She's back! :)

And she had a wonderful time......

Woo Hoo!

My baby comes home tomorrow! Yeah, I know, she'll be home for two days and I'll be ready to ship her back again. But, for now - I missed her! I can't wait to hear about her trip and see her pictures. And I for sure can't wait to put the dog crate back in her room and hand her the leash! :) The amazing thing is, she only called me one time from Europe - for 5 minutes. Way to go Carissa!

You know you're from Chicago when....

You Know You're From Chicago When...

You say "Wanna go with?" when you mean "Do you want to come with me?" You know what Kennedy, Dan Ryan, Eisenhower, Edens, and Bishop Ford, have in common and curse one of them daily. You know what "the Hillside strangler is." You can name three or four extra taxes nobody else pays. You know the difference between Richard J Daley and Richard M Daley. You can use two or three Daleyisms in context. You can imitate the Mayor's whine. You say Chicawgo and not Chicaago. You think going to a Bears game in single digit temperatures with a wind off the lake (and freezing rain) is fun. Da is a proper definite article. You expect corruption in local politics. You go to the Dells in the summer to get away from the other 20 thousand that followed you. You've been caught speeding in Wisconsin because you had Illinois plates. You guard your shoveled parking space with an old chair and unusable broom. You know why they call it "the Windy City." You know dead people who voted. You understand the Democratic machine and don't fight against it. You've never ever considered the idea of hiring non-union laborers. You've never been to Springfield. You know a good gyros joint. You know what Giordanos, Lou Malnati's, and Gino's have in common. You know when the last time the Cubs won a pennant. You know exactly how many cars are "legally" allowed to turn left after the light turns red. You don't know which ethnic "fest" to choose on any given Summer weekend. Your idea of relaxing and getting away from it all is Ravinia (with 10,000 others who have the same idea). You can recite many of "The Blues Brothers" lines and know where they filmed certain scenes. You consider paying someone to watch your car at a sporting event as just another "city tax." The "Living Room" is called the "front room" You don't pronounce the "s" at the end of Illinois. You become irate at people who do You measure distance in minutes (especially "from the city"). And you swear everything is pretty much 15 minutes away You refer to anything South of I-80 as "Southern Illinois" You refer to Lake Michigan as "The Lake" You refer to Chicago as "The City" "The Super Bowl" refers to one specific game in a series of 35 played in January of 1986 You have two favorite football teams: The Bears, and anyone who beats the Packers! You buy "The Trib" You think 35 degrees is great weather to wash your car! You know what goes on a Chicago Style Hot Dog You know what Chicago Style Pizza REALLY is You understand what "lake-effect" means You know the difference between Amtrak and Metra, and know which station they end up at. You have ridden the "L" You can distinguish between the following area codes: 847,630,773,708, 312, & 815 You respond to the question "Where are you from" with a side" example:"WEST SIDE", "SOUTH SIDE" or "NORTHSIDE." You know what the phone number is to Empire Carpet! You wear gym shoes, not sneakers. Your favorite melody to hum is "Bang,Bang,Bang-Skeet,Skeet,Skeet!!!!" You faithfully attended Lil Louis parties at The Bismarck. You GOT to have spaghetti at your barbecue. You are STILL a Bulls fan........ You think kicking it outside of White Castles parking lot, (79th and Stony Island) is the "Freak Nik" You go to Harold`s and order 4 pc wing, mild sauce, salt and pepper. You have a picture of Harold Washington in your kitchen, living room, family room or basement. You have ever waited in line at Home of the Hoagy on 111th for 30-45 minutes for a steak samich wit cheese You have ever been to the Tiki Room lounge in Hyde Park You have Y made a special trip downtown because you had a craving for Garrett's caramel and cheese popcorn. What!!! We don`t get a Fifty? Oh yeah.... You drink at bars called "Bud on Tap" or "Milwaukee's Best" -- no names, just beer signs out front. It's January and you see someone's kitchen chair in the street, and you know that if you're a responsible citizen and bring it back to the sidewalk you will be shot on sight You live two miles from work and it takes you two hours to drive there You don't flinch when you pay the fifth toll of your 45-minute car ride on the highway When you read a big story in the paper about mob ties in the city government, your first reaction is "So, tell me something I don't know." You know Lincoln Towing is Satan incarnate. You've paid $105 for towing, $30 for more than one "street cleaning" ticket, $58 for a city vehicle sticker, and $70 for a license plate sticker -- and chalk it all up to "neighborhood taxes." You pluralize grocery stores and retail chains: "I'm going to Jewels"; "I bought it at Targets"; "I couldn't find parking at Wal-Marts" You've taken the Red Line past the point where all white people get off and all black people get on -- or vice versa. You've cursed at a cyclist, pedestrian, or in-line skater on the lakefront path. You know the significance of State and Madison. You wonder if the fries will taste the same at Sammy Sosa's Restaurant. You don't miss Planet Hollywood. You're not ashamed of wearing a big fur Russian hat, or a headsock with one hole in it, in public from November through March. You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from Chicago.

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Can you tell I'm bored?

Huh. Interesting. 10% Yankee? Guess that can be blamed on my dad - he's from New York. But NO Dixie? Really. What happened to my mom's "Southern" roots?
Number 10 was interesting because my friend and I just had a discussion about this a couple days ago. She is in acting and this very example came up, because these words were in the play. Apparently she, like me, thought they were all pronounced the same..... :)

Your Linguistic Profile:

60% General American English

20% Upper Midwestern

10% Yankee

5% Midwestern

0% Dixie

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

This also made me laugh.....I expected Chicago to pop up, or maybe Boston. Uh, no. Interesting..... :)

You Are Austin

A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll. You're totally weird and very proud of it. Artistic and freaky, you still seem to fit in... in your own strange way. Famous Austin residents: Lance Armstrong, Sandra Bullock, Andy Roddick

What American City Are You?

I was curious as to just how open minded I was:

You Are 52% Open Minded

You are a very open minded person, but you're also well grounded. Tolerant and flexible, you appreciate most lifestyles and viewpoints. But you also know where you stand firm, and you can draw that line. You're open to considering every possibility - but in the end, you stand true to yourself.

How Open Minded Are You?

And finally ~ Depression gone - today I'm :

Your Emoticon is Cool

You're not feeling particularly up or down, just relaxed and calm. You're ready for whatever is going to happen next!

What Emoticon Best Represents You Right Now?

Can you hear me now?

It's so hard with our busy lives, and our families, and our jobs, to find a time and place for solitude and silence. Noise, commotion everywhere. Always something needs to be done, or someone needs something. I keep saying I'm gonna make time, I'm gonna find time. And yet, tonight, when no one was home but me and the puppies I still couldn't manage it. I made phone calls, watched TV - tho nothing was on I really wanted to see, and even found myself listening to music and falling asleep. So much for discipline.....it's hard to be still. It's hard to set aside worries and problems and listen for the still, small voice. It's much easier to escape into a flurry of busy-ness, noise, and mind numbing "entertainment."

Yep.....

Lately I've been irritated with people that don't understand that church is not a format. You know - Call to Worship, two songs, Scripture reading, song, offering, song, sermon...... you know what I mean. Where and when did this start anyway? This anecdote speaks to that issue - along with the issues of what we're taught, how we're taught, and a plethora of others.....

There was once a teacher of great faith and insight. Several disciples gathered round him to learn from his wisdom. It so happened that each time the small community met in prayer, the cat would come in and distract them. The teacher ordered the cat tied whenever the community prayed. Eventually the great one died, but the cat continued to be tied up at worship time. When the cat died, another cat was bought to make sure that the teacher’s wishes were still faithfully observed. Centuries passed, and learned treatises were written by scholarly disciples on the liturgical significance of tying up a cat while worship is performed …

Post on NextReformation an anecdote by Mike Riddell.

Grace needed.....

Do philosophical differences mean we can’t be friends? Do our closest friends have to think exactly as we do? Is there room for diversity and difference of opinion, or does that preclude a friendship? I am struggling with this. I can’t be a robot. I can’t think like others always want me to think. My opinions count, and that shouldn’t make someone hesitant to continue a friendship! Do I get written off for one thing that seems wrong to someone else? And how do you mend a rift once it occurs? The world isn’t black and white, why should friendships be? Should friends be cookie cutter versions of who we are, or people who challenge us, debate with us, disagree with us, but love us unconditionally anyway? And once a problem surfaces, does it have to be insurmountable, are we suspect and mistrusted forever? Life is messy. We are human. We lack common sense at times and make missteps and mistakes. Friendships should not be deemed unworthy because of it……

Luke 6 is still chastising me.....

The more I think about this, the more convicted I become. Especially in one specific area. This is not the place to really elaborate, but suffice it to say, this passage got me this week.

Luke 6:37-42 (New International Version)

Judging Others
37"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

39 He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

41"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

And as I thought about it, a part of the Lord's Prayer wiggled it's way into my heart again. One I have thought about a lot. And when it comes right down to it, it's pretty sobering.

"forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors..." -or-
"Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us...."

Forgive us AS WE forgive others.....

Wow.

hey ~ maybe this'll help!

You Are Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream

You just don't know when you've had enough (or too much)!

What Flavor Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Are You?

THAT IS SO TRUE! :D

Gee - I sure hope I get over this writer's block soon........

yeah, a little...

Yup. I realized this this evening. Not sure why, but think I'll just go to bed and hope for the best tomorrow.

Your Emoticon is Sad

You're feeling a tad depressed right now. It will likely pass soon, but for now, you need some major cheering up!

What Emoticon Best Represents You Right Now?

Carissa called me!

She is having a wonderful time. Tho it has been stressful. The first flight from here to Atlanta was hard. But she took her Lorazapam :) for the overseas flight and did fine. She also attributes the better flight to the fact that the plane was just so much larger and not so confining. Being claustrophobic is not a good thing on a plane! London and Paris were very busy. No time for down time which stressed her out, and her friend fainted in Paris. Other then that she still enjoyed both cities. The Queen was not in residence when they were in Windsor. Don't think they really cared.....
They got to see the changing for the guard tho. Hope she took pictures. Paris, the Louvre etc. were good, but apparently really jam packed. She said she feels like she's been in Europe for a month. Her phone card wasn't working, so that added to her stress. The one teacher with them is a nurse, so that has helped Carissa deal with junk. She told Carissa yesterday that she needs to take her Lorazapam every night...LOL.
She loved the night train to Berlin, which is where she called from. It seems way weird to be talking to my 16 year old in BERLIN. She said the Checkpoint Charlie Museum was awesome.
I remember vividly watching as the Berlin Wall came down. We were in Ohio for Christmas when those first blows were struck, and Carissa was a baby. Seems like it happened just yesterday, so its really weird to think that Carissa and her friends have never known the world any other way.
The rest of their trip is slower paced and lower key. More time to relax. Don't know if she'll call again, but I'm sure glad I was here when she did. I miss her, but I'm glad she is getting to experience this. Hopefully the rest of the trip will go as well as the first part.

This is what Carissa is doing today....

Can you tell 1) I miss her and 2) I'm jealous? Tomorrow they do a walking tour of Paris and the Louvre...sigh.

Diet Coke and Mentos taken to new heights.....

What I've Been thinking about this week

Romans 12: 9-21

9-10Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

11-13Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

14-16Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.

17-19Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."

20-21Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.


Luke 6:27-36

27-30"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

31-34"Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.

35-36"I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.

Matthew 5:41

41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
or better - 41Suppose someone forces you to go one mile. Go two miles with him.

She's gone...aka she'll be looking over the white cliffs of Dover....

So, today I put my 16 year old on a flight to Europe. That was hard. Basically because she has so many problems with anxiety. But I know she'll have a wonderful time once she actually gets there. She called me about a half hour ago, having made it to Atlanta without any issues. Could be cuz she was sitting with Lindsey who has flown with her before, and is a very calming influence on her. Now they just took off for London. Lorazepam and all. Hopefully it will knock her out so she doesn't drive everyone else crazy.
I can't imagine going on such a wonderful trip at the age of 16. It's a European History tour - London, Windsor, Canterbury, cross the English channel by ferry to Paris,(including the Louvre...)and Versailles. Then they take an overnight train with couchette accommodations (see edit below) to Berlin with a side trip to Potsdam. Then they are off to Prague in the Czech Republic, followed by Budapest, Hungary. I'm not sure if they are dong the Danube or not. They then go to Vienna, and on to Salzburg and Munich before coming home. I am so jealous! Maybe someday....
I mean, St. Paul's Cathedral? Notre Dame and the Louvre? St. Vitus Cathedral? Things like Checkpoint Charlie, castles, and really cool cities?
So, if you think about it, keep them in your prayers. Especially Lindsey, Pippy, Jess, Paige and Carissa. I'll share a picture or two when she returns. Oh yeah, did I mention she will be gone almost three weeks?......





EDIT this is what couchette accomodations are. (this is specifically from the train she is taking - the Night train between Paris and Berlin)

survey says.....

ACCORDING TO YOUR ANSWERS,

The political description that
fits you best is...
.

LIBERTARIAN

LIBERTARIANS support maximum liberty in both personal and
economic matters. They advocate a much smaller government; one
that is limited to protecting individuals from coercion and violence.
Libertarians tend to embrace individual responsibility, oppose
government bureaucracy and taxes, promote private charity, tolerate
diverse lifestyles, support the free market, and defend civil liberties.

The RED DOT on the Chart shows where you fit on the political map.




Your PERSONAL issues Score is 80%.
Your ECONOMIC issues Score is 70%.
(Please note: Scores falling on the Centrist border are counted as Centrist.)


take quiz here

Finally!

Woo Hoo! School is finally out for the summer. It has been a long time coming, although it seems like just yesterday I was whining about having to set up those 25 computers......
It was a long year, and not with out difficulties and issues. I am soooooooooo glad it's over. I just need to look at it as a learning year. Lots of changes - and most of them, while painful, ended up being good.
So, now it's summer. And I have so much I want to do. Reading especially. And I'd really like to paint our bedroom - it's the only room in the house that hasn't been painted since we moved in here 6 years ago. I'd like to do some projects with our church too. And I just gave in and got a subscription to Netflix so I can watch all the foreign/indie movies I can't find at our video store....
And really, I'd just like to sit and do nothing. Some of that "Wasting time with God." We went on a church retreat last weekend. It was awesome. I haven't blogged about it because I am still processing it. So much to think about. Many things I am holding close to my heart because I don't feel like talking about them. Let's just say it was relaxing, healing, and emotionally exhausting - all at the same time. I just can't put words to it, nor do I even really want to try right now. It's my joy that I just don't want to share or cheapen by trying to describe it. And I find I don't have the words anyway. Whatever. That was rambling. Probably why I'm making my thoughts on the subject off limits for now.
So, now, full force ahead into summer. Wide open with possibilities.... I just don't wanna get to September and say where did the summer go?, and just what did I do with the time anyway? I want to relax, but not waste any of the precious time.
Oooh - it's thundering! A storm is blowing in. I can smell the rain. Think I'll go watch the storm.....