Where's the sparkle???

I'm not a completely messy person. My my house, like everyone else's gets messy. And it seems like the busier I get the messier my house gets. So lets just say that I have been very busy lately. So most of my Saturday was spent cleaning my house. Now I'm not just talking about picking up my clothes and bills that are scattered througout the house. I am talking about DEEP, under the surface, music blaring cleaning. I don't think you understand people I got down on my hands and knees to scrub the floors!! I picked the moss out of my plants with a fork (you know from all the Portland moisture.) I mean I cleaned this weekend!!

And after I was done I was exhausted but I was so proud of myself. I spun around taking in the clean smells, the apartment in all its glory and sparkle . . . Wait . . There was no sparkle.

"WHAT! NO SPARKLE!?! My house is supposed to sparkle after I spent hours deep cleaning it!!! June Cleavers house sparkles when she cleans it!!! WHYYYYYYY????? It's not fair!" (This was the inner monologue that went on inside my head)

So how come her house sparkles and mine doesn't? Does your house sparkle when you clean it? I feel very disillusioned.

See the sparkle in this kitchen?

Mine does not sparkle like this

AHH MY EYE!!!

For most the day the whole world seemed off. I didn't know why. Then midday, maybe three-ish I looked at the white board outside of my office and across the narrow hallway and it hit me!! I was not seeing clearly. I closed one eye and then the next and sure enough the right eye was very fuzzy. So I took my right index finger stuck it in my eye and drug my contact from far left outer space to the center of my eyeball and Voila! I can see!! I can't believe I've gone practically all my work day with a sideways contact!

P.S. I had much trouble trying to figure out how to spell voila. It was quite humorous trying to Google the word and use the dictionary. You should have seen some of the spellings I came up with, vwhalla, wiola, vwalla, all sorts of things! You know those crazy French words!

Happy Valentines Day

Yeah Yeah I've heard it. Valentines day is a fraud. It's a waste of time and energy and its only for the marketers to make money. Blah blah blah. While I do half believe this and I'm sure Americans spend millions of dollars on useless Valentines stuff, I don't hate Valentines Day.

I think that Valentines Day is fun whether you are single or with someone. Last year I spent Valentines Day with a group of 15 or so single ladies. It was so fun. We had food and games and I didn't even think about being single. (But I was also comfortable with my singleness)

Here are some things I hate:

• Calling it V-Day

• The large crowd in the Valentines card isle. Seriously people just pick a card and get out of my way! Yesterday when I went to get a card for someone special I had to navigate and weave in and out of people to find a card. I feel like I had to end up settling because I just couldn't take the people that were parked/camped out in the card isle.
  
  

Today on my way to work I noticed a large a popular pizza chain (I would say their name but then I would feel obligated to put a link) with Valentines stuff out front. It seemed odd to me that a pizza chain would be selling things like flowers and bears. And it couldn't have been a vendor who was selling outside their store, because there was no vendor in sight. And here is another strange thing; there was this HUGE bear on the table that was holding these flowers (that's not the weird thing) but it was raining! Can you imagine coming home to your wife with this soaking wet, flower holding bear? "Happy Valentines Honey. I hope you enjoy squeezing the water out of this HUGE bear I got for you!"

And call me crazy but I've noticed the color red more today!

Happy Valentines Day!

He IS Here!

Here in Portland we have been blessed with SUN! Sun brings many other things also. The squirrels have been running about, I pass bicyclists on the way to and from work and I can now see the glorious Mt. Hood.



I was thinking about how great and beautiful Mt. Hood and the other mountains/hills that surround this area really are. I was happy to see them as it had been so long. And I thought to myself about how I had forgotten about them. I mean I've known all winter that they were there but since I couldn't see them I wasn't thinking about them.

Very often my relationship with Jesus and God the Father is like this. I can't see them so I forget they are there. I know in my heart that they are, have always been and will forever be there, but I just mentally forget sometimes. Why do we do that? What is not seen in forgotten. Just like some old clothes shoved under the bed that I have forgotten I own.

Realizing this in myself has made me sad and frustrated with myself. I thought about how in order for me to remember, I mean really remember and know that the mountains are there even in the winter time I would have to consciously make a choice to think about them. I would have to think about them in order to remember them. I feel this can be applied to God. Sure I think about Him and go to church and pray, but I don't take enough time to know that HE REALLY IS THERE. I'm not sure at this time how to accomplish "knowing he is there" and making Him real in my life. Maybe it is prayer, maybe solitude , maybe I need one of those cheesy Jesus pictures. (sorry if you're offended by the comment or the picture below)

Insightful Morning

Typically on my way to work I am consumed with getting there. I ponder which way will be the quickest and have the least traffic, what I need to do as soon as I get there, what the day holds for me and WHY IS THIS CAR IN FRONT OF ME DRIVING SOO SLOW!!!!

This morning however, was a breath of fresh air. As I sat in traffic I watched two men working on a car together on the side of the road. The two men were working so cooperatively and I admired them as they demonstrated teamwork, friendship and comoradery.

As I pulled to the side of the road to let a hurried fire truck go by, I was not irritated by the loud sirens but thought about the men inside who were off to save the day! Hopefully they would put out the fire, saving a home and some lives. I wished them luck as they went whizzing by.

I pulled up beside a Fedex truck at the next light and was inspired by the thought of millions of packages being delivered far and wide. I thought about those taking their children to school and others headed off to work. I wondered what all of their days had in store for them. What days tasks were these individuals focused on? How long did the individuals at the bus station have to wait for their ride to arrive?

As I pulled into the office I noticed the "power-men" high above me and was thankful that they were working on the lines, because I know how irritated I get when the power doesn't work properly.

As I unlocked my office door I was covered by a great peace. I was not stressed out over the day that had just begun. It felt so good to reach far beyond myself and into the lives of others. At least to for several minutes stop being consumed with myself and notice others around me.

Happy Groundhogs Day! (And Random Thursday!)

Ok I know I haven't posted anything about anything in a long time. But Groundhogs day deserves the time to post!

So today is Groundhogs day. This year the groundhog has seen his shadow, which means there will be six more weeks of winter. (I however choose not to believe this.) Ever since the tradition has started there has been a 39% accuracy rate. Since 2000 the groundhog has seen his shadow ever year. To see every year go to the Stormfax Weather almanac page

Some History

The tradition started in the 1800's in Punxsutawney, Penn. when friends would go looking for groundhogs. The group of friends soon became "the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club." February is the Groundhog month because it is midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. For more great info go here: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/groundhogday1.html

Also FYI, a groundhog is also called a woodchuck and is a member of the squirrel family. Remember the woodchuck riddle?

How much wood would a woodchuck chuckif a woodchuck could chuck wood?He would chuck, he would, as much as he could,and chuck as much wood as a woodchuck wouldif a woodchuck could chuck wood.

Here are some fun groundhog songs I found! For more go to: http://ourworld.cs.com/DonaldRHalley/ghdsongs.htm

Spring Is Coming

Tune = Jesus Loves Me © 1990 by Don Halley

Spring is coming, this I know

For the groundhog tells me so

The snow is deep and it's ten below But he did not see his shadow
Yes! Spring is coming

Yes! Spring is coming

Yes! Spring is coming The groundhog tells me so

Joy To The World

Tune = Joy To The World © 1991 by Don Halley

Joy to the world! It's Groundhog's Day! May he glad tidings bring

Let every cloud get in his way

So that we may have spring

So that we may have spring

So that, so that we may have spring

May you all have a happy Groundhog day and a merry 6 more weeks of winter!