Small steps in faith

Saturday, July 30, 2005

"Republican does not equal Christian"

"Republican does not equal Christian" This a quote from Matthew Paul Turner in an article he was interviewed for in "Citizen Link" I love where he says "I vote for people" No wonder I love his books so much He thinks like I do I'm getting ready to read and review his new book "Provocative Faith" on my website next week If you've never read any of his books you need to They're awesome :) and read his article on politics

Confession and Repentance

After watching a Nooma video a friend let me borrow, I decided to get on the web site of Rob Bell's church,Mars Hill You can listen to his sermons On June 26 he did a sermon on confession and repentance...i would recommend you listen to it One of my morning readings today was in Lamentations and as I was reading this verse smacked me in the face "You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through." Lamentations 3:44 I guess I never realized that God keeps our prayers from getting through if our hearts aren't where they need to be "Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord." Lamentations 3:40
He never left us ...we left him
God wants an honest relationship,he wants an honest conversation, and if we're hiding something he puts up the cloud barrier So if you feel like God's not listening,reexamine your heart is there something that needs to be confessed and repented "Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say: We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven" Lamentations 3:41-42
God will take down that cloud barrier "I called on your name, O Lord, form the depths of the pit. You heard my plea : "Don not close your ears to my cry for relief: You came near when I called you and you said, "Do not fear" Lamentations 3:55-57

Friday, July 29, 2005

Enter the Worship Circle

I'm reading a book right now called "Enter the Worhip Circle" by Ben Pasley It's not your typical book ..most Relevant books aren't I've found :) Anyway this book makes you think outside the box.. outside what most people find in their "church experience" He deals with worship and spirituality in a very different way It's creative at it's best and it's out of the ordinary..I like it alot

This is one of the quotes from thoughts on wonder..

"Religion, however, is the work of trying to escape the "not knowing" by placing quantity, ritual, and form to the mysteries and then marketing the package to others. We have been driven to the inventions of religion, and subsequently we are driven away from religion, by the same internal conviction that whatever is most worthwhile is ultimately beyond us. It can't be packaged. Like children, we are obsessed with what we do not have, and we are driven by what we have yet to fully possess. Religion has attempted to help humanity understand the spiritual, but our real need is not to understand the spiritual, or to categorize it, or to explain it-- it is simply to touch it.

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Moving Day to Loggins and Messina

Today is moving day at work This will be the 4th and I hope the last time they move us For the last year Mary,Cindy, and I have been in the "old" building at the hospital It was part of the original hospital I love that building It has that older "musty" smell It also used to be the maternity building so it's where I had Kristen and Zach ..good memories In fact, I have been on the 3rd floor which is where my room was when I had Zach Part of me will miss that office It had a nice window, it was quiet, and I made friends on that floor Our new office is in the newer part of the hospital but in the basement I've been told there is a movie "Office Space" where someone is always moved and they end up in the basement I think this is a good thing though :) Our inpatient and outpatient departments will be altogether again plus we add our nurse practitioner Mary Pat and our medical director Dr.Miguel Parilo It will give us that "family" feeling again that we had before they separated us 2 yrs ago into separate buildings I like my quiet when I'm working though so it will take some getting used to

Tonight Darrell and I are going to Cincinnati to see Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina They are back together for their"Sittin In" tour after 20 + years They always have a surprise "celebrity guest" who is from the area Darrell thinks it will be Peter Frampton (also from the 70's :) I love their music "House at Pooh Corner" and "Danny's Song" are two of my favorites

Three weeks and counting.... Kristen ,Tyler, and Dylan leave for Lee

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

It makes you think

This has been another one of those weeks where I'm dealing with sadness and death
I really think God is working on my heart like this for a reason but that's not clear to me yet
My friend at work,Cindy found out last week that she was going to be a grandmother and within a few days that all changed Her son and his girlfriend lost their baby at 17 wks on Sunday Even though it was such a short time she knew about the pregnancy there is a sadness and a loss
At the other end of the spectrum my mother found out that her mother who was 99 died this week
I only met her 2 times once when I was 11 and once when I was 20 I really didn't have a relationship with her She had left her family when my mom was only 8 and then reappeared about 25 yrs later ...not a pretty story There is still a sadness and a feeling of loss..
From an unborn baby to someone at the end of their lifespan...it makes me think..

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

"Broken Heart"

"Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God."
Bob Pierce Founder of World Vision and Samaritan's Purse

Monday, July 25, 2005

An act of love and sacrifice

The cross of Jesus is a stunning and breathtaking act of love and sacrifice by God Himself for people like you and me, and the cross He asks us to carry is our declaration of love and gratitude to Him for this amazing sacrifice. Keith Giles

Giving to God

"Honor the Lord with your wealth,with the firstfruits of all your crops,then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over new wine"
Proverbs 3:9-10

God is working on my heart again and I'm being "challenged" again by others as to why I am so adamant about my titheing
I think it's pretty clear at least to me what we are to do
It doesn't say worry about the insurance,property tax,etc and then figure out how much you have left to give; it doesn't say go work extra hours and then you can give your tithe; it says FIRSTFRUITS ..give to God first..trust that he will provide.. he says he will

Saturday, July 23, 2005

My Friday night

I love Friday evenings It's kind of a wind down eve for us We used to call it "family night" because we always spent the eve together but as my kids have gotten older that has changed ..I've added a "child"..tyler and many times i'm missing a child..zach ,who loves to spend fri eve with his buddies at his best friend's house we never know now who will be with us..last night it was darrell,zach and I
Tyler and Kristen went to Cheesecake factory to celebrate their "9 month anniversary"
We went to Family Christian Stores to get the new Matt Redman CD definitely worth buying Next we went to Chipolte's darrell's favorite place They now have salads so I liked that Then to Border's because we had 30% coupons from the internet I bought a book "Enter The Worship Circle" by Ben Pasley It's a relevant book Adam..this is your kind of book :) We went to Starbucks darrell is always venti coffee ..whatever flavor they have... rochelle is always vanilla latte and zach is always iced mocha extra whipped cream the crowd was very thin at the one by the dayton mall i have a feeling that centerville might be taking some of their business (It's definitely nicer inside at the one in Centerville)..then to blockbuster darrell wanted to rent O brother where art thou.. he had never seen it and I wanted Million Dollar Baby which I'll watch today ..then Dorothy Lane Market for "nonfat" yogurt for darrell who is on a diet and haagen daz chocolate/peanut butter for zach who is not :) Haagen Daz is on sale right now :0..then home
I love to watch 20/20 if I get home in time Last night was a good episode it dealt with sibling relationships I saw only 2 of the stories one was about identical twin girls where 1 changed her sex to a male It was very interesting and also sad at the same time
I have a patient right now who went from male to female
How do things like that happen? They feel like they are the opposite sex trapped in the wrong body
I think the thing that intrigued me last night was that they have the same genetic make up and background Their theory was that the mother was involved in a traumatic car accident when she was pregnant with them and they felt that the release of adrenalin somehow transferred to the one twin only and caused the change I don't know.. only God knows
The other story dealt with a 17 yr old sister and her 14 yr old autistic brother She knows that if something happens to her parents down the road she will take care of her brother At the end it showed them walking with umbrellas singing the song from Aladdin with their arms around each other.. I of course cried I love stories like that
So it was a good Fri night with a nice full moon :)

Friday, July 22, 2005

Bald is beautiful

I saw this on the relevant website and I had to laugh Anyone who knows my husband knows that he is bald and wouldn't be caught dead in a toupee or have a hair transplant but I wonder if he would if insurance paid for it hmmmm...


The German court threw out a legal challenge by a bald 46-year-old man, saying bald men in Germany have no entitlement to state support for toupees. The court said the state was not discriminating against men even though health insurance covers the cost of wigs for women ... 07-21-05 - 7:12 pm

God's will

Sometimes I just feel like I flounder through my day and my life..hanging on with everything I have not to "lose it" with those closest to me
I know why it happens
I can be very stubborn and not budge when I think I'm right(basically it's my way or the highway)...even when God is trying to tell me otherwise
I read something this morning on wisdom which I thought was a good reminder for me

"Wisdom--understanding God's perspective on our circumstances and responding accordingly--brings us the strength to stand firm in our faith and choose His way It also helps us calmly accept the hardships in our lives. God knows the extent of our difficulties. Out of His love for us, He sets a limit to them and uses even our darkest hours for His good purposes"

I've had my share of "dark hours" this week I'm hoping He's close to the "limit" but I need to realize that it's for my spiritual growth and God has His reasons for why everything happens..I just need to be less "me" focused
I'm getting ready to go to a small group at Alyson's next month about understanding God's will..I think it's God's will that I go :)..I've missed my small group

Thursday, July 21, 2005

Kristen's Day

Tonight is a special night for Kristen She received a Mueller Society scholarship through my hospital,Miami Valley . They make a big deal of it They sent her and I both letters, they posted her name on the Foundation door at work and they have a really nice picnic at Benham's Grove in Centerville where they call up each recipient and present their scholarship to them
When I called Kristen a couple of weeks ago when I found out,she was so excited she screamed on the phone
Kristen has always had to work really hard for the grades she got and struggles with testing (She is definitely my right brained child) so for her to be selected was a big deal for all of us
I can't wait to hear her name called and see her accept her scholarship :)

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Death in 3's

I'm getting ready to attend the memorial service for my former boss's husband in the chapel here at work in a few minutes He died at at the age of 57 from lymphoma
I will be attending a viewing tomorrow for my friend Christy's mother who was also in her 50's , and my friend Tina lost her cousin to lymphoma yesterday
As a nurse, I learned early death comes in 3's and I can't tell you how true that is It happened over and over again and although I don't work at the bedside any longer, I still think of that
I think what makes these hard is that they were all so young and one of the deaths was very unexpected It made me think of Roger's message and Larry's testimony on forgiveness You never know when someone you love will be taken from you and you may not have the chance to say "I'm sorry" or " I forgive you"

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Healthy love

I'm reading a book and doing a bible study that has been a real eye and heart opener
The chapter I'm on talks about how we make the mistake of counting on others to make us feel whole when it's God who is the only one who can do that It doesn't mean we're not to have other relationships... actually the opposite "God is truly enough, but our lives were never intended to be confined to solitary interaction with God and no one else..we were made by God to crave the affection of others. We were made for relationship. We were made for the community of other human beings."
The mistake often made is that we think that other person we love could,would, or should make us whole. The following is a list of healthy and mature vs. unhealthy and immature


Healthy and Mature

Based on trust--words and actions are expressed
consistently and honestly

Open sharing of feelings

Feels free to ask honestly for what is needed
and wanted..

Serving each other with passion

Welcomes closeness and is willing to risk being
vulnerable

Free to enjoy solitude and alone time without
the other

Gives/receives unconditionally

Maintains other friendships and relationships
without a threat

Does not attempt to change the other

Unhealthy and immature

Feels all-consuming with the pressure to
be someone to please the other

Based on distrust and fear- feel the need
to guard yourself with the other person

Closed emotionally Shut down Controlling
and afraid of criticism

Plays psychological head games trying to fish
for hidden secrets

Sense that you are being appeased

Fears closeness and sees vulnerability as a threat

Fears abandonment and loneliness upon routine separation

Gives in order to get Selfish

Neglects other friendships and family members out of insecurity

Attempts to change the other



A good guide to evaluate your relationships

Don't do it yourself

The quality of a life of purpose is measured not by the number of tasks accomplished, but with who were they were accomplished and the learning that went on in the process.

It's all about building relationships. Sometimes we're in such a hurry to get things done that we fail to see the true reward..it's not the end result it's the relationships and bonds that you build in getting to that end result
I know as a parent and even as a nurse that sometimes it's easier to do it yourself but just know that sometimes you cheat yourself out of the true reward

Every summer I spent 2 weeks at my grandmothers house She was a wonderful seamstress
We would pick out a project to sew and she would sit right beside me and help me I know there had to be many times when she wanted to do it for me but I would have never learned and we wouldn't have developed that special bond

Monday, July 18, 2005

Napolean Dynamite figures

Guess who's coming in miniature size for your indie enjoyment? McFarlane Toys has announced plans for a line of collectible figures based on the film Napoleon Dynamite. Five figures will hit stores in November, including three Napoleons, one Kip and one Pedro. Each will be sold for $12.99 each, while a deluxe, 12-inch talking Napoleon figure will retail for $39.99, MTV reports. Gosh! ...

Tyler, guess what you're getting for Christmas!
Lucky!
(in Napolean voice :)

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Espy award heroes

Sometimes I become very "me" focused It's usually in response to some kind of pain whether it's physical,emotional,or spiritual. This week I'm dealing with all of them..but what I've been through doesn't even compare to two men I saw on the Espy awards tonight... Jim Maclaren and Emmanuel O. from Ghana Both men received the Arthur Ashe award
Jim Maclaren lost his leg and fought to come back and compete in the iron man triathalon If that wasn't enough ,8 years later while he was competing he was hit by a car and broke his neck which left him quadraplegic He again came back and fought to regain movement that doctors never thought he could accomplish What really struck me was the spirit he had and his impact on other athletes who deal with a handicap
One of those athletes is Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah Emmanuel was born with a deformed leg In Ghana when a child is born deformed,many times they are killed or are hidden until they are older, but are destined to a life of begging Emmanuel's mother instilled him a will to overcome his handicap He has now started a foundation to help others in Ghana who have a disability escape from the lifestyle of begging
If you didn't have a chance to watch the Espy awards, pull up the jim mclaren website There is a clip about what he's been through He is a true inspiration
It's also a reminder that nothing is impossible with God

"A hero is anyone who is intent on making this a better place to live" Jim Maclaren

"Softening Your Heart"

This was the title of my devotional this morning and it "softened" my heart

"When you are continually on your face before God, seeking Him in His Word, His presence will saturate your heart and make it sensitive and teachable. "

It makes me think of when you water flowers The ground at first is hard but the more you water the softer the ground gets until it's saturated and soft
Your heart needs to be soft in order to allow God's love and spirit to saturate it


"If you believe that God might be leading you in a certain direction, take the time to earnestly seek His mind on the matter, and open your heart to listen to Him. Be careful about getting "busy" with a substitute for what He originally called you to do. It would be tragic to work extra hard doing what you and others consider good, only to discover that your effort was expended in accomplishing something that was not God's intention.
Resisting the Lord's will often amounts to putting your life on the shelf, which leaves you feeling that something is missing. There is no substitute for God's will, even when His plan might seem difficult or impossible. But when you trust Him with a willing heart, there is no limit to what God can do through your life. "

Saturday, July 16, 2005

What is a friend?

Stages of Friendship
In kindergarten your idea of a good friend
was the person who let you have the red crayon
when all that was left was the ugly black one.

In first grade your idea of a good friend
was the person who went to the bathroom with you
and held your hand as you walked through the scary halls.

In second grade your idea of a good friend
was the person who helped you stand up
to the class bully.

In third grade your idea of a good friend
was the person who shared their lunch
with you when you forgot yours on the bus.

In fourth grade your idea of a good friend
was the person who was willing to switch square dancing
partners in gym so you wouldn't have to be
stuck do-si-do-ing with the dork of the class.

In fifth grade your idea of a friend
was the person who saved a seat
on the back of the bus for you.

In sixth grade your idea of a friend
was the person who went up to your new crush,
and asked them to dance with you,
so that if they said no
you wouldn't have to be embarrassed.

In seventh grade your idea of a friend was
the person who let you copy the social studies homework
from the night before that you had forgotten about.

In eighth grade your idea of a good friend
was the person who helped you pack up your
stuffed animals and old baseball cards
so that your room would be a "high schooler's" room,
but didn't laugh at you when you
finished and broke out into tears.

In ninth grade your idea of a good friend
was the person who went with you
to that "cool" party thrown by a senior
so you wouldn't wind up
being the only freshman there.

In tenth grade your idea of a good friend
was the person who changed their schedule so
you would have someone to sit with at lunch.

In eleventh grade your idea of a good friend
was the person who gave you rides in their new car,
convinced your parents that you shouldn't be grounded,
consoled you when you broke up with your significant other
and found you a date to the prom.


In twelfth grade your idea of a good friend
was the person who helped you pick out a college,
assured you that you would get into that college,
helped you deal with your parents who were having
a hard time adjusting to the idea of letting you go.

At graduation your idea of a good friend
was the person who was crying on the inside but
managed the biggest smile one could give
as they congratulated you.

The summer after twelfth grade your idea of a good friend
was the person who helped you clean up from that party.
Helped you sneak out of the house when you just
couldn't deal with your parents.
Assured you that now that your
significant other were back together,
you could make it through anything.
Helped you pack up for college
and just silently hugged you as you looked
through blurry eyes at 18 years of memories
you were leaving behind.

And finally on those last days of childhood,
went out of their way to come over
and send you off with a hug, alot of memories
and reassurance that you would make it in college
as well as you had these past 18 years.
But most importantly sent you off to college
knowing you were loved.

Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person
who gives you the better of the two choices.
Holds your hand when you're scared.
Helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of you.
Thinks of you at times when you are not there.
Reminds you of what you have forgotten.
Helps you put the past behind you but understands
when you need to hold on to it a little longer.
Stays with you so that you have confidence.
Goes out of their way to make time for you.
Helps you clear up your mistakes.
Helps you deal with pressure from others.
Smiles for you when they are sad.
Helps you become a better person.
Prays for you without being asked..just because
However most importantly loves you!

Author Unknown

Jack Nicklaus a definite legend

I know that golf seems like a boring sport to alot of people to watch on tv but I do actually enjoy watching it at times I think Jack Nicklaus is definitely and always will be the best golfer (I'm not a big fan of Tiger Woods) so this article makes me sad :(
btw: The movie "Bobby Jones" about the famous golfer with Jim Caviezel ..BORING!



Playing in his last major, Jack Nicklaus said goodbye to golf fans at the British Open. Also known in golf circles as the Golden Bear, leaves after 44 years of legendary play

Friday, July 15, 2005

Getting my attention

I was up late last night reading and in prayer About 2:30 I got back on the computer and my mouse died ..I thought it was the battery but nope it was totally dead ..I was tired , I was irritable,I had a horrible migraine, and that was like the last straw ..so off I went to bed with a bad attitude
So this morning I got up thinking "well maybe I can figure this out" Nope I was without the computer until we went and got a new (and works much better) mouse tonight
The people who are closest to me know that I love the computer I probably spend more time than I should on it and I think God knows that too and was telling me :)
So I spent my day finishing a bible study I do with Tina,laundry(that's an everyday thing at our house),and watching "Rain Man" with Kristen and Tyler ( I love Dustin Hoffman I "intensely dislike" Tom Cruise )
Even when I was able to pull AIM up (thanks to Zach's keyboarding skill) nobody wanted to talk to me so I guess God was telling me "no" even though I tried not to listen :)

Thursday, July 14, 2005

What do I want to do with my life?

I know that for some, one of the hardest things in life is picking a career
For as long as I could remember I wanted to be a nurse
Definitely not something you pick based on income or hours
It's a career that you choose with your heart knowing that sometimes that heart can be broken
I read the following article which I think covers the points you need to think about when you're making that decision


Whether you are attempting to leave the corporation you’ve worked at for years or graduating college, choosing a career can be an extremely intimidating experience. Very few know what they want to do, and every choice seems to lead to another option. We all know people who love their profession and others who don’t. For many of us, it feels like we’re submerged in muddy water, trying to figure out which way we need to swim. With so many choices, so many options, where do you start?

The Question. Ask yourself this question, “If I could do anything and money wasn’t an issue, what would I do?” Then go deeper. What is it about that particular path that is appealing to you? For instance, if your answer to the first question is, “I would work with the youth group at my church,” then examine what it is about the youth group that makes you come alive. Is it leading a group discussion? Is it connecting with the students individually? Try to get as specific as you possibly can. Maybe it’s leading, maybe it’s following, but if you end up in the wrong one, you will continually feel out of your element.

The Sources. Check your sources. Employers will often contact the references you write down to learn about your strengths and weaknesses. Copy their example. Call five people that really know you and ask the question, “When do you really see me come alive? In what circumstances do I thrive? Where do I drag my feet the most?” The results may surprise you.

The Author. Pray. Is there anything simpler than this? Is there anything harder than this? Trusting that the Lord has a plan for you is one of the places the rubber really meets the road. Set yourself up with a foundation of going before the Lord with your career choices. Whether you end up depending on funds you’ve raised or working in a corporation, it is always He who does the providing. Remember that.

The Experience. Get your feet wet. Get a job that’s similar to the one you think you want and test the waters. If you think you might enjoy owning a coffee shop, try just getting a job at one first. If you think you might like being a teacher, apply to be a substitute for a year. It’s a great way to develop specialized skills and test out your abilities with less commitment.

The Goal. Some things take natural talent, but most skills are developed. If you have a dream that seems unattainable, train for it. Fight for it. Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Keep your eyes on what you want and develop a plan for how to get there. The problem is that most people confuse the means for the end. Be patient. Everyone fails at some point. The difference lies in what happens after they fall.

Work hard. Be patient. Live your life in a scenario where you know you would come alive, and remember, you’re in good hands.

[John Crist is a musician currently living in Columbus, Ohio. You can hear his music at www.johncrist.com or www.purevolume.com/johncrist/.]

More on Willy Wonka

This was an interesting article on "Willy Wonka"
Facts you might not know :)

We all know that for more than 40 years the story of a poor boy and an eccentric chocolate maker, Willy Wonka, has been everyone’s pro-confectionary, non-pollutionary, anti-institutionary brand of fun. In fact, Saturday Night Live, Marilyn Manson and The Simpsons have all spoofed the chocolate river, the scary boat ride and those adorable Oompa Loompas at one time or another. More than 30 years after the original movie film adaptation, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, was released, director Tim Burton’s remake of Roald Dahl’s childhood classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will hit the big screen. So maybe it’s time to take another look at the story behind the story of one of the most famous pop icons ever. Here are a few things you might not know about the candy man with the purple coat and top hat.

1. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was considered a psychedelic drug trip.

What about those brightly colored mushrooms by the chocolate river? When Willy Wonka was first released in the ’70s, some people thought they actually represented the drugs of the same name and that the movie was nothing more than one big chemically enhanced “trip.” Film director Mel Stuart denies this view of the movie in his book Pure Imagination, saying, “But it wasn’t a psychedelic drug trip, or at least it wasn’t my intention for people to think it was.” And Paris Themmen (aka Mike Teevee) said in a recent interview, “About the drug induced theory of Wonka: It’s the most common theory I hear. I have been told that it is a popular movie to play at raves. People go to raves and watch this movie while under the influence of whatever.”

2. S-w-w-e-e-t

The true beginning of the idea for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory started when Dahl and his fellow classmates at an English boarding school were given the dream job of “chocolate tasters.” The Cadbury Company would send all kinds of chocolate bars, including some new creations, to the school and ask the boys to rate their favorite chocolate bars on a scale from 1 to 10. In return for “testing” the new chocolate products, the boys continued to receive free boxes of chocolate at the school from time to time.

Dahl never forgot this one-of-a-kind opportunity and said in his memoir, “I have no doubt at all that 35 years later, when I was looking for a plot for my second book for children, I remembered those little cardboard boxes and the newly invented chocolates inside of them, and I began to write a book called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

3. Does the ACLU know about this?

Those lovable “vertically challenged” Oompa Loompas have been at the heart of a politically correct controversy. In the first edition of the novel, Dahl described the Oompa Loompas as black-skinned pygmies. They were dressed in jungle attire of leaves and whooped warlike chants. Because the book was released during the turbulent civil rights movement in the 1960s, some critics considered this portrayal of the Oompa Loompas as symbolic of slavery—bringing Africans to Western civilization to be exploited in a factory for a white man’s profit. Dahl always insisted he meant no racial prejudice by his depiction of the Oompa Loompas and agreed to change the depiction of these creatures in later editions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

4. Film Feud

The original film adaptation, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, was a box office bomb (grossing only $3 million and making it only the 53rd highest grossing movie release that year). It’s also true that neither Dahl nor Tim Burton are fans of the original film version. Burton has said, “Well, I don’t want to crush people’s childhood dreams, but the original film [Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory] is sappy. It’s sappy when it shouldn’t be sappy, and it’s weird. Let’s just say it’s not one of my personal favorites.

On the other hand, Mel Stuart, director of Willy Wonka, said recently, “I want this movie [Charlie] to be as different from my movie as possible, Let them go crazy and do whatever they want. I’m not worried. My movie will still speak for itself.”

[The above is an adaptation from a new book WonkaMania written by Kris Rasmussen. Go to http://wonkamania.blogspot.com for more chocolate revelry.]





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Wednesday, July 13, 2005

A Long Day

Sometimes Wednesdays are the longest days My work week starts and ends on Wednesday and when I've worked for a week I can't wait for Wednesday to come When I've been off for a week I don't want to see Wednesday come
I am blessed to be able to job share my position ( after 20 yrs of weekends,holidays,evenings and nights :)
This is the Wednesday I'm ending my week and it has been a long one A busy day at work with extra meetings on new medications which I think are going to make a huge difference in blood sugar control for my patients with diabetes One of the medicines,Byetta, is made from the spit of the Gila monster..look up Gila monster and you'll be surprised :)
So at 4:30 I'm looking forward to going home and I think it's only going to take me the usual 25 min but there was a horrible accident on 75 and they totally shut the highway down for at least an hour
I sat in my car wondering if I would ever get home Kristen called me to check on the progress since she,Zach, and Tyler were waiting for me to come home and make supper
It's funny because I didn't feel the least bit stressed about it.. I just sat there listening to my 106.5 jazz music looking around at the cars around me The guy in front of me was definitely stressed I think I watched him throw at least 8 cigarettes out the window and finally he figured out he could probably get across the grassy median in his Lexus SUV and go the other way
I was afraid to try that My saturn has absolutely no pickup when accelerating and with my luck I would get stuck or hit trying to get on the highway so I just stayed where I was
They finally opened 1 lane and I made it home,2 hrs late, just in time to eat a pnut butter sandwich, throw money at my kids to go eat and go to "Connect Team" Honestly I thought of not going but God knows when to whisper in my ear :) and I'm glad I was there
So now I'm exhausted but it's a good exhaustion :)
Keep those who were in the acccident in your prayers Their cars both looked very bad The front end was completely off of the one vehicle and the other was totalled It definitely is a long day for their loved ones

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

When I was in third grade, I had a teacher who read to us She always picked books that dealt with imagination One of my favorite books that she read was "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory " I loved candy (still do :) so that was part of the attraction I'm sure I have seen the previews for the new movie based on the book and I want to see it but I'm not sure I'm going to like it
Johnny Depp would not be what I imagined for Willie Wonka The movie has almost a dark feeling to it and I never felt that with the book I usually like Tim Burton movies so maybe I'll be surprised

I'm almost finished with "Jesus In The Margins" It's a great book It makes you reevaluate yourself

"Margins are those clear spaces along the edge of this page that keep the words from spilling off. Every book has them. You might jot notes in the margins, but for the most part they go unnoticed. They don't represent the book, and they don't define its message. They're simply there.
Society-our world, our culture- has margins just like this page does. They're places occupied by people who go unnoticed, misfits who seldom figure in when the mainline world defines and esteems itself.. But they're there.


We are all in "the margins" at one time or another in our lives..and we're not alone.

My next two books to read are "The Church on the Other Side" that Adam recommends and "Provocative Faith" that Matthew Paul Turner sent me to do a book review on my blog I've never done anything like that so I'm excited

But tonight it's tv I'm torn between the All-Star game and Big Brother 6 I have a feeling that I won't have much of a choice with 3 men here :)

Sunday, July 10, 2005


A beautiful sunset Posted by Picasa


I looked out my window about 9:30 and saw the most beautiful colors in the sunset I'm not the best photographer but this is what I saw from my doorway I love summer nights :) Only God could paint a picture this beautiful for us

Saturday, July 09, 2005

One year

When you look back at a year in your life what do you think of?
Succcesses? Failures? Hurts? Joys? Births? Deaths?
What did you do in that year to make a difference? to make an impact?
I have spent the last 2 days with a patient and his wife who have just found out that he has pancreatic cancer with metastases to the liver and probably has 6 months prognosis What do you do when someone gives you that news? It just makes you stop and think ......

Seasons of Love

Five hundrend twenty five thousand
six hundred minutes
Five hundrend twenty five thousand
moments so dear
Five hundrend twenty five thousand
six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year

In daylight, in sunsets, in midnights,
in cups of coffee, In inches, in miles
in laughter in strife,

In Five hundrend twenty five thousand
six hundred minutes
How do you measure a year in the life

(chorus)
How about Love
how about love
how about love
measure in love
seasons of love
seasons of love

Five hundrend twenty five thousand
six hundred minutes
Five hundrend twenty five thousand
journeys to plan
Five hundrend twenty five thousand
six hundred minutes
how do you measure the life of a woman
or a man

In truth that she learned
or in times that he cried
In the bridges he burned
or the way that she died

Its time now to sing out
though the story never ends
lets celebrate remember a year
in the life of friends

Friday, July 08, 2005

Quiet worship

I love Sunday morning worship songs I like to sing and hear others around me sing Alot of times it will touch my heart to see someone who is passionate in their worship
Sometimes though I think you need "quiet worship" as well "An expression beyond words"

"Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." John 12:3

To me that's what true heart worship is

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Happy 44 birthday !

Today is my sister's birthday We are exactly 1yr and 2 weeks apart It's just like having a twin when you're born that close together We always had our birthday parties together and alot of times we got the same things ..maybe just different colors
We look nothing alike I have light straight hair and she has dark curly hair I am medium complexion and she is very pale Our personalities are different as well I tend to be more shy and she is outgoing and outspoken :)
When people used to ask my mom if we were twins we would think they were crazy (we didn't know about fraternal twins)
She lives in Vermont now (beautiful state but too much snow :) so I don't get to see her as often as I would like
There's email,IM, and the phone but I miss those birthday parties :)
Happy Birthday Sissy !!!

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

A Summer night

I love summer especially evenings like last night I took a walk to try and clear my head about 9:30 The humidity was gone ,the sky was light pink with just a couple of stars out and there were fireflies all over . No one was out..just me walking with my ipod ..
I've felt restless lately ..I wake up in the middle of the night for no reason..I think I need more alone time in prayer with God ..he's obviously trying to get my attention

"We often think of God as "detached" He's over there, and we're over here. We are mistaken. God is with us. He is around us. He covers us. He aches when we ignore Him, too busy for our God. Yet He remains faithful. He is just,jealous,angry,compassionate, and merciful He longs for us, our comapionship,our fellowship. He longs for our love...All ralationships in th human dimension require love,care, and attention. They require time. Relationships in the spiritual dimension are no different."

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

49 hot dogs Yuck!

I read this and just had a hard time picturing someone doing this without choking I wanted to see a picture of this guy so I typed in his name and they actually have a website for hot dog eaters Unbelievable !! I thought he would be huge but he's very small Why would you want to eat that many hot dogs Yuck!!!


During the 4th of July, Takeru Kobayashi won his fifth consecutive hot-dog eating title by eating 49 hot dogs in 12 minutes. However, the Japanese eating machine fell short of his personal record of 53.5 hot dogs and buns, which he set last year ... 07-05-05 - 7:59 am

Monday, July 04, 2005

4th of July

I don't know what it is but the days I have no obligation to get up I can't sleep I woke up at 2:30 and it's 5:00 and I'm wide awake I can always count on one of my friends to be awake to talk to on IM :) this early

We went to the Red's game yesterday I posted some of the pictures we took Our seats were in the sun so after 3 innings we got up and walked around We stayed 6 innings and then left The Reds got killed 9-0 but we went really to see Roger Clemons so it was worth it Our seats were right next to the bullpen where he warmed up I didn't realize he was born in Dayton His father and grandmother are buried here and he still has family here This was only the 2nd time he has pitched at Cincinnati and being almost 43 it may be the last

We went to the Yosicks for a cookout and fireworks The food was wonderful and the fireworks were alot of fun Jeff travels and he bought fireworks in Tennessee He had some really good ones but there was one called "The Grandaddy" that was supposed to have like 70 fireworks in it ... not even close... he got taken :) his $4.00 fireworks were actually the best

I'm taking Kristen college shopping for towels and a comforter but I'm sure she'll have more on the agenda than that...she always does.. she takes after her dad ... you think you're going 1 place and you end up at 10 different stores,going for coffee,etc Don't ever go shoe shopping with Kristen if you're in a hurry :)

We usually watch Centerville's fireworks.. from the Kroger/Pet Supplies parking lot They're usually pretty good

If you want to read a good blog that puts things in perspective as far as faith and experiences in Iraq there is a website www.In-Him.net

Have a great 4th :)

Darrell and I with our "free" Reds hats Posted by Picasa

Roger Clemons pitching to Ken Griffey Jr Posted by Picasa

Roger Clemons warming up in the bullpen Posted by Picasa

Sunday, July 03, 2005

Baseball and Fireworks

What's a good way to spend a Sun afternoon on the 4th of July weekend?
Doing something "American" :)
Darrell,Zach,and I are going to the Cincinnati Reds game after church today We're not going to see the Reds.. we're going to see Roger Clemons pitch
My son is a big Boston Reds Socks fan and even though Roger Clemons doesn't play for them any longer Zach will always consider him a legend for the Boston Reds Socks
I guess he doesn't usually pitch on the road so this is a big deal
I grew up in "The Big Red Machine" era when we beat the Red Socks so I have to go support my team (even though they stink right now :( )
We're going to spend the evening at the Yosick's(Tyler and Dylan ) for a cookout and fireworks Rumor(from Tyler) is that his dad has some pretty awesome fireworks
Now we just need some apple pie :)

Friday, July 01, 2005

Titles of Books

Sometimes when you read the title of a book you know why it has that title ..other times it's like a mystery That was the case with the book I'm just finishing by Brian McClaren "The Last Word and the Word After That" but I found it yesterday while I was reading

"I'm not sure about all the details, but here's something I'm pretty sure of. Hell might have a place, but it can't get the last word. I mean, if hell seems to have the last word, there's got to be a word after that."
"What would that be Casey."
"Grace," she said. "I think the last word is always grace."


Pretty cool huh :)