Tis the Season

As I move into the 2nd half of July and 2009 (can you believe that?) I also move into an extensive birthday season with my extended family. From the end of July until mid-Feb there are at least 2 birthdays a month with a break until May. So let's run trough the list shall we?

July: 7th - My sister Dani, 31st - My niece Arielle

August: 13th - My niece Aubree will be 1!! 17th - My sis-in-law Steph will turn 21

September (otherwise known as "The Motherload"): 8th - Me & my Aunt Dorothy, 12th - my sister Carol, 17th - Tony (he'll be 10!!), 24th - Carlo & I celebrate 11 years of marriage, 27th - my bro-in-law Eddie, 30th - my niece Alyssa Johnson

October: 5th - Carlo (he'll be 30, give him a hard time about it, please), 12th - my nephew Jalen (Ashlei still owes me $5 for winning the pool on the day he would be born)

November: 4th - my niece Ariana, 12th - my grandmother, 14th(?) - my niece Erynn, 27th - my mother-in-law

December: 9th - my sis-in-law Sylvia, 31st - my bro Kenny

January: 28th - David will be 5!!

February: 14th - my mom (her b-day & Valentine's Day are two separate occasions), 15th - my nephew Aaron

So what does this say about my family? My brothers and sisters love vowels a little too much, that's what!!

Truly Random Thoughts

This is my first ever list-post of truly random thoughts I've had or been having:

• Have you ever noticed that if big-rig truckers have any kind of sticker or support something on their rigs they are like "It's not a choice, it's a child." or "Freedom isn't Free." or "These colors don't run?" If they outwardly show support for something it usually has a kind of God & Country type theme to it. Next time you're on the road, see how many you can find.
• Today Tony leaves for camp. Next summer he'll start going to Youth Group.
• Don't tell anyone, but when I think about the above, I feel old.
• Started working out today. I did a personal best on the elliptical plus some abs and light weights for toning on my arms.
• Having an iPod when I work out helps so much.

That's all for now...I think.

Father's Day

I know I'm not a dad, but I have a dad, and I'm married to a dad. I think that qualifies me to say a little something on the subject.

This year I was able to surprise my husband in the gifts he got. That hasn't really happened in years. He always seems to guess or he knows before-hand. I was able to give my husband an iPhone for Father's Day. If you know us, we've wanted iPhones for awhile now, and if you've talked to me at all in the last couple of weeks, you know I was supposed to get mine first. Well, I got it, but then I gave it to Carlo. I was really adamant and a bit selfish when I got my MacBook, that it was mine and I wasn't giving it to Carlo, even though he really could have used it. We both are in need of new phones & I was due for an upgrade. We got a sweet deal we couldn't resist and all in all ended up paying like $5 for an iPhone. Well, I gave my iPhone to Carlo for Father's Day. I have to say it felt great to do so. Thanks to a good friend I'll be getting one for myself in a few weeks.

Tonight in service, our Youth Pastor, Charlie, preached a message entitled, "Dad, If You Only Knew." He basically talked to dads about how important it was for them to love their kids and to tell their kids they love them. He spoke to those without fathers reminding them they had a Heavenly Father who loves them more than they can ever know. This really got me thinking about the man I call Dad. While he may not have helped to make me, he's always treated me like he has. If you know any of my history you know things were jacked up in a few areas. If you don't know, I'll be happy to share about what God has done in my life. I like to think that God has given me a second chance with an earthly father. My biological dad was a good dad when he was connected. There were times when he was available and I felt like a Daddy's Girl, but after my parents' divorce, he let drugs and alcohol take control of his life and he became a nonentity in the lives of my sisters and I. Our stepdad really stepped up. He's never been one to show lots of emotion (hard in a house with 4 females), but I knew, even when I was doing my best to not show it, that he cared. When I stole his car and wrecked it, my mom was at the end of her rope and wanted to let the police arrest me. The man who owned the car and had no legal relationship with me told her, "No, there's something going on and having her arrested won't help her. We're going to sit down and talk and figure out what's up so we can help her." This was coming from a man who didn't have a relationship with the Lord and would have been justified in pressing charges. I call Alvis Johnson "Dad," because he's been nothing but to me. In the darkest of times and the happiest he's been there. God may not have given him to me first for a dad, but my second chance has been wonderful. I'm proud to say he's my dad, and I'm proud to have him pour into my sons' lives. If you ask, I'll tell you, "He's my dad & I love him!"

This is the end my friend...

Carlo has been blogging about this already, but it's my turn since it's weighing on mind. There are only 5 days left officially in the 2008/2009 year of Master's Commission Clarksville. My first year with Master's full-time is almost over! It has been a wonderful year. I can honestly say that I have woken up every day of the last nine months and been happy/excited to go to "the office." I haven't had that in a long time. That joy for teaching died an early death in me last year (one of the things that prompted my move to Master's full-time). I am going to miss every last one of our students. I know that 2 will be back, and one isn't going anywhere, but that doesn't make it any easier. I've still got a little spark of oh I don't know, call it hope, optimism, whatever, that the other one will decide they want to come back as well. As far as a leadership team, it would be great, not only for Master's but for Next Level as well. I know that God has everything in control, and He knows what he's doing. I've just got to let Him do what He does, and know that everything & everybody will be okay in the end.

Below is a picture I took a couple of days ago and played with in iPhoto. Carlo calls it the "prison picture." I call it just plain funny!

Motivation

I need to get motivated. Not about anything major, just the 4 classes I have left in my Certified Minister level of courses with Berean School of the Bible. I know the classes won't be difficult, I'm not scared of the work, I'm just not motivated. I'm not even concerned with passing the classes (I got a 100, and a 96 in my last 2 classes), I just have no drive to finish. I know that once Master's is over for the year, I'll pick things back up because I don't have anything else to keep me distracted, but right now I don't care. The thing that bugs me about this is that I should. I love being in school, and I love what I'm learning. I don't want to be the slacker I am right now only finishing the work because if I don't I'm going to lose the money I paid for the classes, or because I don't have anything better to do. I want to knock these classes out of the way because I have a desire to do so. I know I need to be done in time to start the application/testing/ & interview process for credentialing in the fall and I will.

Lord help me to light a fire under my bum and get this done!!

I Hate Spring...Well, Sort Of

I love the flowers, and the sunshine. I love to hear the birds sing (if it's after 6:30 am) and think about flying kites and stuff. But I absolutely hate all the allergens that spring brings. The icky yellow covering of pollen means itchy eyes, sneezing, and a runny nose. The grass that gets cut, the old blooms that fly off the trees mean that I have to deal with sinuses that bother me enough the rest of the year. What's worse my poor boys are plagued by the same things. I feel absolutely horrible pumping them full of meds, but without the Claritin they would be much worse.

Today is a rainy day in Clarksville. The National Weather Service is calling for rain all day today and tomorrow. I'm so happy about that because it means that I won't have to deal with the Bartlett Pear trees raining their blossoms down on me. I wonder if there is a way to have spring without the pollen?

Show Me Your Way

This morning my loving husband tasked me with coming up with a human video concept for the service we are doing Wednesday night. The song we are using is from Frontline's newest album, "Soundtrack To Life." The song is, "Show Me Your Way." I have fallen in love with Frontline & Matt & Nina Poole's songs. They make me take a look at my life and where I am. There was nothing new with this song. The lyrics are quite simple:

"Show me your way. Whatever it takes to change. I see what's new, looking at how far I've come. Here is my life, Don't let me forget the way. Here is my life, I can't afford to stay the same. Keep my soul, Keep my spirit, Keep my life, Moving forward."

In coming up with the concept for the video, I started looking back at where God has brought me from. If not for God in my life, I have absolutely no idea where I would be right now. There is a 90% chance I'd be dead due to stupid mistakes. I could be a single mother, an alcoholic, homeless, so many things, but God is so good and so merciful. In His love for me and the plans He has for my life, He has protected me from things in my life, that when I look back I can't believe how stupid I was.

Does this mean I'm dwelling on these things? NO!!!!! I am thanking God for where I'm going. Where I've been has prepared me for now and later, but I'm not there anymore and I'm not going back to it. Thank you Lord for keeping me moving forward. Help me to continue doing so with purpose...YOURS!!