Sunday Scripture

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:8-10)

I <3 Sex Education

I was driving home today when I happened upon a couple of guys walking toward me from the other side of the road. I could tell one of them had some kind of something bundled in the crook of his left arm. As I pulled up to the stop light, he noticed me looking and immediately changed his posture and adjusted the bundle. I could see then that he was carrying a baby simulator, one of the most inventive, yet statistically non-productive, teaching tools of the 20th century.

He must have thought I was someone he knew because right away, he corrected his hand positions and began to cradle the baby's head with one hand, while supporting the baby's bottom with his other. I smiled and giggled and when he realized he didn't know me at all, he blushed and relaxed his hold on the little joy. His buddy punched him in the arm and I could hear them berating each other with terms of endearment known to parents of teenage boys nation wide!

Oh, the websites spout research and statistics touting their substantive evidence that real life experience is proven to be effective in teaching kids about the reality of raising children. But when you think about it, in my generation we only had the menstruation video and we didn't have pregnancy pacts back then!

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5215182&page=1

While I don't advocate abstinence only policies, I do think it is important for children to be made aware of the consequences of their actions. I think the best thing we can do as parents is to raise our children to have the self confidence and self value to know they will make good decisions.

In the mean time, I think the humiliation these boys endures, while ineffective, sure is entertaining!

“If God loves everyone, why are there different religions?”

I read this on Tom Foreman's blog of letters to President Obama. The question came from his daughter after she was excluded from a group of kids at school because of her religion. This was his answer. I think it is beautiful in it's simplicity. It captures how so many of us feel:

“I think there are different religions,” I told her, “because adults, like children, disagree on things, and sometimes we focus more on those disagreements than on what we have in common. Imagine there was a girl named Katherine. She has a friend at school who calls her that. At dance class, another friend calls her Kathy. And at soccer, a third friend calls her Kate. One day all three of these friends meet, but they do not know they are acquainted with the same girl. One says, ‘My friend Katherine is the nicest girl ever.’ Another says, ‘You are wrong. My friend Kathy is better.’ And the third says, ‘Nonsense, my friend Kate is better than either of your friends.’ I think that is how it is with God. I think we are all praying to the same being, but we use different names and forget that God is big enough to love us all.”

from: http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/12/dear-president-obama-83-ten-things-what-if-god/#more-34300

Dear God, Please help the world to see You for the loving God that You are and to embrace one another as brothers and sisters in that love. Amen.

The Virginity Lie

“The lie of virginity — the idea that such a thing even exists — is ensuring that young women’s perception of themselves is inextricable from their bodies, and that their ability to be moral actors is absolutely dependent on their sexuality. It’s time to teach our daughters that their ability to be good people depends on their being good people, not on whether or not they’re sexually active. “

…

“Whether it’s delivered through a virginity pledge or by a barely dressed tween pop singer writhing across the television screen, the message is the same: A woman’s worth lies in her ability — or her refusal — to be sexual. And we’re teaching American girls that, one way or another, their bodies and their sexuality are what make them valuable. The sexual double standard is alive and well, and it’s irrevocably damaging young women. “

Reposted from http://thoseareturkeys.tumblr.com/

Weekend at the Movies

17 Again

Should be titled Same Old Story Again

If you've seen Freaky Friday, Big, 13 Going on 30, or any other variation on this theme, you can skip this movie. That is, unless you absolutely don't mind watching Zach Ephron for an hour and a half. He is rather dreamy.

I give it 1 rages.

Also watched My Best Friend's Girl. Typical Dane Cook filth. I'm really surprised to see Kate Hudson in this one. She isn't known for selecting the most artsy scripts to tie her wagon to, but I'd never peg her for being into the type of vulgarity Dane Cook is known for. Alec Baldwinb turned in an excellent performance as Dane's priggish heathen womanizing douchebag father. Somehow I don't feel the role was a huge stretch for the old guy. The thing I find the hardeswt to swallow about most of Mr. Cooks movies is the continual theme that women really desire to be treated like total crap and that if you want to find true love, you should lie like a dog and trick the woman into falling for you.

I give it 1 rages.

Pickle Surprise!

If this doesn't make me feel better, I don't know what will!



reposted from:

http://pictureisunrelated.com/

Spinning Wheel

SPINNING WHEEL
D. Clayton / Thomas)
Blood, Sweat, & Tears - 1969

What goes up must come down
Spinning wheel got to go 'round
Talking 'bout your troubles it's a crying sin
Ride a painted pony let the Spinning wheel spin

You got no money and you got no home
Spinning wheel all alone
Talking 'bout your troubles and you never learn
Ride a painted pony let the Spinning wheel turn

Did you find the directing sign on the
Straight and narrow highway
Would you mind a reflecting sign
Just let it shine within your mind
And show you the colours that are real

Someone is waiting just for you
Spinning wheel, Spinning true
Drop all your troubles by the riverside
(1: Catch a painted pony on the spinning wheel ride)
(2: Ride a painted pony let the spinning wheel fly)

Okay, so you wanna know what that has to do with me?

I currently aspire to be spinning my wheels. I'd give anything to at least have that much momentum. Spinning wheels would indicate the engaging of gears of some kind, something I currently can't find the motivation to achieve. I feel like I'm stuck in neutral, just waiting for some source of energy to start me in any direction.

Oh, occasionally some force makes contact with me and I go careening off to complete some task, grocery shopping, a birthday party, a committee meeting. But when the source of motion is long gone, I come to rest again.

Once in awhile I even get to feel the joy of being pushed over the top of a hill. These moments are actually exhilarating. I soon pick up speed, maybe fix my hair, put on some make-up. I really engage with my surroundings. But once again, after the momentum is gone, I come to rest and cannot seem to initiate motion again on my own.

To put it succinctly, this really sucks! I am in such a funk and I can't seem to rescue myself. I pray, I promise, I even try to bribe myself. I make plans, set goals, create to-do lists. But without an outside source of forward momentum, I lay motionless. It's really becoming pitiful.

I thought once the weather improved I would snap out of it, but that hasn't happened yet. I had hoped to get in the motor home and go visiting for a while, but with the transmission leaking, I don't dare take a chance, and my mechanic has been incommunicado for almost a week now so no sign of when that will be repaired.

I have my appointment at the Michigan Works office next week. Maybe that will bring the resolution I have been waiting for to get me out of this blah blah land that I am living in. Hopefully they will have good news for me.

Dear God, It's me, Michele. Please help me to contribute to society in a positive way. Please help me to feel valued. Please comfort me in my times of darkness and despair. I know that you have plans for me. Please help me to be patient in learning what those plans are and give me the courage to go in the direction you are leading me.
Amen

Deja-Disney?

I guess the Disney animators must have saved a fortune on choreography?

reposted from:

http://bitsandpieces.us/page/7/

Nightmares at the gym

So, remember that nightmare you have were you are standing in front of a large crowd and you realize you are naked? Oh, you've never had that one? That must be my nightmare then. Yikes!

Today my dreams finally came true! Sort of. Well, not really, but here's what happened, you be the judge.

Usually after my work out, I like to spread out on a towel in the Arizona Dry Heat Room. I put a towel over my head to block out the light, pop on some meditative music on the iPod and float away into my Arizona dreams...I usually stay around 50 - 60 minutes...til the 140* heat causes my eyelids to stick to my dried out eyeballs!

Now, before you give me some lecture about that not being very healthy and how you're only supposed to stay for up to 20 minutes, let me explain that I gradually worked my way up to that amount of time...I am perfectly fine in there! I've monitored my blood pressure and everything is A-OK!

Afterwards, I like to stretch out on a chaise in the pool room, cover up with my blanket sized towel, replace the towel over my eyes and continue listening to my iPod til my temperature and pulse return to normal. I like to be completely cooled down before I get into the shower. Nothing worse than getting out of the shower and you're still sweaty! Eww Yuck!

Today, as I'm lying there listening to whales mating or rain forest bats eating bugs or some other new age fluff, the pool attendant comes in and loudly proclaims that everyone must exit the pool room. She then turns around without explanation and disappears back into the work out room. We all look at each other rather befuddled and bewildered. Nobody is sure what she means or why.

I get all my things together and walk into the locker room to find out what is going on. A few of the ladies tug their clothing on over wet bathing suits and head for the door. A few others just go back to their beauty routines and gossipping. I ask the lady using the locker next to mine what this is all about. She says she's not sure, but she heard they want us all dressed and out of there.

Well, I was soaked in sweat. There was no way I was going outside in that condition. I figured as long as it was going to take some of those old birds to get dressed, I could get in and out of the shower and still beat them out the door. So I grabbed my toilette and towels and headed back in. I was in the military for 12 years...I can shit, shower and shave faster than anyone I know! I was in and out in about two minutes and back at my locker before my old friend got her duffel bag out and opened.

So I grab my lotion and start slathering it on as fast as I can and just as I draw a stream of it across my arm and onto my chest, the entire Harper Woods Fire Department walks past my locker! Holy Toledo! The locker room attendant yells, "man on deck!" and gives me a dirty look as she saunters on by and says, "I told you to get dressed!"

Well, I can only imagine what my face must have looked like from the other side! I was utterly flabbergasted! The old gal next to me started laughing so hard her uppers slid out! Another old bird walked out of one of the dressing booths only half clad and said, "hell, I ain't got nuttin dem boys ain't seen afore!" Well, maybe she's right, but most of those boys were under 25 and I'm sure they hadn't seen it like she was showing it! lol

The old gal next to me dropped her towel to the floor and proceeded to get dressed as if it was just another day at the gym! I modestly opted to grab my garments and head for the nearest changing booth. They may have seen it before, but they weren't gonna be mortified by mine! hahaha

Turns out one of the guests thought she smelled Carbon Monoxide. Now before you say it, yes, we all know you can't smell Carbon Monoxide, but that's what she kept insisting on...Based on the high standard of sanitation of the staff, I'd say she probably smelled the years and layers of dust/hair/grime burning off the heat vent slats when the hot room fans turn on. It's no wonder they are closing down that location at the end of the month.

Discretion is Highly Overrated

Bali has come out with a new bra designed to bring a little dignity back to being a woman. There are these neat little flower shaped concealers fitted into each cup to disguise the CWIs (cold weather indicators) we have all been embarrassaingly plagued with on occassion. Modesty restored. No more will you need to question whether your grades were earned by merit or by the cold climate of the lecture hall.

I must admit, I've been waiting for this product my whole life!

A recent poll of the men in the area indicates they would like to have this product recalled. They are starting a petition.

lol

Racist Commercials

Some of these are parodies and some are actual commercials. Can you guess which are which?
















Reposted from http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/8670

The Osmonds

OMG! How much did you love em?



reposted from http://listoftheday.blogspot.com/