Read this for a good laugh

I was surfing the web earlier tonight just perusing various blogs and I came upon this post by a lady about my age, I'm thinking. Anyway, as I read the post I just cracked up laughing, so I wanted to share it with ya'll.

A warning: it has some a couple of foul words in it and it is somewhat crude.

Be sure to read the comments too.

Here's the link: Maybe You Just Dont Want To Know

PS. You may have to be over 50 to relate.

I cancelled my membership to Audible.com today. I just haven’t been listening to my audio books lately. It’s been too cold out to take walks, and I just hate going to the gym and walking on the treadmill. I really don’t take any long commutes to anywhere so I just don’t have much opportunity lately to listen. I will get back to walking when the weather improves. Right now I’ve got three long audio books waiting to listen to, so I figure there’s no sense just letting them pile up. I will reactivate my membership when I get caught up. I really enjoy the audio books though.

Right now, I’m trying to listen to Dr. Laura’s new book: The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage. So far, it’s a lot like her other book, ‘The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands.’’ It has pretty much the same message: Women have all the power in a marriage if we will only use it. Of course, this only applies if you are married to a ‘nice guy.’ Doesn’t apply to marriages with jerky guys. I think the books make a lot of sense. I also listen to Dr. Laura’s radio program. I don't agree with everything Dr. Laura says, and certainly not with her theology, but with alot, --probably 80% of what she says.

The other audio books I have waiting to listen to are:

Water for Elephants
By: Sara Gruen

Mayflower
By: Nathaniel Philbrick

Outlander
By Diana Gabaldon

I just finished The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. It took me a couple of months to get thru it, but it was pretty good. Not one of the best I’ve very read, but it kept my interest. I couldn’t really relate to any of the characters though. It seems the main theme throughout the book was about family ties. One of the main characters, Margaret was heartbroken over her twin sister who had died at birth. It didn’t say how old Margaret was, but she was well into adulthood and still lived at home with her parents. She just pined and pined over her dead sister. Then there was another character, (cant remember his name), who was in his 50’s or 60’s and he pined and pined over his mother who had abandoned him at birth.

Now forgive me for being cold hearted, but I say move-on already! They never even knew the dead family members. They spent their whole lives wishing for something that never was. ….But, as I said, it was a book that kept my interest pretty well, so I would recommend it, I guess. It’s gotten lots of good reviews.

On another note, here’s an interesting story about a guy who won a seat on a spaceship:

Then reality struck. After some number-crunching, Emmett realized he would have to report the $138,000 galactic joy ride as income and owe $25,000 in taxes. Unwilling to sink into debt, the 31-year-old software consultant from the San Francisco Bay area gave up his seat.

I say he was a smart guy.

Wouldn't most people just say 'I'll worry about the taxes later. This is an opportunity of a lifetime!'

And that's true, it IS an opportunity of a lifetime, but if you don't have the money to pay the taxes, you shouldn't make the trip.

And yes, you would probably just feel sick about it.

And yes, I think taxes are too high.

Being thrifty isn't always nifty

Bo worked yesterday in Gruver, and Mason worked too, so I had the day to myself (which is nice every once in a while). I decided to go and do some 'window shopping' just to get out of the house. I'm just such a tight wad, it's hard for me to let go of money, and even though that can be a virtue, in some ways in can be a detriment. Just ask my husband! Anyway, first I headed over to Cavender's Boot City because I like their jeans. I am pretty tall (5'8) and have long legs so its hard for me to find jeans that are long enough. When I do find them long enough, they usually don't fit as I like, or they are too 'low-rised' for an old lady like me. So it's rare that I find a pair that are long enough and fit right, AND are a good price. (That's my jean dilemma. I'm sure everybody has one). Anyway, Cavendars carries Lawman Jeans and sometimes I can actually find a pair of Lawman Jeans that I like. And even though I was only window shopping, I like the challenge of finding 'the perfect pair of jeans.'

But guess what? I found a pair that I really liked, not perfect, (is there really any such thing) but a good fit, and they were 15% off. Yippee. But wait.... I'm only window shopping. I didn't expect to actually find a pair I like. I wasn't actually prepared (in my mind) to spend this money. So now I have a delimma on my hands. What to do, what to do??

I have a conversation with myself: It's not that often that I find a pair of jeans I actually like, yes but... I really don't want to spend this money. But the jeans actually fit well and they are even long enough.... But what if I get them home and they shrink in the washer, then they will be too short. Oh, they probably won't. It says they're prewashed and that's another thing, I really like the color of these jeans due to the prewashing.... I know, but they just cost too much, even with the 15% they are higher than I would prefer to pay.

Oh dear, what to do. I walked around the store looking at other jeans, took a few pairs to try on, hoping to find a cheaper pair that I like just as much, all to no avail. I tried on the good pair again. None even compared. Oh dear, I knew I was going to have to just bite the bullet and buy the jeans. So I hesitantly walked towards the check-out counter, all the while thinking, 'I can always bring them back, this is not permanent.'

Finally, I handed the jeans to the check-out clerk, gave her my credit card (which I ever-so-faithfully pay off in FULL every month), signed the receipt and headed home. When I got home, I carefully cut the tags off, saving them and the receipt, --just in case I freak out and decide to take the jeans back.

My, what an ordeal to put myself through. It's not as if we are destitute and can't afford a stupid pair of jeans. Sometimes I am so weird.

As I said, being thrifty is not a always virtue, although sometimes it does have it's rewards.

This morning as I was putting on my makeup and getting ready, I turned on the TV for a little while. The 700 Club happened to be on, so I just watched for a little while. The whole show was about how to prosper financially. It was all about what YOU can do in order to get a blessing from God. I am just appalled at this teaching. There were several stupid moving stories about people who had been really down and out and how THEY decided to accept Jesus as their savior, then THEY decided to start tithing, some even double tithing. And because THEY did these wonderful things for God, THEY received the full benefit of God’s favor. What a man-centered bunch of bunk! I hear this teaching so often these days and it just sickens me. I hear so many people use such verses as these to prove this teaching:

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Phil. 4:13

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:19

But they have taken these verses out of context. In this chapter of Philippians, just a few verses before these two, Paul is talking about how he has learned that in whatsoever state he is in, to be content. He says ‘I know how to be abased and I know how to abound.’

So when Paul says ’I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me,’ it seems to me he is saying he can endure whatever comes his way, be it hardships or prosperity (and we know he had lots of hardships).

When he says, ’God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus,’ isn’t he also talking about how God will, thru Jesus Christ, supply our needs, which would be, in this context: the ability to be content and endure whatever comes out way.

To use these verses to say God will make us rich or we can do anything, achieve anything in this world, is just total abuse of these verses, I believe. (I guess Paul and the apostles just didn't have enough faith, or didn't tithe their whole 10% because they sure weren't rich and all died a martyr's death).

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not about what WE do, it is about what CHRIST has done. We do not turn God this way or that by how much we pray, how much we give, or whatever ‘good deeds’ we do. God is not there to serve us. We are here to serve him. He is not our Genie in a bottle.

I guess it's good (for the world anyway) for there to be people that believe this garbage teaching because sharing the world with people that strive to be good and do good deeds, even with the wrong motives, is better than sharing the world with people who care nothing about doing the right thing (isn't it?), but man, when you do look at people’s motives (to prosper themselves and using religion to do it), it is just sad to me. …..BUT I know God is in complete control and it is his will for things to go this way. So, praise his Holy name! I pray he will keep me from such deception because if he doesn’t I will fall right in line with them (and do in so many areas). God help us.

Here's something interesting I ran across today about Daylight Savings time.

The last few days have been pretty uneventful around here, so I really have nothing to blog about, but just thought I'd share the above link.

Have a good day!

It’s 11:00 on Friday night. Bo has gone to bed and I’m sitting up alone just surfing the internet. It has just begun to snow outside and the weatherman predicts we will get 8 - 14 inches tonight and tomorrow. Ugh. I sure hope not. But the Lord knows best and he controls the weather, along with everything else.

I went to Walmart today to get some groceries before the snow storm set in, and it seems many other people in town had the same idea because Walmart was packed. I just hate trying to grocery shop when it’s that busy. There are so many people in the aisles, it’s hard to get thru, and I feel bad if I stop for too long to look at something or read a label because I am in somebody’s way. And then there are the electric cart people who seem to dawdle along. Anyway, today I was on the beverage isle to get my Diet Dr Peppers, and as I reached to pick them up, they slipped out of my hand. The whole pack dropped to the floor and DP’s went rolling everywhere. Of course there were several people on the isle with me at the time, and everybody had to dodge the rolling bottles. Ugh. I WOULD do something goofy like that on such a busy day. Oh well.

Corbin spent the night with us on Saturday night and on Sunday morning, Corbin & I got all bundled up and walked over to the park to play in the snow. The snow is not very deep and it was an icy snow, so you really couldn't do much with it. Corbin just ran around sliding and such. And he found out that walking backwards into the wind was much more comfortable than walking forward into it. It sure was cold (like 20 degrees), but was fun. ---Making sweet memories!

Mason decided a little while ago he would walk over to the library. I told him, 'it is very cold out, you better wear your long underwear, a big coat, neck warmer, gloves, and such. He stood there in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with another open button-down shirt over it. 'Naw, I'll be fine,' he said. As he stood there, I typed http://weather.com into my internet browser. 'It's 23 degrees!' I said. 'You better get some warm clothes on. You will freeze if you don't.' He came back with, 'Why don't you just let me find out for myself instead of always telling me what to do? I'll be just fine.' "OK,' I said, 'see ya later.' So off he went. Now, mind you, it's a mile walk over to the library and a mile back. About 40 minutes later, here he comes walking in, about frozen. (He didn't even wear gloves!) 'I should've listened,' he said, 'I about froze to death,' he said as he touched my face with his very cold hands. I hated to say I told you so, but just couldn't resist. Teenagers! .....But to top it all off, the library was closed for Martin Luther King day.

It is 12 degrees here this morning with a wind chill of -2. Brrrrr. It's cold. We have snow on the ground and only have an expected high of 27 today. AND it's supposed to be like this thru Monday. Ahhh, winter in Amarillo. Oh well, it's not as bad as some places and I AM in a nice warm house, so I can't complain too much.

Bo had a business meeting yesterday and business dinner last night in Gruver so he just spent the night there. He will be driving home later today. Mason has to work today at Sonic. Hopefully he'll be working inside and not carhopping. He hasnt been carhopping much anymore. Now he's working at the intercom inside. I think he likes that better, but he does miss the tips. I have had a quiet week, not much going on. I worked Wednesday and Thursday morning and I picked Corbin up from school on those days. Jenny went to San Diego with her dad, so Cody & Corbin are batching it for a few days.

Well, that's about it for me. I talked to Jocelyne this morning and she said it is pouring down rain in Austin. --Aren't you glad you read my blog today and got the latest weather reports in a couple of areas in Texas? What's it doing in your area? Eileen, it looks awful cold in Colorado. And to think..... they're having a heat wave in New York City for this time of year.

Jeff Foxworthy said: "You might be a redneck if you spend at least forty hours a week at Walmart and you don't work there." Sometimes I feel like I spend that much time there. I really don't, but I know that hardly ever does two or three days go by that I'm not there. I do all my grocery shopping there and for some reason I just can't get all my grocery shopping done once a week like my mother did while I was growing up, so I have to keep going back to get stuff. I am glad that I live only a couple of miles from Walmart instead of the 80 miles away I used to live. How did I survive back then without Walmart being close by?

Don't Ever Bowl In Tennis Shoes

Yesterday Bo, Mason & I were just sitting around the house, not doing much of anything and a little bored, so we decided to go bowling since we had such a good time bowling on Christmas Day. As we were driving over to the bowling alley, I told Bo I thought I would just bowl in my tennis shoes because I don’t like the idea of wearing shoes that have been worn by many other people, all of whom I do not know, AND don’t know what kind of fungus might be growing on their feet. Bo told me he didn’t think they allowed people to bowl in their tennis shoes and that it probably wasn’t a good idea anyway because my feet wouldn’t slide properly. I told him that I was going to try it anyway, and if I wasn’t supposed to, the bowling employees would probably come and tell me. Bo again told me he really didn’t think I should do that, but I, being the independent person I am, said I will just try it and see how it works out. I waited over to the side while Bo & Mason got their shoes and we got assigned a lane, then we all picked out a ball. Mason bowled first and then sat down as I got up to bowl. I did my usual technique ….step one, two, three, four, slide. ----And slide I did! I slid over the line and busted my rear end fell hard on my backside. Then I couldn’t get up. I fell a couple of more times as I tried. The floor across the line was so slippery it felt like I was on ice, only magnified a couple of times. I would put my weight on one foot trying to stand and my foot would slip out from under me. By this time, people were watching me and Bo was cracking up laughing. I finally sort of inched my way to the other side of the line and got up, feeling like a total idiot, but laughing hard myself. I almost took a bow to all the people watching, but decided against it. After catching my breath and acknowledging to Bo that he sure was right, I promptly limped over to the counter and asked for a pair of bowling shoes. Needless to say, I will not try that again! My backside is still pretty sore today. ----So if anybody out there is as dumb as me and thinks they will try bowling in their tennis shoes, take my advice and DON’T! (And always listen to you spouse).

"Blessed is the man who hears Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors" (Proverbs 8:34).

Oh, how true. Anyone who truly hears the gospel is so blessed. It’s funny but, used to, when I would read a bible passage that says ‘blessed is,’ I thought it meant IF we do such ‘n such (whatever the specific verse is referring to), we WILL be blessed or rewarded somehow. So I thought the ‘blessed’ verses were telling us something we need to go do in order to be blessed. Now I see that they are saying we are blessed already, if we are able to do whatever the verse is referring to. If we are able to hear the gospel, we have been blessed already.

I love this verse:

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Matt 16:17

The Lord Jesus had just asked, ‘Whom do men say that I, the son of man, am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.’ That’s when Jesus replied by saying, ’Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.’ The Lord Jesus was telling Simon Peter that he is truly blessed already because he is able to SEE Christ and know he is the son of the living God. The blessing is that he can see Christ, because on his own, he would not be able to.

The beatitudes in Matthew 5 use the word blessed many times. Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are they that mourn, blessed the meek, blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, blessed are the merciful, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peacemakers….. Are these verses telling us we need to muster up these qualities, and when we do we will be blessed or rewarded in some way? ---If so, I am surely in trouble. I can’t seem to muster up anything good within myself, much less these qualities. There is no way I can be blessed then.

I no longer believe we are to DO to be blessed. I believe we already ARE blessed if we are able to do any of these virtuous things ever, (and probably won't even know when we do them) because the only way we CAN is if Christ is working in us. And oh, what a blessing that is! It means that Christ has saved us and is working in us. What greater blessing or reward could there be? ---Praise his wonderful name.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

We had a wonderful Christmas day yesterday. I cooked all morning and everything turned out delicious, if I do say so myself. The buttermilk pie was exceptionally good! Jocelyne, Cody & Jenny, Whitney, & Corbin were here with Bo, Mason & I. We ate lunch, then opened presents. We didn't do alot of presents this year, but it was no big deal. Corbin got a Nerf gun that everybody had fun playing with. Cody, Jenny & Corbin had to leave after a while to go to Dalhart to visit Jenny's family, so Bo, Jocelyne, Whitney, Mason & I went bowling. That was lots of fun. Bo was really hot yesterday! He bowled a 183. I started out really bad and had of score of around 50 the first game, but ended up improving and doing OK with a score of 130 in the second game. Mason did great the first game but petered out in the second. Whitney did pretty good in the first and bad in the second and Jocelyne stunk in both games. You just need to work on your moves Jocelyne! LOL. One, two, three, four, slide.

Anyway, Jocelyne left for Austin this morning, and Bo went to Gruver, so it's just back to Mason & I. We took the day off from school, but will start back tomorrow.

Hope you had a good Christmas!

I really enjoy Christmas time. I love the getting together with family and fellowship, all the good food, the pretty lights, the trees and such. It’s just a special time, I think. I must say though that I don’t especially associate Christ with Christmas time anymore than I associate Christ with Valentine’s Day or any other holiday. I mean it’s hard to not think about it with all the nativity scenes and things you read and hear people say about it being Christ’s birthday and such, but I do feel like the Christ that’s being talked about by so many, is not the same Christ that I worship anyway. I worship a Christ that totally and completely accomplished salvation for his people. Nothing needs to be added to it. He did it all and every single person he died for WILL be saved. To say that we must add something to his death on the cross is robbing Christ of his glory, I believe, and God will not stand for that. And why should he? Everything that we do is tainted with sin. God is perfect and holy and just. He cannot and will not look upon sin. We need a perfect substitute and we have one in Christ, but it will and must be ALL Christ’s work and absolutely none of ours. It seems that in most religions today, we are told that we must make a decision, pray a prayer, DO SOMETHING in order to be saved. Not so! Christ, on the cross said, "It is finished." The work is done. All God's people are saved already. Praise his holy name. There is nothing we need to do.

No where in the bible are we told to celebrate Christ’s birthday, and we really don’t even know what day he was born. I don’t like seeing all the images men make to represent Christ at Christmas time and all year long, for that matter. (Are we to even make images of Christ?) How in the world could any doll or picture or even a real baby represent the glory and wonderfulness of Christ, our savior? I really find all the nativity scenes at Christmas time offensive.

I’m not against having a holiday called Christmas. It’s fine with me as a day of getting together with family and friends and such, and as I said, I really enjoy the holiday, but I don’t agree with setting the day aside as being more special than any other as far as remembering Christ. Christ’s birth and death should be celebrated in our hearts everyday.

So…… Merry Christmas to you or Happy Holidays or WHATEVER! May you have a wonderful holiday.

It rained all day yesterday and then snowed last night, so we have ice covered with snow. There are lots of broken tree limbs all over the city because of the heavy ice. The trees look so pretty all covered with ice, but the broken limbs look pretty sad. And it's cold outside!


Mason helped me in the kitchen yesterday make some Christmas candy and cookies.

Congratulations Jenny! Last night Jenny, my daughter-in-law graduated with honors with her bachelor's degree from WTAMU. She has worked very hard and I know it took alot of effort with a husband and son to take care of while going to school, so I am very proud of her.

Whitney & I went to the graduation and afterwards Jenny's dad took us all out to the Amarillo Club, a very nice restaurant on the 31st floor of a tall building in Amarillo. (Bo didnt get to go because his company had their Christmas party last night). It was such a nice place. The food was great and the view was spectacular!

I enjoyed it so much, just spending time with my kids.













I even got to have a dance with my son!

Well, I just thought I was on the mend. I woke up Saturday morning and the whole thing started all over again. Ugh. I have been so sick the last 3 1/2 days. Today I am out of bed (and in my chair). I am feeling a little better, but still weak and tired. Hopefully, the worst is over. The nausea is better and that's been the worst of it, I think. I was planning to work tomorrow, but don't know if I'll be able to. One good thing is that feeling so bad makes you really appreciate feeling good, which I tend to take for granted. I have been thinking about my mother while I've been sick because she has been taking chemotherapy and she feels this way most of the time. How miserable that must be. Yesterday was her birthday. She turned 77. She has decided to stop the chemotherapy. It just makes her feel too bad and it's something she would have to continue the rest of her life. Odd, the very treatment you need to keep you alive keeps you in misery while you're alive. ---Or as in the case of my Adam, the chemotherapy itself kills you.

Sometimes this life is hard, but it sure makes heaven look good.

We made it back from Las Vegas and had a good time there. We went to the National Rodeo Finals two nights, which was really good. We also ate at some very nice restaurants. One was called Lawry's. (Yes, the same Lawry's that makes the seasoning in the grocery store). We had prime rib which was outstanding, but I wouldn't say it was quite as good as what it cost though. My goodness, it was expensive. Thankfully we weren't paying for it, but the company that took us out there. An animal health company that Bo's company buys medicine from. And that sure was NICE of them! There was a girl with our group that got sick while we were there. A stomach flu or virus or something. She stayed in her room most of the time. Then yesterday around noon (after we were home), I started feeling sick at my stomach and proceeded to get worse and worse. Ugh, I had an awful night and have been weak and still feeling bad all day today. I am keeping food down now though, so hopefully I am on the mend.

Bo is taking a group of work associates pheasant hunting tomorrow and Sunday. Guess I'll just be hanging out around the house. Hope you have a good weekend!

Is anybody even reading this?

Bo & I are leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow and will be there until Wednesday. We're going for the National Rodeo Finals. It should be fun even though Las Vegas isnt one of my favorite places to go, it is very interesting and I know we'll have a good time. We are staying at the Treasure Island Hotel on the strip. I just like to walk around looking at all the fancy hotels and casinos. They are so spectacular and something to see! So... I'll talk to you when we get back.

Here's a picture taken while we were in Tyler for Thanksgiving.





In the back from left to right is sister Mary, sister Glenda, Me & brother Buster. The front: My daddy, stepmom Dorothy, stepdad Fred, & my mother.



Here's a picture of the whole group:















And here's Bo, Mason & I:

Corbin, aka Sparrow

I picked Corbin up at school today and he was dressed like an indian. He told me his indian name is Sparrow, so I took his picture and here he is. I think he is a fine looking indian. If you look hard, you will see the indian necklace he is wearing. According to Corbin, indians used to trade necklaces and other sorts of things. Thanks Corbin for helping me write today's blog entry!

We had a great thanksgiving visit to Tyler and got home last night. We had such good food and enjoyed our visit very much. Here are Mason & Whitney making a cheese ball.
Hope you had a good Thanksgiving too!