My Favorite Things

Well, I haven’t blogged in a while.  Not sure why; just haven’t taken the time.  I don’t really have a lot to talk about, but thought I’d share with you “a few of my favorite things” (yes - I have a song for everything)!  I tried to put them in order of how I thought of them.  Here goes:

God and developing my relationship with Him daily

My family (Including our doggie Lacie)

Friends

Music/Singing (Southern Gospel, 70’s, Michael Buble’, Musicals)

Traveling

Jewelry (Premier and Brighton are absolute FAVs)

Flip Flops

Food: Pasta/Italian

Restaurants: Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, Sonic, Steak ‘N Shake

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-2

Song/Hymn: Great is Thy Faithfulness

Color: Purple and Lime Green

Book: Not an avid reader, but I do read my Bible and I LOVE anything Max Lucado writes

Movie: Wizard of Oz

Flowers: Iris, Hydrangeas, and Gerbera Daisies

Perfume: Samsara, Bombshell and Very Sexy (from Victoria’s Secret)

TV Show: NCIS and reruns of Gilmore Girls, Boy Meets World, and Friends

Dessert: Chocolate Ganache Cake from Stoney River and Chocolate Shake from Steak ‘N Shake

Vacation Spot: Hawaii

Season: Summer and Winter

Holiday: Christmas

Alabama Crimson Tide Football

Snow

The Beach

That’s all I can think of at the moment!!  Enjoy!

Dawn

Why Should I Worry?

I can’t believe it’s been 23 years.  Sometimes it seems like ages…and sometimes it seems like yesterday.  On January 14, 1990, my dad passed away.  It was very sudden and needless to say, very hard.  I remember being in sort of a fog.  My world had stopped, while everyone else’s had continued to move.  On the morning of my dad’s memorial service here in Fairfax, VA, I remember very vividly the scripture the Lord gave me in my devotions that day.  Matthew 6:34, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”  Now 23 years later, the scripture I heard a TV preacher use this morning was the same one!  God is still reminding me not to worry about tomorrow…tomorrow will take care of itself.  I can’t do anything about tomorrow; it isn't here yet.  He can only give me grace for today, not tomorrow!  I’m a living testimony that God has taken care of me and provided for my needs and He will continue to do so.  God is so faithful and His word NEVER changes!! 

If God can clothe the lilies of the field and feed the birds of the air, why can’t we put more trust in Him to take care of us?  He cares for you and me most of all!!

Why You Gotta Be So Mean??

Yes, I know that’s the name of a song by a popular country music artist, but the sentiment rings true!  And you know that saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”…it’s easy to say, but on the inside, those words can cause lasting damage, perhaps even more so than a broken bone.  Bones can repair themselves and become even better and stronger than ever.  But words – they can stay with you for a VERY long time!!  You can’t take back something once it’s said!  And I don’t know why it’s easier to believe the bad stuff people say about us rather than the good stuff, but it is.  I’m not sure about the exact statistic, but I believe they say it takes something like 10 nice comments to overcome one nasty comment.  Why is that??

I see and hear a lot about this among the kids in our church and Christian school!  YES – our CHRISTIAN school!!  It really makes me mad!  And you would expect this out of a secular school, but a Christian school??  It should have no part!!  Why do kids feel the need to put other kids down?  Why are they so mean?  To make themselves feel better about their own insecurities?  Probably.  And then of course, there’s that old sinful nature.  I really don’t know the reason, but deep down inside, when people criticize, slander, or hurt other people, there’s a deeper issue!  Hurting people hurt other people!

I’ve had this happen to me on occasion when I was younger.  In the 5^th grade, I was selected to sing a song along with 5-6 other girls in our Christmas program at school.  The other girls were prettier or more popular than me and they couldn’t figure out why I had been chosen to sing with THEM.  On the evening of the program, I sang with all my heart!  A lady came up to me afterward and said, “You can tell you really love to sing!  It shows all over your face!”  WOW!  She said that about me?  I couldn’t believe it!!  Then in middle school, I wanted to try out for the cheerleading squad.  I practiced and practiced!  I’d come home and go to my room and practice the cheers and the jumps!  When it came time for the tryouts, I heard other girls say, “What is SHE doing here?  If she makes it, ANYONE could make it.”  And yes, those words did hurt, but I had to let go of it and move on! 

And in spite of all this, God says we are to love our enemies!  LOVE OUR ENEMIES???  How can we do that?  WE can’t, but if we’re saved and have the Holy Spirit inside of us, He can help us if we will allow Him to.  When you forgive someone, it doesn’t mean that it’s ok what they did.  It simply means you no longer seek revenge and are allowing God to deal with them as He sees fit.  Hebrews 10:30 says, “Vengeance (revenge) belongeth unto me, I will recompense (repay), saith the Lord.” 

No, not everyone is going to be the best, or the prettiest, or the brightest!  But, we all have abilities and can use what God has given us for His honor and glory.  And to be honest, I’d rather hear someone sing or play the piano that maybe doesn’t hit all the notes just right and has the right heart attitude, than to listen to someone who thinks they’re better than everyone else and hit all notes perfectly!  And remember, “Favour is deceitful (dishonest), and beauty is vain (useless): but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

Our Best or Good Enough??

When I attended FBT in Fairfax, I worked in the teen dept for several years.  I remember Mike Aylestock (director of the teen dept then, but now the Pastor of Community Baptist Church in Chantilly, VA) say on occasion as he would challenge the teens: “strive to have higher standards than even your parents have.”  I thought about that today as we seem to live in a world of just “good enough”.  Things that are acceptable now, were not acceptable 20 or 30 years ago.  Why?  It seems like every decade our society and morals decline further and further downward. 

I know some people think that I have very high standards or that I’m very picky…and that may be true.  But that’s ok.  I can live with that.  We all have choices to make – I can’t make yours and you can’t make mine.  I have to answer for ME!  And why does it seem like when we’re doing a job at the church or doing something for God that we just settle for “good enough” instead of doing our best?  We should all strive to do our best for God always – in everything!

I’m reminded too of that verse in Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  I want to hear God say to me “well done” one day.  What about you?

Remember the words to that hymn, “Every work for Jesus will be blest, but He asks from everyone his best.  Our talents may be few, these may be small, but unto Him is due our best; our all.”

Pet Peeves

We all have them, don’t we?  Pet peeves…things that bug us or drive us crazy!! I was thinking the other day about a class I had taken a few years ago.  We had to take a test/quiz about Conflict Dynamics.  Of course, no one likes conflict, but we have to deal with it whether we want to or not.  It’s not easy, but it doesn’t go away by just ignoring it.  Needless to say, when I got the results my test, I just laughed!  Oh my word!!  I can’t remember everything it listed, but it seemed like everything irritated me!!! 

Here are just a few of my pet peeves: 

     1. Being late myself, or other people being late and making me wait on them!  

   2. CDs need to be kept in their cases!  They get scratched otherwise…don’t you agree? 

     3. People who don’t follow through!  If you say you’re going to do something, then do it!

    4. People who drive slow in the left lane! 

   5. People who use FaceBook to slander or vent about other people…and include names!        6. People who interrupt me when I’m talking. 

   7. Body odor – no explanation needed! 

     8. People who just talk and talk…but have nothing really to say!

Ok, I guess you’ve heard enough, huh?  Did you notice how most all my pet peeves were about other people??  I wonder if I do things that irritate other people?  Am I too demanding?  Do I expect too much from others?  Do I just need to accept people where they are?  Ouch - food for thought!!!

Well, my pet peeves may not be yours, but that’s ok.  We’re all unique and God made us different for a reason.  If everyone were just like me, the world would be…filled with a lot of music and a lot of fun!!  Just kidding…but you get the point.  I can’t expect everyone to accommodate me all the time, but it sure would be nice!  ;-) 

10 Things random things about me that you might not know:

1.     I have never had a speeding ticket…hitting someone or someone hitting me – yes; but never a speeding ticket!

2.    I love NCIS, Gilmore Girls, and Boy Meets World!  I know every episode of the Gilmore Girls by heart!  I think I’ve watched the entire series at least 10 times or me!  Miss that show!   L

3.    I am addicted to pasta!  I could eat pasta for every meal and be just fine!!

4.    I played the clarinet in Middle School and High School and was 1^st chair in both 11^th and 12^th grade!

5.    I have never had a broken bone or been in the hospital other than visiting someone else!  PTL!!

6.    I was 40 yrs old before I ever traveled overseas!

7.    I was in the delivery room when my friend Teresa gave birth to her 2^nd child.  It was one of THE most awesome things I have ever witnessed!

8.    I could sing before I could talk in full sentences!  Mom said I started doing that before age 2!

9.    I worked for Little Caesar’s pizza for 3 days.  They told me I wasn’t cut out for that type of work…said I should work at a Dept. Store with clothes and jewelry!  They knew me pretty well, huh?  LOL

10. I have been in love once and engaged once…never married!  I believe God is still working on the perfect man for me and working on me to be the perfect mate for him!!  J

Love is...

“Love is a many-splendored thing.”  “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”  “If you love someone, set them free.”  And on and on…I know so cheesy, but this is how the world defines love!

I hope everyone had a Happy Valentine’s Day…or as we singles call it: Singles Awareness Day!  I’ll have to admit, I’m usually sad or depressed on Valentine’s Day since I don’t have a special someone in my life.  However, I’ve been sick recently and have spent more time on getting well, than dwelling on this day, so perhaps the Lord allowed my sickness for a reason??  I don’t know for sure, but I decided this year, I wasn’t going to let it get me down! 

Just because I don’t have a husband, boyfriend, or a significant other at the moment, doesn’t mean that I don’t have the love of my family and friends!  I believe my family is THE BEST ever I have some very close, awesome friends!  But, the greatest love of all is from my Heavenly Father who loves me unconditionally!  What more could I ask for??  Let’s face it, our earthly love for one another is so shallow sometimes: “I only love you if you love me!”  Or, “I love you if or because you do something for me!”    But, Jesus loves me with an “everlasting love.”  John 15:13 says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus did that for ME and I’ll take this kind of love over human love any day!

I’ve realized recently that I spend too much time dwelling on things that I don’t have instead of being satisfied and grateful for what I do.  I’m blessed beyond measure!  Of course it’s easy to say this now when I’m not in the middle of feeling lonely or sorry for myself, but I can choose to be happy and content and this is what I’m choosing!

There’s a chorus to a song that Rodney Griffin wrote…he sings with Greater Vision who is one of my favorite Southern Gospel groups.  Ivan Parker made it popular…here’s a link to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GolaUfFdWB0&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLD05CF2A200C555F3

I choose to believe that You are faithful and my heart is in Your hands

And this mystery that I face today is part of a greater plan

I choose not to be discouraged when the sun will not break through

I have a choice of trusting You, so Lord this is what I choose