::REpost::17November2008::

I got this from Anne's blog.  Copy the list, highlight the ones you've done, post it on your blog, and let me know if you do.

1.  Started your own blog
2.  Slept under the stars
3.  Played in a band
4.  Visited Hawaii
5.  Watched a meteor shower
6.  Given more than you can afford to charity
7.  Been to Disneyland/world
8.  Climbed a mountain
9.  Held a praying mantis
10.  Sang/played a solo
11.  Bungee jumped
12.  Visited Paris
13.  Watched a lightning storm at sea
14.  Taught yourself an art from scratch
15.  Adopted a child
16.  Had food poisoning
17.  Walked to the top of the Statue of LIberty
18.  Grown your own vegetables
19.  Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20.  Slept on an overnight train
21.  Had a pillow fight
22.  Hitch hiked
23.  Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24.  Built a snow fort
25.  Held a lamb
26.  Gone skinny dipping
27.  Run a marathon
28.  Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29.  Seen a total eclipse
30.  Watched a sunrise or sunset
31.  Hit a home run
32.  Been on a cruise
33.  Seen Niagara Falls in person
34.  Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35.  Seen an Amish community
36.  Taught yourself a new language
37.  Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38.  Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39.  Gone rock climbing
40.  Seen Michelangelos' David
41.  Sung karaoke
42.  Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43.  Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44.  Visited Africa
45.  Walked on a beach by moonlight
46.  Been transported in an ambulance
47.  Had your portrait painted
48.  Gone deep sea fishing
49.  Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50.  Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Pairs
51.  Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52.  Kissed in the rain
53.  Played in the mud
54.  Gone to a drive-in theater
55.  Been in a movie
56.  Visited the Great Wall of China
57.  Started a business
58.  Taken a martial arts class
59.  Visited Russia
60.  Served in a soup kitchen
61.  Sold Girl Scout cookies
62.  Gone whale watching
63.  Gotten flowers for no reason
64.  Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65.  Gone sky diving
66.  Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67.  Bounced a check
68.  Flown in a helicopter
69,  Saved a favorite childhood toy
70.  Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71.  Eaten caviar
72.  Pieced a quilt
73.  Stood in Times Square
74.  Toured the Everglades
75.  Been fired from a job
76.  Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77.  Broken a bone
78.  Been on a speeding motorcycle
79.  Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80.  Published a book
81.  Visited the Vatican
82.  Bought a brand new car
83.  Walked in Jerusalem
84.  Had your picture in the newspaper
85.  Read the entire Bible
86.  Visited the White House
87.  Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88.  Had chicken pox
89.  Saved someone's life
90.  Sat on a jury
91.  Met someone famous
92.  Joined a book club
93.  Lost a loved one
94.  Seen the Alamo in person
95.  Swam in the Great Salt Lake
96.  Been involved in a law suit
97.  Owned a cell phone
98.  Been stung by a bee

Post-edit:  Fun! I got to highlight a few more this second time around.

ahoy, mates!

Hi peeps!

I am typing here from Helsinki, Finland and may be quite literally paying for this internet time with an arm and a leg. :) Online time on the ship is expensive!

We have had absolutely lovely weather {thanks global warming} and we are so close to the Arctic Circle it is amazing! We have one more short tour tomorrow in Stockholm, one day at sea, and then one day flying home. Yay! This country girl is ready to get back to peace and quiet. But I have really enjoyed being with my family and seeing exotic places that I am quite sure I will never see again.

The crew on the ship is very friendly and we've had fun getting to know more about them. The hardest days of sightseeing were in St. Petersburg. It was very tiring but stunning. It is hard to imagine how the czars lived so exotically while their people were starving. Unreal. I'm so thankful for America!

I miss keeping up with everyone and their blogs so hello to all of my peeps out there. I click on a few blogs in my reader here and there but I don't have time to ready everyone.

Hugs to everyone and I'll "see" you this weekend! :)

Rebecca

::REpost::01January09::

amazing, isn't it? but then again, not really!

Bear with me for a little bit with this post while I give some background and set it up for what I'm trying to get across.

I'm sure this has happened to you. This has happened to me this week - and it's not the first time.  During my devotions/ personal time with the Lord, He has been working on me about PRAYER.  Then, the verse I was teaching to the bus kids this week was Hebrews 11:6, "Now without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them who diligently seek Him."  The words that I put in bold are the words that I really emphasized with the kids.

I find such conviction in the stories or lessons or verses that I teach.  Whether it's on the bus route, in Master's Club, or Sunday school.  How can I get up there and tell the kids to trust God, obey His Word, have faith, etc...when I don't do it myself?  OOOOOOOOhhhhhhh.  I hate hypocrisy.  So I better start talkin' the talk and walkin' the walk!

Back to the verse I was teaching on Sunday.  I asked the kids to raise their hands if they wanted to please God.  I want to please God!!  And they all did to.  That's the point.  Everyone wants to please God.  But it's impossible to please Him without faith.  On to the second half of the verse.  He rewards those who diligently seek Him.  I used the example of a scavenger hunt.  Isn't there a TV show that's like a giant scavenger hunt?  Who wouldn't search diligently for hid treasure?  Anyone would!  Ding! Ding! Ding!  The Lord is dinging me in my conscience.  Diligently seek Him.  Diligently seek Him.  Diligently seek Him.  Diligently = more time in His Word and PRAYER!

Then, on to Sunday night's sermon.  I could never do it justice by quoting from the sermon.  I don't normally take notes.  So what I'm going to type is my "take-away," what the Lord hit me about and what I remember.  Pastor W. used Scriptures from Isaiah 41, "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.  I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of waters, and the dry land springs of water, I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:  That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it."

He was pointing out that we don't recognize the fact that we're needy.  And we're satisfied with so little!  I am!  I am satisfied with little, and God wants to give me much.

From Isaiah 44, "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground:  I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring."

I pictured in my mind dry, barren and cracked earth and a little watering wand wetting the ground.  And I get excited over that?  Yes, it's good.  But God wants to give me MORE.  He wants to give me floods, rivers, and fountains.

But, then it goes back to the verse that I was teaching the kids.  Diligently seek Him.  So I end by saying.  Isn't it amazing how God starts to work on your heart in a way during the week.  Then, boom!  There's a sermon that solidifies it and stirs it up in your mind more.  I love it when that happens to me!  But it's not really that amazing because God knows what I need, when I need it!

Hope you were blessed by this long post.  That sermons is still stickin' to me!  Love it, love it!  Thank you, Lord, for sweet and needed conviction!

Post-edit:  Whew...long post.  Re-typed partially for my benefit.  This was a great reminder for me and I have the most perfect opportunity to spend more time diligently seeking Him while on vacation.

::REpost::13March 09::

my committee is in Heaven

On September 11, 2007, a lady in our church was diagnosed with cancer.  She was the 4th grade girls' Sunday school teacher and the "dorm mom" for our college.  Somehow, out of all the eligible ladies in our church, she asked if I could substitute for her while she was receiving treatments.  I preferred to say I was "helping out in Mrs. L.'s Sunday school class."  How in the world could I ever fill her shoes as Sunday school teacher?  Impossible.

Last year at this time, she had finished her treatments, had just returned from visiting her daughter in Mexico, and was feeling a bunch better.  And she took over.  Gladly!!!!  I was so thrilled.  And now I get to learn underneath her.  And I ate it up.  Every single word.  I sat on the edge of my seat to listen to her stories.  I was so excited to learn from her.  She pointed out once to me in front of the class that Ruth received more from Boaz at his feet rather than working in his fields.  Lesson:  be at Jesus' feet longer than working in His fields.

Well, she had this joke with another worker in the class about always being late because she was chasing the boys.  The girls always got a kick out of it.  This worker was transferred to the teen class in September.  So guess who as now prime candidate for the "chasing the guys' joke"?  You guessed it.  Me.  I laughed right along with everyone.  Mrs. L. always made sure I wasn't offended.  How could I be?  She was teasing me because she cared.  And besides, I was so glad she was there to teach.  She always said, "Now Miss Rebecca, when you find that boyfriend, you have to bring him before the committee.  The 4th grade girls' Sunday school class.  Right girls?"  And they would all smile and nod with firm agreement.  "The committee.  She has to bring him before the committee."

In July, the doctor gave her a year.  In the back of my mind, I though that was the minimum.  The she started going downhill and we prayed for a miracle and God's peace and comfort.

In January/February-ish was our Father/Son banquet.  A sweet lady in the church invited a whole bunch of us moms and daughters over to her house for fellowship.  After we all got done eating, we were sitting around telling stories.  A few of the younger ladies were giving their engagement stories.  Of course, I don't even have a boyfriend story - haha!  :)  By this time, Mrs. L. had her southern accent back a bit.  She said to me in her sweet way, "Rebecca, you're going to have an engagement story before too long.  But don't forget, he has to come before the committee."  I got teary because I knew my committee wasn't going to be around much longer.

What blessed hope and comfort knowing that she is safe in the arms of Jesus tonight.

Hebrews 12:1, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses..."

Post-edit:  This one was hard to re-type.  Tears.  I miss her so much.  Andrea and Sharon, she is not forgotten!

::REpost::26June08::

The difference between the North and the South at last clearly explained:

• The North has Bloomingdale's; the South has Dollar General
• The North has coffee houses; the South has Waffle Houses
• The North has dating services; the South has family reunions
• The North has double last names; the South has double first names
• The North has Indy car races; the South has stock car races
• The North has Cream of Wheat; the South has grits
• The North has green salads; the South has collard greens
• The North has lobsters; the South has crawfish
• The North has the rust belt; the South has the Bible belt

FOR NORTHERNERS MOVING SOUTH....

• In the South:  If you run your car into a ditch, don't panic.  Four men in a four-wheel drive pickup truck with a tow chain will be along shortly.  Don't try to help them, just stay out of their way.  This is what they live for.
• Don't be surprised to find movie rentals and bait in the same store...do not buy food at this store.
• Remember, 'Ya'll' is singular, 'all ya'll' is plural, and 'all ya'll's' is plural possessive.
• Get used to hearing, 'You ain't from round here, are ya?'
• Save all manner of bacon grease.  You will be needin' it later on to cook with.
• Don't be worried about understanding what people are saying.  They can't understand you either.  The first Southern statement to creep into a transplanted Northerner's vocabulary is the adjective 'big 'ol,' as in 'big'ol truck' or 'big 'ol boy.'  Most Northerners begin their Southern-influenced dialect this way.  All of them are in denial about it.
• The proper pronunciation you learned in school is no longer proper.
• If you hear a Southerner exclaim, 'Hey, ya'll watch this,' you should stay out of the way.  These are likely to be the last words he'll ever say.
• If there is the prediction of the slightest chance of even the smallest accumulation of snow, your presence is required at the local grocery store.  It doesn't matter whether you need anything or not.  You just have to go there.
• Do not be surprised to find that 10-year-olds own their own shotguns.  They are proficient marksmen, and their mammas taught them how to aim.

AND REMEMBER:  If you do settle in the South and bear children, don't think we will accept them as Southerners.  After all, if the cat had kittens in the oven, we wouldn't call 'em biscuits.

Post-edit:  I hope you enjoy the series of re-posts from my old {now formerly closed} blog while I am on vacation.  I ran this post by my Southern mama and she laughed at just about everything so it must be true!

what vacation?

I can barely function I am so excited about vacation!  Peeps, I have not gone on a vacation over a weekend for 3 1/2 years..........woooooooooo!!!  And we're leaving tomorrow night with my grandparents to go on a family vacation.  I've taken little 3 night vacays but nothing extended in a while.  Now, since I've been landlocked on good 'ole USA for the past 3 1/2 years, I have not minded one bit.  I have said {and it still rings true} that I'd rather travel the US of A by car than go on an overseas vacation.  Now I find myself going on an overseas vacation and the traveling bug has officially bitten me.  And I must say that going on this vacation with my family is no reflection on me.  Today, I was thinking how blessed and privileged I am to go anywhere on vacation.  This homegirl does not make enough money to go on a vacation, period--and I am not too prideful to say that.  I am only going based on the generosity and love of my Dad.  Thanks, Dad!  

I do have some posts scheduled to keep my readership {loosely} intact while I am away.  They will be reposts from my old blog that has been officially closed for over a year now.  I had a great time choosing the posts.

Several weeks ago, I was attempting to organize the monster mess of Disorganized Pictures and came across these. THEN, I realized that they're all vacation pics so what a perfect opportunity to post them now.

::my favorite picture of my parents...taken in the mid '90's....my Dad's a lot thinner and my Mom's hair is different but they're still as awesome::

::this is such a beautiful picture of exactly how I remember my Mom when I was a little girl::

{if this picture was taken at this exact time this year, there would be tar balls behind her--this was in Fairhope, AL--one of my favorite places on earth}

::this picture is hilarious only because of me and David--LOOK at my feet--I was in complete denial that my little brother was taller than me::

::memories::boat + water + my brothers + sunshine = wonderful!::

Jr. Church game

So, I saw that adorable bucket at Target last weekend.  I decided if I could put a game together for Jr. Church quickly and {somewhat} cheaply, I would buy it.  Mission accomplished!  Sand was a little over $3 at Walmarts.  The toys were a little more than I had anticipated.  They were in the $1.99 bin but the price at the register rang up a different number.  Regardless, it was a fun game to put together.

However, the kids in my Preschool Jr. Church weren't so excited.  Unfortunately.  They were literally poking through the sand.  I thought they would be digging and throwing sand everywhere.  I had mentally prepared for the worst possible outcome in cleanliness.  The sand was slightly wet so that may have been the problem.

I'd like to use it again before the summer is out.  Maybe I should try something with water toys.  mmmmmmmmm.  :)  That would definitely be an adventure.

Check out this blog, Teaching for Eternity.