I am hooked on “blue crack”. If it is a school day, I have to talk to a police officer. I became hooked in 2006 when I started working as a campus supervisor. The school resource officer, SRO, was a great guy who helped me to have a better understanding of the cast of characters that I have to deal with on a daily basis. As his term expired, I wondered how I was going to survive. There was no need to fear however, for his replacement is also a great guy. I am able to get my daily fix.
This past Friday, we had a “situation” where additional police were needed. I had the opportunity to see my SRO do his job well in an emergency situation. He did his thing while being cool, calm and collected all the time. Never did I feel afraid. It is a comfort to know that Naperville’s finest respond quickly.
But let me be clear, I do not trust in chariots and in horses or the Naperville Police, but trust in the Name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7
ps. In case you are not sure, I am joking about the "blue crack".
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Special Memories
The only nice vacations that I have experienced have been my honeymoon in 1985, the tri-city trip to NY, Atlantic City and Philadelphia in 1987 and our trip to Disney World in 2001.We have made a few trips for family reunions but we haven’t even done that in a few years. This being the case, I do not want our special memories to be focused on vacations because we would not have many special memories. Instead, I just enjoy the time when we just sit and have conversation around the dinner table and laugh. Or, going to baseball games or football games to watch our boys sit on the bench, or stand on the sideline or actually play in the game. We like playing poker with chips but not money. I like winning at Boggle or Scrabble :) As we pinch our pennies, we watch the $1 movies from Redbox together. This past weekend I experienced two memorable moments. Saturday when I came home from shopping ,the two beloveds, ages 21 and 18, were watching the Walt Disney Classic, Aladddin together. Monday when I came home from school they were watching Disney’s Toy Story together. Both times I joined them and reflected upon the seasons of my life and their ages when the movies were released. Aladdin was released in 1992 with their ages being 4 and 1. Babies in car seats. We lived in Country Club Hills. Toy Story was released in 1995 with their ages being 7 and 4. Rear seat riders only with a buster seat. Only one in school. We were in Naperville. Now they are both drivers and I am comfortable enough to sleep while they drive! The best memories are free or should I say priceless?
Ecclesiastes 3:1(NIV) 1 There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under heaven:
Ecclesiastes 3:1(NIV) 1 There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under heaven:
Saturday, September 19, 2009
I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF
I saw Tyler Perry's today, LOVED IT! I think it is the best of his movies and I will purchase it when it come on DVD. I would even go see it again in the movie theater and that is saying something for someone who lately has only gotten her movies from Redbox for a dollar.
The "church going" people are real, not "fake holy". Those who are not "church people" don't claim to be anything other than what they are. All of Tyler's movies have a moral message but admittedly sometimes I have a problem with the way that he presents the message. In this film it is clear, a relationship God is a must have for a fulfilling life. Even the self admitted non Christian Madea knows that "Peter could walk on water if he focused on Jesus but when he took his eyes off Jesus, he sank".
Go see the movie and tell me what you think.
The "church going" people are real, not "fake holy". Those who are not "church people" don't claim to be anything other than what they are. All of Tyler's movies have a moral message but admittedly sometimes I have a problem with the way that he presents the message. In this film it is clear, a relationship God is a must have for a fulfilling life. Even the self admitted non Christian Madea knows that "Peter could walk on water if he focused on Jesus but when he took his eyes off Jesus, he sank".
Go see the movie and tell me what you think.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
"Bags"
but you may call it "cornhole", "cornhole toss" or "beans bags" but younger beloved calls it bags.
He loves bags and it was a must have for his graduation\18th birthday party. I bought a bean toss game at Walmart but it was not of the "Official Cornhole Association" version. Yes, there is an "Official Cornhole Association", so we borrowed one from a friend. I had not played the until this year. I had lived 50 years before experiencing this fine game. I wish I had had the experience earlier in life.
Bags is a game anyone can play. Unlike "Boggle", "Scrabble" or "Pictionary" it does not involve thought, which for some people thinking and fun are mutually exclusive activities. It is also an equalizer, an 18 year old and 82 year old can play. This was the case last month , when we had a family gathering. We made up house rules. Since we had nine players, we made up teams with three players each with one toss each per round. One team played "cheer leaders" to the other two teams as the competed. It was a lot of fun. I wished that we had obtained the game years ago for friends and family use. Why?, you may ask. It is my belief when people feel that they are "of equal value" with others they can be in a relationship with them. God made us for community, relationships. In good relationships we are challenged and grow. Growth is good.
I had the opportunity to play bags yesterday with a staff member during my lunch hour. I won, by the way :) I think our relationship grew a little. I need to get me that game!
He loves bags and it was a must have for his graduation\18th birthday party. I bought a bean toss game at Walmart but it was not of the "Official Cornhole Association" version. Yes, there is an "Official Cornhole Association", so we borrowed one from a friend. I had not played the until this year. I had lived 50 years before experiencing this fine game. I wish I had had the experience earlier in life.
Bags is a game anyone can play. Unlike "Boggle", "Scrabble" or "Pictionary" it does not involve thought, which for some people thinking and fun are mutually exclusive activities. It is also an equalizer, an 18 year old and 82 year old can play. This was the case last month , when we had a family gathering. We made up house rules. Since we had nine players, we made up teams with three players each with one toss each per round. One team played "cheer leaders" to the other two teams as the competed. It was a lot of fun. I wished that we had obtained the game years ago for friends and family use. Why?, you may ask. It is my belief when people feel that they are "of equal value" with others they can be in a relationship with them. God made us for community, relationships. In good relationships we are challenged and grow. Growth is good.
I had the opportunity to play bags yesterday with a staff member during my lunch hour. I won, by the way :) I think our relationship grew a little. I need to get me that game!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
EDWARD MOORE KENNEDY
I watched the services for the senator yesterday, the funeral and burial. I was shut in with the flu. The Kennedys were contemporaries with my parents. In the very late sixties and early seventies, I remember in some black folk homes there was a "picture" of Jesus (the one with dark blond hair and green eyes) and a print of the profiles of John and Bobby and King hanging in a place of honor. Many blacks felt that the Kennedys really cared about them.
When the Gospel was read at the funeral Mass, I looked at my husband and asked who did he think chose that reading. Later, one of the priest said that Teddy and his wife planned the service. (I do not think that this is odd as I have outlined my funeral as well including a slide show with pictures of me from birth to now. I update it about twice a year.) The passage was Matthew 25:31-46
The Sheep and the Goats
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
While you may not agree with how Teddy tried to live out the verses from above, I think he really believed he was doing the right thing. He was a flawed man, as we all are. I am sure that he "got out of situations" because of his position in life as most of us could not. It appears to me that he did not always know how to reconcile his faith with his position on issues. I come to that conclusion after hearing from the letter that he wrote to the Pope that was read at the grave site.
God will deal with Teddy and He will also deal with us. While I believe we should have "personal responsibility" we are also to care for the hungry or thirsty or a stranger or one needing clothes or sick or in prison. If we did this in Christian love we would not have a generation of lazy bums always wanting entitlements but people who want to give back because that is way that love is.
When the Gospel was read at the funeral Mass, I looked at my husband and asked who did he think chose that reading. Later, one of the priest said that Teddy and his wife planned the service. (I do not think that this is odd as I have outlined my funeral as well including a slide show with pictures of me from birth to now. I update it about twice a year.) The passage was Matthew 25:31-46
The Sheep and the Goats
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
While you may not agree with how Teddy tried to live out the verses from above, I think he really believed he was doing the right thing. He was a flawed man, as we all are. I am sure that he "got out of situations" because of his position in life as most of us could not. It appears to me that he did not always know how to reconcile his faith with his position on issues. I come to that conclusion after hearing from the letter that he wrote to the Pope that was read at the grave site.
God will deal with Teddy and He will also deal with us. While I believe we should have "personal responsibility" we are also to care for the hungry or thirsty or a stranger or one needing clothes or sick or in prison. If we did this in Christian love we would not have a generation of lazy bums always wanting entitlements but people who want to give back because that is way that love is.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
New shoes for my journey on the road to a size healthier
My new shoes came with an instruction booklet,a DVD and a disclaimer to consult with your doctor before use. I was almost afraid to put them on for fear of falling. Very bad things can happen to me when I fall. The shoe manufacturer says that I can get in shape without setting foot in a gym and that is music to my ears because being in a gym with skinny women does not provide me with motivation. Walking and resistance tubes will be my methods of exercise.
These shoes are designed to promote weight loss, tone muscles, improve posture, improve blood circulation, tighten abdominal muscles, strengthen the back, firm buttocks muscles, reduce cellulite and tone thighs and firm calf muscles. I bet you think that I am making all of this up. Well, I am not, Google "Skechers fitness footwear shape-ups" and you will see everything that I said above.
I will not weary in doing good.
These shoes are designed to promote weight loss, tone muscles, improve posture, improve blood circulation, tighten abdominal muscles, strengthen the back, firm buttocks muscles, reduce cellulite and tone thighs and firm calf muscles. I bet you think that I am making all of this up. Well, I am not, Google "Skechers fitness footwear shape-ups" and you will see everything that I said above.
I will not weary in doing good.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
I am getting back on the road to a size healthier.
As some of you may know, I have been fortunate to have had a couple of guys have come into my life to help me in that regard, a couple of tall dark and handsome guys in their 30’s. Well, I should not say dark because they are white. I should say brunettes that would indicate darker for white folk. But then again, one of them has no hair….. well, you get the drift. My personal trainers have been patient and non judgmental with me even when I have slipped up and not followed their good advice. But, that is behind me and I am back on the road to a size healthier.
I met with a dietitian yesterday and she helped me fine tune my eating plan for Ouie at age fifty which in not the one that may have worked for me twenty years ago. For my daily devotions I am using Living the Legacy from the First Place Series, a Bible-based weight-loss plan. Today’s study talked about
Ephesians 1:4 (New Living Translation)4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
and 1 Peter 1 13-16. (New Living Translation) 13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”[c]
The thought to mediate on for the day was the act of being holy impacts our daily life which should include striving for a healthy lifestyle, looking for ways to minister to others and living so that people see Christ in us.
I am excited about being back on the road to a size healthier!
I met with a dietitian yesterday and she helped me fine tune my eating plan for Ouie at age fifty which in not the one that may have worked for me twenty years ago. For my daily devotions I am using Living the Legacy from the First Place Series, a Bible-based weight-loss plan. Today’s study talked about
Ephesians 1:4 (New Living Translation)4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
and 1 Peter 1 13-16. (New Living Translation) 13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”[c]
The thought to mediate on for the day was the act of being holy impacts our daily life which should include striving for a healthy lifestyle, looking for ways to minister to others and living so that people see Christ in us.
I am excited about being back on the road to a size healthier!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
