Reality Check

What happens when you actually pick up the phone and dial a phone number? Well, hopefully you will reach a live person on the other end ~ if not there's a message asking you to leave your number so someone can call you back at their earliest convenience. Stick with me, the brain tail has been beating up on me today and I can't brain 2day I have the dumb!

Procrastinating aside ~ I called TCI today ~ they called me right back and now I have an official surgery date for the brain tail renovation ~ DECEMBER 3, 2008. I know it's the right decision, because the moment I hung up the phone I felt a great weight just lift off my shoulders ~ and ~ my co-workers all commented that there was something seriously wrong with me because I was so happy to have scheduled surgery! Answered prayers have a tendency of making me grin from ear to ear ~ can't help myself ~ God is good and in charge ~ so all is good.

Then, to top it all off, I connected with one of my Everest heroes on FB today ~ Seriously ~ did someone leave a giant window open in the universe today? I guess I have come to realize that we are all people, struggling to find our way on this planet ~ all searching for something to give our lives more meaning. So ~ sooooo not comprehending how kindred hearts are connected on this planet, but I know that I am learning to go with the flow. There are dreams out there to chase and I need to get started!

After all the I WANT TO BELIEVE hype I hope you haven't been disappointed in my lack of posting about what I thought about the movie. I am working on it ~ just still putting all my thoughts together ~ but I am getting close. More later ~ brain tail trying to make an emergency exit out of the back of my head ~ calling it a day. Wait a minute ~ is it really August 1st tomorrow?!

Step of Faith

I ready these daily devotionals ~ I look forward to reading them as I start my day. They always seem to speak right to my heart and whatever struggle I happen to be dealing with. The one today totally floored me ~ What a great affirmation as I step out in faith knowing that He will take care of the details. It's time to put the brain tail in it's place.

Cooperating with the Holy Spirit ~ by Rick Warren
Let the Spirit change your way of thinking. Ephesians 4:23 (CEV)
*** *** *** ***
Throughout the Bible we see an important truth illustrated over and over: the Holy Spirit releases his power the moment you take a step of faith. When Joshua was faced with an impassible barrier, the flood waters of the Jordan River receded only after the leaders stepped into the rushing current in obedience and faith. Obedience unlocks God’s power.

God waits for you to act first. Don’t wait to feel powerful or confident. Move ahead in your weakness, doing the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and it is how your character develops. The Bible compares spiritual growth to a seed, a building, and a child growing up. Each metaphor requires active participation: seeds must be planted and cultivated, buildings must be built – they don’t just appear – and children must eat and exercise to grow.

Paul explains in Ephesians 4:22-24 our three responsibilities in becoming like Christ.
First, we must choose to let go of old ways of acting. “Everything . . . connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it!” (Ephesians 4:22 MSG).

Second, we must change the way we think. “Let the Spirit change your way of thinking” (Ephesians 4:23 CEV). The Bible says we are “transformed” by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). The Greek word for transformed, metamorphosis (used in Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18), is used today to describe the amazing change a caterpillar goes through in becoming a butterfly. It is a beautiful picture of what happens to us spiritually when we allow God to direct our thoughts: we are changed from the inside out, we become more beautiful, and we are set free to soar to new heights.

Third, we must put on the character of Christ by developing new, godly habits. Your character is essentially the sum of your habits; it is how you habitually act. The Bible says, “Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24 NIV).
© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.

You Just Call My Name and I'll Be There

As I was driving into work this morning I saw a new billboard ~ immediately I could feel my blood pressure going up. Seriously, how can a couple of words make me so disgruntled this early in the morning? The message simply said ~

"We Need To Talk. ~Jesus"

According to the Urban Dictionary, that statement is never a positive thing. OK ~ u are thinking I am totally off my rocker, right? Well I am mad at whoever put that message up there! Seriously ~ if that message was for me I can see someone sternly looking down at me ~ accusing me of doing something wrong ~ like being called into the principals office. I know ~ take a breather ~ simmer down. You see, the Jesus that I have come to know is loving, caring, kind and would never say something like that.

Apparently there were some other messages released in the advertising campaign ~ they all seem annoying to me ~ but I like this one the best, "Follow Me ~ God".

The irony of it all was at the time that I saw the sign, this song, Call My Name ~ by Third Day was playing on the radio. "...you just call my name and I'll be there..." In a world where people are hurting and searching to find something to fill the emptiness in their hearts ~ searching for hope ~ they need to know that Jesus is just a breath away. He wants to know us ~ HE is the great comforter.

Debunking the School Supplies Conspiracy Theory

For those of you who have been lurking here since this time last year you might remember the horrid school supply shopping experience I had. So this year I decided to do my shopping early to avoid the crazy rush. First plan of action was to not shop at 'sounds like Shmaples' this year. Also ~ I didn't place a time constraint on my shopping excursion ~ no racing off to pick kids up from camp ~ thus eliminating the panic factor.

All thinks considered my experience was quite as enjoyable as shopping for school supplies can be ~ true story. Although it took me longer than the average person would take ~ I took my time, compared prices. Making decisions is quite a daunting task for me ~ not only am I uber indecisive when it comes to picking out notebooks, folders, composition books ~ there are way too many choice for a Libra like me ~ not to mention my brain tail was going haywire. PINEAPPLE! PINEAPPLE! I made some disturbing observations while shopping. You see, the supply list doesn't exactly match up with what's available. For instance, 8 Colored Pencils ~ OK, easy enough, but wait, they only offer packages of 12 colored pencils. Did they just throw in 4 extras? What is going on here ~ and ~ the packages that say 'Teacher Recommended' are inflated in price ~ almost double! So ~ hey ~ I didn't fall for that gimmick :).

So ~ take this as a warning to you all who haven't ventured out into school supply buying bliss ~ BEWARE OF THE PENCIL SCAM! Seriously ~ they had pencils that have latex free erasers, earth friendly, smudge proof, scented, etc. OK ~ I get the latex free eraser option being available to the public ~ but seriously ~ what are these kids going to do with the erasers? Rub them all over their bodies? Eat them? My point is, these special pencils go for about $3.50 for 12 of them. Walk right past them ~ go down the aisle in the store where they have office supplies, gift wrapping stuff and u will find regular pencils ~ 12 for $0.99!

Made Up My Mind

I am all for the diminishing of FEAR ~ fear has the ability to literally drain the essence of life right out of me! So, with that said I made up my mind today and took a baby step of faith. I e-mailed TCI to see what's the next step I need to make to get the ball rolling to schedule surgery. I feel like until I have a surgery date this big black cloud is looming overhead ~ the brain tail is putting my whole life on hold ~ not to mention my family!


The facts are that by going ahead with the decompression I will be fighting back ~ not letting chiari direct my life. I understand that the decompression will help but might not completely heal me of my symptoms. I know there is no 'cure' for chiari yet ~ but I can't keep putting my life on hold.

I went on a long walk this afternoon after work and the song I posted below really spoke to me. Surprising ~ really ~ since I have had this song on my iPod for a couple of years. "Talk to the one who made you ~ talk to the one who understands ~ talk to the one who gave you the light in your eyes". What a simple message ~ so I took Sheryls' advice ~ asked God to orchestrate the details of brain surgery ~ His timing and not my agenda. I heard almost an audible laugh in response (I usually do when I 'surrender control' over to Him again and again!) I got the message that this speed bump in my life is necessary for perspective ~ but there is so much more work to be done here on Earth. ~sigh~

Step One: Make Sure The Tent Works Before Camping Trip

Even though I have been on several camping trips over the past 2 years ~ I haven't used my tent for at least 2 years. So, I thought it would be a good idea to see if I remembered how to put the tent up and make sure that it still works. Last time I used it, the elastic guy line broke on one of the main support beams. DH ~ being such a handyman ~ was able to re-attach the broken guy line and it only took about 30 minutes till we were finished.

We had entertained the idea of having a pseudo-camp out by sleeping in the tent in the backyard for one night. The plan was scrapped after a late night out with friends. There was a small threat of scattered thunder showers for today. The plan was to let the kids play in the tent for a while during the morning and then take it down in the afternoon ~ thus avoiding a wet tent. Well, early in the morning I woke up with a beast of a Chiari headache ~ warning lights are going off in my head ~ rain is very close. I bolt out of bed, run outside and start tearing down the tent before it rains. Just a second after I dragged the tent indoors it starts pouring down rain.

So, reality check, the brain tail can pretty accurately predict when it's going to rain ~ isn't there some way I could make a living with this new found talent???? But seriously, just getting the tent out ~ I am super excited about our next camping trip!

Staring Contest Rules

I don't know why ~ but this just makes me laugh ~ thought I would share. Remember, when negotiating ~ throw in the threat ~ "I BITE YOUR FACE!"

I Run For Life

I was e-mailing the other day with a blog buddy of mine about running and the movie Chariots of Fire. The metaphor of running a race really stunned me ~ it's been a long time since I have really thought about the parallels with running and faith. Eric Liddell speach in the movie is brilliant ~

Eric Liddell: You came to see a race today. To see someone win. It happened to be me. But I want you to do more than just watch a race. I want you to take part in it. I want to compare faith to running in a race. It's hard. It requires concentration of will, energy of soul. You experience elation when the winner breaks the tape - especially if you've got a bet on it. But how long does that last? You go home. Maybe you're dinner's burnt. Maybe you haven't got a job. So who am I to say, "Believe, have faith," in the face of life's realities? I would like to give you something more permanent, but I can only point the way. I have no formula for winning the race. Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within. Jesus said, "Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you. If with all your hearts, you truly seek me, you shall ever surely find me." If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race.

For me ~ the only way I know how to get through the race ~ through the obstacles ~ through the pain ~ is to keep running ~ even if it's at a snails pace. Keep moving forward ~ head raised ~ keeping my eyes on the horizon. Sometimes the people running beside me and around me are friend, family and sometimes kind souls who I haven't met yet. Al I know is that even if it seems that I am running alone ~ I know that in Christ we are never alone.

Everest

I admit it ~ I am an addict ~ I am addicted to all books regarding MOUNT EVEREST. I had just started reading a book my sister had lent to me ~ Three Cups of Tea ~ when the call came in from the library. My library let's you select a book on line and then when it comes in they call you to let you know that they have reserved the book just for you. Novel idea ~ I love it. Sometimes I will request a book and have to wait several months to receive it. So when I got the call that a long awaited book had arrived, I jumped in the car and sped over to the library to pick it up.

Seriously ~ who speeds over to the library ~ 'Sorry officer ~ I was on my way to the library and just ignored the speed limit signs. You see ~ I am jonesing for an Everest book ~ gotta read it right now!' ~ luckily I picked up the book and drove home without any embarrassing incidents. Mountain Madness: Scott Fischer, Mount Everest and a Life Lived on High, by Robert Birkby is a wonderfully entertaining book detailing Scott Fisher's life. He was such a breath of fresh air ~ so passionate about the outdoors and climbing and he always was eager to teach anyone who would listen. He wanted to share his love of the mountains with as many people as possible. Just from reading countless other Everest themed books I feel like I already know Scott ~ everyone who ever met him loved him and his zeal for life! Even though he died in one of Everest's greatest tragedies, reading about his life journey has brought him back to life.

Again ~ I try to figure out why I am I so addicted to reading personal accounts of Everest climbers? There's no one in my family that I know of who has even attempted to climb the tallest mountain in the world. Somehow, living vicariously through all of their adventures, I get a sense of peace from the climbers when they stand on top of the world. Some day ~

Musings of Max

Ever wonder how a cat fills their waking hours? #1 Activity ~ gazing into their water bowl ~ looking at goodness know what ~ a reflection perhaps ~ an ancient memory of guppies in a pond. The picture above is my Mom's cat, MAX. Every time I see him staring into his water bowl it just cracked me up ~ He is so deep in thought that no one or nothing else exists in that very moment. Just him and his water bowl.

When was the last time I concentrated that hard??? I wish I could find that still place in my head where I can shut out everything around me ~ quiet the noise in my head ~ be still.