Dog

Don't let his good looks fool you. He's freakin crazy! 

Growth

Very interesting to see growth in other peoples lives as well as your own. I am speaking of spiritual growth. So this is what week 3 of The Call is about life stages. Seeker....follower....owner....reproducer. This is where it got a bit boring for me, we've heard it a few times before this. Granted my church is primarily made up of folks who have been coming for 2 years or less, so just cause I've heard it don't mean everyones heard it. And when you here it again you could very well be at a different stage. What's interesting to me is the folks who embrace christianity as a mature adult, start off as a seeker and want to jump right on over to reproducer. Sometimes they can be a bit stuburn about it, you can't skip stages, you gotta go through the crap too....it's not a fast process, growing your faith takes some time trust me I know. All this labeling sounds very cult like I think.....however it's kind of nice to know where you are on the spiritual growth spectrum and where'd you like to be. Some may be perfectly happy to stay in the followers stage......some folks would like to stay a toddler too, and never be potty trained, but you gotta grow up sometime. Besides God calls us to be reproducers, which looks different for everyone. Ok when I look at it this way it's not so boring. Watching other people learn and grow and seeing God for the first time in different aspect and how he shows up in other peoples lives....sometimes they don't even realize it....so so so cool. That's the good stuff right there....not even boring. When you truly know what's going on and how God manifest himself, man that's way cool.

BORED...

Ok so I have a whole weekend where nothing is planned. No real plans other than a meeting for me on Sunday evening. So why do I feel so bored and depressed. Here I have a weekend I can just spend time at home and do nothing. What did I do? Moped around and took naps. I did absolutely nothing productive. I think a lot of it is that I am on a complete and total financial lock down. Any other weekend where I had nothing planned I would have taken that time and gone shopping. Well I'm in this Dave Ramsey total money makeover hell, and therefor I'm not allowed to spend any money. AS IN NO MONEY......yeah I'm pretty much dying. So when I had to run to Krogers to pick up a sponge for the sponge mop, I snagged me a Rachel Ray Magazine. I was excited about the opportunity for a quick trip to walmart to pick up a few things, so that I could sneak in a few things too, just to make it look like I was shopping. It felt good.....satified my needs.

Then at church...I'm bored too. This might be because God's getting ready to do something really big?? Preparing me, so I'm not overwhelmed. We're doing this Call thing, where everyone's reading a devotional written by leaders with in the church, then we have a message on Sunday and everyones in a small group during the week. To me it's a bit repetitive. As in all that stuff repeats a lot of what was in the chapter we just read. Guess they figure if you've heard something about it 3 times and had the opportunity to discuss it, maybe it'll eventually sink in. I guess maybe some of what Dave said in his message today about once you become a Christian who is now a "reproducer", you can get bored. Yep that's me, I'm bored. At a really bad time. I prayed for 5 years for my husband to attend church with me, and now he has for about 7 years. Then I prayed for God to really show up in his life, so that he could really understand how I feel sometimes, and not just be a warm body at church. Well now he's starting to get all this cool God stuff, now that his wife is a bored reproducer. See I've reverted to language your average Joe probably doesn't even understand, not only am I bored I've now officially become BORING. ugh.....Pray for me....pray for whatever big thing God's got planned he'll reveal even a little bit of it to me, so life will get interesting. Or I'm gonna become some crazy partying drunk....cause then life would definitely be interesting. LOL.....yeah right.

Life in Order....

Feels wierd that life may actually get on track. This whole getting out of debt thing of my husband and the "Dave Ramsey hell" it has placed me in feels not too bad. It's thursday, and I've not spent a single cent on food out at a resturant. I'd venture to say I may have lost weight, except for the 2 latte's I've had this week along with the blueberry muffins thank you Starbucks.

So small group for The Call night 2, was good. Ron appeared to be more comfortable, and seemed to be taking the challenge of being the first small group participant to not utter a word like a champ. He managed to only say his name during the entire session. Didn't seem wierd at all, since he wasn't the only one. He did engage in small talk before and after so he is socializing.....who knows by week six he'll be offering to have a word of prayer......if that happens it'll be because he got the holy ghost for sure! He had no answers for all the questions, something about "he can't come up with answers to questions about his feelings real quick like that." LOL....although he had all sorts of ideas on how to draw people out who aren't talking, afterwards....LOL. Which I already knew the strategies, since I've been an Alpha facilitator for 3 years and was a small group leader for 2 years. Sometimes "drawing people out" just isn't appropriate, they'll talk when the time is right. Why he's got all this advice when he's the one not talking is beyond me. Dude it's ok to not talk, trust me you are getting plenty by just listening.

Real Life....

Have I talked about how much God loves me lately?? Have I? I mean seriously that whole switchfoot thing well that was clearly a God divine appointment. And then I also mentioned, my self inflicted latte ban. Why would I do that to myself? When a 2 minute trip through starbucks drive-thru can happen every single day with barely any effort whatsoever, it's like some sort of cruel and unusual joke. So then Ron hands me todays mail. Which included an unmarked envelope from MN....I know no one in MN. But it felt bulky like I was recieving a credit card....big no no in the world of financial peace. I open it and it's none other than my 2 starbucks gift cards I got from reward points at my bank. THANK YOU GOD! He knew it was too hard for me. That's real life baby...you can't make that stuff up!

Funny....

Thought that God hooked up that Starbucks with the superfast drive-thru service, but after a week of being brainwashed by Dave Ramsey.....I'm convinced it's Satan! Ron and I both have been listening to Dave Ramsey's podcast. Normally he has a talk radio show in the evening for 3 hours. But with a podcast you can get a whole hour commercial free...woohoo...
Ron got his book Lord help me, so I think Ron's began the baby steps to financial freedom.....I'm doomed. Unless I can stick it out long enough to get debt free, then I'll be allowed a latte or two, I think. I can't live like a pauper forever right? So the mans very much on my nerves about money again. This time I think we might be on the same page. So the challenge initiated by myself for the week. Can we go a full week without purchasing any food from a resturant. Including STARBUCKS. Plenty of food in the house. Lunches will be packed this week. Yowza....anyone wanna play along. Come on it'll be fun. Not to mention rewarding. That just means more money saved for latte's at a later date.

So I was contemplating on going to the Switchfoot concert in Columbus at the end of October. It happens to be on a Monday which is a crazy day to travel to columbus to see a concert. But if you've been reading my blog for any length of time you'd know what a huge Switchfoot fan I am. So I keep going back and forth in my head "is it responsible?", "will I be neglecting my family?" Is it too crazy to attempt such nonsense? Well God shows up again, and this time I think it was for real because it was at church. Today's message was what are your wildest dreams? Now seeing switchfoot in concert is a wild dream but I wouldn't say it was my wildest, plus I'm thinking he was going for way more complex, more like what has God really created you for? And what are you doing to pursue what God has planned for you? Except I'm sort of a simple minded kind of girl, with simple obtainable dreams really. So at the end of the service, his message took a rather intense turn....and I got my answer. I'M GOING TO COLUMBUS BABY! So click on that, and if you have an hour check out the whole service. If you only have like 30 min fast forward to the message, it's a good one, but if you wanna just see the message from God to little ole me.....fast forward to 55 min. sit back and watch the magic. Close your eye and listen. But don't cry like I did.....it's late and your eyes will be all puffy in the AM. And if you aren't a switchfoot fan, that song.....man oh man....it's one of those songs that grabs you, speaks to your soul, gets you really thinking. I mean not just dang my life sucks kind of thinking, but am I really doing what God created me to do, and if I'm not what am I going to do about it?

I love you Starbucks!!

Ok so a few years ago I was doing a full on Starbucks boycott because they charge so much for coffee to be yummy. I was getting my coffee at Super America for 89 cents instead of 3.90 for a grande latte. Something happened, fall at Starbucks is what happened, and all the yummyness that goes with that. I started getting the occasional Pumpkin spice Latte last year....you can even go fat free and it's just magic, worth every cent! Well guess what happened? So we're doing that praying everyday "God what would the abundant life look like in my life?" A Starbucks with a drive-thru right by the exit where I get on to go to work.....that my friend is what the abundant life looks like. It's gotta be it, because a bad morning suddenly turns into a magical happy morning with a 2 minute trip thru the drive thru....it's gotta be a God thing what else could it be?

6 Weeks of Torture

Getting to know strangers 2 nights in a row is tiresome. Dragging my introverted husband along for the ride on day 2 is even more tiresome. Ron's first small group experience was this evening.....it was pretty much 1 full on hour of torture. He could very well be the first person in the history of small groups to pretty much say nothing. Ha! Now that's gonna be good. He answered the "ice breaker" question because he thought he had to, in which case he just tagged along to my response. After that he wasn't talking. Somehow I need to explain to him that you don't have to talk, it's not a requirement, and even if you don't talk you can very much get something out of the experience, by listening to what other people have to say. He didn't say afterwards "I don't ever want to do that again." He did however mention it could be a very long 6 weeks though. LOL.......So we're suppose to pray for God to reveal his purpose for our lives everyday for the next week. I'll let you know when I'm quitting my job!!! LOL......Not just yet things are finally getting interesting on the job front, I actually have important responsibilities for once and feel needed a teeny tiny bit. Cubeland isn't so bad right now....maybe Gods going to reveal my purpose in life insurance. That sounds just awful, I hope not. Hey God how about something a little more creative?? Oh forgot I'm not incharge.

Men!!

Why is it they can't get the organized side of parenting down? He did attempt to do homework with P tonight, I will give him that, but he is going to have more than 1 thing for homework. Besides it's all written down in his very bad 9 year old hand writing in his agenda. So I had to help finish up at 10 pm, when he's suppose to be in bed. UGH.....and I had to go search for a rock outside with a flashlight. Um we live in the suburbs not near a creek, and oddly enough even with a boy around theres no rocks in my yard. I had to look hard for a rock, but I found one.

So I now have one DTMT under my belt and it feels good. I feel accomplished and all the people at my Alpha table show'd up. Crazy how many folks have table where people don't show, or they'll leave at the break never to return. I've never had this happen....wait......last time around I did one week. But that was very strange circumstances. I love Alpha....good times!

Happy Grandparents day Geegaw!!!

Back in the day we loved to go TPing. I TP'd well into my 30's. It was like creating white beautiful art. We once did my mom's house in 24 rolls of TP, it was an amazing work of art! Geegaw was often a victim of our form of graffiti. Ecspecially once we were grown, and I know longer lived at home. Besides she always worked nights so she wasn't there to bust us. Now that I'm past 35, I strangely feel too old for TPing. Could be I don't really know anyone with big trees in their front yard. And many folks have big mean dogs or dogs in general who blow your cover. So now we go Flamingoing.......hee hee.....at least we did last night. Geegaw lives in a palacial single wide. She's as proud as Gretchen Wilson to call herself trailer trash. No singlewide is complete without a set of Flamingo's. So while Perry and I distracted Geegaw in the house, Ron "Flamingo'd" her yard. Perry sort of blew our cover, he didn't want to wait till morning for her discover them.....she loves them. I personally think it would be better with about 6 more!

Prepare yourself blog fans, it's that time again when we start......DO TOO MUCH TUESDAYS.....Ron is now joining in on the madness, and taking over as cub scout parent, at least for 10 weeks while I lead Alpha. So hold on to your seats it's gonna get crazy round here! 

Eye Doctors....

P and I went to the eye doctor this evening. I got me some Pure Vision contacts, they were kidding these mugs are clear, and everythings so crisp. Wow....I've been wearing my glass's for 2 weeks, because I was out of contacts. I had a pair, but I had wore them for a while, and figured I was pressing my luck. I'm a lazy contact wearer and someday I'll pay if I don't cut it out. I've gotten lectures on several occasions, that I'm damaging my eyes by not taking them out yada yada.....but this time....the man was in the room with me. So he heard so it's something he'll lecture about I'm sure...."um Jo are you going to take your contacts out before you go to bed?".....So I guess I'd better listen. Do you people have any idea how blind I am??? Perry's like a -2, me I'm like a -9, which is really bad. Those people who invented contacts I could kiss them, wonder if I'd be reading braile if I was this blind 100 years ago. Yikes.....Happy to be able to see thank you Pure Vision....you people are brilliant.
Ashton told me last week...."Aunt Jodi your eyes look bigger when you wear your glass's" Right.....had to inform her that, that's not a compliment. UGH.....

The Call

So we've answered The Call. Yes I said WE....crazy as it may sound. Now that Ron's on 1st shift suddenly he's a joiner. It'll be his first small group experience. He may even be forced to talk to strangers, as in people he just met and hasn't known for 10 years. So Dave has asked us to do 3 things for the next 6 weeks, 1. Go to church (got that), 2. Read a weekly devotional takes about 5 min, (I think I can spare that), 3. Join a small group. Thought this one was going to be tough for my introvert husband. But we went to the big group thing to find a group in our area, and it was fairly painless, seems it's a mix of ages, and we are actually the youngest. Which is different from the group I led for a number of years, I was the oldest. It'll be fun to be the youngins. So I've broken my rule, but it's for God so it's all good. Rule being only one night a week would be busy with running around. Now we are at 2 nights. Thursday nights is off limits, it's a good TV night so back off!

Major Friend Time.....

Abby and I kicked it today. We went to the Taft Museum, been a while and it was nice. May I recomend the new fangled self audio tour? Very cool, all sorts of info you'd never ever know about many of the pieces....loved it. Ate at the Tea Room at the museum, so classy and nice, and gourmet eating. Then Abby and I rolled out to the Cincinnati Art Museum. Had a blast hanging there. Then we hooked up with our other friend Weezer and went to Clifton, and had Indian Cuisine....yeah I don't like it. I'll try anything at least once, but unless I'm just having some Nan aka flatbread no thinks. I don't think I'm a big fan of curry or something, it was just yucky. Then we went and saw Little Miss Sunshine.....OMG......everyone must see this movie. It has got to be the funniest movie I've seen in years. It is pee in your pants tears rolling funny! The type you leave the theater saying "remember that? remember that?....yeah that was awesome!!!" Nice time hangin with my peeps.

FIRE DRILL....

I have to say how blessed I am that God completely has my back! I mean it's only the first full week of school and already I am amazed at the difference in Perry. It's all about a predictable routine and he's comfortable. One of my biggest concerns about school ever since 1st grade has been the fire drill. He would become incapacitated from the sound. He'd press his hands over his ears really really tight and pretty much keep them there for 2 days. He did this most of 1st grade until they started removing him before it would go off. They did that until the end of 2nd grade......Then this year we discussed in the IEP meeting what we were going to do about the fire drill. We decided to let him experience it maybe with some sound reduction headphones, which the district would need to obtain. Well the end of August was getting closer, and no headphones were found, on August 31st I e-mailed his special ed teacher letting her know we had discussed it and I thought he'd be fine, since he seemed to have matured, just to reassure him that'd it'd be over quick. And that I predicted there'd be a firedrill that day, since it's the last day of the month and they hadn't had one. The scenerio that unfolded was well thought out plan by a caring teacher....it's going to be a good year!
If you can't read the journalling on the page go HERE and you can read it better.