I like cats that aren't standoffish, cats that are affectionate and will come sit in your lap or play with you. The cat in the top picture is my dear friends Cassie and Berto's cat named Snickers. Snickers always comes to me when I'm at Cassie and Berto's house and jumps up on my lap and lies there for awhile.
I have really loved writing fiction since high school. I wrote several short stories then. And I started a lot of things I never finished. I took some writing classes in college and wrote a few things. Currently I am working on writing a novel. It is my dream to get it published. There's a long ways to go before there's even any possibility of that, but it is my dream, and I need to keep working at it. I like writing relationshippy kinds of stuff--stuff about friendship, family. And I love writing "wounded characters," people who have been hurt or experienced significant loss, and maybe feel they can't trust and have to put up walls. I like to write the story of how that character changes, usually as a result of someone caring for that person and helping them to break down those walls. And the novel I am writing now is ultimately about someone coming to faith in Christ. The main character is someone who prides herself on her strength, but stuff happens that eventually brings her to the realization that her own strength is not sufficient. 
Delicious sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar! I have loved these since I was a kid.
The Newsboys are a lot of fun. They have some great music, a lot of which is pretty upbeat. "I Surrender All" from the Love Liberty Disco album is more mellow. I really like it, and my favorite part is into the song a ways when they sing, "He doesn't love us cause of who we are; He only loves us cause of Who He is." It's really pretty the way they sing that part, and I usually crank it up and sing along with it. Hear some music here:
I think the first time I met Pastor Fred was when I was moving some stuff into my office at church. I think actually I was storing some things there till I got a place, and Pastor E. and my mom were helping haul some things. Pastor Fred had come up to church and ran into us and he said he was just in time to help and started carrying stuff in. I think I always remember that because as I've gotten to know him more in my years working at church, I've seen over and over again that that's just the kind of guy he is--glad to help, friendly etc. A few years ago, he got some chairs for my office and put them together which I appreciated so much--he knew it was something I had wanted and just went out and got them for me. His laid back, easy going personality is good for me to be around. Pastor Fred is a faithful shepherd to God's people, and a kind hearted person. Also, he has a great sense of humor!
I really dig this song musically. As far as the lyrics go...well, RHCP are interesting in that department. I don't always fully get or like their lyrics, but I will listen to certain songs over and over again because musically they're so good. I love in this song how the music keeps building throughout. The lyrics basically are about struggles with drug addiction. Something foreign to me, but it is interesting to get a glimpse into what that's like for someone. The lead singer of RHCP and others in the band have struggled with drugs. The video to this is very unique. "A cartoonish story line is juxtaposed upon the song; that of a young man's dream sequence. The band members appear dressed in black in unusual locations, with props intended to appear as surreal instruments. Throughout the video Anthony Kiedies with his short, platinum hair is seen in a castle tower. His stage persona is different and quite dark when compared to his more energetic performances in other videos. John Frusciante plays a rope down a long corridor as if a guitar, although reluctant wanting just to play his guitar normally. Flea is hanging on telephone wires and playing them as if they were a bass guitar, and Chad Smith is up on a tower with a rotating medieval clock that serves as his drum kit."
If the video isn't working properly, you can go here to listen to an audio clip:
I picked this up at Barnes and Nobles one day and started reading it, and it cracked me up. I decided to get it as a stocking stuffer for my mom, but have been reading through the whole thing. I was laughing out loud over some of it. It's funny to me because it's that everyday stuff people can relate to. Here are some of the author's annoying things:Having to make that face to people in the hallway at work that implies "Hey."
Restaurants with indistinct figures, like a rooster and a chicken, indicating which restrooms are for men and which are women.
Finding a rusty AA battery, old packets of mild Taco Bell sauce, and a picture of your aunt and uncle tossing a Frisbee, as you frantically search your glove compartment for your registration while the state trooper grows impatient.
When a woman calls out "Thanks a million!" and waves as her car pulls away, and you realize you just gave her totally wrong directions.
When your thigh rubs against a leather chair, emitting a loud, ripping noise, and every time you rub your leg against it again, in an attempt to make the same noise to prove it wasn't a fart, it sounds nothing like the initial noise.
When the driver pushes the unlock button, but you pull the handle at the same moment, and you remain locked out.
When you've accidentally broken something in someone's home, and the host doesn't try to comfort you by saying, "Oh, it was already broken" or "It does that all the time."
When the person you are waving hello to doesn't see you waving, but then catches you awkwardly retracting the wave.
Stumbling over something in front of strangers and immediately having to decide between two options: (a) ignore your misstep and try to walk nonchalantly onward; or (b) look over your shoulder while making a slightly exaggerated look of annoyance at the thing that cause you to stumble, as if to imply, "They really ought to fix that!"
When an audience claps to a song out of rhythm.
When the person you're eating with aggressively wipes his mouth causing you to wonder if he's hinting that you have a glob of something dangling from the corner of your mouth.
People who stop telling a story "because it's too disgusting to tell during dinner," leaving you to try to envision what was so disgusting about it as you continue eating.
Waking up with your arm numb and thinking, This time it's paralyzed.
High fives that don't quite come off right.
The white thread your vacuum won't pick up no matter how many times you run over it.
When movie characters make out after sleeping all night and not brushing their teeth.
When you have to cancel plans because you're sick, but you don't sound sick.
When the person holding the camera can't locate the right button, forcing you to stand with a fake grin frozen on your face.
People who say "Let's grab some din-din."
Bending to pick up the subscription cards that fell out of the magazine you're holding.
That the most intense laughter you have usually comes at the least appropriate time.
Not listening when someone tells you her name as you're being introduced, causing you to obsess about whether her name will be repeated, leaving you unable to follow the conversation.
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 
This was one of the first "for fun" books I read after I finished my Master's degree stuff. The novel is basically about a group of very different women who are assigned to a prayer group at a Christian women's retreat and then continue to meet. It is really cool that though they are so different they have a bond as sisters in Christ and really support each other with prayer and in other ways. They face various challenges and trials and learn a lot about grace and forgiveness. There are 7 books in this series, and I will be reading all of them as the story lines continue through each of the novels, and I can't wait to see what else will happen with these women. These books, while fun, also really made me think more about prayer. These women pray about everything, even when there are things that are difficult to pray about for whatever reason. It made me think about my prayer life, and how I want to be more regular in praying about things.
After a Qdoba opened in town, I started going there on a pretty regular basis. I especially love the Poblano Pesto Burrito and steak hard shell tacos. Good stuff!
This is such a great sitcom which was actually a spin off from a sketch on The Carol Burnett Show. Vicki Lawrence plays Thelma Harper or "Mama" who is outspoken and often cranky. One of my favorite episodes is "Mama Gets a Job" in Season 1. Mama gets a job at The Raytown Travel Agency, but between family interruptions and her tell it like it is attitude, she doesn't keep the job long--her facial expressions and the way she talks to people just cracks me up. This is such a funny show.
When I'm asked questions about what my favorite movie, song, book, etc. are, my first reaction usually is that it is too difficult to pick one favorite! However, I think would say The Hammer of God is my favorite book. It brings out the proper distinction between Law and Gospel in the format of a novel. The ways Law and Gospel get mingled in this book are ways Law and Gospel get mingled all the time today. People relying on their works, people self-righteous in what they're doing or despairing because they're not "good enough." But when God crushes with the hammer of Law and strips all that away and people rely on Jesus only and know they are saved only by faith in Him, well it's awesome. So many beautiful passages in this book that lay it all out. You can check some of the passages out in my Theology posts.
The Ewoks are characters that are featured prominently in Return of the Jedi. They inhabit the forest planet Endor where Han, Leia, and Luke come on their mission to destroy the shield generator of the Death Star. The Ewoks end up being heroes, fighting the Imperial troops and enabling Han, Leia, and the other Rebel forces to succeed. The Ewoks are so cute. I still have my Ewok action figures.
This is my favorite of the Star Wars movies. I mean, I like all of them, but this one ties everything together. You've got the final confrontation with Luke and Vader. Luke finds out he has a twin sister. Han and Leia's romance blossoms. And Return of the Jedi has the Ewoks. The Ewoks are so darn cute, and they save the day in this movie! I like the whole beginning sequence too with Luke coming to Jabba and rescuing his friends.
