Take a Hike Ike - No wonder Tina left you!!!
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Posted:Sep 12, 2008 6:38 am
Last Updated:Oct 18, 2008 4:59 pm 4246 Views
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First of all, thank you to all who are praying for me and my through the trials we have faced and are continuing to face. I tried to put a note to each of you who posted on my Some Days post. I sure hope I didn't miss anyone. Please forgive me if I neglected anyone!
I am so appreciative all of your prayers, encouragement, support and friendship!!
Now, here is what's happening with that big bad Ike heading my way!
It's 8am Texas time and Ike is holding at a strong Cat 2 hurricane about 230 miles off the coast of Galveston. It is, however, expected to grow in strength to a Cat 3 by the time it makes landfall.
For those of you not familiar with hurricanes, landfall is when the eye of the storm reaches land. Ike is about 450 miles in diameter so by the time it "makes landfall" people 225 miles inland will already be feeling the hurricane big time!
The storm surge is already coming in on Galveston Island, City of Galveston and in places like Surfside beach which is where my and I like to go. In fact, our favorite camping spot is well underwater as I type.
I am in the suburbs just north of the City of Houston. I am not in a storm surge area but in an area that is expecting sustained winds of around 75 mph and gusts in the range of 110 mph. Because I live in a mobile home, I have been told to evacuate. My mother lives in the subdivision across the street from my subdivision so my and I will be going over there.
They are warning us of the possibilities of tornadoes because we are on what is considered the dirty side of the storm.
It seems somewhat surreal that we have this big ole storm out there this morning. I could see hundreds of stars last night and it is currently sunny outside although high clouds are slowing making their way into our skies overhead.
In the past 48 hours, gas prices have gone up here at least 25 cents... that's actually as of last night when I went to fill up. Many stations are out of gas or the lines are long.
Supermarket shelves are bare of such items like tuna, canned meat, and bread. I picked up a few things last night. I was able to get a case of water only because I got there as a pallete was being unloaded. The only bread I could find was cranberry walnut... YUMMMM... just not real good with mustard and turkey. Lunchmeat and soups were also gone.
I was able to get three bottles of my favorite mocha syrup. And I was amazed at the people who were just piling on cases of beer and wine into their carts. I don't know how they will make it through this thing without good coffee!!!
I am blessed because my mother made it to the store earlier in the day and purchased several items that were no longer available by the time I got off work.
My parents have propane so we will still be able to cook if the electricity goes off. We will fill the bathtubs with water later so we can flush the toilets if the sewer becomes affected by the storm.
All the windows are also taped up at her house as well. I am home right now, doing laundry and making ice so I can fill up my frig in hope of saving some of my frozen foods if the electric goes out.
I can hear the buzz of saws in the neighborhood as others put plywood up on their large windows.
I was told it wouldn't make a lot of sense of tape up my windows here because if the wind is strong enough to blow the windows, it might take an entire wall with it. I am taking down all my pictures on the walls and putting them in inner closets. Of course, any one of my 22 trees or my neighbors trees could come crashing down on everything. Praise God, I have insurance!
I feel like stuff is just stuff so I am not worried about losing anything. Yes, it's a drag and inconvienent but I have started over so many times in my life with nothing that I know I can do it again!!
For those of you who would like to track this monster, google KHOU Channel 11 Houston, TX. That is one of our local tv stations and they are on 24 hour coverage of the storm right now.
We are expecting to feel the first of Ike early afternoon.
I thank you for your prayers for me and my family. I would also ask that you would pray for those who have refused the mandatory evacuations, the law enforcement and emergency service people here in the area, the elderly who are without family here, the families who have left everything they own to flee this storm, those who are on the roads today trying to evacuate, and the families who have no place to go and are, as we say here in Texas, hunkering down.
Millions of people will be hiding in their closets tonight and crouching in shelters praying with all their hearts for God's provision and protection. In some ways, it's sad that it takes a monster like Ike to get so many on their knees but I am praising God because I know He will use this horrible storm to bring others to Him and many will be saved for all eternity tonight.
Please also pray for the volunteers who are giving of their time, energy and of their hearts in the shelters, at the rest stops, and anywhere their fellow man needs help during this storm. May God bless them richly.
And may God bless all of you abundently as well. I am so incredibly blessed to have a family like the one here at Big Church who continue to encourage, support, uplift and pray for me.
Thank you just doesn't seem enough but it's all I have. So....
THANK YOU!!
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Some days...
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Posted:Sep 9, 2008 7:52 pm
Last Updated:Sep 12, 2008 5:50 am 4876 Views
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Recently, I have been facing a lot of stress: work, the punkenstein, neck pain, bills, hurricane fatigue, other family concerns and my heart has been so heavy as I have seen friends who hearts are hurting and there has been nothing I can do about it all, other than pray.
I'm really tired y'all! My skin is just not thick enough to take it all right now.
The good news is I can still get down on my knees even though, it's getting harder to get back up. Some days, I wish I could just stay on them and not get back up.
Some days you just have to stay real close to your Daddy and keep laying your burdens at the foot of the cross because some days, there just isn't enough mocha!
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Holy Guacamole Batman!
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Posted:Sep 6, 2008 5:44 am
Last Updated:Sep 9, 2008 8:02 pm 4754 Views
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A few days ago I responded to Noah's post on whether the use of OMG is acceptable for Christians. I had replied that I tend to use the word Sheesh instead.
Noah felt this was just another version of Jesus. I had never heard that before. I always thought it was just Shhhh with a southern twang.
So far everyone I have asked about the use of the word Sheesh here in Texas, thinks I am a nutcase... Okay, so perhaps they thought that before I asked but none of them saw anything wrong with the use of Sheesh or thought it represented Jesus.
I have been using Sheesh for some time now and even my most legalistic friend who always brings my every failing to my attention has never said a thing about the use of the word. And he isn't even American, much less southern.
So am I right or am I wrong in this use of the word Sheesh? Well, I am not sure it matters because if one person thinks I am using Sheesh as Jesus then it could hurt my witness with that one person. I really don't want to do that!!
At the same time, I don't know if it's possible to please all the people all the time. After all I am human and so very imperfect even though I am saved.
Years ago, I was banned in one Christian chatroom for using the word Fudge. I was actually talking about a holiday recipe at the time but evidentially there are Christians who believe the use of the word Fudge is also taking the Lord's name in vain and in this particular Christian chatroom, it was on the auto ban list.
I wrote to the owners of the chatroom and had them look at the room logs and they reinstated me with a nice apology but I never came back there.
I think they were just a wee bit too strict for me. I wasn't sure what other words they had banned that I wouldn't know about it and with my mouth, it wouldn't be long before I was banned again. After all, what if the word Coffee was a bad one too?
In the south, many southern ladies will use, "Well, bless you heart." That sounds nice enough to others in the northern states perhaps. But here in the south, it's a like a big jab with a pointed elbow. It certainly does not mean, "May God bless you!"
Sometimes I say Man oh Man... Maybe that could be misconstrued somehow as well. After all, man was made in the image of God.
Personally, I don't like the use of the phrase Holy Crap. It draws images in my mind's eye of a priest standing over a pile of poo and blessing it.
I guess maybe I should stick with Holy Guacamole Batman or perhaps I should just pray I keep my mouth shut more. I know the latter is never a bad idea!!
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Ahhh the things you see in traffic through suburbia
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Posted:Sep 4, 2008 4:38 am
Last Updated:Oct 19, 2008 6:27 am 4108 Views
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Yesterday it took me two long hours to get to work. It was like I was in the wrong line at the supermarket again. Every roadway I took there seemed to be some sort of accident that slowed me down.
At one particular busy intersection smack dab in suburbia, about two blocks from a major freeway, I was caught in a long line of traffic behind a tanker truck as I waited for a six car pile up on the feeder road to clear.
It was seven lanes of bumper to bumper traffic on a road lined with fast food restaurants, shops and a hospital.
To my right was a ditch with a concrete storm piece going under the roadway.
To my surprise I saw a family of beavers, two adults with a little one, playing in the water. Yes, beavers in suburbia!
I have never seen beavers in Texas before so it was a treat. The people behind me were using their cellphone to take pictures.
It's amazing the things you see in traffic when you are just sitting there waiting and not too busy yelling at the drivers ahead of you for making you late to work. I think it was well worth the wait.
Have a great day y'all and if you are like me and have to sit in traffic, take in the sights because you never know what God might want to show you out there. God bless y'all!
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I'll admit it!
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Posted:Sep 3, 2008 4:40 am
Last Updated:Sep 9, 2008 7:34 pm 3774 Views
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One of the things I did this weekend was kick back and relax while watching Waterworld!
I don't care what the critics said. I don't care that Kevin Costner's hair is thinning. I don't care that he had gills and webbed feet. I don't care that it was an overbudget box office bomb.
I liked the movie and I like Kevin Costner as an actor. I also liked The Postman and maybe someday, when it comes on cable, I will watch Swing Vote too.
So there!
Have a great day y'all and may it be wonderfully blessed.
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Pink is the New Red and Tuesday is the New Monday!
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Posted:Sep 1, 2008 8:15 pm
Last Updated:Sep 3, 2008 4:16 am 3571 Views
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Tomorrow is going to be hectic as I have all the work of Monday that has to be done by 11am tomorrow plus all the work of a regular Tuesday.
I am praying that the employees who fled from Gustavo are all okay. I wonder where I am supposed to send their checks. I know they will most certainly need the money! Even without a hurricane and mandatory evacuation, we all need our checks.
It's been a somewhat stressful weekend but yet God has blessed me so very much. Houston is so overdue for a big hurricane but yet we may not even get a rain cloud out this one. However, Ike is out there brewing and the east coast could see Hannah make it's way ashore this week as well.
You just never know what path these things are going to end up taking.
I am glad that God isn't that way. He remains the same today and tomorrow as He was yesterday. With the way of the world today, it's nice to know that we can count on Him no matter what!
I wish y'all an awesome week and please join me in continuing to pray for those who were hammered by the likes of Gustav.
God bless y'all!
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A Single Drop of Water
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Posted:Sep 1, 2008 7:40 am
Last Updated:Sep 4, 2008 4:24 am 3952 Views
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Have you ever had someone in your life as a that influenced you so much that it probably changed the path of your life?
Miss Patricia Baumann was that influential person for me in sixth grade at John F Long Elementary School in Phoenix. She was a beautiful, young, enthusiatic teacher and I was a part of the second class she ever taught.
Miss Baumann was very much into words. She would cut out pictures from magazines, paste them to sheets of paper and then hand them out to the class. We then had to come up with stories for pictures. I loved that exercise as I grew to adore adjectives.
Because of Miss Baumann, I no longer walked to school. Instead, I cautiously made my way through the ragged hole in the fence before happily skipping through the dusty playground area and onto her classroom filled with the aroma of fresh chalk and mimeograph ink.
Get the picture?
We didn't have a cafeteria at our school so hot lunches were not available. A couple of times Miss Baumann organized potlucks to coincide with one of our studies and our moms would bring dishes to go along with the theme.
Poor Miss Baumann had to try everything all of brought. I never saw her complain and I recall some dishes that I certainly wasn't going to try at those luncheons!!
Miss Baumann also directed our group of gangly misfits to perform various plays. Although I never received the lead in any of them, I won't forget being Holly the Elf in The Night That Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas or being a rogue bunny in our version of The Velveteen Rabbit.
I recall there was a really big test. It was one of those must pass state tests. Miss Baumann said as an incentive that she would take the students with the top five scores to go see the one and only Harlem Globe Trotters when they came to Phoenix.
I had seen the Globetrotters on the Wide World of Sports and everyone back then knew Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal! I stayed afterschool for extra study and did everything I could to pass that test with flying colors.
I felt like the King of the World when Miss Baumann called my name as being one of the top five! When the Globetrotters came into the area, all of us went running to the entrance. Curly Neal slapped my hand! I couldn't believe it. I touched a real live Harlem Globetrotter!
Looking back, I think she paid for all the tickets herself!
I thought Miss Baumann was one of the most beautiful women I had ever met. In fact, several of us thought she should get into the Miss USA pageant. She was certainly within the age bracket. However, she would just laugh at the thought.
It was because of Miss Baumann that I knew I wanted to grow up to be a writer. It was because of her inspiration, encouragement and teaching that I joined school newspaper after school newspaper and eventually went into journalism.
I spent many years earning my living by writing news for radio, television and print publications.
Although I am no longer writing professionally right now, someday I may get a book published and it will be because of Miss Baumann.
I doubt that she would remember me. She probably considers herself as a single drop of water in her students' lives. But, ahhhh, what ripples that drop of water created in mine!
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Same Scam; Different Story...
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Posted:Aug 31, 2008 4:06 pm
Last Updated:Sep 1, 2008 8:19 am 3847 Views
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Here is a new one that turned up in my email box recently. It's the same as all the other email scams but the story is a new one... I guess I am just not a good American because this time I am ignoring good ole Uncle Sam...
Not to mention I am probably going to hell now for exposing this deal that I am supposed to keep highly confidential! LOL I find it even more interesting that I must submit my contact info to them but yet the IRS has no problems finding me! LOL
Dear,
My name is Sgt. Adam Smith, I am an American soldier, I am serving in the military of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Patrols Tal Afar, in Iraq. I apologized using this medium to reach you for a deal of this magnitude.
We managed to move funds belonging to Saddam Hussein's family. The total amount is US$25 Million dollars in cash, mostly 100 dollar bills. We want to move this money to you, so that you may invest it for us and keep our share for banking. I have the authority of my partners involved to propose that should you be willing to assist us in this transaction, your share of the sum will be 30% of the US$25 million, 60% for us and 10% will be kept aside for expenses and rest assure that this business is 100% safe on your part provided you treat it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality.
Basically since we are working for the American Government, we cannot keep these funds, We plan on using diplomatic courier by shipping the money out to you by using diplomatic immunity. No strings attached, just help us move it out of Iraq, for Iraq is a war zone. You will only help the diplomat to get the yellow tag paper as soon as they arrive in your airport, they will have to call you to notify you that they have arrive for you to arrange with them on geting the tag so that the custom and immigration will not inspect the consignment.
If you are interested I will send you the full details, my job is to find a good partner that we can trust and that will assist us. Can I trust you? When you receive this letter, kindly send me an e-mail signifying your interest including your most confidential telephone/address for quick communication for the delivery. This business is risk free. The box can be shipped out in 48hrs.
Please observe utmost confidentiality, and be rest assured that this business is risk free.
Respectfully submitted
Sgt. Adams.
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Would you play full contact football without any pads?
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Posted:Aug 31, 2008 4:50 am
Last Updated:Sep 1, 2008 3:07 pm 3822 Views
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Ephesians 6 : 10 - 20
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
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Tipper Gore; Tip Her Or; Tip Me More
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Posted:Aug 30, 2008 6:22 pm
Last Updated:Sep 1, 2008 3:06 pm 3653 Views
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This post has absolutely nothing to do with politics or Tipper Gore! Boo-Yah!
Do you tip service workers? I do and I usually tip 20 percent at restaurants if the service is good and although I haven't been to a hair salon in years, I even tip the shampoo girl.
I also tip at Starbucks but I am not sure why. I was tipping the ladies at the deli in my office building until I found out last week that they only get the tips placed in the jar and not the tips on the debit card receipts.
Last night I tipped the pizza delivery guy $5 because he got my pizza there so fast and plus they undercharged me by $2 but when confronted with it, he told me not to worry about it. I wanted to make sure that if at the end of the night that extra $2 came out of his check, he would still be covered on a tip.
I know some countries do not have tipping. But here, in the restaurants, servers make less than minimum wage and are expected to make up the rest of their salary with tips.
There was talk a couple of years ago about making gratuities mandatory at 15 percent on restaurant bills. I am against that idea. I tip well for good service. I don't think I should be obligated to pay an assigned mandatory amount for bad service and then not be able to reward those who do an outstanding job.
The idea of mandatory gratuities was spearheaded by restaurant owners who did not want to raise their employees wages. I think if the restaurants want their employees to make more money without putting out the effort of giving good service, they should give them a raise!
I also think good service goes beyond just bringing me the food I ordered.
I do not consider myself demanding but sometimes I want another glass of soda or tea. Sometimes I might need a condiment not already on the table. Sometimes I want to order dessert. Sometimes I need a "to go" container. I also do not like to wait 30 or more minutes after I have finished eating to receive my bill.
Cover all those bases and the service person will indeed get an easy 20 percent or more from me. If the service worker does not, then the percentage starts to drop. I have never tipped less than 10 percent of the bill.
I also tip the guys who carry out my groceries from the store to the car as well. Usually it's just $2-3 bucks depending on what a good job they did of bagging my items. If you put canned goods in my eggs and bread, you just lost a buck!
Today at the grocery store, not only did the bagger not offer to take my stuff to the car but just sorta shove my cart at me after I had paid, turned and walked away before I could even ask for help.
If he had been observant, he would have heard me ask for ones back from a five so I could tip the bagger.
No service; no tip!
My old grocery store always asked me if I need help to my car with my items. When I have a lot of items, I consider it my treat to have someone lift them all into the car and I don't mind tipping for the service. It's a quick five minutes of work for the person.
I think I might write my new grocery store as this is the second time on a Saturday that no one would help me with my items.
So how about you? Do you tip? How much? What kind of service do you expect for that tip? And who do you tip?
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