old you really are again (Guess how old I am -- No really, I will be 90 years old in 3 years). It is a cycle that never ends. It is when we realize that people believe we really are how old we are that it is not fun anymore. We just want to be younger looking than our age, act younger than we really are, have people mistake our age for being younger, and then live long enough to be able to say, "Do you have any idea how old I really am?" It is just funny to me.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Sea Gulls
Okay, my daughter just brought up a sore subject with me. She mentioned my fear of sea gulls. She said, "bird," but I knew what she was talking about. I have a reasonable fear of those creatures. They haunt parking lots and fast food places--foraging for a tasty treat of something old to eat off of the ground. Well, one day, in the K-Mart parking lot (which some would say is pretty desolate), I was nearly attacked by a sea gull. That bird flew so close to my face that I could see it's tongue flapping in its mouth and could hear it shrieking very loudly, almost deafening. I had to cover my head and run to my car and nearly didn't make it. It was unnerving to say the least. I think anything that erratic has to be watched out for. Meanwhile, Bethany is laughing so hard at me. I couldn't believe she could be so heartless, but there it was, no concern for my safety or hers. That bird was going to peck my face. Lucky I had wiped the lunch off of it beforehand, so it had nothing to go for. So, last year we went to Nags Head and my girls and my grandkids took great delight in beckoning a flock of sea gulls to our piece of beach and then delightedly watched me cower under a big hat and a towel. They even took movies of my terror so that we could remember it always. Some people can be so cruel.
Monday, August 18, 2008
The Squirrel
The other day, when I was getting home from work, I heard a ruckus in my Florida room. Now, this is just a mud room, but we like to be obnoxious and call it a Florida room. Actually the person who used to own our house moved to Florida. Maybe we do that in remembrance of them. Anyway, I am off my train of thought. So, there was this ruckus in my Florida room. I heard scurrying around and I heard a can fall to the floor (it is tile) and roll around. I was wondering if some psycho was in my Florida room or some wild creature. It turns out, it was a wild animal. It was a squirrel that was greedy and looking for the bin of birdseed that my husband shares willingly every single day with all the birds and squirrels. I came into the room with my two disabled dogs and I see this crazed squirrel plastered on the screen of the window -- it's little arms splayed out and holding on for dear life, his eyes were wild and a bit crazed, and it was looking about frantically for a way out. (I figured -- dumb squirrel -- why don't you just go out the way you came -- you can remember what tree you have stored your winter supply of nuts in, but you can't remember where you came in the room -- it had to push the screen back in order to get in through the window.) It must have short-term memory loss. Anyway, I scurried across the room (yes, I can scurry with the best of you) and let my dogs into the house. I hurriedly shut the door so that they wouldn't see the squirrel (actually, one of them can't see anything) and try to catch it. That wouldn't have been too cool -- the blind one would just go crazy barking and the one that can see and is hard of hearing would go crazy trying to get to the squirrel. So, I fooled the dogs into not seeing the squirrel (not as easy as it seems), all the time hoping that the crazy thing wouldn't jump on me. Then I quickly propped open the outside door to the Florida room and now, I had to get back across the room (and this isn't a big room) because I couldn't take the chance on leaving the door to the house open because of my dogs finding the squirrel, or, God forbid, the squirrel finding its way into my house. Horrors. My door is hard to open, though, typically, I can manage it -- this time, I had to try a couple of times to get the door open. All the while praying that the squirrel wouldn't jump on me. I have no idea how long it took for the squirrel to get out of that room, because I wouldn't go out there for about an hour just in case it was still confused. I find that I am not as tolerant of wild creatures when they are in my space.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Julia is 16 today!
Wow, my first grandchild is 16 today. My Shortcake. She is an amazing, talented young woman. I still think of her as a child, but in two years, she could move out of her house and be on her own. Yikes. Can't believe it.
I still remember when she...
...would "float" out a dip towel on my carpet and eat an entire container of french onion dip and only use 3 chips (which she would feed to me once they were too soggy to get the dip anymore).
...would line up golden books like a path on my living room floor so that her two by two animals could get into an imaginary ark.
...would name all the plastic animals in the animal bucket and expect me to remember their names.
...would search through the animal bucket for this particular baby sheep that she liked most of all.
...would sing entire songs when she was just a little bitty girl.
...would talk and talk and talk all day long.
...would picnic in the backyard with her Nonnie.
...got her fish pillow. She kept saying, "My pish, my pish, I love it! I love it!"
...sucked her thumb with her hand wrapped around her little face.
...quit sucking her thumb because if she didn't, her teeth would stick out like a donkey's.
...loved the Lion King and Aladdin movies and all the songs.
...got her first doll house. She said, "This is for me to keep? At my house?"
...didn't call me any name except for "no" for a long time -- then she came up with "Meema" for my name.
...got mad at me because I lost her favorite pillow. She wouldn't look straight at me. She would answer me if I asked her a question, but she wouldn't make eye contact with me. I had to make her a new one, but wasn't sure it would be the same and then I knew it was going to be okay when she put her little head down on the pillow case and sucked her thumb. I knew the replacement would work.
...loved Barney the dinosaur.
...had to go to time out -- it was the most pitiful little face I have ever seen. It would break my heart.
...did her little dance and we called it the "Julia Hop."
...loved her PVC character dolls. She had lots of them.
...wore a pony tail on top of her head like Pebbles.
...would pull all of the toys out of the entertainment center cubby and get in it herself.
...was born, the most beautiful sight I had seen in quite awhile.
...had the chubbiest cheeks.
...lit up my world when she was born.
So many memories, such a precious little soul. I love that girl. She has grown up to be such a sweet and kind person. I think I would like her even if she wasn't my granddaughter.
I still remember when she...
...would "float" out a dip towel on my carpet and eat an entire container of french onion dip and only use 3 chips (which she would feed to me once they were too soggy to get the dip anymore).
...would line up golden books like a path on my living room floor so that her two by two animals could get into an imaginary ark.
...would name all the plastic animals in the animal bucket and expect me to remember their names.
...would search through the animal bucket for this particular baby sheep that she liked most of all.
...would sing entire songs when she was just a little bitty girl.
...would talk and talk and talk all day long.
...would picnic in the backyard with her Nonnie.
...got her fish pillow. She kept saying, "My pish, my pish, I love it! I love it!"
...sucked her thumb with her hand wrapped around her little face.
...quit sucking her thumb because if she didn't, her teeth would stick out like a donkey's.
...loved the Lion King and Aladdin movies and all the songs.
...got her first doll house. She said, "This is for me to keep? At my house?"
...didn't call me any name except for "no" for a long time -- then she came up with "Meema" for my name.
...got mad at me because I lost her favorite pillow. She wouldn't look straight at me. She would answer me if I asked her a question, but she wouldn't make eye contact with me. I had to make her a new one, but wasn't sure it would be the same and then I knew it was going to be okay when she put her little head down on the pillow case and sucked her thumb. I knew the replacement would work.
...loved Barney the dinosaur.
...had to go to time out -- it was the most pitiful little face I have ever seen. It would break my heart.
...did her little dance and we called it the "Julia Hop."
...loved her PVC character dolls. She had lots of them.
...wore a pony tail on top of her head like Pebbles.
...would pull all of the toys out of the entertainment center cubby and get in it herself.
...was born, the most beautiful sight I had seen in quite awhile.
...had the chubbiest cheeks.
...lit up my world when she was born.
So many memories, such a precious little soul. I love that girl. She has grown up to be such a sweet and kind person. I think I would like her even if she wasn't my granddaughter.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
What???
Sayings -- how do they come about? Who was the first person to say:
I'm gonna jerk a knot in your tail......physically impossible
Seven ways to Sunday......I don't even know what that means
I'm so tired, it isn't even funny......why would one think that would be funny in the first place?
Cute as a button......since when are buttons so cute?
That goes without saying......then why do people say it?
You can't have your cake and eat it too......Why would someone get cake if they can't eat it?
I've been working like a dog......most dogs lie around all day
I slept like a baby......when babies wake up like every two hours?
It's seven years of bad luck when you break a mirror......isn't seven supposed to be a lucky number?
Ignorance is bliss......then why aren't more people happy?
It's like killing two birds with one stone......has anyone ever killed two birds with one stone?
I feel blue......then what does a smurf feel like when they are sad?
I'm between a rock and a hard place......well, isn't the rock a hard place also?
I'm head over heels in love......isn't your head always over your heels?
They're selling like hotcakes......how fast do hotcakes actually sell?
It disappeared into thin air......is there such as thing as thick air?
You scared the living daylights out of me......when daylight is not living?
They vanished without a trace......then how do people know they are missing?
It is out of whack......what exactly is a whack?
Money doesn't grow on trees......then why do banks have branches?
I'm not a complete idiot......why, are some of your parts missing?
You can't have everything......where would you put it all if you could?
Expect the unexpected......doesn't that make the unexpected expected?
The best thing since sliced bread......What was the best thing before sliced bread?
You scared me to death.....obviously not.
And here are some interesting observations:
If Barbie is so popular, then why do you have to buy her friends?
If the #2 pencil is so popular why is it still #2?
Why do psychics have to ask for your name?
Why do they sterilize the needles for lethal injections?
The "Psychic Friends Network" went out of business... didn't they see it coming?
Is it possible for someone to become addicted to therapy? And If so, how would you treat them?
Why do we drive on the parkway and park in the driveway?
Isn't is it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?
When sign makers go on strike, is anything written on their signs?
Why is the word abbreviation so long?
If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, is it misspelled? And if it is misspelled, how would we know?
Why does "fat chance" and "slim chance" mean the same thing?
Why are they called "stands" when they are made for sitting?
Why are a "wise man" and a "wise guy" opposites?
Why do "overlook" and "oversee" mean opposite things?
If you are dialing from a touch-tone phone, Why do you call it 'dialing'?
Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here and drink what comes out"?
Isn't Disney World just a people trap operated by a mouse?
Why is it illegal to park in a handicapped parking space but its OK to use a handicapped toilet?
Why is it that when things get wet they get darker, even though water is clear?
Why do you go "back and forth" to town if you really must go forth before you go back?
Why do companies offer you "free gifts?" Since when has a gift NOT been free?
Should vegetarians eat animal crackers?
Whose cruel idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have a "S" in it?
Do they have reserved parking for non-handicapped people at the Special Olympics?
Why do kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
If quitters never win, and winners never quit, how can it be wise to: "Quit while you're ahead"?
If it's zero degrees outside today and it's supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be?
What's another word for Thesaurus?
Why is it that when transporting stuff on a car its called a SHIPment, but if transporting stuff on a ship its called CARgo?
How does the guy who runs the snowplow get to work in the morning?
Why does your nose run and your feet smell?
If a man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?
Could it be that all those people dressed up, wearing sheets, aren't going as ghosts but as mattresses?
Why do scientists call it research when they are looking for something new?
Why do they say new and improved? It can't be new if it was improved can it?
Why do they call it rush hour when nobody moves?
Why is it called a “drive through” if you have to stop?
How can there be self-help “groups”?
Why are four wheelers called bikes when bike is short for bicycle?
If practice makes perfect and there is no such thing as perfect then why practice?
If 7-11 is open 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, why do they need locks on the doors?
Just some things to consider.
I'm gonna jerk a knot in your tail......physically impossible
Seven ways to Sunday......I don't even know what that means
I'm so tired, it isn't even funny......why would one think that would be funny in the first place?
Cute as a button......since when are buttons so cute?
That goes without saying......then why do people say it?
You can't have your cake and eat it too......Why would someone get cake if they can't eat it?
I've been working like a dog......most dogs lie around all day
I slept like a baby......when babies wake up like every two hours?
It's seven years of bad luck when you break a mirror......isn't seven supposed to be a lucky number?
Ignorance is bliss......then why aren't more people happy?
It's like killing two birds with one stone......has anyone ever killed two birds with one stone?
I feel blue......then what does a smurf feel like when they are sad?
I'm between a rock and a hard place......well, isn't the rock a hard place also?
I'm head over heels in love......isn't your head always over your heels?
They're selling like hotcakes......how fast do hotcakes actually sell?
It disappeared into thin air......is there such as thing as thick air?
You scared the living daylights out of me......when daylight is not living?
They vanished without a trace......then how do people know they are missing?
It is out of whack......what exactly is a whack?
Money doesn't grow on trees......then why do banks have branches?
I'm not a complete idiot......why, are some of your parts missing?
You can't have everything......where would you put it all if you could?
Expect the unexpected......doesn't that make the unexpected expected?
The best thing since sliced bread......What was the best thing before sliced bread?
You scared me to death.....obviously not.
And here are some interesting observations:
If Barbie is so popular, then why do you have to buy her friends?
If the #2 pencil is so popular why is it still #2?
Why do psychics have to ask for your name?
Why do they sterilize the needles for lethal injections?
The "Psychic Friends Network" went out of business... didn't they see it coming?
Is it possible for someone to become addicted to therapy? And If so, how would you treat them?
Why do we drive on the parkway and park in the driveway?
Isn't is it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?
When sign makers go on strike, is anything written on their signs?
Why is the word abbreviation so long?
If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, is it misspelled? And if it is misspelled, how would we know?
Why does "fat chance" and "slim chance" mean the same thing?
Why are they called "stands" when they are made for sitting?
Why are a "wise man" and a "wise guy" opposites?
Why do "overlook" and "oversee" mean opposite things?
If you are dialing from a touch-tone phone, Why do you call it 'dialing'?
Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here and drink what comes out"?
Isn't Disney World just a people trap operated by a mouse?
Why is it illegal to park in a handicapped parking space but its OK to use a handicapped toilet?
Why is it that when things get wet they get darker, even though water is clear?
Why do you go "back and forth" to town if you really must go forth before you go back?
Why do companies offer you "free gifts?" Since when has a gift NOT been free?
Should vegetarians eat animal crackers?
Whose cruel idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have a "S" in it?
Do they have reserved parking for non-handicapped people at the Special Olympics?
Why do kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
If quitters never win, and winners never quit, how can it be wise to: "Quit while you're ahead"?
If it's zero degrees outside today and it's supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be?
What's another word for Thesaurus?
Why is it that when transporting stuff on a car its called a SHIPment, but if transporting stuff on a ship its called CARgo?
How does the guy who runs the snowplow get to work in the morning?
Why does your nose run and your feet smell?
If a man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?
Could it be that all those people dressed up, wearing sheets, aren't going as ghosts but as mattresses?
Why do scientists call it research when they are looking for something new?
Why do they say new and improved? It can't be new if it was improved can it?
Why do they call it rush hour when nobody moves?
Why is it called a “drive through” if you have to stop?
How can there be self-help “groups”?
Why are four wheelers called bikes when bike is short for bicycle?
If practice makes perfect and there is no such thing as perfect then why practice?
If 7-11 is open 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, why do they need locks on the doors?
Just some things to consider.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Monday
Here it is again...Monday. What is it about Monday? I don't dislike my job, in fact, it suits me just fine, but Monday sure does come around an awful lot. I have been thinking about time passing a lot lately, and this just solidifies my thoughts. Weeks fly by like no time at all. Strange. It seems like you work towards the weekend and then, before you know it, it is over and it is time for work again. We had a grandchild filled Saturday -- it was fun -- they got to go out on the boat and do some swimming. They did some TV time and some computer time -- just got to relax and be kids. This weekend had some of the stomach bug thrown in (and up), but that is what happens sometimes. The kids were great on Saturday. I enjoy having the bigger kids around and little Lila was as good as she could have possibly been. I went to the other grandchildren's house on Sunday evening to babysit -- they were awesome and just plain fun, too. The weekend just zoomed by, though. Time is so fleeting. You have to enjoy it as much as you can.
Don't wait to use your good dishes and glasses -- use them now before someone boxes them up and stores them away because you are not around anymore. What good is having "good stuff" if your own family can't enjoy it? I am trying to let go of that mentality -- I want my family to get to have the good stuff and if it gets broken, it doesn't matter because it is just stuff. I think people are way more important and they need to be treated as such. I am beginning to give away some of my stuff. I find that at this point in my life, (and not because I feel old or am getting old, either) I just do not need as much stuff as I used to want. I find it less hard to let go of some of the things I used to label as treasures. I want my family to have some of my treasures because they are all treasures to me. So, if you see something you have always coveted, just let me know -- it could be yours!
Don't wait to use your good dishes and glasses -- use them now before someone boxes them up and stores them away because you are not around anymore. What good is having "good stuff" if your own family can't enjoy it? I am trying to let go of that mentality -- I want my family to get to have the good stuff and if it gets broken, it doesn't matter because it is just stuff. I think people are way more important and they need to be treated as such. I am beginning to give away some of my stuff. I find that at this point in my life, (and not because I feel old or am getting old, either) I just do not need as much stuff as I used to want. I find it less hard to let go of some of the things I used to label as treasures. I want my family to have some of my treasures because they are all treasures to me. So, if you see something you have always coveted, just let me know -- it could be yours!
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