Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Another bloggy giveaway!!!! BLOG CLOSED!!

I just want to say thanks to each of you for participating!! All 182 comments made my heart happy!!



The Three winners were: Annabelle @ http://www.christianmomma.net/, PJ (you provided no email or blog), and Tisha. I'll contact the ones I can, and if I don't hear a response within 48 hours, I'll redraw. Be Blessed!!

Jenn

I have 3 adorable tote bags filled with some goodies that are brand spanking new for 3 lovely winners!! Each bag is a little different but fun! When you leave your comment, don't forget to leave your email if you're not a blogger! I'll be picking the winner on August 1 @ 9:00pm!!!!



(I realized after I published my post that you really couldn't see the bags! Here they are... full!!!)

"Why I don't exercise" -- a brief tale

I read Gothamist regularly and yesterday morning, I was reminded why I do not (as a full-figured gal) love exercising. I would like to throw out a warning that "Big Girls" should stick to yoga pants instead of pajama pants to workout in. Should you choose to endanger yourself...

WOMAN "SLING SHOT" FROM MACHINE

Yesterday around noon, an alert came through the newswire mentioning an "unusual rescue" at 145th Street involving a woman "pinned between two exercise machines at the gym."
The NY Post sheds some light on the embarrassing incident today, reporting that "a very large lady at the New York Sports Club was sling-shot off equipment known as the abductor" (pictured). Gym members who looked on had this to say:
"She didn't close [the machine] properly. She was supposed to exit it from the side but tried to go over the leg bar . . and her loose pants got caught in the handle."
"If you are on a machine, it's you versus the machine. She put too much weight on the machine. She was, like, sling-shot from it."To add insult to injury, the Post mentions several times the 38-year-old woman's "portly" stature, and adds that she had to be taken from the gym in a rescue basket, as a standard stretcher wouldn't do. There is currently no word on the woman's condition, who was taken to the New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center...but hopefully she's not reading the papers today.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

God always provides

an opportunity for me to clean my house.

I have a lot of stuff to put in this giveaway... stay tuned! ttp://www.donttrythisathome.typepad.com/bloggy_giveaways/

Go check out Bloggin' Bits and Simply Staci for some cutie-patootie giveaways!! Tell 'em I sent ya'!

Monday, July 28, 2008

Things I learned this weekend

  • I have entirely TOO MANY ideas for craft projects/gift giveaways for my own good. Upon cleaning my room yesterday, I covered my bed nearly a foot high with stuff. I will promptly be de-cluttering my room this week!
  • I do not look HOT in a grass skirt. Sigh.
  • Eating poorly in a weekend will reek havoc on (my) your blood pressure if you're not careful.
  • My friends do not understand the severity of my allergies and there is nothing I can do to change that. :(
  • I'm long overdue for a vacation out of town.
  • Sweet Tea can have the same effect as Neosporin. It can make you feel better.
  • I have too many earrings. In just under a year-and-a-half, I have purchase almost 200 pairs.
  • I'm excited about some volunteering opportunities that are coming up.

Stay cool peeps.

<3>

Sunday, July 27, 2008

We accept the love...


If you read Post Secret at all, then you may recognize this card from this week's "Secrets". Reading this one this morning reminded me how we all really do this.

We accept the love we think we deserve.
We accept the love because we're not good enough.
We accept the love because we're afraid no one else will love us.
We accept the love because we think we're not pretty enough...
or skinny enough
or smart enough.

I'm learning that we also:

accept the love because we are too selfish to just admit we don't reciprocate the feelings back and don't want to lose the friendship.

The reality is, we don't have to accept anything. Love is free, but you also have to OWN HOW YOU FEEL. If you think you're the only one who knows... then you're wrong. The world can spot your unhappiness from miles away.

It's time that we accept love for love. Love is free. God's love is freeing.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

'Cause there's nothing like the SEC

I have friends who are foolish to believe that football outside the South is worth watching... (they are so deceived)! I found this on a blog today and cracked up. I would like to point out that that is a fairly accurate rendering of Tommy Tuberville and Phil Fulmer. Hilarious!!!

A Winner and a ...

We have a winner for the Bloggy Giveaway!!

Drumroll please...

Congrats to Staci!!! I'll be emailing you soon!! I do apologize for taking so long to draw a winne -- I had trouble with Random Generator and had to resort to the old school method of picking one out of a cup! (Yes, I keep it professional and technologically-up-to-date here!) This giveaway was so much fun! Stay tuned... a new one will be posted this weekend!!!!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

I've fallen into a hole called: Meetings

I am behind in announcing the winner of the bloggy giveaway due to meetings for United Way and sleep deprivation.

I'll be announcing it shortly... stay tuned!!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Thank you for being a friend...

I'm so sad that Estelle Getty passed away today. As an actress, she was absolutely hilarious and is also the reason I own all available seasons of The Golden Girls on DVD.

"... Thank you for being a friend..."

I have too many pictures...

Yesterday, I went and bought a brand new camera. My Canon Powershot A630 went on to be with Jesus in Photoheaven a few days ago. It had been on camera life-support for a while, and I'd been praying, but it finally just died. I have been looking for several months at what I wanted to get though. Honestly, I wanted a Nikon D60, but that camera costs $699.00 before tax, and I just couldn't bring myself to spend that much. So, yesterday at lunch, I went and bought a Canon SX100IS. It's black, and cute, and a really good camera. I used it to take pictures yesterday on a United Way tour and last night at dinner.

Fast forward to this morning.

I go to unload my memory card, and I have 783 pictures and 4 videos. THAT is entirely too much "Memory" to be toting around in one little bitty 'ole camera. To think... I gave a friend of mine a hard time about having too many clothes this weekend, and I'm toting nearly 10 months worth of photos in my purse everday. RIDICULOUSNESS. But to find the silver lining on the cloud, I did find some pictures that, upon further examination, made me laugh, including one photobombing picture. :)

Enjoy!














Sunday, July 20, 2008

The weekend

I had friends who needed some help moving into a new place this weekend. I'm using the word "Some" loosely since I got chastized for not moving large furniture, but I did help! When we weren't taking breaks in the pool, or when I wasn't running off to grab a nap, I was helping.

But today was hilarious thanks in part to my friend Miranda. Just because I like shout-outs for the whole world to read, I thought I'd mention a few highlights.

1. Sis. Whittington getting the Holy Ghost in the pool.
2. The cannonball
3. Kielbasa/bratwurst/polish sausage
4. "Hair" care
5. slipping and slidding off the float
6. (and the least funny of them all) bug bites

As you can imagine, it was a memorable day. :)

Friday, July 18, 2008

writing this makes me Physically ill

A few days ago, I asked you to pray for my best friend and her family. At the time I was not at liberty to tell why, but I can now.

My friend and her husband found out that their two oldest children, a 7 year old girl and 4 year old boy, have been molested/sexually abused by their daycare/babysitter's 11-year old son. He has also molested at least ten other children, and other families are still coming forward.

At this time, the State of Ga won't do anything with him -- having primarily to do with the rights of a minor.

Please continue to remember my friend and her husband, asked God to strengthen them, comfort them, and be with them.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

***BLOGGY GIVEAWAY***

I shared recently that I have a deep, deep, unfettered love for all things School Supplies. I think that some of you may think I was kidding. Thus I give you, EXHIBIT 1:


But, in spite of what you think of me, I want you to understand that life is all about events, including opportunities to pay it forward. For the last few days, I have been thinking about this, pondering, looking for answers and ideas, and tonight, some things came to fruition.

In our everyday lives, whether at the gas station, the bank, or the grocery store, we all invariably cross paths with someone with a need. In light of some recent news in my life, I have an even greater desire to give a child -- nay children -- an opportunity that I can afford. (Thus the beauty of being single at this time in my life.) I am very blessed to have four parents (my biologicals and two steps) who all have college educations. As long as I can remember, my Mom and Dad instilled in me the desire to learn, grow, study, be better, be smarter, work harder -- to just be somebody. But in the reality I live in, the reality that spends nearly $550 a month on gasoline alone, I have some idea of what can't be afforded.

Man, I'm getting really long winded here, huh? Wrap it up.

So, tonight, I robbed Wal-Mart.

Oh wait... that came out wrong. I went into Wal-mart to buy a few things and basically came out with enough school supplies for four children. But this is where I need your help. Part of the principal of paying it forward is giving someone else the opportunity to bless somebody. So, the giveaway...

IS ALL YOU SEE ON THE TABLE...

in the hopes that you will find a child in your church, your grocery store, your neighborhood, the local gas station (you get the point), who NEEDS all this stuff to build the foundation for a good education.

But that's not all.

What you don't see on the table, are the backpacks/book bags to pull all this stuff into. When you win (and someone will win!), let me know who you're gonna bless, and I'll up the anty by sending you gender specific bags to tote all this stuff!

In order to enter, please leave a comment with your name and email. Please, please, please tell a friend too. I'll ship to anywhere in the continental U.S. Most of all... I just want to find some kid, some family who really needs this, and I can't do that without you.

(In case you are wondering, I did purchase a completely separate batch of supplies and a bookbag to deliver to a child tomorrow.) But I want to share the love with all of you!

The giveaway will end Tuesday, July 22nd @ 7:00pm Eastern time.

"For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:48b

**I just realized that I did not have it so that anyone could comment. If you comment as anonymous... don't forget to put your name and email!!*

Monday, July 14, 2008

'Cause lists keep you on your bloggy toes

Today in the mail, I received a $25.00 check from Bank of America thanking me for referring customers and asking me to continue to do so. I honestly LOVE my bank! They have been incredible, reasonable, easy to work with, and have the best online banking system ever. And I've used SEVERAL -- TRUST ME. (AmSouth has the WORST. Ask me about my experience and I'll write you a book.) When my ATM/credit card got stolen, they replaced funds within 24 hours, called me back (Hello, that's a forgotten form with banks nowadaways), and prosecuted the weirdos who bought junk with my credit card.

Plus, they have the Keep the change program, and every year I keep my accounts with them, they'll give me nearly $80. (They match what you save the first three months and then give it to you annually until you close your accounts). Can you say FREE MONEY? Considering the financial bondange I was in five years ago, and the nearly $3000 I gave AmSouth (and No, I did not add too many zeros), I am so blessed to have such a good bank.

I could go on and on... but will say that they rock, and if you use me as a reference, I'll give you the $25 they give me!!!

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Today, a friend of mine (not the prayer request) received some news that hurt her single heart. I was excited that we were going to walk tonight so that I could encourage her. Here's the conversation that followed:

Me: How are you?

Friend: I didn't think I'd be so sad.

Me: I'm sorry. I totally understand. But, you know what I think? I think this was God's way of saving 'You're not good enough for Him".

WHAATT??????

After promptly inhaling, chewing, and swallowing my foot, I corrected myself by saying that this is God's way of closing the door because IN FACT my friend is TOO GOOD for him.

Slip o' the tongue is all I'm saying. SHEESH.

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You have to know that I spent the better part of six years without a roommate. I was content to not have anyone going through my stuff, borrowing make-up/jewelry, and infringing on my times. (I still hate when people rifle through my jewelry though. It drives me CRAZY.)

**You can imagine why I would have much such a great catch as a wife during that time, no?**

:)

But two years ago, God, in His Infinite-Right-on-Time-Readin'-my-mail-kinda way knew that I needed a detour and the only way I was going to get the hint was if He forced my hand.

Enter: Eviction when Landlord sells duplex outright and new owner wants to occupy my unit. (Other side rented).

What seemed unimaginable turned out to be the greatest blessing! The last four-and-a-half months however, my roommate has been in her hometown with some undiagnosable virus. I don't think I've asked for prayers for her on the blog, but tonight I'm submitting a request because:

her fishies died.

I'm sorry, but I'm not a pet person anyway, and the last thing I aspire to do is dig a white, scaly, stanky carcus out of a fishtank.

And y'all, fish STANK.

So, I'm really in need of her coming back to me soon. Oh yeah, and I miss her bunches. And her little dog too.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hasta Manana InterPeeps.

Tenge,
Genoveve! Ole!

Please pray

My best friend (of 22 years) called me this morning and shared with me some sickening news. Without going into the gory details of it all, please help me pray for my friend, her husband, their kids, and the other kids/parents affected.

Thanks,
Jenn

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Various & Unsundry... part I lost count.

Last night, a friend and I went through the drivethru at McDonald's. The girl who took the money had an unusual button on. I asked if that was her boyfriend/husband. Turns out it was her husband, and right now he is in Alaska waiting to be deployed to Iraq. Before I really registered what I was saying, I asked for her name and her husband's name to pray for her...

May I always be so bold.

Her name is Ariel Hines-Buffington, and her husband is PFC Corey Buffington. When you pray for our military, would you say a prayer for Ariel and Corey?

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I have a serious love of all things SCHOOL SUPPLIES. There is something magical about opening a new box of pens, or crayons, or pulling lined paper out to fill a notebook. It gives me chills. In the last week, I've visited three Wal-Marts, a Staples, and an Office Depot to find nifty new stuff in the hopes that I can find some use for it. At each of the stores I have seen the Mom Planner, and want to buy it for all my mommy friends... it's adorable! and functional! and has stickers! Today's purchases included some super-cute notebooks (to keep in the car or purse), and Crayola's new True to Life Crayon pencils. My goal is to use them to accent cards and stationary that I send out.

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I think the drama-o-the-computer-at-work has finally settled. Yesterday I received a call that I would get a new DVD/CD burner drive/player, instead of a whole brand new machine. And there was some praisin' Jesus for that after I got off the phone.

Monday, July 7, 2008

mask

"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell you the truth." Oscar Wilde.

Give him a blog, and he will tell you the truth, more often.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

A belated Happy 4th of July wish

(I absolutely love the Muppets, but I think Beaker still the show in this. Hilarious!!)

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Jammin'

Amidst some FOR REAL computer drama this week at work, I had to load iTunes onto my new computer. The new version of iTunes in combination with my brand-spankin'-new-computer-that-I-don't-get-to-keep decided to instead load all of my music for me.

Including music I had forgotten that I even loaded on my computer.

(Please pardon my sentence fragment there.)

Including Lakewood Church Choir's "We Speak to Nations" featuring the uber-talented Israel Houghton.

Songs: Highly Exalted, Better than Life, We Speak to Nations, and You are Good

(Just to name a few!)

I'm totally jammin' out to this CD today... and Lord knows my soul needs it!!

What are you jammin' to?

Graphjam

I check alot of city blogs everyday (see: Gothamist, LAist), this morning that had this ridiculous graph of how California views the rest of the U.S. Upon further examination (see: Killing time at work), I found the website for Graphjam.com and had promptly spent the last fifteen minutes laughing at my desk. **Some of these graphs are offensive, but some are just stinkin' hysterical. Here's a few that made me laugh out loud, as well as a shout out to my friend Jenn Herron who loves all things Bono. :)




Tuesday, July 1, 2008

shelf-life

I tend to have a shelf life with things of about two years. Around a two year mark, sometimes before... sometimes after, I get overwhelmed with the need to change.

I'm sure you thinking, "Haven't you been griping about this for a while?"

The answer is yes, I have, but I've only made minimal changes.

But there are some things in me that I can only squelched for so long. That is to say...

in spite of the fact that I was born brunette, I will ALWAYS be a redhead. And that starts again Today.

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5b