Got Me Thinking...

Been seeing this advertisement a lot lately...



I like it.

I get it... I'm a mom.

And it got me thinking a bit.

Our kids are on loan to us by God. They're really not ours. They don't belong to us - they belong to Him. We have them only for a little while.

As a believer, what if God told you to do something that felt "uncomfortable"? Would your response be, "Anything you want from me, Lord." Even when it concerns your child.

Do you really mean that?

I think about this sometimes when I'm riding the fence. You know... you've been there. Thinking about your life and asking God what it is He wants from you. Asking Him where He wants you to go. I do this all the time... "God - what do You want from me? Where would You have me to go? Send me! I'm ready."

Do I really mean that?

I better mean it and I'd better be ready to go where He wants me to go and do what He wants me to do. It may be hard. It may not feel good at the time - but I must trust Him.

After all - He's in control, not me!

My Daughter Rocks!

I had one of those VERY proud mom moments today on my way home from picking Chloe up from summer camp.

Her Eighth Birthday is Friday, June 27. We leave on vacation Sunday, June 29, so we didn't have a whole lot of time between to do a big birthday party as I have in the past (yeah... I'm one of those moms and we're one of those families that REALLY do-up birthdays!) So - I told her she could have 3 girls over for sleepover. The plan is - we are going to do Wall-E at the movie theatre and then going for pizza. The girls will then sleepover and go home by 11 a.m. the next morning. She invited three of her BEST friends in the world - Hannah, Samantha and Maya (who is actually her friend AND cousin). Hannah is her VERY best friend! She's been her bestest bud since they were only a year and a half old - and so she was the FIRST invitation that went out. Until today - we had received an RSVP from everyone but Hannah. Today, we got the news that Hannah wasn't going to be able to make it - she will be out of town on vacation with her family. BUMMER! I was NOT looking forward to relaying the information to her... I knew she would devastated!

I was right. She was. She cried. I wanted to cry for her. Hannah doesn't attend school with Chloe and we have only rare opportunities to see her - so this was total sadness.

After some tears and a bit of silence (I could tell she was really thinking), she finally said something to me, I don't think I will ever forget. She said to me,

"Mom, even though I'm really sad that Hannah can't come to my party, it's probably a good thing ... because I would just want to play with her the most and then the other girls would feel badly and I wouldn't want them to be sad."

I could feel the tears well up in my eyes. I knew that she was sad, but through her pain, she was able to find the GOOD in a bad situation.

God taught me a lesson through my child today. To find the good... the blessing... in each painful experience.

I love you Chloe!

Posts

Here are some blog posts I've read recently that I felt were worthy of passing along! There's some good stuff here - - worth the read...

This Post about McDonald's is a must read! "Little things don't mean a lot, they mean everything!"

This Post has to be one of my favorite posts followed up by this one.

This Post will get you thinking. GREAT stuff! By far one of the best posts I've read!

If you didn't know that I host another blog - well, now you do. This Post was meant to honor and motivate those who serve week in and week out at Crossroads Community Church! Just a reminder for all of us... check it out.

This Picking People Post is good stuff. Same can be said about picking volunteers for the right roles!

Been reading a lot on this blog lately. If you want to read posts that will touch your heart - read this! Warning: Get your tissues!

This is an older post - but good. One of my fav's in the archives! Makes you think, doesn't it?

That's it for now... Happy reading!

Wedding Songs

Just a fun post today... did you know:

Top Wedding Songs For The First Dance (Per Yahoo)

Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)

Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)

Can I Have This Dance? (Ann Murray)

The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra)

It Had To Be You (Harry Connick, Jr.)

What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

Endless Love (Diana Ross and Lionel Richie)

I Cross My Heart (George Strait)

I Swear (John M. Montgomery or All 4 One)

A Whole New World (Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle)

As Time Goes By (A Kiss Is Just A Kiss) (Michael Feinstein)

When You Say Nothing At All (Allison Krauss)

Faithfully (Journey)

No Ordinary Love (Sade)

Here And Now (Luther Vandross)

I Can Love you Like That (John M. Montgomery)

Power Of Love (Celine Dion)

Tonight I Celebrate My Love (Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson)

Everything I Do {I Do For You} (Bryan Adams)

When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge or Michael Bolton)

All My Life (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)

I'll Be There (Mariah Carey)

On Bended Knee (Boyz II Men)

At Last (Etta James)

Don't Know Much (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)

From This Moment On (Shania Twain)

Our Love Is Here To Stay (Harry Connick, Jr.)

Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers)

And mine and Trevor's first dance song made it on this list! "I Can Love You Like That" (John Michael Montgomery).

We're so cool!

Wow...

Heard someone say this yesterday and it got me thinking about things...

"When you're screwing up and nobody's saying anything to you anymore... that means they gave up."

Ponder on that for a bit.

I pray that the people who truly love and care about me will always speak truth into my life. I'm counting on you to tell me when I blow it... because that means you haven't given up!

Gal 6:9
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Paying it Forward... Part 1

So...there I was in the drive-thru of our local Wendy's restaurant a week ago and God was speaking to me. Yeah - he was probably saying I didn't need the breaded chicken sandwich I was getting ready to order, but that's not what I'm talking about. I felt like God was telling me to "Pay it forward." I know, in theory, what this means, but I wasn't feeling much like doing it on this particular afternoon. I wasn't even sure what God was SPECIFICALLY trying to tell me. See - I'm one of THOSE kind of people. Don't beat around the bush with me - SPELL IT OUT. So... I guess I pretty much shrugged it off and went on with my day. (I'm so stubborn.)

Fast forward to today.

My niece calls me and I didn't get to the phone right away. She called back 2 more times within 3 minutes and I missed every call. (Yeah - darn iPhone sucks lately!) This is how our conversation went...

Tiffany (my niece): "Aunt Wendy - you know a LOT of people, right? And you practically know EVERYONE in your church, right? And your church is really big, too, right?"

Me: "Um.. yeah, I guess. WHY?"

Tiff: "Well - do you know a guy named Rob? He's between 40-50 years old, stocky with a black mustache."

Me: "Tiffany, honey, I'm good, but not THAT good. What else you got?"

Tiff: "That's it. Do you know who I'm talking about?"

Me: "Um, not really. I don't think. Give me a minute."

So our conversation went on just like this for a couple minutes. It was quite amusing. I love Tiff. She's like my first daughter. That kid makes me smile!

In short, here's what happened...

Tiffany has been struggling to make ends meet for the past week or so. Her boyfriend doesn't have steady work, she is a FULL-TIME student on top of working almost a FULL-TIME job and she's a new mom to 7-month-old, Jayvian. She has big bills now that she's never had to deal with before and she's trying REALLY hard to make ends meet. Did I mention, she's a GREAT kid with a GREAT head on her shoulders? Just down to pocket change until her next paycheck comes in at the END of this week.

She attends school in Toledo and knew she would need gas money for the week, so she asked to borrow $25 from her grandma, of which she would pay back as soon as she got paid. Note: she is very true to her word, so grandma obliged!

Well, we all know how far $25 will take you - and these days, it's not very far. It wasn't. She ran out of gas 1/2 way through the week.

She remembered that she had $8 left on a Wal*Mart card and decided to head there to spend what she KNEW was remaining on her card. As she attempted to swipe her card - it was clear that there was nothing on it by the loud voice telling her to "PLEASE PAY INSIDE."

She stood in the heat, baby in the car and cried. She didn't know what to do.

That's when her angel came up from behind her. We'll call him Angel Rob. He told her that he wanted to pay for her gas and proceeded to pump $25 worth of gas into her tank.

She cried harder and told him that he didn't need to do that. In fact, she even asked "Why are you helping me?"

His response was priceless... "Because we're all down on our luck once in a while and it's my way of PAYING IT FORWARD." (OK God, there it is!)

When the gas was pumped and paid for, Tiffany turned to him and asked what his name was. He told her it was Rob. She said, "How can I ever repay you, Rob?"

Another priceless answer...

"I just want you to pay it forward to someone else the next time you see someone in need."

WOW!

Tiffany - thank you for sharing this story with me.
God - thank you for using my niece to show me what you want from me.

Rob didn't want anything from Tiff other than to pay it forward. No reward is greater than knowing you are making a difference in someone else's life!

It's time to PAY IT FORWARD.

Part 2 coming...

Down Time?

Sometimes we all need a break. I guess today was my turn for one.

Last weekend was a very busy weekend. Heck - all of last week was a very hectic week and I think my body has finally crashed.

Was supposed to go to the zoo with Chloe's class today... I didn't make it.

Had a migraine all night long. That led to some sort of stomach thing.

Spent the morning throwing up. Spent the afternoon (ALL afternoon) sleeping!

Continued prayers would be appreciated. Another big weekend ahead of me. No time for sickness!

Thank you, Lord, for this reminder...

Matthew 11:28

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

The Secret

I'm currently in the middle of a GREAT read. I can't hardly put this book down.

Now I know I complain a lot about customer service - but I read something this morning that could be the secret. So many times we look to the employee as the one who has the problem. After all, shouldn't they be HAPPY to at least HAVE a job? One would think so, but maybe it's more than that. Maybe it's all in the way they're treated by their employer.

Years ago my father owned his own insurance agency. I used to tell him ALL the time that he was the best boss in the world. I didn't work there, but I saw the way he treated the people who worked for him and I was impressed. Very early on in my life, I learned that if you treat the people who work for you well, you have NOTHING to worry about. Translation: if you trust them and give them opportunities that challenge them and encourage them, you will have an employee for life and it will automatically make them a better employee! I know, it's simple thinking, but I believe SO MANY companies don't get this concept!

I'd like to share with you what I read this morning that, if more businesses put into practice, would improve overall customer service...

"...the most important people in this business are our employees! Some people will say customers are most important, but if we create the right atmosphere where our employees enjoy their jobs and have opportunities for growth, they will get a kick out of their work! Then that feeling will spill right over to the customer!... We remind them that they're not just working for a quick-serve chicken restaurant. They're working to create an atmosphere. "

That's my favorite line.. "They're working to create an atmosphere."

It's true, isn't it? How many times have we said, "I'm not going back there" simply based on the atmosphere or the experience. Here's what I know I'm checking out when I visit a restaurant...

• Friendliness
• Cleanliness
• Timeliness

In that order.

I want friendly service first. If I don't get it - I'm probably not returning.

I want a clean environment second. If I don't get it - I'm probably not returning.

I want my food served in a timely fashion. If I don't get it - I will think about coming back - but only if 1 and 2 are present.

So - this caused me to take a moment to think about the church. Without our volunteers, the church would not, could not, operate! Period. Our volunteers are the heartbeat to everything we do and they better know how much they matter. They better know that they're making the difference. Not just A difference - but THE difference! We're not selling chicken sandwiches - we're selling Jesus Christ. What do you think the list my look like for those checking out church for the first time? I would bet it looks very similar to my list above.

Are we working to create an atmosphere? You bet! Do our volunteers know how important their role is? I sure hope so! And I pray that it spills over to the guest on Sunday morning.

Summer is Here!

Had a BLAST this weekend. Went here and played in the water Sunday and Monday. If you haven't been before, here are some of my suggestions based on my experience...

• When they tell you that you can check in as early as noon, don't believe them. They don't actually "guarantee" your room until 4. We weren't in until 5:20 p.m.! The good news was, they granted us a late check-out the next day because of our delay.
• Book a room for 2 nights. Honestly... it's worth the extra night. We didn't see a quarter of what we COULD have seen had we been able to stay one extra night.
• Bring your own food. They don't allow coolers in the actual water park, but you can bring them in the rooms. Food prices are very high.
  
• Visit the candy shop before you leave. KILLA chocolate! Oh - and caramel apples the size of a human head!
• Be prepared to WALK a lot! It's a lot of walking and a lot of climbing up to the slides.
• Even though I'm sure it's a great experience in the winter months - if you can, try to visit in the summer so you can use the outdoor swimming facilities. It makes it so much more worth the money you pay for a ticket!
• Wait until you get inside the park to get towels. You can get as many extra towels as you need from the towel stations set up around the park... but if you ask for them at the entrance of the pool - they limit one per person (so I couldn't get them for my entire family unless they were actually WITH me).
• Wear sunscreen even if you intend to stay inside the entire time. I have but 2 words to say about this... Skylights. Sunburn.
• Bring extra money for the arcade! You can't even get INTO the water park without going THROUGH the arcade. Smart design!
• Make sure to cancel the automatic $45 they charge your credit card to open a "line of credit" so that items can be automatically debited from your water park wristband. NOT a good idea, especially if the card you booked the room on is NOT the card you plan to pay the room with. (Note.. true story - this happened to my niece. She booked the room on her debit card and only had enough to pay for the room. Everything else was going to go on her boyfriends card. They proceeded to bill her $540 for a line of credit for $45 for the 12 people in her party WITHOUT her knowing anything about it!) Be careful.

Overall - it was a good time and I would go back! :) FUN WEEKEND!

Is It Me?

Okay - so I'm beginning to think it's me. That's it - there must be something wrong with me! My husband told me NOT to blog about this - but I'm going to anyway. I'm sorry - I love you, honey, but I have to get this one out.

So - - last night my family and I took a trip to a local retail store to do a little shopping for some summer clothing. You know - bathing suits, shorts, t-shirts... that sort of thing. One of the things I LOVE about this particular store is their jewelery! They are known for always having quite a variety of colorful, low-cost jewelery, and when I'm visiting the store - I always make it a point to do a pit-stop at the jewelery kiosks first thing!

Last night was no exception.

I found this really cool bracelet. It was made of chocolate and silver beads with pretty shells dangling from all sides. Even better - it was 50% off! I was pretty excited.

I know I get excited by the simplest things.

So - we finish up our shopping and head for the check-out line. It was a long line. I was tired and ready to be done shopping. (Yeah - must have been something wrong with me!) Oh - and I was grouchy because I was hungry too.

Finally it's our turn to check-out and I lay my stuff up on the counter - delicately placing the bracelet up on top of the other items I was purchasing. The guy behind the counter takes the clothes and flips them up and the bracelet goes flying... landing on the cement floor and breaking in half. Not only that - all of the shells went fling and THEY broke in half as well.

Okay - so it's not that the bracelet broke. That's not the point. It was a mistake. Mistakes happen. What I was unhappy about was the way I was treated by the cashier. He simply looked down on the floor and said, "Yep - it broke!" to which I replied, "Yeah it did! All over too! Bummer - I really liked that bracelet!" So what does he do - he takes the pieces from me and tosses them up on his counter, continuing to ring me up while talking to another co-worker about how he "can't wait to get out of here!"

So I ask - shouldn't the sales clerk have said to me "Ma'am, can I have someone get you a replacement bracelet?" or at the very least, "I'm sorry about that."

I received nothing. AND at the end of transaction - not even a thank you, but instead a "Here's you receipt.. you're all set."

Can I just ask - am I the only one who gets poor customer service - or am I just too picky about the way I feel customers ought to be treated during a sales transaction?

GREAT weekend!

I LOVE long weekends. This past one was a GREAT one!

It all started on Friday night. The fam and I went shoe shopping! (You know the weekend's gonna be good when you start off with a trip to the shoe store!) It was BOGO and we took full advantage! I got a pair of sneakers and sandals. Chloe got a pair of Sketcher tennis shoes and sandals. We also ate at this place which was delicious! (It doesn't quite compare to this place, but it'll do!!)

Saturday was cleaning day. All day. We got a lot done and did not crash until 8:30 p.m. when we finally ate dinner! Good day!

Sunday morning was church. Sunday night we had our really good friends, Tom and Michele, over for dinner. FUN night hanging and laughing with friends! Killa time! :)

(I have to add something here. Chloe was invited to go camping with my nephew for the weekend - so for Sunday and Monday Trevor and I were actually like newlyweds again! I love my child - but I have to say, spending some down time alone with my hubby was pretty neat!)

Stayed up late Sunday night. Slept in late on Monday morning. NICE!

Went to breakfast with my man on Monday morning and then took a long ride in the country. Sun roof open. Windows down. It was SO relaxing! (We used to take long rides in the country when we were first married - - and it's been a while, so it was nice!)

Monday night we had another cookout - this time with most of Trevor's side of the family. Brats, burgers, beans... yeah - we had it all!

Great relaxing weekend! Was really tired this morning!

Is it Friday yet?

So You Think You Can Dance?

So now that Season 7 of American Idol is over (Yes - and David A. lost although I still say he should have won) this is my new favorite show...

Asking Questions

Lately I can't get enough of podcasts, blogs and video stream from other churches and pastors who are on fire for Christ and for reaching people who are far from Him.

I ran into a blog post the other day where Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, was being interviewed. He was being asked the question... "Taking a look at the Evangelical, Capital C Church... what would be the one thing you'd like to see happen?" Here is how is responded (simple. brilliant!):

"To me it's all about one thing... 'Is it all about Jesus?'... at the end of the day, are people learning about who Jesus is and what he's done... every church has to ask themselves that - 'Are we talking about Him... Are we making much of Him or are we trying to give people principles without power'... meaning 'follow His example, but don't live in relationship with Him'."

Customer Service?!?

Anyone who knows me knows that I place a HUGE emphasis on Customer Service. Whether I'm shopping, eating at a restaurant or attending a recreational park/event, I'm making mental notes on how I am treated and I'm making a determination on whether or not I will return based on my overall experience.


Yesterday was no exception.


I was in one of my favorite local stores. I'm going to avoid telling you where I was at - but just know it's a BIG name store and a place I frequent quite often.


So - I have this coupon for $40.89 that's only good through 5/24. I realize it on Sunday and decide that THIS week I will try to redeem my coupon in full. I'm excited. I mentioned already that it's one of my favorite places to shop, right?


So I get my things and I head to the checkout lane (the ONLY ONE they have opened. At lunchtime when it's pretty busy.)


I finally arrive to the counter and the young girl rings me up. She gives me my total - $45.13. Hmm.. I thought I was being careful to not spend above the coupon. I must have given a puzzled look because to this the employee says, "What?"


"Well - I thought my total would be less than that." "NOPE! $45.13" she says.


Okay... here's where my frustration sets in.


I hand her my coupon. She scans it in and then gives me my new total - $4.24. I give her the money and she takes it, completes the sale and hands me my receipt.


After taking a look at the receipt, I notice that 2 of the items were rung up incorrectly. I ask her about it and sure enough she says, "You're right. I guess I'll have to give you back your change!"


Umm - you think?


She struggles a bit with the cash register, but cannot get it to give me back my change so she now calls over a manager.


For what seems like forever, they mull over the receipt. The whole time, the employee is complaining about the new system. In fact, one time she even goes as far as to say, "This new system sucks!" What does the manager do - she says, "YES it is!"


Oh my word. I'm not happy at all at this point.


To top it off, now the manager is mad and verbalizing her anger at the "system" quite loudly.


Manager: "This computer is CRAP!"


Yes - you read that right - the manager actually said the word "CRAP" in front of me - the customer. The guest.


Long story short - I get my change (finally) and I'm on my way.


It really got me thinking, though, about how businesses treat their customers. Their guests. If I were in charge of this store, I can tell you that these two individuals would be talked to about what is appropriate to say in front of the customer and what clearly - is not!

It got me pondering some questions... Where have our values gone to? Who is in charge of making sure that these two employees KNOW and UNDERSTAND the value and vision of the company? Why is behavior like this so common and even more so - tolerated... accepted? Where do we as consumers draw the line and decide that we don't have to be treated poorly when we can get the same product down the street with better customer service - even if it means paying the few cents or dollars even more for it!

That is why I am so passionate about guest services at Crossroads! If employees for Disney can get PUMPED UP about a mouse - shouldn't we be even MORE PUMPED UP about serving up Jesus every Sunday morning? Guests who drive onto our campus every Sunday deserve to have an experience that EXCEEDS their expectations. I tell my teams every Sunday - we need to BLOW THEM AWAY. We need to give God our best every single week... because anything less is unacceptable!

I know I've promoted this book time and again on this blog - but I'm gonna do it again today. Be Our Guest is a GREAT book about perfecting the art of customer service. It's a great read! I have encouraged those who are on my team to read this book and am challenging my leadership team right now to go through it. We will be spending the summer combing over the book from cover to cover and will begin implementing changes this fall. If you have a heart for customer/guest services - pick up the book! You won't be disappointed!

I'd like to pick one up for the two employees at the store I visited yesterday...

Magnoliaisms

My favorite movie of ALL times is Steel Magnolias. It's a classic! If you haven't seen it and you're into the whole chick-flick thing - this is a MUST!

I was in Target the other day and they had it on DVD for $5. I picked it up... since my only copy is a very old VHS tape.

I watched it last night. Don't know why - nothing special - it was Monday night - but I just felt like watching it is all. What I realized is - there's a lot of really cool one-liners in this movie - several of which I have used pretty frequently since I first saw the film more than 18 years ago. Here are some of my favorite lines from the movie...

• "Drum - you are the boil on the butt of humanity!"
• "Looks like the entire church has been hosed down with Pepto Bismol!"
• (referring to shoe size)... "In a good shoe, I wear a size 6, but a seven feels so good, I buy a size 8." "These are size 9" "Perfect!"
• "I don't trust anyone who does their own hair - it isn't normal!"
• "Relax! You can't screw up her hair. Just tease it and make it look like a brown football helmet."
• "You know I'd rather walk on my lips than to criticize anyone!"
• "Pink is my signature color!"
• "THIS is going in the hairdo Hall-of-Fame!"
• "The nicest thing I can say about her is all her tattoos are spelled correctly!"
• "This is football - all people want to hear about is touchdowns and injuries!"
• "I never worry, mama, cause I know you're worried enough for both of us!"
• "There's so much static electricity in this room, I pick up everything but boys and money."
• "Time marches on and eventually it marches right over your face."
• "Don't try to get on my good side, Truvy. I no longer have one!"
• "The only reason people are nice to me is I have more money than God."
• "Oh, Sammy's so confused he don't know whether to scratch his watch or wind his butt."
• "If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me."
• "I have a strict policy - nobody cries alone in my presence!"
• "Wow - I'm gonna paint my front door red and call myself Elizabeth Arden!"
• "I'm not crazy, I've just been a very bad mood for the last 40 years!"
• "Why are you in such a good mood - did you run over a small child or something?"
• "The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize."
• "The sooner my body wears out, the better off I'll be. I can't get enough grease in my diet!"
• "I don't see plays because I can nap for free at home."
• "Smile! It increases your face value!" (boy - I say this one a lot!)
• "You are evil and must be destroyed!"
• "You know I love you more than my luggage!"
• "You're too twisted for color T.V."
• "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion!"
• "She could never stay mad at me - she worships the quicksand I walk in."

Rain...

"Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory.

And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You

... Jesus, bring the rain!"

-MercyMe

Empty Me

I picked up a new CD last week - Chris Sligh. You might remember him from Season 6 of American Idol. He was voted off pretty early in the competition, but he had (has) a wonderful voice and went on to produce records. He is now a recording for a Christian label and has a top hit out right now entitled, "Empty Me". Its lyrics really resonated with me as I was listening to it this morning on my way to work. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did...

I've had just enough of the spotlight when it burns bright
To see how it gets in the blood.
And I've tasted my share of the sweet life and the wild ride
And found a little is not quite enough.

I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change.

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

I've seen just enough of the quick buys of the best lies
To know how prodigals can be drawn away.

I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change.

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

Cause everything is a lesser thing Compared to you, compared to you.
Cause everything is a lesser thing Compared to you.

So, I surrender all!

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.
Oh, filled with you.

Empty me.

Humility

One of the greatest characteristics that I admire above all others is Humility. I totally admire men and women of God who are humble.

Now, I'm a BIG American Idol fan. I don't watch a lot of T.V. - but for me, on American Idol night - leave mama alone - I'm watching! For those of you who are fans of Idol, you'll know what I mean when I say it's down to the David's! David Archuleta and David Cook will be the two finalists who will go head-to-head next week, dukin' it out for the crown of victory! I've watched the show since the very beginning and I have to say, it's quite a toss-up on who's going to come out on top this time. These are both extremely talented guys! Both bring a unique flavor to the competition and I can't decide which way it's gonna go! Either way - I'm confident that both will have record deals before the end of summer and we will be seeing lots more of the David's in upcoming years.

Last night as they recapped each Idol's journey - I was blown away by how HUMBLE David Archuleta is. For him, it does NOT appear to be about the fame and glory. For him, it's about his love of music and, in his own words David says, "I just want to make people happy with my music." You can see one of the Fox News interviews he did here. I have to tell ya - you can't help but smile when you watch this! He's great!

I wish more people could be like David. I wish I could be more like David. Being humble and just loving what you do for the love of doing what you do... that trait is so admirable!

The life of Jesus is the perfect example of humility. He was not pompous and arrogant. He humbled himself before those who would later persecute him. Just one example was the washing of his disciples feet. Read John 13:12-14. Jesus humbled Himself on numerous occasions so that others would believe He is the Savior! And of course there was the greatest example of humility - His death on the cross. Jesus humbled Himself greatly before God for our Salvation.

I pray that I can learn to be more humble. More like Jesus...

Matt.18:4
"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

James 4:6,10
"God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

FLUBBER!

Chloe and I made FLUBBER today! How fun! It's easy - and can I just say - pretty fun to play with. We made Green and Purple! This is a GREAT project for the kids to help with! Here's the recipe:

In a Large Bowl, add:

• 2 cups of Elmer's All White Glue (one 16 oz bottle is just right)
• 1 1/2 cups of very warm water
• Food Coloring of your choice (This is where Chloe had the most fun!)

Mix the above ingredients thoroughly and set aside.

In a Small Bowl, add:

• 1 1/2 cups of very warm water
• 3 tablespoons of Borax
  

Dissolve the Borax completely in the water.

Now, pour the contents of the small bowl slowly into the large bowl. Stir the mixture until it starts to "flubberize". Let is sit for about a minute and then remove the flubber. (Note: there WILL be extra water - you can just squeeze the flubber to drain the water.)

Store in an airtight container.

I actually bought these really cool containers at K-Mart by American Fare ($2.79 for 2) that are quart size with a lid and they work great and the flubber fits perfectly!

Have Fun!

Pantry Items

I'm never one who's good at making dinner on the fly. I mean, I really need preparation and time to process through what we're going to eat... but here's a list of pantry items (and fridge items) I typically am never without:

• Spaghetti Noodles and PREGO Spaghetti Sauce. It's gotta be Prego!
• Goober Grape (you know - the peanut butter that's mixed with grape jelly in the jar!) :)
• Wheat Thins or Triskets
• Cans of Mushrooms
• Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. It's gotta be Kraft!
  
• Cans of Tuna Fish
• Cans of All White Meat Chicken
• Rice
• We almost always have a container of Goldfish crackers on hand!
• Shredded Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Mayo AND Miracle Whip Light
• Penne Pasta Noodles (Trevor's favorite noodle!)
• Cans of Corn (I almost always have 2 cans, especially in the winter months)
• Cans of Green Beans (the Whole Beans)
• Taco Seasoning
• Pink Lemonade container
• Bread Crumbs
• Hate to admit it - but we usually have a bag of Doritos on hand - - it's a family fav!
• Milk
• Lots of bottles of Nestle Water
• Granola Bars
• Some kind of Salsa
• Cream of Mushroom Soup (you can make anything with that stuff!)
• Tomato Soup - it's a must have!
• Baked Beans (especially in the summer months for cookouts!)
• Vanilla Extract
  
• Garlic of any kind (it's gotta have garlic in it to be any good, right?)
• White Onion
• Chocolate Chips

I guess I should be thinking about what I'm gonna make with this stuff! I'm on it!