Five Minute Post

Hey all. Here for a quickie! Melody Shorey(used to be Craig) did have her baby. The "birthing pains" were the start of the real thing. She had Matthew Lauren Shorey around 12:30 that night. So I was the first to know anything was happening! Yeehaa! So awesome. My childhood friend that I knew since I was like 3 is a mommy of a newborn baby boy. Yeah! I'll be seeing them at Christmas.
Our family is going to Maine and NH for Christmas. We'll be seeing Matt, Lexi and baby, Dana, April and baby! I love babies.
Our Christmas play was a success. We did very well had a few problems but it was really good. It's over and now I'll kinda blothpicky cause if it...the let down you get when something is over.
But I have alot to look forward to. Christmas... and my 24th birthday, ahhhh 24! Weird!....in Jan. and a new year...by the way Adam turned 20 yesterday! Crazy...we all just keep gettin' older and older:)
Hey would I be considered an old maid;) Anyways. I love you all, Merry Christmas and and have a Happy New year....see ya next year!

WOW! I've Been BUSY!

Hey all. Merry Christmas. We've been having trouble with our computar. I can't connect to the internet sometimes....very frustrating! Maybe all the time now. I think our computar has a cold!

I have been very busy with the play. Finally today is a down day. Krista and I are planning on going Christmas shopping. I want to get my hair cut after being here at the Library. My hair isn't all one length.... and it flips out:) Bad hair.

Okay...on Saturday we had our last 13 hour rehearsal, 2 hours were dinner and lunch break. On Sunday after Church I went and painted set again....than we had an evening rehearsal from 5-9, than Monday I worked on set during the day than had to come to Front Royal to pick Krista up than we headed up to Berryville for another 4-9 rehearsal (which we were late for). Than yesterday we had another rehearsal, 4-9 (late again... Krista didn't get off work until like 4...)

Melody called me during the day, (by the way she's pregnant with her first child! Amazing! My childhood friend!) yesterday to tell me her body is starting the birthing process...which could happen relativelly quickly or take awhile, you never know(I can say this cause I know everything about this type of thing....jk!).... she didn't have contractions yet, but different syptoms that tell you stuff is happening. I was the first one she told about her "pains.":) Her mom walked in near the end of our talk and she was like ,"Melody get off the phone with Marie and call your husband than call Marie back.":) She hadn't even called her hubby yet.

So when Melody first called. I just started in talking about the play.... "blah, blah, blah...blaaaah!" and finally near the end of our talk she was like, "well the reason I called was to let you know......" about her pains "it's not that important or anything..." NOT THAT IMPORTANT! MAN! I shoulda asked her first thing why she called. She called me to help take her mind off of what was going on:) She thanked me for talking with her:) She is sooo laid back!

I didn't even give her a chance at first for her to talk about what was going on...ooops:( After I got off the phone with her I was hooting and hollaring...well makin' alot of noise, I was excited about this, this, this EVENT that's happenin', hollarin' "Oh baby, it's your birthday!" and for real it's the baby's birthday season. I was wound up. Plus I had half an energy drink yesterday!

I haven't talked to Melody today...I wanna see what's up! Yeah! I'm happy for her and excited! This is sooo awesome. Melody is such a special friend to me. She has blossomed since she's been married. She really has. I connect with her differnetly, in a better way than I did before she was married. She was telling me her story of how she and Eric got together yesterday too. Basically she was running from him, like a hound chasing a rabbit, she was the rabbit!
She was scared something might happen... something sure did happen!:) And God brought them together, he didn't have to use Melody to flirt or chase Eric. Eric saw her, saw that he wanted to get to know her. He kept pursing her... She did not encourage him at all...of course as time went on in their relationship she did help out:) first time he called she could tell he was nervous so she was nicer to him than she might've been. They also talked for 3 hours!

Gives us hope ladies. If we are to marry someone... just be yourself...God can move and will move even if we don't do much to help the situation:)

I'm thankful to God for giving Melody this man Eric. It's a blessing to me to see her blessed this way. She wasn't even pursuing marriage or courtship and bam out of the blue God was like ok here is someone I want you to be with for the rest of your life. She can see how God was preparing Eric for her, even years ago when she looks back at his life! Also the grace she has lived out in relationship with Eric is an example to me. Out of all the marriages I see theirs is one of the top examples for me... their's gives me hope. And she is one of the youngest people I know that's married. Part of it is she lives so far away so I don't hear about all the nitty gritty...but still their's is a good marriage. That's what I see.:) Just differentt things are "symptoms" of a good marriage that I pick up on when I talk with Meloday. That's what I want someday, a good marriage:) It takes 3...

So Friday is our dress rehearsal. Briana, the director is wanting to go through the play 2 times. First time will be a technical rehearsal...to move all the set and all the props...the 2nd time will be to go through the whole play.

Than Saturday at 7 is the first showing. Please pray for the play and everyone involved. We've had a few of our cast get sick recently. There are a number of non-christians involved. Pray that they find Jesus...that He'll use this play in their lives in powerful ways.

Also pray alot of people will come out to the play. Just pray for everything involved!

Than Sunday is our last "showing" at 3. After we have a cast party. Phew! It will actually be some of a let down:) to have it over:( It's been alot of fun:)

Peace out! In this wonderful time of the year, When we celebrate our special friend's, brother's and Bridegroom's birth-our Jesus! He is the reason for the season! Merry Christmas!

News Flash! This the season, to be Thankful and Jolly!

Update. Hey folks out there. Did ja'all have a good Thanksgivin'? I did. We were here at home with Adam. He flew down. My dad and I went to the Dullus Airport, and picked him up Monday evening.
I enjoy people watching at airports. Quite interesting:)

We spent alot of time Thursday making and setting up for the big meal. We had Turkey, and waldorf salad(which I didn't have any of), stuffed celery, even some ham left over from Krista's b-day(we don't have it much), um...sweet potatoe, and mashed potatoe, and corn, stuffing:), gravy...store bought rolls....some sort of grape drink and we made I'd say at least 7 pies:) It's a family tradition to make alot of pies.
Some of the pies we had were, Apple Pie made by moi, chocalate silk pie, by Adam("yummy:)" if I say so myself), Cheesecake, by Krista, Pecan Pie, by Adam, etc...

Before we ate we were sitting around the table with the feast laid out before us. The candles creating a homey ambiance.
We went around and each of us said things we were thankful for. There was a level of maturity in the exchange... we're all older now. Krista being 17... God's done some big stuff in our lives this year. He really has...and He still is doing big stuff in our family! Our God is active and dynamic. And He doesn't want to leave us where we are. He wants to grow us into whole people...so that we live abundant life....that's one of the things salvation is allllll about!

Some of the things we were thankful for and I am thankful for:

Of couse our family
Krista was thankful for how our relationship is getting closer
How God worked in her heart
I said I was thankful about not going to Hawaii
How God has been working in our family
Our Church family...it's such a great church
My job this summer
God's protection in connection to the job, I'd say within 30 days time I had 4 bad incidences with cars...hitting a deer, driving into the back of a vehicle, and 2 different vehicles dying on me! ahhhhhhhhh!:)
My friends
The relationship God and I have
Special times I've had with Him...more of the revalation of His loving...tender heart to me
God taking Shania out of our family...and how it actually played out, the day she left coulda been so much more climatic...
My niece and nephew
My friend Melody, (used to be Melody C----) happily married and with child with her first! Ahhh!
Hope for a future:)
Jesus
The Bible

So there's my belated Thanksgiving list...cept in some ways it's not belated cause it's good to give thanks anytime!

So about this whole Christmas play thing. My word! it played on my nerves so much this last week. Ugh! Anyways on Sunday, when we had the auditions, we were told that we'd hear on Tuesday, this last Tuesday, which part we got....it kept on being put off. And finally I believe it was Friday night we found out! *sigh*
I didnt' get the part I had my heart set on. It woulda been a stressful part to have, one reason being there's sooo many lines.
I actually ended up being Mrs. Baer(think Proffessor Baer in Little Woman...cept no relation at all...as far as I know) anyways I think i have a total of 6 lines:) Not too bad.
I'm also involved with Set Design and the actual putting it and painting it together. We have a guy working with us who has some really good ideas! We had a meeting today, 4 of us, going through the play and discussing what we need for sets.
I am also the stage manager. I like having that job, cause of how important it is:) Should be interesting. I'll learn as I go along. Never done it before. The play is I think, Dec 17th and 18th, not very far away. Let cha know how it goes.

Tomorrow I'm going into a public school to talk to the principle. I'm looking into getting a part time job in the cafateria(sp?). I'd help kids with opening milk cartons, and lunch boxes and after each session wipe down the tables. The principle said it gets really loud in there. Hey maybe I'll even sit with some of the kids and chill:) Hmmm, wonder if I'd be aloud to? Doesn't pay much but it's a start:) Than on Wednesday, Nov. 30th, at 10:30 I have an interview about Sub. May actually be a good thing to tell them I'm moving in the direction of workin' in one of their cafeterias. I think this whole sub. job will take time to get into. They have like orientation.... whatever that is and I don't know when...so if I get the sub job,( pray I do if it's God's will) than I'm guessing I'd start in January.

I bought a winter coat tonight. Not totally sure if I'm gonna keep it. It hits mid thigh. It's a deep red wool material. Very pretty color. I like true reds. :) I'm actually wearing it right now:) I was thinking the other day that I wanted a jacket this length. Before I went into the store I prayed that I'd find a coat...this was like the first coat I saw/ picked up and I liked it! It does need a lint rollar. It is brand new. I got it at Gabe's. A store that sells other stores messed up, or excess products etc... so the prices are cheaper than originally.

Boy I am tired........hmmmm.........

I think I'm running out of blogging steam.

I am also thankful for the whole world of blogging:) My little bloggin community:) Have a great week all. It's 12:11 am...so it's Monday morning...i am tired, night! and have a great week!

How do you like the Autumnal colors!:)

Dryers Dead as a Doornail

Quick blog...

Hmmmm, random thoughts...cept I have a few planned. I like color. I am visual. I am cold here in the basement.

Our dryer is dead. We got one for free cause our original dryer died, than the 2nd one we got died, or it was dead on arrival, than my parents boutht a $50 dryer...it lived a little, one night but it screamed(sqeeked VERY HIGH PITCHED SQUEEK!) in agony, than the next day it was dead. Stupid things! My parents didn't even get there $50 bucks out of it. And I have a pile of laundry that I'd like to wash...life! can't live without it!

Last night we had some auditions for the play because one of the girls won't be at the auditions for Sunday. I got to read Jennifer's part and so did all the other girls that were there. Which was 3 beside's me. Jennifer's the one that get's married. It's a longish part...I have trouble some memorizing, it takes me awhile to get something. I'll even switch the phrases around as I'm learning it, not on purpose... If I don't get her I know another part I could try out for, a mother.:) I've always wanted to be a mother...actually I don't know have I...as I've gotten older I've wanted to be one:) We will see won't we.

Tomorrow is the BIG day. We're going to the Battle Cry training conference. Nine of us are meeting at the church at 7am in the morning. Krista and I may spend the night closer or we'll drive up EARLY in the morning.

A bit of advice, when you drive on Browntown road to visit us... be careful especially in the morning and at night when it's dark , that 's when the deer roam. Sorry we don't have antelope. But I could elope...we'll I guess by myself at this point. Actually that'd be running away, but since I'm old enough to leave it'd actually be leaving...and I'm never going to marry myself even if I get really desperate, I heard of a lady that did that. I am rambling.......

Anyways, tonight is Friday night, so Shabbat Shalom ya'll! Have a good one!

Of Mice and (Wo)Men...

Isn't this cool that we can get onto this amazing technological machine and write posts on our blog. It's like virtual newspapers. And it doesn't cost a cent! That is sooo cool. And it's such a great way to keep in contact with alot of people. I'm glad to be part of this "family" of bloggers...we have our own little community!
Thanks everyone who commented recently and your encouragment and words of affirmation. Blessed my little heart. One of my love languages is "quality conversation"...also I feel loved to an extent if what I'm "saying" is being "listened" to, and if I'm getting feedback from the other person that they are listening.
My dad gets frustrated sometimes cause I want him to respond and as himself, he knows he's listening but doesn't see the need or sense the need as I do to respond.
Part of it's my personality.

We have alot of mice, or one very busy mouse that we've seen...downstairs in Adam's room, in my room, I saw something streak past me in the computar room once, my mom threw a little fit the other night cause she saw one in her bedroom...oh yeah and I got one! It's gone! The blasted little thing! It's been flushed! The little sucker. Bet he doesn't have the guyts to do that again! That's what he gets for snoopin' in my room. Ahhh(she breathed with flashing eyes.)

The other night I woke up like 6 in the morning cause of a dream and I heard alot of littleish noises in my room. Sounded like a mouse was rolling nuts or acorns around or something. It was kinda fake sounding...if you know what I mean, like it should've been sound effects for a movie about mice. I ended up sleeping upstairs until it got light outside... than when my mom got up I moved downstairs.

This is a rhetorical question...(that you can answer if you want), but do you guys/girls (same differnce) get people "match making" you?! Especially women..."match makers"-I've had like 3ish women do that to me in the last 2 months. It's funny, 2 of them made me laugh. One did it and was like, so and so's been praying for a wife....and I don't want alot of people to know, I asked her, "Why did you tell me?" and she didn't even answer my question, it was like she didn't even hear it, hmmm...
They are soooo funny!

I know this is a really random post. But that's who I am. Keep it lively, keep it moving...cept sometimes I get bogged down, like in details. Because I'm detail oriented...until I get bored with the details.

This weekend I'm going with my youth leader and youth in my church who are leaders with the youth or could be. (Hey we all are leaders in our own ways...) We're going to a big training rally called "Battle Cry" put on by Teen Mania. It will equip us with info to deal with specific issues our generation deals with, or doesn't deal with. The rally is actually for youth leaders.../adults but Briana, our youth leader wanted some of the youth from our church to go. They really are the ones that may need it more than us "old" people because they are with the teens in school all the time and alot of us old people aren't.
We're leaving Berryville at like 7 am Saturday morning, so either Krista and I will spend Friday night at a friend's that lives closer or we'll travel up early Sat. morning and leave like 6 ish, or some after 6. The rally ends I believe at 5pm...it's being held close to DC. Than after we'll prob go out to dinner, maybe at Chipotle than go back to Briana's and pray for teens...etc.

Briana is in the midst of writing the CHristmas play. This is her last week. The play has a birth, a death, a marriage, Christmas, school, home, a coffee shop in it, even a hospital emergency room scene...cause of a broken bone, oh yeah and a cross country race...I think the race will actually take place in the auditoriam...will be interesting to see how it works out! Basically it's like real life, the scenarios are. It's actually based on a true story that happened when Briana was in High School.

I finished reading "Rilla of Ingleside" the last book in the Anne of Green Gables books. It was good. If you haven't read that series I suggest you do. The last book actually made me cry I think more than once. I'm a cryer, in movies and books.:) For heaven's sake, I've even gotten goosebumps during commercials! Part of my personality is that "I AM A FEELER!" If you don't understand what I mean read a personality book.

Oh yeah, so now I'm in a different type of genre of book, it's "All Things Bright and Beautiful." I'm enjoying it. Definatley different than what I've been reading alot lately. It's about a vet in England. I believe it's based on the life of the author, James Herriot.


I'm also reading a book by Joyce Meyer called, Beauty to Ashes. Which is about emotional healing. We're doing it as a girl's bible study on Thursday nights. It's a really good book.
Last night I read a chapter all about God's unconditional love for me. One thing they said was for me to say to myself throughout the day that "God loves me."
The chapter was kinda like sometimes when I read the Bible, it was just good truth. Plus in the chapter there was alot of scripture. Does it ever seem like when you read the Bible it's new and fresh... there's just alot of clarity as you take in the scripture? Make sense?

Oh, and on Sunday, is the auditions for the play. It's up to God which part I'm getting. There's alot of parts so most likely I will get a part. I'm definatly(how do you spell that word?) helping with set. There's even singing auditions. Because on top of all the above listed scenarios, the play is a musical! Come on down and see it! I'll probably sing part of "Amazing Grace" acapella. I can sing, not always one of the strongest singers though. I can sing lower notes louder. I really enjoy music, once when I was a kid I got this "Wee Sing Silly Songs" tape or something like that out of the library and I sat at the Kitchen table and played it. I sang through the whole tape in one sitting with the words on the little paper insert:)
Music and singing's in my blood! "I have indians in my bloodsteam."(i.j.=inside joke)

It's only 11:41.

I put my application into the Warren County Public Schools offices on Friday...we'll see if I get a job through them. I kinda hope so. I need to do something... I want to do something that counts. I'd like to work in the school system...I think...yeah I would, cept it's scary. Man!
I haven't been in school for over 5 years. Please pray for me about getting a job. It's hard to know where to look...for 'em.

Sunday we're having an "open floor" meeting. Anyone can give a testimony, of thanks for what God's done in their life. We'll see if I say anything. I might. It's scary testifying...remember Feast meetings when we were in Bible School...
Can you believe next week is Thanksgiving! Woosers! Adam's comin' home yeah! It will be good to have him home for awhile. I love my brother and I respect him:)

I think I'll wind down soon. This blog was kinda like what, maybe I'd talk about to a friend, and sometimes I do skip around and talk about alot of different things...at least I'd do that when I was younger. Do I do that now?

Good night all. Sweet dreams...I'm thankful for ya'll, this blogging business has warmed up my relationships with alot of you guys. You bloggers out there in cyperspace. You're my neighbors guys:) maybe I should say, my blogger fam...how bout my e-fam! I'm being sappy for those of you who have a hard time being that way. It comes easy for me! Remember I am a FEELER!:))

What's in a Name?

I love meanings of names. Some of our teaching from YWAM was that your destiny is wrapped up in your name. I believe that often that is true.

My first name is:

Marie: literal meaning is myrrh...
which is a bitter herb...when it's cut, it oozes with healing balm and fragrance...
application, when I'm cut...with God's help I'll learn and not be bitter, but the healing I've experienced I can share with others...and one of the ways God's fragrance will be in my life is through the suffering I have experienced...that I've over come or am experiencing as I'm connected to him-as I "ooze" the frangrence of God is spread abroad...something to work toward too.

suggested character quality: living frangrance

middle name:

Angeline: root word-Angel-meaning messenger....I've done that, been on many mission trips...I feel that's part of my calling to share the good news with people...the gospel
suggested character quality: bringer of truth

So I am a Bitter Messenger or should I say, a Fragrant Messenger?

...also my last name, which I will n0t reveal hear means, keeper of the light...and that's one of the ways I think about God, as light...

I'll just list some names and meanings...

Richard: Powerful Ruler
Alan: handsome, cheerful, harmonious one
Matthew: Gift of Jehovah
Patricia: Noble one
Jean: God is Gracious

Now for some random names:

Hugo: Mind
Ida: happy, prosperous
Cicely: Dim sighted
Carson: son of the marshdweller
Buford: a shallow stream where oxen cross
Byron: Bear
Abiane: Grace of God (cool!)
Adolf: noble wolf
Nadine: Hope
Luverne: springlike

If any of you out there want me to "translate" your name let me know, drop me a line. Can't promise though...that I can...I'll see if I can find it.
One of our favorite people's names and the meaning:

Jesus: Saviour; Healer
suggested character quality: God is savior
life verse: Psalm 111:10

Remember to walk in the truth of who you are, and the blueprint-your name, that God has given you in your life. If your name doesn't have much "meaning" you and God can think up something that applies.
Just as a side note, in Isreal alot of the Jewish people had very definate meanings to their names...met one guy his name was Chaim, which is the hebrew word for life....pretty cool huh:)

Goin' to the chapel of love....;)

I want to write something people want to read. I go and look at everyone else's blogs and they have like 12 comments...and 14 or something and I go and look at my blog and I have 2, and 2 ...and oh- goody 7 at most...:( Is it because my blogs tend to be long?
I'll try to write something today that warrents more comments...

Well, something that may be worthy blog material is a part in the play that my youth leader is writing. Ok, let me lay the foundation...there's this 20 something Drama teacher/youth leader, single christian...named Jennifer. Than there's this guy, Joshua, single christian also and he helps a band out...in some sort of leadership role.
One night they are at a coffee house helping to host it...mcing. Joshua and Jennifer are working with the different acts ,up on stafe. Jennifer goes to do something, Joshua doesn't see her and bumps into her. Oops, he bumped her, causing her to fall off the stage! Lo and behold she broke her ankle...she heard it crack! Obviously it's Joshua's fault. He ends up taking her to the emergency room, and they have to wait there for hours-together, ohhhhhh...
That's where their relationship starts....guess what happens, yup they eventually get married, IN THE PLAY! Interesting huh. One of the reasons the lady writing the play puts their story in, is because they are the epitomy of purity before and during their courtship relationship.
Sure I'd be interested in being Jennifer...(ya'll's probably rolling your eyes...and saying "of course she would!")

Hey I may get married after all, even if it's only on stage! Silly me! I know ya'll who knew my reputation at Bible School will get a kick out of this. I'll keep you updated...We don't know yet who's getting what role in the play, so I mayn't get married, at least yet....

I was thinking about making the title of this blog, "I might be getting married!" I think it would've caused a stir...but I may only be "getting married" in the play! Huh!

The Land of the FREE!

Today is Monday afternoon, good afternoon. Tomorrow I work the polls. It's kinda a sorry thing that I won't be able to vote, because I'll be at a polling station that's not my place to vote. I was suppose to file an absentee ballot, but I forgot....ekkks. Well I can pray for the Republican guy...maybe that will be worth more than my vote:) Yes I am a Republican and I'm proud of it! I am ultra conservative! Yeaha! Pro life, pro man woman Marriage, Pro Bushy... pro freedom of Religion ...and that includes for Christians...which people often forget!
Workin' the polls will be a looooooonnnng day. I have to be at Reesey Jeffries elementary school between 5:00-5:15 am! The day finally ends at 7/8 o'clock in the evening, but! I get paid for it! A friend of mine, Christina, is most likely going to work the polls with me too. So I get a day of work, that pays pretty good!

I am at a standstill about what to write... Krista and I finished watching the long version of Pride and Prujudice yesterday. I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the new one coming out:)

Yesterday at Youth Group we had a Youth pastor from another church, Jamie, come and talk to us about Christian clubs in Public High Schools. It was really good. He knows about the laws and how the laws do protect Christian youth who start a club in school. He's willing to educated people in the school system about Christian youth's rights. Teachers are scared about it, about giving Christian youth freedom of speech basically...interesting huh... When the club meets they are allowed to invite anyone to speak, even christian teachers in the school... and they, the teachers can preach the gospel in school, in that setting... and not be afraid of the law or officials coming down on them! Because we do have the RIGHT! Yeah! I'm fired up:)

So he was here to tell us that the Christian youth do have the freedom and protection of law! Even to put on Big youth rallies in school auditoriams(sp?)! You do have to work within the framework of the schools schedules etc... Sometime after I was like I'd kinda like to be in High school now...cept when I was in high school I wasn't as comfortable with who I am as I am now- I'd say. High school was kinda painful, actually my school carreer was kinda painful... Well I've been out (sounds like out of prison or something...huh?) since 2000! Close to 5 and a halfish years. Wow! That is crazy.

My Youth Leader is working on the Christmas Play. She's writing the whole thing! It's going to be a modern day story that is taken from real life...except she's changing some things.
It's about a Christian Girl who starts "missionary" dating and ends up in a serious relationship, she shouldn't have been in, in the first place...she gets pregnant and is faced with the decision-what in the world do I do now? It's a story of redemption... If you want to know more about it, you will have to come and see it!

I'm planning on doing alot with the set. We'll see. Last year my dad and another young lady and myself did alot of work on the set...with alot of help. We did a Daily Grind (which is a local coffee shop fanchiees around here) scene, a desert dune scene, in Jerusalem Streets scene... there was a classroom scene, a living room scene... inside Mary and Joseph's house scene...maybe that's about it...it was lots of work.
Krista wants to be in the play, this year. At first she didn't want to, cause she has alot on her plate already, but since she heard the story line she wants.
Last year because of the play a girl, Jodie found Jesus! She's come regularly to church and has invited a guy she works with to come to church too, and he and his family, wife and kid have been to church a number of times! God uses these things as outreach...it's really awesome:)

I'm not in a very "chatty" mood.:) Still having trouble with posting links if anyone wants to give me in put...:)
The leaves are falling, hence the name "Fall" but the weather has been gorgeous and warm! I should get outside today for a walk!

Shalom ya'll. Drop me a comment, will ya.:)

Ahhhh! THE FRUSTRATION OF IT ALL!-Drivin' me crazy!

Calling all computar nerds out there. I am having the HARDEST time adding links via my template...for the links in my blog sidebar. Know what I'm saying? I type in the links just as the other ones are typed in, but these new links won't show up and I just don't know why! I even "republish" the blog...save changes...I just don't know what's up....?:/
If anyone has any thoughts please let me know...

Life is "Slammin'" (sometimes)

This may be a short blog, but I know me... I tend to write lllllllooooooooooonnnnnnnng blogs...oh well. I must accept who I am:)
Hmmm... what to write about. I guess my life. Not much new here in ole Virginny...

Krista had a slammin' party(I word I recently picked up) on Friday. I decorated the dining room, it was supposed to be girly, so we did the light pink, black and dark purple color theme. I used some tulle in the decor, for you guys out there, it's a filmy gauzy, type of cloth stuff. Krista and her peeps ended up "watching" 3 movies... and went to bed at 6 or maybe they fell asleep at 6:)
I had to leave the party for a bit to go pick up a table I needed to borrow from a church in town. I had another jewelery sale thingy... at the "Oktoberfest." I ONLY sold jewelery bought a couple gel bracelets from the vendor next to me...a chicken sandwich, etc...they had a table on an Avon walk for breast cancer. I didn't consume any alchohol. The event was really small, the people puttin' it on didn't do enough advertising so they didn't even charge me for the table. Which was great. It was another cold day outside selling my jewelery! Brrrrrrrrr.....(but it wasn't raining!)
One of the ladies from this neighboring vendor actually made the largest purchase of the day! Yeah ha!
Tara spent the night last night. We, Krista, Tara and myself, all came from youth group last night. Pray for Tara, she could use the extra boost. She's workin' today, from like 3:30-close. She works in a store at the mall. Being as it's Halloween I dressed her head up... she couldn't wear a costume or anything that covered her face, so I gave her french braids, lined her top eye with liner and made a coupla curly q's come out from the corner of her eyes, with black makeup pencil. I sprayed her with Krista's hair and body glitter spray... and what really added alot were these white rhinestones I glued to her hair like a delicate crown, that dipped into her forhead... I used elmer's glue. She also had lipslick and eyeshadow on....
We dubed her "character" Cleopatra, who was kidnapped to work at the "Children's Place"(the store she works at)...

Krista also woke me up this morning to do her up. She works at a restaurant-"South Street Grill"....she was the "Good Dream Fairy." She had on black and white clothes... a shirt with silver metal shiny things all over the top and the bottom of the shirt, skirts into petal-like shapes.
I glued rhinestones below her neck and did this cool swirly thing with white face paint than I brushed on loose powder makeup that's skin color so she has this cool-skin colored swirly effect on her neck and chest..I should sometime get some pics, of her up on the blog...
Also I glued some rhinestones, one being a star to her fore head. Her lips were black with glitter gloss, and I did her eyes similar to Tara's the black lined look and curly q's. The glue I used on Krista was this heavy duty stuff that only people over the age of 18 can buy, ever heard of such a thing? Because younger ones would possible use it to get high. A while after I glued a rhinestone to her chest... I looked at it and it was pink around it, kinda like a welt... ekkks... oh well she got that type of glue.....wanted me to use it. Well when she's 80 with rhinestones stuck to her body you'll know why...(actually she's used the glue before and the rhinestones came off:)
Krista was also sprayed with the glitter spray. It would've been fun to have gone to her work, to see people's reactions!


About the whole job thing...well I got info about "Baby Sitting" an elderly man here in Front Royal...we'll see. I'm waiting on two reference letters before I submit my application to working in the Warren County school district. Chad and Andrea I may join you're ranks of working in the public schools....we'll see!

Keep me in your prayers! God bless and be with you all this week....
By the way I'm moving in the direction of getting more involved or am more involved in Youth Ministry. I talked to my Youth Leader last week about it and may meet with her again this week. So pray about that tooo....if you will. Why don't you just pray for me ALL THE TIME! Jk:)
Maybe I should go outside for a bit, been a gorgeous day! Keep in touch ya'll.

Our God hears our Prayers!

I just finished reading alot of people's different blogs. Inspires me to blog again:) Guess what I'm actually listening to? Backstreet Boys, one of my siblings has it on our hard drive. It's actually pretty... never listened to them much. The song is "Incomplete." Some guys love sick cry to his woman...heartbroken cause she's gone.

I was looking at a shirt yesterday and thinking about buying it. On the front it said, "I don't play hard to get...." and than on the back it said, "I am hard to get." I love the saying but didn't get it cause I didn't want to pay around $13 for my purchases...I did wonder if it was too flirty.
One of my friends was shopping with me and she thought maybe it was:)

This friend, Tara was having a rough day earlier yesterday. She had prayed before coming to church that God would give her a fun day... life is kinda rough for her sometimes....alot....also a number of us had prayed for her too.
God definately answered our prayers! Krista and I took her to lunch after church at Mario's...a little Italian resturant near our church. Than we met up with Jessica, who was in a Bible Study with our Youth Leader....
Also Rachel was in the BIble Study. Jessica was gonna hang with Krista and me, Tara ended up hangin' with us too, Rachel asked if she could come along tooo.....they'd hang with us until youth group....at 6 pm. so we ended up in my parents Corolla, a sad 2 toned little 5 seater car. We had someone in each seat!
It was tons of fun! We stopped at Gabrial brother's I bought a really cool $3.00 scarf...a plummy mauvy color with black, bright orange, light pink and magenta woven throughout it...the scarf is made in a delicate weave...it's really light weight.
Also I bought a pack of socks cause I got embarressed by a pair I wore the other day, that were kinda stained...with dirt? and off white paint:) 6 pair for $3.49! Yeah! Gabe's is an awesome store!!!!
Than we herded over to Wally world and I picked up my 5 rolls of film all developed! Yeah! I got doubles of all of them. If you stand at the counter and go through your pics you can take out the pics you don't want and they won't charge you for them. So I got 5 rolls of doubles for like $21, which is a great price:)
I got quite a variety of pics. I even had a roll my bro Matt took, with mostly pics of Lexi:) I had a Bible School roll, a roll from California when I went there last summer... a roll when Shania was with us at Uncle Phil's camp...:)

I stopped at the Micky D's they have at Walmart, inside actually, and bought a double cheeseburger...
We, all the girl's met up at the front of the store to head over to Youth Group which is like 2o mins. from Wally World.
I put my Burger down when we got into the car...Krista had alot of bags...a few were mine:) As we're driving along Jessica is putting hair elastics in Rachel's hair... her hair is a short shaggy cut...so she had all these little pigtails all over her head, poor Rachel's all moaning and groaning, either in pain and/or for effect:)
While this is going on, I want Krista to find my burger, I want to grub (eat) ya know, so she's lookin' around for it...she just can't find it. I'm kinda frustrated. Eventually I look on the seat that she's sittin' on. I see part of a McDonald's bag...the rest of the back was under her butt....SHE'D SAT ON MY DOUBLE CHEESE BURGER!!!!!!!!!!!! We laughed and laughed....I got tears in my eyes... and *sigh* yes I ate it. The paper was still on when she sat on it:) It tasted like a hamburger, just alot flatter:) Oh goodness!

Let me tell you some about these girls, Tara is I think 18 years old. Rough back ground but grounded in God and trying to figure things out about what to do and figure things out with her inner life too... she's funny and I'm very much myself around her. She's like a sister to me.
Jessica is around the same age....I guess...out of high school also, and is a nurse at an Old Person's home. She's also studying at a Community College. Jessica's taking ethics which is a killer class. Her prof. is Buddist... and he attacks her for her Christian Beliefs...it's been a really ROUGH class for her! Only her younger brother is a Christian in her family. (Her family life's rough too.) She actually led him to Jesus:) She and Tara get together and get LOUD and CRAZY... I think they're venting from life...:)
Rachel is like 17 in high school, 11th grade? She's reallly funny. I told her she should do stand up comedy. She's so confident in her humor:) Rachel's hair is shaggy, blonde, probably dyed and she had added red/bright pink color to parts of it. She dresses in baggy pants and shirts...
She's pretty serious about her faith and livin' the life. Also comes from some rough stuff in her family...
Both Rachel and Jessica have glasses.

Well anyways, Tara got her prayer answered because of hanging with all her friends, Her Jesus family, and we went to Youth Group-which was also alot of fun!
Yesterday was a GREAT sunday... pray for our youth group and for these girls. They don't have their parent's praying for them. I've prayed before that Tara would have as much prayer for herself as I do. I have prayer from my friends, you guys, and older ladies that God has laid a prayer burden on their heart for me...and I have my family praying for me regularly... so ya'll can add to the prayers for each of these girls... we all can be the body of Christ and hold them up...even though you've never met them.
Thanks:)

PS-Please pray for my job situation... I'll possible submit an application for working in our local public schools... we'll see how life unfolds. Would be a great way to rub shoulders with the real world. I can also pray more pointedly for this area, by praying for individauls...PLEASE PRAY for me. I need to do something!

"The Answer"

Tentatively I come Your way...
I've messed up, more than I can say...
I fall down on my knees.

I'm sad, lonely and terrified.
I don't know the last time that I've cried.
part of me's died.

Broken and wounded, no where to go.
I look ahead, behind, below...
no friends only foes.

Everyone running and hurrying, no one explaining.
I kneel here alone, heart only paining...
no song refraining.

Wait...I see someone ahead, above me...
I whisper, I speak, I hollar my plea.
"Please, set me free!"

He walks toward me...all I see are His eyes.
No hate, no scorn, He doesn't despise...
He holds me and cries.

He takes my heart, as I place it in His hands.
His tears fall, as He weeps they land...
on my broken heart.

I realize, He's crying my tears and feeling my pain.
He shares my hopes and dreams shattered, lost like rain.
By sharing, He heals.

I look into the depths of His soul and see...
a woman beautiful, happy, peaceful, and free...
Is it?...it is me!

He places my heart in my shaky hands
I look down and there it stands
healed, alive and whole.

JESUS is the only one, the only one that heals a heart.
He loves, mends...and gives a new start...
a new life.

Oct. 5, 2001

It was a Darkish and Stormy Day...the adventures of Marie the Jewelery Artist

I will now update ya'll on my adventuresome life.... well it's not terribly exciting... but it's MY life:)
I had the jewelery sale. I sold my jewelery at Front Royal's annual "Festival of Leaves." It went quite well. I made a nice tidy sum of money. Even made enough to cover the cost of the spot. I'd say if it wasn't raining it would've been a whole lot better. But I believe God blessed my time there:) Yeah God:)
I got up early like 6:30 than went back to bed cause it was raining. Than I got up like 7 something got dressed, my mom made me breakfast and I packed up our trusty durango with my goods to sell. I prayed with my parents before I left because it was raining. I didn't have a canopy to put over my stuff. I was worried some. I couldn't put my stuff out with out something to protect when it was raining, it'd wreck some of the stuff... But was helped to trust God that He would provide...
I got to Front Royal finally. I found the lady Susan who had signed me up for the spot to rent. Someone mentioned that the rain was suppose to, like go away at 10. So I go and stand near my spot under an awning and wait for the rain to go away.... it didn't....sigh......it was a rainy day...
I had called my parents and told them about my predicament. They called Ginger Holland and were going to get a canopy from her. It was the type that you stick into the ground- who knows how solid and trusty a canopy it was... maybe it was a dinky weak canopy...They'd come around in like 45 minutes...
During that time an older lady who was part of the festival commity comes in her yellow slicker and umbrella and informs me that the boys are gonna bring me a canopy that they borrowed from St. John's! Yeah! So in awhile 4 guys are carrying this big canopy down the street and another guy is directing on a golf cart...and it's still raining.
So I got my canopy. But I still can't set up cause I don't have my table. The table is in le trusty durango, but it's tooo heavy for me to move by myself. So I wait some more, but I did bring some of my boxes over and placed them under MY canopy!
........and wait.........I'm frustrated! There are alot of other people all set up. The festival had officially started at 9. So it's like 10ish....... I'm talking to myself in my head and wishing I'd asked someone to help me with the table. Instead I'm waiting for my parents to come to help me.
So I pray that God will send someone to ask if they can help. Finally one of the guys comes along and somehow I recrute him and his buds to help, they were very willing. So they follow me through an alley to the durango and help bring the rest of my stuff to my canopy. One big guy carries the big heavy table all by himself to my canopy! Yes I am female and I am weakish...:)Yeah... soon after my parents arrive... and help me set up.
I was wearing these little slip on shoes that only have a space for the toes and an open back, indian style type of shoes, beaded and little. Walking in the rain, the streams, my shoes got soaked and my feet got wet and soggy and even some of the turquoise dye of the shoe got on my feet. The shoe was also made out of satin so I wonder if they've shurnk, hope not:( I even rolled up my khaki pants cause they were wet. I was WET! when your feet are wet you get cold...
I got really cold...one time I wasn't feeling too hot,(literally) at all... not to good. Almost sickish, plus hadn't eaten much that day. I had worn the wrong type of shoes for a cold and rainy day:) Told my mom I needed a break. So I went across the street to the Daily Grind, a coffee shop and got a Chai Tea Latte. It helped some.
I actually bought some jewelry for myself from one of the venders. It was this really cool necklace and earring set made out of wire. This girl shaped into very perfect squiggly links, and connected it. Each squiggly link is almost perfect and the same as the next. Her name is Becky , the artist of my necklace and her dad is like an architect and her family are perfectionists, so she got it to. It was a piece of neck architecture...for the neck. My sister is best friends with her older sister. They are all homeschooled.
I got alot of customers. There was one couple that came along and checked out my bracelets. They asked about baby bracelets. I told them I could make one there and they could come back in like 15 minutes. So the mom and I figured out to make the bracelet 4 and a half inches long including the clasp. I made it out of white pearls. It was gorgeous. This tiny little bracelet for a 2 year old. I even made an extention for the bracelet when she gets older. I've never made such a little bracelet in my life.
Krista finally showed up at around 4 ish. She brought me a DRY pair of jeans, DRY shoes, Lands end shoes, and a DRY pair of socks.
I went and changed at the Daily Grind...I felt better. I even warmed my feet up by putting em in the sink and running water over them. (one foot at a time, not both at once:)if I had I'd probably rip the sink off the wall:)
I rolled the bottoms of these pant up too. I was real cute... with my smiley faced socks peekin' out.:) When it's wet and cold and you've been wet and cold for hours, you don't care......nope nope nope:)
The festival was going to end at 6. Since I paid good money for my spot I was going to stay till the bitter end. Actually we started packing up the stuff around 5:30 there weren't many people there at all any more. We quite possibly were the last ones there:)
So we packed up everything. A process in itself. And the final touch was taking the canopy down. It's one of those accordian type. You have to take out some pins and it starts folding itself up kinda than you push it together and it folds itself... finally you have a piece of plastic, and metal that's small enough to put into the back of the trusty durango.
We dropped it off outside of the Local Heritage place... they host the festival, it was closed...
Krista wanted to shop some... I agreed...I was wasted....wasteddddddddddddd..........
One place we went to was Peebles, a nice department store. I asked for samples of perfume. The lady got me alot of samples. Around 8 different ones. I asked if both Krista and I could have one of each and she gave us one of each. It was fun! You should try it, if you're a girl... maybe they have samples of guys cologne? too... you just ask a department store if they have samples of perfume...they have alot of free samples to give out. YEAH! So I can smell differnt every day! and than some.
Most of the samples last for awhile. They're great purse sized perfumes too:) Anyways:)
F i n a l l y we got home. Watched a movie... "a simple twist of fate," I saw that movie when I was in Maine...so many years ago, cause my brother Dana was going to watch Outbreak( a movie about this killer disease that's spread by monkey spit than from human to human by body fluieds, if you get the disease your innards turn to mush and you bleed to death, heart warming eh?) with his buddies, and I didn't want to watch that and Amy Aldrich my neighbor invited me over to watch "A Simple Twist of Fate." It's a pretty good movie...it deals with some mature themes some but doesn't show anything...
Another answer to prayer is that God provided a guy to work with our youth group. His name is Luke and he moved from PA to learn ministry through our church. He is a professional baseball player-like professional amatuer...Little Leagues? I don't know what you call it... but it's pretty good ball. He's switched his old all out passion for ball to following God. He's 25, wow someone close to my age... at my church... there's not alot of people close to my age. Maybe 5ish... most of them I don't even hardly talk to if at all. 4 of them are couples... so...
My group is the youth:) And they're all like4-6 years younger than me. Hey I'm almost 24 so he's only 1-2 years older than me. He seems shy... I'm involved with the youth too so maybe I'll make a friend closer to my age...new thought...
Well even our Youth Leader is like as close to me in age as the youth, she's 28 I think. There is another girl in her 20's I'm friends with at church, single but she's not involved with Youth and doesn't always come to church...
There's a gap of a certain age group at my church... where are they all? College? But we're after college age...they must've fallen off of hte face of hte earth... maybe we need to go out there and work with God to see em saved? hmmmmmm....:)
It's encouraging when God answers prayer... like providing a canopy... didn't cost me a penny:) Yeah Hah!
The whole job thing I think is shaping up too. I put an application into a place at the mall, it's called the Picture People. I'd love to get the job, I think... it'd be taking studio quality pics of......PEOPLE! I think I could really enjoy that job... they're hiring for the holidays... we'll see.
Also my dad called me about working with an accountant, and he said to call them at the beginning of next week.
And I stopped by at a staffing group yesterday and they told me about 2 possible jobs... I just need to send my resume to them. I'm holding on that for a little cause I want to give the Picture People time.
Out of all possible jobs I'd like to work for picture people. I'm good with people, and I have an eye for pictures...it'd be fun! Please pray that God will lead me to the right job. I want a job that makes me interact some with people. I like and need people:)

Well now that you've caught up on certain aspects of my life, take care and have a good day... drop me a line at that leetle comment spot down yonder, doesn't hurt...much;) These blogs are a great way to stay up to datish with you all. I've read alot of ya'lls different blogs:) They're great!

Drop By! Say "Hi!"

Hey I'm back... sooner than normal, eh?:) Today's my dad's 51st birthday. I bought him an Elvis CD for not too much at a really cool store. My dad likes Elvis. Elvis had a rough life. Someone we know talked to his brother-in-law once and the brother-in-law said Elvis was very religious... hopefully he knew Jesus.
He loved singing old gospel songs and hyms. I think he has a cd with hymns on it.

I've been making jewelery alot recently. Put in 6, 7, 8 hours of work today into jewelery stuff. I made some more feather earrings, turquise with beads glued as embellishment also made another pair of peacock feather earrings, at first they were huge, than I trimmed 'em down-there're still big but not in competetion with my face the same way:)

Since it was my dad's birthday my mom made a special meal of Stir-Fry. My dad set up 2 tiki torches out side on the deck and I put five water goblets (no water in them) with votives in them between the torches on the railing. My dad had set up 4 chairs in a semi circle around our coffee table outside too with another candle on it and I put more votives on that table. So we had his birthday dinner outside - a candle/tiki torch lit meal.
The weather's been lovely here. Fall is here... the leaves haven't turned colors yet! But it's cool at night and nice during the day.
It's crazy that it's fall...snuck up on me. Christmas is in less than 3 months! I already have some of my christmas shopping done! My brother Dana and his family are probably going to come up for Christmas!
My friend Melody Shorey, used to be Melody Craig is expecting and the baby is due Dec. 20th! They don't know if it's a boy or a girl. So I've bought the baby yellow stuff:) Neutral color. Safe.
Man where is everyone? I haven't gotten many new comments recently? Maybe it's because I haven't been posting regularly for awhile? Please if you stop by just drop me a hi... makes me feel good:) I check my blog alot to see if I have any new comments. It's like getting e-mails to me:)
Krista's 17th birthday is Oct. 20th! Adam's , ahhhhh oh my word... 20th birthday is ...his 20th birthday? yeah his 2oth... ekks... wow! is Dec. 19th. Maybe Melody's baby will share his birthday. That would help me remember the baby's birthday. Out of everyone in my family the date of Adam's birthday is the date I have the best in my mind. My mom's in June, don't know the date, Matt's is flag day, June 14th... I believe, Dana's in July don't know the date.... my dad's is today so I know it's the 4th of Oct.:)

Take care ya'll. Come visit me sometime:) I like company. I ate all my junior mints so we could have a butter finger each:) Can you have a stash of candy with only like 5 small butter finger candy bars... yeah sure, cept it's a little stash:) We could go on a lovely walk down our winding country road. parenthased by mountains and cow pasture.... it's beautiful! Please come visit I'm kinda lonely at times:( :) We could make some jewelery... it's gonna come out of my ears... if I'm not careful... when I sleep I'm gonna dream about it and make motions in the air as if I'm makin' earrings but I won't have any tools in my hands... "air jewelery making" kinda like "air guitar." I'll be able to do it with my eyes closed!

Good night all!

Beware of Camels Near the Road-and other Random thoughts!

Hey I'm back! I know I haven't written in my blog for awhile. Tara says to blog something random. I'm on the phone with her now. For those of you who don't know Tara she's a friend of mine from church. She's 18 years old and was saved 2-3 years ago. Jesus found her when she was 15. She's grown quite a bit in her walk. I love her alot:)
Tara was the first person to get saved at our church:) Cool beans...

My parents just got home... Krista's in bed... I bought peacock feathers to make earrings out off. I've been making feather earrings recently. I really like em'. Gonna make myself a pair sometime, yea ha! I wore a pair of bright yellow feathers today with a yellow skirt that was Krista's.... a friend said I looked like a duck! Well maybe I did a little... well I skined a duck for the earrings... for real... do ducklings really have yellow feathers? Chicks do...

I bought a pack of Junior mints today, special ones, for only .89 cents. They were special cause they were "reversed" Junior mints. The white part was on the outside and the inside was dark chocolate but creamy... They're really good. Me and Krista were eatin' em. I put the rest in the freezer. I have a "candy stash." Yeah! My other candy is butter fingers. I got 10 little ones for one dollar at the dollar store:) They are also in the freezer. My candy is stashed in the fridge...:) Come on over and share some with me. I like company. We can watch a good movie... too, cept ya can't eat all of em:) then I won't have a stash any more.... ya now that would be a bummer. But I definatly know the destiny of them candies.... the pit... of someone's stomach...he, he, he....(she cackled as she rubbed her hands in anticipation!)

I'm gonna blog off now... ciao... (is that a word?) bye:) shalom... paka(russian in case ya was wondering?)... adios......

I am tired:) and Horsin' Around!

How's everyone this fine night:) The last two days I've been "super electriacian(sp!!!!) woman!":) I worked with my dad, doing electrical stuff. My mom and I and my dad almost wired a whole house, well the outlets... at least the preliminary stuff. It's not the funniest(I really meant funnest! That's hard to type funnest... try it!), but I can weild a hammer. I did hit one of my fingers, but not too bad:) are you surprised:) Than yesterday my dad and I were working on putting in PVC pipe in the ground that would have wire running through it for some outside outlets. We were at a farm. It was a beautiful day, and there were like 3 sizes of horses there.
One really big size, the big farm horse type that pull wagons in parades... than a pony than the last size was kinda funny about how I became aware of it. I was looking at the stall where it was, but not over the door... and I didn't see anything, when I looked down there was this little horse, kinda like a my little pony. That's what it looked like. I was comiserating with it because of it's height. I was like I bet they pick on you cause you're so short... I was standing there talking to him. Poor guy, I know what it's like to be on the shorter side.
Horses make me a little nervouse cause they can bite. I told my dad, "I'm glad I'm not a horse." You can add that to your little repatoire of "marieisms." He thought my little declaration was funny:) Well I'm glad I 'm not. Sometimes those poor buggers have flys all over their eyes... gross but true...! ok, ok... enough of this horse play;)
What do ya think I'm horsin' around or sometin'!?
Nay, you say.......NAY!

Ok, ok, marie settle down. Hold your horses........(Mr. Pass you should read this sometime, you'd possibly appreciate it:)

Oh by the way, for some reason with the last blog I had trouble getting the whole blog posted, so I'll get that edited sometime.... now with it missin stuff it doesn't make tons of sense.

Well I think the cows have come home so I better be gettin off the computah;) See ya'll later, ya'll come back ya heah!

"Losing Shania"

I'm now in the process of painting part of 1st Corinthians 13 on the walls in our cheery yellow bathroom. I haven't eaten dinner yet, 10:28 at night so I'm a little shaky. Probably go eat something after blogging.
I'm painting the scripture in a dark brown. It's a process. For example I've stood with one foot on a chair in the tub and one stuck in the little cubby for the soap, to paint above the bathtub. The chair in the tub isn't the most stable because the tubs walls aren't wide enough to have the chair standing directly on the bottem of the tub. So the feet of the chair are pressed up against the walls of the tub...
I've been thinking about painting walls quite a bit recently and finally took the plunge:) I take the plunge sometimes at night... a strange time... tonight I plunged probably sometime after 9.
I watch alot of movies. I watched Miracle today. It was pretty good. About the US Hockey team that took Gold in the 1980 Olympics(?)

Last night we watched "Losing Isaiah." It's a rough movie about a white family that adopted a black crack baby. The baby had been left in a box, basically in the trash. Garbage guys actually found the baby before they almost crushed it in the back of the garbage truck.
It's really sad! The crack mother goes to jail for stealing, while she was high... and ends up going through drug rehibilitation.
Eventually she's cleaned up enough that the people helping her help her track her baby. And she wants Isaiah back! He's been with the white family, his family for like 3 years... So there's a trial that happens... and the judge decides to take Isaiah from his home that he's always known and places him into his biological mother's home. He doesn't talk for like 2 weeks and has alot of fits.
It tears his "mama's" heart apart! It was alot like what my mom went through. It was really sad. Made me cry. Just the raw emotion of what the lady went through. The pain...you can't get away from it when you've poured yourself out into a child like she did and like my mom did.
It doesn't totally end on a negative note. You can watch it if you want, with TV G:)
We, my family, had our own story of losing a foster child. We had Shania Nicole McCutcheon for around 4 years. She came to us when she was 5 and left when she was 8.
We put alot of love into her. Alot of prayers. She was what social workers call theraputic foster care. Because she was "theraputic" my parents had to take more training classes to deal with her. It means that she has more baggage or bigger baggage than other foster care kids.
I remember the first day Shania came to us. She was wearing a yellow sundress. Adam said she had the look of a mute girl, I think in the sense of not really there. Or withdrawn...As we loved her and she knew she was safe with us she opened up and blossomed. She was very affectiaonate. She'd sing to me my name over and over again, "Mawee, Mawee, Mawee, Mawee..."
Even though she would be a really good girl at times, she'd also act out in very dramatic ways when she was bad. That's hard, especially if you can't discipline her the way God teaches us.
Near the end some really big things happened in the course of one week. Because of the way the circumstances played themselves out it was finally decided that Shania would leave us. It was very hard on my mother as it was on the lady in the movie.
We lived out certian scenarios that the movie showed.
The night before Shania left we went and watched a kids movie at the two dollar theather called, "Because of Winn Dixie." A heart warming storey about a girl who's dad is a pastor and she has no friends. At the beginning of the movie she's sitting in church and dubbed over everything is her praying to God that he'll give her some friends.
One day she's at a Winn Dixie, a southern grocery store and there's this dog, tearing through the store, making chaos. The dog's in big trouble. So to cover for the dog she says it's hers. So she comes home from the grocery store with a gangly mutt. She names him Winn Dixie, the place of his roots. Because of Winn Dixie she ends up with a number of really good friends. God answered her prayer through at dog. It's a pretty good movie.
After we ate out at Wendy's. A high falutin' restaurant! Than on the way home everyone of us in the car said something good about Shania. She ate that up. Really liked it:) Than she said something nice about us in how we related to her, for ex..."Marie is nice to me.":)
The next day the social service lady showed up around noon. She was there as our family got in a circle held hands and prayed for Shania.
We said Good bye to little Shania. Hugs and kisses. Than she got into the van with some of her belongings. It was very anticlimatical. I got the most emotional of anyone, kinda wet in the eyes...and felt sad. She was sitting in the back seat, seatbelted looking at us. I remember that clearly. She didn't show hardly any emotion, maybe a little uncertain. It was as if she was going to someone's house for the weekend.
Many people were praying for the whole situation that day... otherwise I'd wager it could've been a messy emotional time.
It's been tough for Shania to have to go another place. We heard some reports, but not very detailed at all. One time we heard that she was confused, another time that a lady that has connections with her "new family" heard Shania throwing a fit in the background... same thing she'd do with us....
She's a little girl that didn't have the blessing of really really belonging to a family... because her mom wasn't what Shania and her siblings needed. God led our family that it was time for her to go somewhere else. At least we gave her about 4 years of love and prayers, and quality family life... that is a lot actually.
Pray for Shania... I know the prayers wouldn't hurt. Ask God to bring her to your mind sometimes, she could use a network of praying people, her "christian family." I love her alot.
When she was here I'd put her to bed sometimes. We go through her nightly ritual... read a book, I'd sing her a number of songs... pray with her. Than I'd tell her what God thought about her. I told her that she would change the world. I believe God will use her to change the world. She gave her heart to Jesus and Jesus will always be with her, He won't let her go ever. These next years of her life, most likely will be really rough as she grows and matures... pray for Shania Nicole McCutcheon and her new family.
This is my story of "losing Shania."

I SHALL SLAY ME A DRAGON!

Well actually there's an animal kinda of the dragon species makin me scared in my own house! If and when I see it, ah... I won't be killin it. It will be scarin' me! to death!
Earlier tonight Krista saw a snack in our house, I believe down stairs in the computar room where I am now. As far as we know the "dragon" is still down here. Krista wrote us a note about it, we got home late from the BIG business meeting, she was in bed so she wrote a note. She said it scared her REALLY bad:) So now I'm down here where I believe it was SEEN! and I'm a little nervous... imagined it being in my blanket..(.imaginations sure make you scared sometimes!) cause my room's down here too....I'm actually sitting indianish style on the chair, keepin' my feet up off the floor. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I'm kinda scared... anticipation is bad... if I did see it, it'd add flair to my blog, I'd be able to write about it. But I don't want too! Makes my face contort because of the possibility of SEEEING IT! I' m sitting here looking uncertainly around the room... face in a worried expression... gettin what I'm sayin, ya feelin it...never know there could be a snake in your room tooo! SPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE IN WARMER WEATHER! I'm goin' i n to HYSTERICS!!!!!!!!!!!!! jk, but I am nervous...........
Ugh! I won't be on here as long because of it, also I have to be up at a certain time tomorrow so I shouldn't be bloggin' too long tonight anyways.
I finally sent an e-mail to my YWAM-Hawaii contact saying I won't be coming. Short and to the point. It was something I wasn't lookin' forward to doing. Now it's done.
Well it's really! late. Good night all...well not quite yet I guess....

I made an easy decision to sleep upstairs tonight. The "dragon" can be down here in his "lair," all by hisself!(she said sarcastically) He adopted it... if you want your own place, or room just turn into a snake and take up residence, (at first I wrote the word snack instead of snake, than I noticed it so I changed the snack into a snake...I'm snickering at myself:) people will leave pretty quick if you are a snake, or a snack, especially if you're a snack with eyeballs!

I know I'm kinda weird and random in my blogs... Hope I'm not tooooooooo strange;)

It's now 1:49 am... I'm tired. I think I'll get ready for bed and read somemore out of my gas station book. It's good! I'm at a very climatical point (and no Craig they aren't kissing, *refer back to the comments from the previos blog.) than go to bed...

Well it is now 1:57am... if you hear me scream it's cause I saw the snake, snack... Maybe if I tell him he'll be my snack if he makes an appearance he'll stay hidden.....unless HE'S or is it a SHE is REALLY BIG LIKE AN ANACONDA, I'LL BE SNAKE SNACK.... my face is now contorted in nervousness......(exaggerated faux mixed with the reall thing nervousness) I should've been a female Ernest.... I'd have so much fun... if I was in the right mood at the time.... like tonight..........or I could be Steve Irwin and 'rastle me a snake.... I'm still lookin around me to see if I've been spotted by HIM! I should get outa here when I can... I'm gettin' a little more nervous as I think about HIM! AHHHHHHHHH!

Ok for truth and for surely GOOD NIGHT!

Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Anne Shirley and Royal Blue Necklaces

"Sigh"- That's what life is right now, a sigh.... I'm bumming about this whole Hawaii thing. I won't be going after all. I think I already spelled that out. ....a n y w a y s....
I'm not sure what I'm gonna do next. I have options...we'll see won't we....

Anyways I watched a really good old black and white movie tonight, called "Top Hat." It has Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire in it. They do alot of dancin, tap dancing and ball room type dancing. The movie's from the 1930's. Some of those old movies are really good.
Recently I watched "Talk of the Town" that was a black and white one too. It has Cary Grant in it... also very funny. I'd recommend that one. Cary Grant is really witty in the old movies. The movies he's in don't even hardly ever, if ever- have kissing... there's romance but that's about it for the lovey dovey stuff;) Feel free and prove me wrong about that!
Today I also spent alot of time making jewelery, maybe 4 hours... who knows. I made this really labor intensive necklace out of royal blue glass beads. It's kinda a "collar" type necklace. It's got this dangly fringe... kinda hard to explain. My finger's sore in places because of all the wire I had to bend and cut to make the necklace and I also made 2 pair earrings. I used alot of wire. I put each individual bead on a piece of wire except for 36 beads that were directly on the wire for around the neck. And each piece of wire was curled on both ends and conncected to other beads to make a dangle:) I put these dangles hanging in between the other beads on the wire. It came out nifty looking. Fancy pancy:)
..........Pardon me for keeping you waiting I actuallyjust scanned the necklace, so I'll get the pic of that up soon...

Did you know you could actully scan real items on the scanner and make pictures. Try it sometime- it's fun. I made a "collage" once with memorabilia from my trip with YWAM to Ukraine and Isreal.

I finally finshed reading, "Anne of Avonlea" today. It was really good. The end is when Gilbert gets sick and Anne has a "REVELATION" that she DOES love him:) and they get together... but can't marry yet cause Gilbert has 3 more years of medical school. Anne almost got engaged to another guy, Roy Gardner, who was "perfect" in alot of ways, rich, had looks too, but was boring and had no sense of humor.
Anne has a girlfriend whom we'll call Phil, (that's what her friends call her.) Phil goes to college with Anne at Redmond. Back in Phil's home town there's 2 guys she's considering marrying. They are Alfonso and Alec... (ahhh, not quite sure of their names... that kinda seems right, anyways 2 A names.) She keeps being wishy washy, has no clue which to marry... BUT some other dude, or should I say gentleman, he's clergy come's along, and he's ugly but has a great personality and sweeps her off her feet! So she didn't haveta marry anyone she wasn't sure about, but ends up marrying Jo, the ugly personable clergy man. If you haven't read the Anne series I would highly recommend it.
Very well written, even at times laugh out loud material! I know I found myself laughing out loud today while I was reading Anne of Avonlea...it's true I tell you:) Good clean lit.
Tomorrow night is a BIG business meeting. And I will grace them all with my presence, lucky people! Actually luck has nothing to do with it, so I shall say they are blessed immeasurably!;) It's when the smaller "open's" (open oportunity meetings) get together. At this meeting, which is dubbed the "Fleet Open" there's 4-5 hundred people that come! Ya'll should join me sometime. It's pretty cool and exciting:)

I redid my parent's bedroom awhile back. (man am I random or what!?) I'm not totally finished with it yet. Sometime I just may paint some scripture on part of the wall, like above the bed as border. I'm thinking of "His banner over me is love...." and maybe some more scripture. I "designed" for there to be a swag curtain thingy above the bed. Kinda royal looking. The gauzy curtain is held up and held back by 3 tie backs... I guess you could call them. It peaks at the top at one gold tie back, than comes down to the other two almost in line with the sides of the bed and then the curtain flows to the floor. Gracing the middle of the curtain configuration is a big mirror with a heavy brassy golden frame.
Their bed has a deep scarlet comforter. I bought the comforter and a whole new set of sheets for their bed through our internet business. For real! They have all these partner stores... it's really cool. (Well they coughed up the dough for the duds I just did the shoppin'.)
Anyways I've rambled and gotten some chit chat out of my system. It's nice to have a number of people that will "listen" to what I've said over the next few days. Who knows how many... please just at least say "hi" if you stop by:) I'm curious to see who's "listenin," it's like gettin mail actually:)
Good night everyone! So long farewell.........Osta, La Vista Baby... to quote Le famioso...........

I'm just trying something. I had trouble posting a post last night onto the front page. Somehow it got posted into the archives of Sept... I think. So if you want to see what I wrote about yesterday double click on Sept. and if it's not there double click on August, under archives. You'll know it's the right one if you see me in a picture with a waterfall behind me... You got it right, it's En Gedi... in Isreal.

Anyways I may write later. God bless you all:)

Now I think I know.

Well I think I know now. Hawaii is not going to happen. I talked to my pastor today... counsoled with him. He doesn't feel a peace about it... and we got into alot of details I won't cover hear. Also I don't have the money. It's not like it was the mission field either. It was to get some sort of education and that should be my responsibility to cover. Make sense... I'm dissappointed in some ways. But it is a relief in others. I haven't told my art teacher contact person yet...ugh!

I don't know what to do next. Pray for me! Maybe I'll join a convent... jk! My brother Dana said I could move to Texas and he'd find me a good job....

The pastor thinks it would be really good for me to study art, in a christian school. He says He could see it really, (in my words) fit together with missions. Maybe I'll work and study out art colleges and scholarships etc... I don't know.

I should just make myself a t-shirt that says that, "I don't know."

Sigh, I've been at crossroads since after Bible School 2003... I have what you'd call a "transitional lifestle."

I just need God's will. Sometimes He tells us so plainly what to do and other times it seems we "stumble" upon it. Make sense.... we just keep moving with an open heart and we get there... or are there... cause it's a journey.

That's what I am, journeygirl... maybe I should make a shirt with that too...

Journeygirl4God

I love that name! It soo cool:)

I splurged the other day! and bought a $13 book at a .... not a book store, not on-line... guess where!?

a gas station! Really. They were also selling DVD's there... strange... whatever.
I bought the 4th book in the Abraham's Daughter's series... Christian fiction about 4 amish sisters... and it's really well written and intersting. THe type of series that you wish was in one book so you didn't have to wait or get the next book later.

I haven't started reading it yet. I'll probably start it after I finish "Anne of Avonlea."

Well Adam's leaving tomorrow to drive to Bible School. Than it will only be Krista and myself here for kiddies.

Please pray for me I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO next... options. ahhhh......sigh......
any ideas let me know:) for real.... you never know, I've done so many different things... I'll tell you some of what I've done:

tour guide in a caverns-because of the job went spulunking (cave exploring!)
traveled to Isreal 2x's
traveled to Ukraine, and Russia
Lived in Richmond for 3 months with YWAM(youth with a Mission)
Been to Dominacan Republic
Was a waitress for about 3 months at an Italian Restuarant
Was a Site Director for a day camp for a summer
Have been sub counselour/counselour/ head counselour at christian camps
lived in California for 3 and a half weeks-also painted 2 smallish murals there
painted a very big Lion King mural_room sized for my nephew
Lived in Texas for 5-6 weeks and helped take care of my nephew
I was homeschooled, public schooled and, private christian school educated
I was an au pair for awhile,in Maryland 6 weeks or was it 3 months... don't remember
I've hit a deer drove, into the back of another vehicle, and had 2 differnt cars die on me in the time frame of maybe 30 days...
I worked at Burger King of and on for 2ish years...

I've done some very differnt types of things... I'm glad I have.

I have a heart for missions, for kids, youth, love art... and want to do GOD's will...

God bless you other "withosoevers" out there. God has a special interest in our lives...and he's not gonna leave us hanging (I need that truth too!)

Love you all. :)

God Knows....

Hey all. Guess what? I don't know... I dont' know what this fall holds... I don't know if I'm going to Hawaii.... I don't know............. but GOD KNOWS, ya know. In time I'll know some of what He knows:)

This weekend our family is going to a HUMONGUS business conference, it's in a colleseum(sp). The dress code is business attire... normally I'm suppose to wear nylons, but I think I'll skip over this time cause of my poison ivy. It's doubled since It showed up basically. I found a new "patch"... small bump behind my left knee... I think I may call a pharmacy and see if they can prescibe anything...because I got it horrendously bad a few years ago.[

Yesterday I changed my room around. Swept up all those bugs I was complaining about... there were ALOT under my bed. Ugh! There were alot of the ones with the long skinny legs, they have alot of both sides of their body! ahhhh........ but they were dead. I'm a little sadistic when I spray living bugs in my room, sometimes I'll laugh my evil little laugh:)

I talked to my brother Dana in Texas last night. He says I should move down there and he could hook me up with a job... maybe with an interior decorator, maybe even hook me up with a guy and I could sell my jewelery designs, than they would mass produce them and sell them at a store like maybe Neiman Marcus....I love my brother and all, but again I DON'T KNOW! Plus I like being with my family and I'm involved with my Youth Group... even in a leadershipy way.

Has any one else gotten poison ivy and was itchy everywhere even though they only had it in a few places? Maybe it's pshychological... cause I'm afraid of it in some ways... who knows?

Well I got alotta do... like packing etc... but my room is almost bug free now... it's unfinished so bugs can come in really easy... like there's still spiders in, on the ceiling... it's a nice insulated ceiling of bright pink fluffyness... makes me think of pink clouds... actually it's fiberglass insulation:)

Hey all, by the way it's Friday, so SHABBOT SHALOM YA'LL!

Actually I said yesterday that the people in Hawaii were praying over my application, which isn't true. I misunderstood an e-mail I received. They can't yet. Because they don't have all my reference forms from others filled out.

I hope that's all that they are missing. They have to have the whole application together before they can consider a student and seek the Holy Spirit whether that student is suppose to come. I want to know what the Holy Spirit tells them...

Maybe I'll blog more later. Have a good day ya'll:) Marie

"I hate bugs!"

They are sickening. I live in the basement so there are bugs everywhere. I just saw 3 spider carcasses. They looked like they were all the same type of spider. Maybe like a wolf spider, brownish with darker brown markings. One was quite substantial. They must of come out of their "little caves" because they were dieing of bug poison that I spray regularly... basically it's "Raid" or like Raid... haveta check the container.

I need to sweep em up! Grossness! I hate bugs... well not butterflies and some of the "cuter" bugs... well the gross ones I hate!

I just read Lisa Adams blog about, blog block so I'm gonna try one of her suggestions cause it sounded fun. Just write whatever comes to your head. Well actually as i was thinking about it , I was also planning what i'd write.... so we'll see....

I have poison ivy... just little spots, one or two on my right leg and i found a tiny spot on the bottom of a foot. (I own the foot... afore mentioned... was a funny way to put it... like I have more than 2 feet or something:)

I took a walk this evening, I was stressing about this whole Hawaii thing. If it's God's will He'll totally open the door... it's up to him.
The walk was beautiful. I missed the sunset, but I was getting the set part... after the sun dissappears. It was like technicolor the way the world looked so perfect. Dark contrasting silohettes and the burnished orange flamed sky. Very peaceful... the type of surroundings in which you just want to stand and look around, also there was the sliver of the moon, white and bright... God's fingernail... soothing... I was just taking it in:)

God owns the cattle on a thousand hills.....

Wait on the Lord and He will renew your strenth, you will mount up with wings as Eagles, you will run and not grow tired, you will walk ang not faint

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknoledge Him and he will direct your paths....

Today the people in Hawaii are praying over my application to see if they sense the Holy Spirit is leading for me to go to Art school there....

If it's not God's will it would be bad for me to go. If it is his will, He wants me there more than I want me there:)

God is so much bigger than me. He likes to do last minute things sometimes. He does last minute things so that we know it was Him who did it. Remember Gideon... it was God who was the majority, not the people fighting on God's side....(that's for sure!)

I have my pj pants rolled up on one side and held there by a few bobby pins because of my poison ivy....
I just talked to one of the girls that went to the Retreat and her name is Jessica, she's got poison bad! Even on her forehead, her stomach, her chin/neck! Pray for Jessica and her home life. She and her younger brother are the only Believers in her immediate family... it's a hard home life....

Don't you like the picture at the top. I took it when I was an "au pair" (nanny) for 6 weeks in Maryland. The dad was a cowboy so of couse the little son, Buggy (his nickname) had cowboy boots too, so I took em, (the boots) outside and took a pic of em:) Picturesque eh?

Life is good... I enjoy, reading, am reading Anne of Avonlea now.... I have friends... you guys,my church family, my family... reading blogs... they are interesting... I've read from Melissas and Drew's blog, Claire's, Lisa Noss', Lisa Adams', Rachels',Craigs, Lindseys...etc...

God is Good, he provides all these things. He speaks to us in different ways. He molds us and develops us more into the person He made us to be. He's there, and bigger than we can even comprehend....

Things I enjoy, artsy stuff, like looking at magazines and looking at fashion, beads, jewelery, nail polish,music, like 50's music,Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole, Old movies (from the 50's) with Cary Grant, borrow "The talk of the Town" from the Library with Cary Grant in it, very funny movie...pretty clean... second hand stores!, went to one last week and bought like 4 shirts that were all different shades of green, I bought some other shirts too:) they were having a sale too, adult clothes $1.00 ea, and kid clothes .50 ea... I also picked up some books... they sell paper back for .25 ea... and hardback for .50.
I've picked up Summer of the MOnkeys there, the All things Bright and Beautiful Books... some of hte Anne of Green Gables series....

Well I have to wash dishes for 15 minustes... I wrote again on here today cause I'm lonely....

I don't know where my life is heading? Please pray for me:) I know God knows... I wish I knew:) in time I will:)

God bless, tell me of any of your'alls prayer requests... We can support each other.... Shalom ya'll- Marie... for the last time today, signing off....