Palin AND Facebook

So, I hope everyone has been having a wonderfully long and restful weekend. Mine has been both long and restful - just how I like it. Since my husband has had to work, we have stayed close to home (unless you count trips to Target, the Wal-Mart, church and the Wal-Mart again).

Several of you have asked me what I think of Sarah Palin. At first I was skeptical about John McCains' choice for VP, but I have to say, the more I read about the pretty Governor from Alaska, the more I like. From all the reports I have read and all the interviews I have seen, she seems to be very grounded. She is a mother of five and loves to hunt, fish and do all sorts of outdoor activities. She is very family oriented and involved with her children even though she is responsible for running the state of Alaska. I am impressed that she says that she is not convinced that climate change is a man-made problem (and you know I love it when people disagree with Gore). She is pro-life, she supports teaching creationism in public schools,and she believes marriage should be between a a man and woman. She is a lifetime member of the NRA - now that's a real woman. The thing I find most impressive about her is that she is a woman who is not afraid to talk about her faith in God. That's a rare find in politics today.

I had never even heard her name before last week, but now she is the buzz on every newscast. I have to say that the mainstream media blasted her before McCain even confirmed her as his choice. She is up against a load of media bias and she seems to be able to handle it pretty well. You have to respect someone who can take unwanted and undeserved criticism with grace ;-). I fear that she will be fighting an uphill battle when it comes to the media --- it is no secret that the msm media supports any liberal candidate. Hollyweird doesn't help either. Actors always support the liberal candidate as well (I think a good rule of thumb is : If Hollywood supports it, Christians should beware of it --- and that applies to most everything - presidential candidates included).

The media seems to be making a big deal out of the fact that she is in her first term as Governor, yet they overlook the fact that Obama has been campaigning for President most of his term in the Senate.

I found it funny that Sarah Palin's children have such odd names. They are Track, Willow, Bristol, Piper, and Trig. Odd, I know. But at least they wont have to worry about having several kids in their class with the same name. Something I thought interesting is that her youngest son, has Down's Syndrome. Many women (especially those in the public eye) would have chosen to terminate that pregnancy, but she didn't. I suppose that lets us in on her views about abortion, huh?

Sarah Palin announced today that her eldest daughter, Bristol, is pregnant. Her daughter plans to keep the baby and marry the father. According to the news, McCain was aware of this, but did not feel it would affect the campaign. While having a daughter get pregnant out of wedlock isn't exactly the ideal situation for the Palin family, it says something about them that they have instilled the value of human life in their children. It also says something about Sarah Palin that she came out and was honest with the American public outright. She didn't try to hide her daughter's pregnancy. You have to admire her for that.

One thing I do not think we will have to worry about with Palin is hearing foul language come out of her mouth every few minutes. Too bad we cant say that for Biden - he takes God's name in vain in every sentence. We all know that "out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks"......

So, in answer to your questions as to what I think about Sarah Palin......I think she is a good choice. I have no idea if McCain/Palin will be able to stop the Obama train wreck, but I believe she is a solid choice. I really wish she were the one running for President.

Moving right along to Facebook.......

My sister has asked me to "get on" Facebook for a long time. I finally took the plunge last week. I opened my account and as soon as I did, a page popped up that said "Beth has no friends". What? I have millions of friends! I cannot have this computer telling me I don't have friends, so I immediately began looking up my friends and asking them to be my Facebook friend even though we are friends in real life (there is something strange about that to me). Thankfully, after the first few, people I know/knew started finding me. One person who I have never seen before in my life asked to be my friend - she is from my hometown, so I accepted. Guess you can never have too many friends, huh?

Have you ever noticed how protection codes on Blogger get harder as you keep misspelling them? Ummm, if I missed it the first time, why do they think I can type it correctly when it is in a smaller, freakier font? I think Facebook has it right. They have actual words as protection codes. Actual words that make sense not "nbhgjksjidjowneirho" in "futura freak" font size 2. Blooger take a lesson from Facebook! Can you tell I am a little bitter about protection codes?

The first word verification (protection code) I had to type on Facebook was "Slightly Submit". I thought that strangely funny, because that is what I sometimes do at home -- slightly submit. That thing is a mind reader! On a similar note, the sidebar ads on Facebook keep talking about diets - can this thing see me too?????

Until recently, I thought it was Spacebook and MyFace. Do you understand now how little I know about these things? You have to remember that I am the one who calls them "paper pens" and "safety clips". I have a problem.

So, I still don't understand the whole Facebook thing. I am not sure if I should ask people I went to HS or college with to be my friend or if I should wait for them to ask me to be their friend. It reminds me of High School and I am kind of afraid that I don't want to go there. Seems like there is a possibility of rejection. What if I ask to be someones friend and they thought I was a total dork in high school so they think I will be an even bigger dork as an adult? What if someone doesn't WANT to be my friend? I have never had a problem making friends in person, but this Facebook thing is a horse of a different color. Do ya'll think I need counseling?



In other news, did you hear that Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna are all 50 years old? The king of Pop is FIFTY years old!!!! When I was in 6th grade and in love with Michael Jackson, he didn't seem that much older than me. Now that he is 50 (and a white female who likes little boys), I realize that it would have never worked between us anyway. You live and learn.


I am not a fan of Madonna, although I will admit I was when I was younger (and occasionally I still sing "Holiday" or "Like a Virgin" while cleaning house, but what can I say? I am a product of the 80's - I sing "Pour Some Sugar on Me" occasionally as well - don't judge). Even though I am not a fan of Madonnna, I would soooo love to look like her when I am 50. Heck, I would like to look like her at 35.



A friend of ours gave us tickets to the Gaither Homecoming at Freedom Hall this Thursday night. I told you we love Southern Gospel, so this is right up our alley. I hope Sandi Patty is with them - now that woman has some lungs!!!

Okay, that's all I have to say for today ---I just thought I would check in with a few words on this Labor(less) Day.

Where's YOUR Hope???

So, I was watching the DNC last night - again. I know you probably wish I would steer clear of the subject of politics, especially given the sad choices we have for President this term, but stay with me for a minute. I know if you watched the DNC last night you are thinking that I might be about to mention how Joe Bidens wife claps like she has rickets or looks like she is painfully constipated (or lost). Or you might be thinking that I am getting set to ask why Obama's wife continues to twist her face into strange contortions every few minutes - seriously that woman sniffs every 3 seconds. Maybe she has allergies. Or maybe you think I am going to talk about all the lies that were told by Obama last night (no one other that God Himself could accomplish all that he swore to do). I wont be talking about those lies, because more will follow this coming week at the RNC in Minnesota. If you haven't figured it out, promising things you know you cannot deliver is a must when running for President. (And before you leave me a nasty comment about being cruel regarding the Democrats, just save your effort, the RNC is coming next week and I will have fresh insight as to their quirks then. What can I say, I watch people's actions and find their quirks funny - sue me. If it makes you feel any better about me, I make fun of myself too ).

No, I am not going to mention any of those things. What I AM going to mention is the fact that I saw people there cheering for Barack Obama like he was their only hope. I saw people with tears in their eyes, actually weeping at his words. People who stared at Obama as if he was their savior. There were people in that stadium last night that believe Obama is that answer to all their problems. It just reiterated to me the simple fact that "People Need Jesus".

I have seen it in other circles besides politics. I have seen moms get so involved with PTA that they put aside church activities in order to be the savior of a dying school program. I have seen grown men look for their salvation in a Masonic Lodge (that is a post for another day - and I have lots to say about it too!). I have seen men and women become so involved in their children's sports activities that they trade church for a ball field and their Bible for a trophy. I have watched college graduates put aside their strong faith and replace it with ambition and drive to climb the corporate ladder. I have seen young men and women forget their promise to love God above everyone else and place all their bets on a girl/boyfriend. I could go on and on, but you see my point.

There are people that have no hope. There are people who have lost all hope and then there are people who have misplaced their hope. I felt truly sorry for those men and women there in that stadium last night. They have placed their hope in a mere man who has faults and has no real power to change their lives. They have placed their trust in the name Obama, when the only real help is found in the name of Jesus.

We all suffer from misplaced hope at times. We get so involved with activities or projects that take our eyes off Jesus and cloud our vision. We may not stand with thousands of people pouring out praise and adoration for a political candidate, but we are quick to forget Jesus when something that seems "more exciting" comes our way. Or maybe we are just quick to put Him on the back burner at times. We are always looking for the next 'new' thing the world offers and we forget that we are new creatures and God wants to do a new thing in us because He is the only One who makes all things new. The Bible tells us that Jesus is our only hope............might be time we start TRULY believing that.


Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. Revelation 21:5

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2Corinthians 5:17

A Meme and Randomness Part Deux

Okay, so I have been tagged by my real life friend Patty for a meme where I am supposed to list 7 of my strange characteristics. My first thought was "Only 7? But I have so many more than that". Then my second thought was "All my characteristics are strange". So, in an effort to be a team player, I will try to list seven of my odd quirks (although I hate to be so limited -don't like to be fenced in). The rules said that I have to first list all the rules, but since I don't really like to play by the rules, I am not listing the rules. I like to color outside the lines a little, ya know. Some of you may have read these before as I tend to give out way too much useless information on this blog. Here goes:



#1 I do not like to drink after people. I especially do not like to drink after people when they have been eating. You never know if they might have accidentally lost some food particles in the drink and then I might actually eat ABC food (already been chewed for those of you who aren't up on old timey acronyms). The mere thought of it makes me want to hurl.



#2 I do not look people with pink eye directly in the eye. My great grandmother once told me the following "Never look into the eyes of someone with pink eye or you will get pink eye yourself". Now, I know this is an old wives tale, but for some reason, in the recesses of my mind, I kind of believe it. Besides it is better to be safe than sorry. Ya'll have no idea how I fear pink eye (hey! Judge not!!! Besides, this meme is SUPPOSED to be about STRANGE characteristics - I aim to please and I have lots of strange characteristics to choose from).



#3 I am somewhat jealous of Kelly Ripa, so in an effort to punish her for being skinny, beautiful, and rich by working one hour per day, I do not watch her show.



#4 I have an irrational fear of snakes. I fear that when I check the bath water temperature, one might come out of the faucet. I also fear that when I make my bed, one might be waiting to attack my feet. I worry that when I sit on the toilet one might come up and bite me (how embarrassing would that ER trip be?). If any of the above ever happen I will first need a pair of these and then one of these.

#5 I don't like to walk in front of people. I hate to be late for church because people might actually see me from behind. My frontal view is definitely more flattering than my rear view.

#6 I am still addicted to Chap-Stik. I go through a tube every 2 weeks. It's a problem.

#7 I cannot go out without teasing my hair. Ya'll know my motto, right? "The bigger the hair looks, the smaller the rear looks". Soooo true!

#8 I love Southern Gospel music. One of my favorite songs is this. My kids know every word by heart to this and many more Southern Gospel songs. I listen to all kinds of music, but there is just something about S. Gospel that makes me want to clap my hands and start flat-footing (if you do not know what flat-footing is, then you must be from up north - please see this for explanation).

WOOPS!! That was 8 things.......told ya I like to color outside the lines. And for a last bit of rebellion, the rules say I have to tag a few people for this...........I aint taggin' just a few!!! That's right, you heard me (read me), I am tagging everyone who reads this. If you made it this far in reading this post consider yourself tagged (although don't feel pressured to HAVE to do this - I understand you are busy and it will not hurt my feelings if you choose not to ;-). For those of you who don't know, I never tag anyone, because I am always afraid I will hurt someones feelings by leaving them out. So, if you want to be a team player, then get to posting STRANGE (and they better really be strange) characteristics you have.


For those of you who are wondering why I know about the "Surprise Moment" underwear listed above, I thought I would offer an explanation. I do not have bladder control problems (unless I get scared). I was online searching for The Original Slush Mug and came across those weird, but necessary for some panties. I ordered 2 slush mugs for the boys. I had one as a child and it brought great joy to me (and saved my parents a boatload on snow cones). You might want to order one for your own child - I call it frozen joy in a cup.

Lake left the fridge door open all night last night. Ice particles have formed and our milk is kind of warm. I thought hubs might burst a blood vessel. Funny how we become like our parents in the blink of an eye.

I resent paying the water bill. God gave water to us ALL, why do I have to pay the city for it? I also resent paying for parking, paying at toll roads, and paying $5 per gallon for gas. While I am talking about things I resent, I also resent people who have wash and wear hair that looks good and people who say things like "I really need to gain some weight".

The mailman just came to the door with a package from Samaritans Purse about Operation Christmas Child (our church is very involved with that). Seems awfully early to start thinking about Christmas, but it is only a few months away. If you have never helped with Operation Christmas Child, you should go to the website and see what it is all about. You will be blessed. We have received notes from people all over the world thanking us for sending their children presents and telling us how they have trusted Jesus because of the ministry of Franklin Graham.


My kids' new favorite cereal is called Honey Buzzers. Oh, you've never heard of it? Probably because its the cheap kind in the bag. It is the fake version of Honeycomb cereal and yes Lisa, it is the same stuff we ate 3 bags of at the beach several years ago. Got it at The Wal-Mart for $3.19. I don't think it is too healthy though......nothing can be healthy if it is made by a company called "Malt-O-Meal".

Watched Hillary at the "Council of Evil" last night. Was she really wearing orange or do I need to adjust the brightness on my TV? Did she really say all those nice things about the guy she hated just a few weeks ago? And did Bill really mouth "I love you, I love you, I love you" when she took the podium?? I am not really sure, because that is the point I head to the bathroom to throw up. Maybe he really is over Monica (and Jennifer and....well the list just goes on and on, now doesnt it?) I know we will not actually know who the antichrist is because we will already have been rapture, but I would be willing to bet that the antichrist is in Denver right now ---- just my opinion - It IS my blog, ya know.


Well, that is about all the junk I can think of right now. I have some studying to do for class tonight and Lake has guitar lessons before AWANAs at 6:30 and then he is out of school until Tuesday.....and THAT, my friends, is a blessing from on High.

Peace out.

I Got Nothin'

Hello to all my blog buddies!!! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Ours was pretty uneventful (unlike the weekend of some people who spent their time in San Antonio without yours truly). I would love to be able to say that I have a ton of wonderful things to tell you, but the truth is --- I got nothin'. So, you all know what that means right??? (HINT: This is the point at which many of you click the little back arrow at the top left corner of your screen so you can make a quick getaway before your eyes behold the randomness ahead).................

I got a voicemail from my dad this morning. He said the following: "Hey honey, we are here in Panama City. The weather is beautiful, the beach is beautiful and we are in the 23rd floor penthouse condo. It's awesome. Call me when you get this message" To which I said "What? That is soooo not fair!!!". Love his heart, he had no idea that his call would provoke his child to anger. I would call that a sin of omission, wouldn't you? But a sin nonetheless. I mean here I am doing the same old same old while he is frolicking on the beach in sunny Florida. The TRULY sad part for everyone involved is that I am not there with him. No really , my dad is taking a well-deserved vacation in Florida in a nice condo before coming to my house (aka. The Stye) to stay for a few days. He gets to vacation on the beach while I am here trying to clean up this mess so he can visit without actually hurting himself on the overabundance of toys in my house. I have always been told life is not fair, guess it's really true.


This morning I made my almost daily trip to the Wal-Mart (yes, I said "The Wal-Mart" - all Southerners say "The Wal-Mart"). As I was on my way out (having only spent $23.03, which is a miracle straight from God), I noticed a big sign right there in front of McDonald's (which we are still boycotting). The sign showed some faintly familiar faces. Men about my age. And in big letters on the top of the sign were the also faintly familiar words "NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK". I walked past and then it hit me that I just read the words New Kids on the Block - all in one sentence together.....then I realized why those men's faces looked so familiar. I spent much of my Freshman year in High School singing with them(into my curling iron not in person). If I had a dollar for every time I sang "Please Don't Go Girl" or "Hangin' Tough" with Donnie Wahlberg and The New Kids, I would be rich!! Rich, I tell ya!!! Yep, they were cool back in the day, but sadly that day is over. It is time to move on. They are no longer the New Kids, they are not EVEN kids anymore. Time to let go before they embarrass themselves - before they embarrass the rest of us who thought they were once so cool. Let go New Kids, let go before you become "The Old Kids on the Geriatric Floor"!!!

I have decided to begin eating healthier. So, yesterday I started writing down everything I eat. By my calculations, I ate 1130 calories yesterday. I think I normally take in somewhere around 8500, so 1130 makes for one unhappy, hungry girl. I get cranky when I don't have sugar (and bread). It makes me sad that there are Chips, Dip, M&M's, Cheetos, sugary cereals of all kinds and other chocolate confections in my kitchen that I cannot have. It is like having a friend in the next room, but not being able to talk to them. I have discovered that junk food has been a friend to me. A very close friend. I know it has only been one day (and a half), but I miss my friends. I miss my friends.......

Apparently second grade isn't what it used to be. When I was in second grade, we read, we wrote, we did simple math......yeah, that was in the good old days. Modern day second grade is more like high school. There is a lot of homework and a lot of stress. Whatever happened to the days when a kid could go to school and then come home and just play? So much for the carefree days of childhood. I fear they are gone forever and my kid is only 7.

Did ya'll know the Democratic Convention is going on in Denver? Yeah, I don't care either.

Last night on the 10 o'clock news, there was a story about the Dem. Convention in Denver (or as I like to call it "The Colorado Council of Evil" - I think their motto should be "The Antichrist May Be in Our Midst"). The story was showing Hillary making a rebuttal to a comment from the McCain camp. It seems that McCain is highlighting how Hillary vilified Obama during her bid for the Democratic nomination. We all know how dirty that campaign was, right? Somehow when she lost, Hillary immediately found love and respect for Obama - I have actually expected to see them kissing or something gross like that. ANYWAY, When McCain questioned Hillary about her prior negative comments regarding Obama, she said 'I cant believe that he is only focusing on the negative things instead of all the positive things I said about Barack Obama'. Did anyone ever hear her say anything positive about Obama during the time she was campaigning? THEN, to top it all off, she told reporters that she had been a long time supporter of Obama. Ummmm, is it just me or does that Clinton family have a different definition of truth than the rest of the world????

I am sick of seeing the term "VEEP". Veep ain't even a word, people. And yes, I know aint isnt a real word either, but it is more of a real word than VEEP.

Okay, so on Saturday, my baby who is 4, began riding his bicycle without training wheels. I hate to sound proud, but I am. I am not really sure at what age most kids lose the training wheels, but 4 seems pretty good to me. If your children started riding their 2 wheeled bikes at the age of 2, then I really don't want to hear about it. Thank you.

I have had several recurring dreams since I was little (I wont mention all of them - there are many and they are insane). In one of the dreams, I am on a bus going down a hill in Bristol (for you locals it is the hill going onto Volunteer Pkwy from TN High - not that it matters I just wanted to include you in my dream as much as possible). When the bus I am on gets close to the bottom of the hill we see that there is deep water and we are headed straight for it. In the past, the bus has never actually made it into the water. Last week, I had this same dream and the bus hit the water and sank. Any Joseph's out there want to tell me what it means that I have had this dream for 30 years and the outcome has finally changed? And I would appreciate if you would not mention the words 'lunatic' ,'crazy', etc. in your response.

As I type this, Kaden is in the living room watching "The Incredibles" for the three thousandth time, which made me remember that we actually borrowed that movie from my sister about a year ago. Good thing she doesn't charge a late fee, huh?

I have heard that stress will kill you, my husband and I are testing that theory out right now. For those of you who are thinking of building a house, my recommendation is to purchase a preexisting home. You may save money as well as your sanity.

The bricklayers are at our new house finishing our porches today. It has not rained here in quite some time. Today of course, when our brick porches are supposed to be finished, the forecast says rain. That, my friends, is the story of my life summed up in three sentences.

I have noticed an influx of Muslims in our area lately. Big cities, yes. Our small town....what???? Hopefully, being in the Bible belt will have influence them for Christ. I'll be honest, I dont think I know the best way to witness to a Muslim....guess I better get to studying, huh?

I could probably feed 1/2 of a third world country with the crackers, popcorn, cookies, etc that are between the cushions of my couch. When we move, the disgusting couch of which I speak, will be sitting out on our front lawn with a sign that says "FREE" on it. I might even leave the food between the cushions as an added bonus. If the new owners are lucky, they might also get the lost remote that I KNOW is somewhere hidden in the cushions of that couch.

The Olympics are over. I enjoyed them while they lasted, but am ready to move on. I am happy for Michael Phelps - we have not seen the last of him (but we HAVE seen a lot of him -literally). There are alot of things I will NOT miss about these XXIXXXIXXX (or whatever) Olympic Games. No more underage gymnasts who need a candy bar. No more seeing the gross foods that Chinese people consider delicacies (seriously those people eat everything). No more of that commercial about the 1st Olympics where the guy throws a shotput and knocks down The Temple of Diana. No more Bob Costas giving us a play by play. No more hype about the opening ceremonies. No more China on national TV every night (because we all know that China hates Christians). That, my friends, is a blessing.

Well, that is about enough for today (and tomorrow and the next day). I know very few of you made it to this point in this post.....and to you I say 'Thank You' for reading - everyone else has no idea what they missed..........

Spiritually Superior

The other day I received an email video that I had seen before. I know you are thinking, "So, what's the problem with that?" Well, it isn't a problem, but I had seen it about a thousand times before! Seriously, I get this email video over and over from different people (and sometimes from the same people who have sent it to me before). It seems there are several emails that keep finding their way to my in-box. The funny part about the email of which I speak is that I have seen it over and over, yet people continue to send it to me with a note attached saying how they love this particular video or how they just watched this video and thought it was so wonderful they wanted me to see it. I want to scream : "I have seen it people, a thousand times over, I have seen it - This is NOTHING NEW!! Where have you been??? Anyone who hasn't yet seen this video has been hiding under a rock!!!".

Don't sit there and act so spiritually superior - you have had that same thought before too and you know it!!!

I was thinking about this and it occurred to me that we are the same way when people share things with us about Jesus. Have you ever been in Sunday School and heard someone state the obvious?? Something that is obvious to you, but has maybe just occurred to them (or maybe the Lord has just revealed it to them). Don't we tend to think that we are on a higher spiritual plain than those who seem to "know less" about the Bible or about God? Don't we sometimes want to say : "I know that! I have known that for years! This is nothing new - where have you been? Anyone who doesn't know this already must have been living under a rock!" OR, what about when someone misquotes the Bible, do you stand ready to defend your title as "Bible Scholar" by correcting their error??? OR what about when someone mentions a verse from the Bible that REALLY isn't IN the Bible??? (IE. "The Lord helps those who help themselves" - nope not in the Bible). It is at those times that we tend to want to 'set people straight' by blinding them with our vast knowledge of God and the scripture.

The other day as I was griping to myself about receiveing the same email over and over it occurred to me that sometimes we need to hear the obvious - AGAIN. Maybe we get just a little too high and mighty and need to be reminded of the basics of the Christian life. Maybe God sends those who are not as spiritually mature to help us see that our arrogance is ugly in the sight of a Holy God. Maybe I keep getting that video email because it IS worth watching AND because I never really got the POINT the first 500 times I watched it. Maybe it is time we realize that Christians come from all backgrounds and are at different points in their spiritual growth AND that is as it should be, as God intended for it to be. Maybe we shouldn't be so quick to think ourselves superior to those who are "less mature" in their spiritual walk. Maybe they are the ones who can teach those of us in the "dry bones crowd" a thing or two. Maybe.

Quick Note

I have just a minute to type this, but I did not want the following to go un-noticed for those of you who did not watch the Olympics last night.......

Last night in Beijing, a beautiful American runner named Lolo Jones was favored to win the ladies hurdle race (I do not know the proper term for that race because I, personally, have never been able to hoist my hiney that far in the air). There was another American woman in the race. Her name is Dawn Harper. Harper was not expected to even place seeing as this is her first Olympics and she barely made the trials to qualify to compete.

At the start of the hurdle race, Lolo Jones took off like a shot and was in the lead. Harper was somewhere trailing behind. On the next to last hurdle, Jones kicked the hurdle over which caused her to lose the race. On her heels was Harper, the American who was considered "lucky" to even be competing. Harper won the race.

As soon as the race was over, Lolo Jones threw herself on the track and yelled out some obscenities -- most notably the f-bomb which was so easy to see it could have been read by any blind lip reader. Harper, on the other hand, was stunned by her win and threw her hands up in the air praising God and thanking Him openly in front of the whole world AND God-hating China. When she was interviewed by the media, Harper mentioned that God was with her while she was running, which we all know is a complete no-no in China (you heard that they confiscated hundreds of Bibles over the weekend , right?). Now, of course, I have no way of knowing where either of these ladies really stand with God, but I know what I saw and I know that one of them glorified God with her actions and words (and one didnt).

My point in blogging about this is that I think it is no coincidence that Lolo Jones, the favored runner, lost this race to someone who was not a fan favorite . I understand her disappointment in losing a race she trained all her life to win, but God will not be mocked. They can take all the Bibles out of China, but they cannot take the Holy Spirit out of the hearts of believers. He will do whatever it takes to bring glory to Himself through His children. He did that very thing last night through a very fast hurdler named Dawn Harper.

Back in the Random Swing of Things

So, at our house we are still enjoying the weekend. Lake is out of school which makes it a long weekend for us (well, for me and the boys since hubs is at work). Saturday seemed unusually long, which is always nice. We still wish we were at Disney..........Have I mentioned that I could live there? Yeah, okay, enough about Disney - I will keep my Disney thoughts to myself.

I saw the internet headlines last night that read "Ellen and Portia Wed". Okay, the law may ignorantly say you can marry whomever you please, but that DOES NOT make the parts fit. That's all I have to say about that (well, not really ALL I have to say about that, but all I will say here on the blog ;-).

So, what's the big deal about Facebook? If I have a blog, why do I need Facebook? And how do you even find your long lost high school pals on Facebook? I kind of wonder if I want to find them or if I want to be found. I also wonder how many times I can use the word "Facebook" in one paragraph?

Also, I have to ask all you people who Twitter: why do you Twitter? How do you remember to Twitter? I cant remember to do the things I am supposed to be doing much less text what I am doing to the world........You guys have it much more together than me.

Tony Nolan is preaching at our church tonight. I love it when we have Marvelous Mondays in August (no church on Sunday night - church with guest preachers on Monday night). We are not used to being home on Sunday nights - kind of weird, but fun since we sat around eating junk and watching the Olympics.

American Gymnast Alicia Sacramone (not sure of the spelling) was cheated out of the gold last night by a Chinese girl who actually fell to her knees on a landing from the vault. Alicia's landing was not smooth, but she did not fall to her knees. American Gymnast Nastia Liukin lost the gold to a Chinese girl even though they tied on the bars. Does anyone else see a pattern here? I wonder if the Olympics were being held in America if our girls would have won the gold............Have I menitoned that I am NOT a fan of China?

I have been staying up way too late and getting way too involved in the Olympic games. I wish there was some way I could be part of the Olympics. I guess that isn't going to happen unless they make reading, eating and/or kick ball Olympic sports.

Did ya'll see that Romanian woman win the Olympic marathon on Saturday night? Seriously, we left to go to the mall to buy Lake a backpack for school at around 6:15. She had been running for a while when we left. We went to Dicks, shopped for a backpack and some other school stuff, then we went to MANY other stores in our mall, we ended up in the food court eating cookies and drinking Icees before coming home. When we got home, this Romanian woman was STILL running as fast as she could. We got ready for bed, I took off my makeup, and she was still running. Hubs and I layed (lay?) in bed and watched for some time until she came to the finish line at which time one would assume that she would quit running (I would have died several miles back). She did not quit running - she got her country's flag and ran at east 10 laps around the track. She is like the Energizer Bunny on CRACK!!!! We laughed so hard because she never stopped running. Now that, my friends, is a woman who is in shape!

Speaking of backpacks, have you noticed that they are quite expensive? IF they say "The North Face" on them, they cost around $80. Needless to say, Lake's does not say "The North Face". If they say "Nike", they are around $50. So, we got Lake one that says "High Sierra" for about $35 (which I still say is too much because I am cheap). I mean, come on, he is SEVEN!!! I feel sure that any one of those expensive backpacks would fail the" 2nd grade boy test", so why spend a fortune?

About a week and a half ago, my oven element blew up. It didn't just blow, it blew up! It sparked and fire shot out. I screamed and ran outside to get hubs yelling "The oven is on fire, the oven is on fire!". He came in and unplugged it so it wouldn't burn the house, or possibly the neighborhood down. As of today, we still have no element. We have been so busy with EVERYTHING that we have yet to go out and purchase a new element (translate: I have not made a big deal out of it so I would not have to cook). My father-in-law just called and asked me the serial # off the oven so he can pick us up a new one. It is kind of bittersweet. I thank him for getting us the new element, but it means that I will not be able to use the excuse of not having an oven to cook in. Looks like I will be back in the kitchen very soon..............;-(

Friday evening we went to the new house to clean up as we usually do on the weekend. We pick up nails, scraps of wood, vacuum up saw dust and clear out all their cups/papers from the previous week. If we clean it up, we don't have to pay them to do it. It is a hot and nasty job, but we are saving money by doing it ourselves. One thing that gripes me is that these guys smoke in my new house. Oh, I know it isn't finished yet, but I don't want the smell of smoke in my walls. Hubs says not to say anything because if I tell them not to smoke in the house, they will spend less time working and more time outside smoking. It wouldn't be so bad if they didn't drop their cigarette butts on the floor. As I was picking up their nasty butts (cigarette butts) the other night, an evil thought occurred to me. I should keep all their cigarette butts in a bucket and give them back to them. When they ask me why I am giving them used up cigarette butts, I will say "Because I thought you might want to take them home and throw them on your own floor".

Okay, enough bordeom for now.......I will come back and bore you more later when I have more time to come up with more boring items of little interest to anyone.........Thank you for your time .....sorry to waste so much of it.

School is in Session

So, yesterday was Lake's first day of Second Grade. How is it that my baby whom I just brought home from the hospital YESTERDAY is already in 2nd grade???? I miss that baby. Oh, sure I love my funny, smart, cute as a button 2nd grader, but I miss the baby who used to sit on a blanket in my living room and play with toys for hours. I miss opening the car door to see his little smiling face sitting in a car seat that was way too big for him. I miss propping him up on the couch and making him smile by doing crazy, silly things. I even miss the diapers, the bottles, the trips to Babies R Us.........It almost makes me want to have..........No, I wont say it - I don't really mean it. I will say this.............I am afraid that when my boys are all grown up, I will regret not having a daughter. There is some truth to the old saying "A son is a son until he takes a wife, a daughter is a daughter for the rest of her life". I see that played out in my friend's (sisters) lives.

Oh how I wish I could stop time for just a few years and keep my babies seven and four for a little while longer...............

On a scary note, I would like to show you what it looks like when a mom and her 2 kids play kickball in the rain for an hour......WARNING: two of these are cute and one is very scary!!

Cute

In the interest of being REAL (see previous post) I thought I would go ahead and scare you with the REAL me (it's okay for you to pray for my hubs because he has to look at this every morning and night - I promise the in-between a.m. and p.m. Inst as scary).

So, for those of you who think I always wear makeup and look "put together", here is proof that I don't --- I should, but I don't. Oh and how 'bout that double chin? That is as REAL as it gets, my friends.

Now go erase this scary mental image from your minds (maybe look at the picture on my sidebar to see that I am not nearly as scary with makeup) and have a great weekend!

A Little REAL Goes A Long Way

Have you ever met someone who was, well, ....... fake? I am talking about the person who seems to paint their smile on when they wake up in the morning and wash it off when they go to bed. Someone who makes their life seem perfect, when you know it isn't (no ones life is perfect). How about the mom who is constantly bragging on her children in order to take attention away from her less than perfect life? Or the person who tells you just what you need to know so you cant get too close, because if you get too close, you will see her true self? What about the person who would rather die than have someone publicly expose their weaknesses?

We all know someone who fits in one of those categories. I see it all the time on the internet. You've seen them. The blogs where life is perfect and spent taking trips to Europe with the family or where the husband is perfect, the wife is perfect and the kids are 100% without fault. These are the women who tell us how their husband took them to Ann Taylor and told them to buy one of everything or how they spend their Christmases in the South of France, but send their money to buy presents for the poor. There is nothing wrong with any of those things, but sometimes people give the false impression of having a perfect existence (matter of fact if my hubs took me to Ann Taylor and said I could buy anything, I would fall over dead). I am not saying that a blog is where you should air your dirty laundry, but you know the blogs I'm speaking of - we have all read them. Whether it is the blog of a "perfect person" or an "in-person perfect person", they leave you feeling like your life is pathetic because it isn't perfect.

A few years ago, a friend from church gave me one of the nicest compliments I have ever received (although I didn't really know it was a compliment at the time ;-). This person probably doesn't even remember saying this, but he told me "You have to be the most REAL girl in this church". I didn't really know how to take that. I was thinking that I would have preferred he replace the word 'real' with the word 'beautiful' or 'talented' or maybe 'nicest', but he said REAL. He had no idea the amount of 'junk' I have tried to hide in my life. Lately, I have come to understand that being real, which includes showing my weaknesses and allowing people to see the real me, the imperfect me, is not a bad thing.

When people see the imperfect me, they are able to see God at work. When they see my attitude change or see me turning from a particular sin, they are seeing God's power. "In my weakness, He is made strong". A facade of perfection leaves no room for bragging on God, and isn't that what our life should be about, bringing glory to The One Who Deserves It? When we act like our lives (ourselves) are perfect, we are cheating God out of the chance to get glory through us. Oh, I know that when we show all our cards, we face judgement from others (especially Christians), but maybe it's time we all get real and let some of our faults be known so that God can show Himself strong in our lives and in turn we can bear witness to His power in our lives.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

This and That and Some Awards

So, I've been a LITTLE busy the past few days and really have not had time to blog. Lake goes to school this Friday (1/2 a day on Friday and then begins full days on Tuesday - what in the world???!) Why on earth make them go 1/2 a day on Friday? Would it be a crime to let them stay home that 1/2 day and just start on say, MONDAY like a normal school week??? Call me crazy, but if you ask me the 1/2 day on Friday thing is quite idiotic. That might be why no one asked me,huh?

Last night, Johnny Hunt from First Baptist Woodstock (also my dad's workplace) preached at our church. His sermon was titled "Wineskin in the Smoke" from Psalm 119:81-88. He talked about how sometimes we feel like we are useless in our ministry (and we all have a ministry, right?). How we go through dry spells in our spiritual life where we feel like we have no influence or purpose. How even in those times we have hope. It was a good message (as usual) and our choir was awesome (as usual - is that bragging? I am not in the choir, so I guess not). The choir sang "Thou, Oh Lord" (I would video me singing it for you, but you really don't want that) and "Yahweh" (catchy tune, that one, gets in your head and you cant stop singing it). Anyway, we had several friends visit our church with us last night - hopefully they will be back (I would definitely come back if I were them ;-).

My dad came up with Pastor Johnny and several other staff members of FBCW. The group Newsong allows Pastor Johnny to use their bus to travel in sometimes, so he is able to bring a crew of men with him, my dad being one of them. The bus they always come in is huge which is a real switch for my dad who is used to riding the short bus...............hahhahahahhahahaha. Sorry, Daddy, I had to say that........there are some people reading this who are laughing, and I know it is at your expense, but that's okay, right Daddy? Right? You know I love you right???? It really was good to see you, even if it was only for a few minutes.

Moving on................................

Every time the Summer Olympics comes on, hubs and I become somewhat obsessed with it. Last night we watched as Michael Phelps win yet another Gold medal in swimming. It was so cute to see his mom cheering him on. We never watch swimming any other time, nor do we watch beach volleyball (unless we are on the beach playing it) or gymnastics, and we certainly do not watch fencing, yet, when Olympics time rolls around, we are all about these obscure sports. By the way, I really heart womens gymnastics.

Our obsession with the Olympics comes from our competitive nature. Hubs and I are just a tad competitive and I fear that we are teaching our kids to 'love the win'. In the evenings, the four of us play kickball or baseball in our yard and we don't just let our kids win.......yes, I know that it's sad, but I feel the need to confess. The truth is that we don't usually even hold back. It is nothing for hubs to throw Kaden out at first --- he is four years old....hubs is 41. Yes, folks, we have a problem. Our kids might be scarred for life (or maybe they will learn that a little healthy competition is good)....guess we wont know for a few more years.

Have I mentioned that we really miss Disney??? It truly is the happiest place on earth.


I told you in my last two posts about some awards that I got. I wont be posting my usual acceptance speech (mostly because I don't want to bore you to death with the same old speech) -- I know you will be happy about that. Anyway, without further ado........the awards are as follows:

The first one comes from my old friend Stephanie, well, we really don't know each other in person, but she seems like an old friend. AND I am sure that if we lived near each other we would be great friends. Here is the story behind this award - it is really neat. Anyway, Stephanie, I thank you so much for thinking of me. The question is: Will you still be thinking of me when you are in San Antonio and I am here in East TN ????? Just kidding (kinda;-). If you have not read Stephanie's blog, you need to check her out - she is a sweetheart that has a heart for Jesus and she can sing too!

Coincidentally, I also got this same award from Staceystace, who is a new blogger friend of mine. She has a really great testimony and if you haven't visited her blog, please do so at this time.....I'll wait.....go ahead, but please be sure to come back here ;-). Anyhoo, I found Stacey through Jennyhope and any friend of Jenny's is friend of mine! (Well, you know what I mean). So, Stacey, thank you for thinking of me!



This award comes from my friend, Heidi, whom I also do not know in person. I came across her blog a couple of months ago and I have to say, she is so funny. Heidi, I have no idea what this award is about (maybe about being extremely funny, beautiful, and creative all at the same time????? okay, I made that up, but whatever....), but I thank you so much for thinking of me. If you have not read Heidi's blog, be sure and go over and check out her beautiful wedding pictures, you will be impressed!




So, time to go and enjoy the beautiful sunshine (without humidity - it's Tennessee - that rarely happens here).

Shameless Plugs

Please pardon this interruption.

We now break from our regularly scheduled program to endure a shameless plug from the blog owner...........................

To all of you who live in the North East Tennessee area (or to those who do not mind a long commute), I have two upcoming events to announce.



#1

As you know, my father is on staff at First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga. His pastor, Johnny Hunt, has recently been named President of the Southern Baptist Convention. Anyone who has ever heard Johnny preach knows that he is a fireball to say the least. Anyway, he will be preaching at my church this Monday night (August 11th) at 7:00 pm. In August, we have church on Monday nights instead of Sunday night so we can have guest preachers (ie. Tony Nolan etc). It is always a wonderful time of worship and just lots of fun!! So, if you live close (or if you don't), I would love to save you a seat. Just let me know. I promise you will not be disappointed!!!

#2

Starting this Wednesday night at 6:30, I will begin leading the Beth Moore women's Bible study Living Beyond Yourself. If you don't have anything to do (or even if you do have something) I would love for you to come and join us for about 8 weeks. If you have ever done a Beth Moore study, you know that her studies are very deep and again I promise you will not be disappointed. My friend Amanda has graciously offered to come one night and share what the Lord has done in her life through this study. We always have a great time (there is usually food of some sort involved at least twice) while we get to know each other and Jesus better.

If you are interested in either #1 or #2, feel free to leave me a comment. If you are not interested in #1 or #2, feel free to leave me a comment.


We now return to our regularly scheduled program that includes endless pictures of my family vacation....................................

Sharing the Magic

Well, it is almost midnight and I am just now getting around to blogging (this may be short because I am a little on the tired side). I suppose you guys noticed that I didnt broadcast exactly when we left or when we were supposed to be back. In my mind, I was keeping would-be burglars from entering our house during the night and stealing everything we own. What is funny about that is that we TOOK everything we own with us to Disney and now, I am here in the midst of all our stuff wishing it would put itself away.

Here is a picture of some very ominous looking clouds hovering over my castle.

As I said in my earlier post, we had an awesome time. The boys were excellent the whole time for which I am truly thankful. There is just something about Disney that brings me back to my childhood and it was so much fun to see it through the eyes of Kaden and Lake.

I could go on an on about our trip, but it would take all night and it would bore you to tears, so in true Bethanne fashion, I have decided to post some random thoughts about our Disney experience. But before I do, there is something I need to address. I have heard that there was some talk (another word for gossip which is sin, for those of you who did not know) about me while I was gone. Some fun was made, some tales were told, some nasty little comments...... yeah that's right, I know all about them and I know exactly who they came from and when they were said. You know who you are! I wont go into all of them right now, but just know that I know and God knows and some of you need to repent ASAP. That's all I'm saying about that right now ;-).......moving right along.............

On to some pictures and randomness.................

One of the perks of staying on Disney property is that you get to stay longer in the parks. Magic Kingdom was open until 3 am some nights and yes, we kept our kids out until 2 am on more than one occasion. Normally, I would call that child abuse, but hey, it's Disney.............













Waiting for the bus to take us to our happy destination.















Kaden has decided he loves the "Muffets" (aka Muppets) and we had to go see the Muppet 3-D movie 4 times ----FOUR TIMES!!! When I asked him why he likes the Muffets all of the sudden, he said, "It's like I fell in love or somethin'". Good thing we love the Muffets too, huh? It really is a great movie.

















This year at Disney is the "Year of a Million Dreams". In 2008, Disney will award a million 'dreams' (ie. a night in the dream suite of the castle, fast passes to every ride, shopping sprees, cruises, etc). We recieved absolutely none of them. I was praying for a night in the castle, but no one ever approached me with the key. I did, however, see one family that was chosen to stay in the dream suite while we were there - the mom was wearing a tiara and the whole family was riding in Cinderella's horse drawn pumpkin leading the parade. I am sure they were deserving, yet I was still disappointed and slightly jealous. I couldnt help but feel that somehow that tiara should have been mine.


Are you all aware that there are people who actually dress up to come to Disney? There are those (like us) who dress for comfort (as comfortable as you can be in 100 degree weather) and then there are those who dress to impress. I saw so many women who were wearing long dresses. Long as in floor length and these were not native African dresses. They were worn by American women who really believe that beauty knows no pain. I am all for looking good, but there is a limit to what I will do in the name of fashion.





While on the subject of fashion, let me just say we need to pray for Muslim women for many reasons. The main reason is that they are lost and need Jesus, but the other is that they are forced to wear heavy clothes from head to toe no matter how hot it is outside. I saw Muslim women with denim from their neck to their feet and boots on. Boots in August in Florida. That is torture, people! It is a thousand wonders those women dont fall over from heat stroke. Cant they just loose the burka for the purpose of staying cool at Disney World??? I mean cant they overlook the head covering for a couple of days? Try a little "What happens in Disney stays in Disney"? Thank you, Lord, that we are not made to wear oppressive clothing in oppressive heat!





Waiting to have the boys picture made with Lightning and Mater. If those names mean nothing to you, go rent the movie "Cars".










Have you ever noticed that people lose all sense inside Disney World? It never fails that when you are on your way to a particular place that Sven and Svetlana from Sveden stop right in front of you in the middle of the road to look at their map while you run right into the back of them.


On another note, during our 10 days at Disney, we let our kids drink Coke---alot. Lake had had Coke maybe 4 times in his 7 yrs of life and Kaden even less than that, but we decided to throw caution to the wind and go wild. We usually refrain from caffeine, but we decided "What happens at Disney stays at Disney"........incidentally we are all back on our strict water only regiment now (with the exception of a 16 oz bottle of Pepsi that I have hidden for myself in the door of the fridge behind some salad dressing --- "What happens in my fridge stays in my fridge").














Luann, I took this waterfall picture so that you could show David and maybe he will think of Disney as a possiblity for next year's vacation.......there are scenic spots everywhere you look!






We found this picture on the wall at Animal Kingdom and it bears a striking resemblance to some of the people on Steve's side of the family....who knew?

We have a posing problem. There are some candid shots in our set of 364, but sadly when someone says "Let me get a picture", we all scramble into position to get it over with.

While it is the Year of a Million Dreams at Disney, it was the year of a million pony tails for me. From the time we left until today, I never had my hair down except while in the shower......when I went to fix my hair today, I forgot what my hairstyle is supposed to look like.......really, I did!

Okay it is late and I am really tired. Hopefully, I will be catching up on you guys tomorrow. Hope I havent bored you to sleep with my pictures........unless you were having trouble sleeping in the first place and then I am glad to be of assistance.

I almost forgot!!! I got 2 awards - count'em TWO!!!! One from Stephanie and one from Heidi. I will be blogging more about my fabulous awards in a day or two, but until then --- thank you Stephanie (Apple Barn anytime!) and thank you Heidi (hope you are feeling detoxified)!!!!!

We Are Back

We are back, but not happy about it. We had sooooo much fun!!!! We got in late last night. We all wish we could have stayed 10 more days (or actually move into that big castle and rule the Magic Kingdom from on high ;-). I have lots of pictures to share - 364 to be exact, but don't worry, I wont share them all.

I should be washing clothes until sometime in late 2010, so I am not sure when I will get to post pics and thoughts from our trip (hopefully later today). I am obviously behind on blog reading since I have been out of the loop and off the net for a couple of weeks, so hopefully I will get to catch up on all your blogs in the next couple of days.

I tried to upload a little video for you guys, but I cannot make it work for some reason. When I have more time, I will try to get it posted.........

Lots to say (as usual) but it will have to wait until a little later.

Sound Off Please

Okay, a while back on Mari's blog, she listed some of the things she cannot live without (or prodcuts that she just love, love, loves), so I am totally copying her idea (hope were still friends, Mari). I am going to list a few items that I really like and then I am asking YOU --- EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO IS READING THIS BLOG WHETHER YOU HAVE COMMENTED HERE BEFORE OR NOT to sound off and let me (and everyone else) know what your favorite things are. These can be anything from your favorite makeup/aftershave to your favorite kind of trash bag. These should be tried and true items that you prefer over everything else you have tried.

Here is my list in no particular order

1. Principal Secret Reclaim Skin Care Line
2. CLR bathroom cleaner (Lowe's)
3. Lancome Juicy Tubes Lip gloss
4. Bath & Body Works Lip gloss in a tube
5. Trinds nail strengthener (my mom bought it for me at the nail salon)
6. Perfect Glass glass cleaner (Lowe's)
7. Blinc inc "Kiss Me" liquid eyeliner (never comes off until you peel it off - yes, I said peel)
8. True Blend Mineral Blush - I think cover girl, not sure but it comes from drug stores or Wal-mart
9. Curel Ultra Healing lotion
10. CeraVe moisturizing cream ($12 CVS - lasts forever)
11. Chap-stik (I know you are shocked)
12. Those funny looking fluorescent light bulbs that look like a cork screw - they last forever
13. Oust Air and Surface Sanitizer - smells better than Lysol
14. Febreez in any scent
15. Gain detergent and fabric softener
16. Sheer Cover mineral makeup (although I often use the Loreal kind and like it too)
17. Sheer Cover bronze lip to lid highlighter
18. St. Ives Apricot Scrub (I use it all over not just on face)
19. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil - (I cook with it or eat it by the spoonful and it DOES give you energy - Natural Foods Store)
20. Great Value Cherry Limeade sugar free drink mix packets from Wal-Mart - you know the kind you put in your Aquafina? They're great!


OKAY, YOUR TURN! THIS IS YOUR TIME TO SHINE! SHARE ALL YOUR SECRETS! SHOW EVERYONE HOW SMART YOU ARE! EVEN IF YOU ARE USUALLY A LURKER, TIME TO COME OUT OF THE CLOSET (so to speak)!! TELL US ALL WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOUR FAVORITE THINGS ARE!!!!! DON'T BE SHY!

Tim Hawkins

Cant embed these for some reason and since I am kind of in a hurry, I didnt think you would mind if I cheated......Take a few minutes and have a good laugh......

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=bef31c3bb99e4dc2c7d6

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=2c8d6d5f61d0ddb88acd

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e59b19db2071d55955e9

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=fb1bb007a3b1d4378ea2

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ce0fe8e342c2ea1e67fe (in case you missed it last time I posted it)

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=0f90b0ddb3c43f64c2a7

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=2275da59ba352aa5070c

Ichabod

I heard a story one time called The Dead Church. It goes something like this: A new Pastor in a small Texas town spent the first four days making personal visits to each of the members, inviting them to come to his first services.
The following Sunday the church was all but empty. Accordingly, the Pastor placed a notice in the local newspapers, stating that, because the church was dead, it was everyone's duty to give it a decent Christian burial. The funeral would be held the following Sunday afternoon, the notice said.
Morbidly curious, a large crowd turned out for the "funeral." In front of the pulpit, they saw a closed coffin, smothered in flowers. After the Pastor delivered the eulogy, he opened the coffin and invited his congregation to come forward and pay their final respects to their dead church.
Filled with curiosity as to what would represent the corpse of a "dead church," all the people eagerly lined up to look in the coffin. Each "mourner" peeped into the coffin then quickly turned away with a guilty, sheepish look.
In the coffin, tilted at the correct angle, was a large mirror.

The number of Americans who attend church (regularly, not just on Easter & Christmas) is dwindling. I don't really have to wonder why.....we all know that when people come face to face with the Gospel, they are forced to either change or walk away. Most people do not want to make the changes in their lives that God commands of us. There are those who refuse to go to church and those who go to church out of obligation - in their mind they have an obligation to appease God. Some go out of habit or because they love to socialize. There are hundreds of different reasons for going to church and not all of them are the right ones.

Have you ever heard someone say "I don't guess it matters why they go to church as long as they go" OR "It dosen't matter where you go to church as long as you go". Talk about worldly philosophy! I wonder how many people go to a church because it is the church their family has attended for years. How many people go to a church that teaches principles that don't line up with the Bible? How many people really research enough to find out if their church teaches doctrine that is contrary to the Bible? How many people are willing to step out of their box and leave a church that is not Biblically sound?

How many people go to churches that are completely dead with pastors who are just there for the paycheck? A man named Whitfield said, "How can dead men beget living children?". It's a good point. As children of God, we have a responsibility to find a church based on the leading of the Spirit, the sound doctrine of the church, and it doesn't hurt if the pastor is on fire for the Lord. We will have to answer for the generational sin of generational church attendance. We will answer for following a dead pastor who teaches false doctrine because we are not called to follow a pastor, but to follow the Good Shepherd.

There are churches today that should have huge signs over their steeples that say "Ichabod", which means "the glory has departed". Those are the churches that we should also depart from. Since we are told in the Bible that god will spit those who are 'lukewarm' out of His mouth, we should really take inventory of our hearts and lives to make sure that we aren't 'tepid'. We should also take inventory of the church we attend to make sure that it is on fire, because lukewarm is not how we want to be found when Jesus returns.