It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It's been a while since I posted. And I really don't have any excuses. I just spend WAY too much time on facebook to keep up with my blog. But we're entering the holiday season. And this can be the most wonderful time of the year, or it can be the most stressful time of the year.

I love the holidays--the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. And for the first time in a long time, I get to see my family on Thanksgiving AND Christmas. Working in news, someone has to work. And I've always had to work either Thanksgiving or Christmas. But this year, I get the day after Thanksgiving off, and I get Christmas Day off. Yes, I have to work Thanksgiving day and Christmas eve...but I'll take what I can get!

Because I usually have to work holidays, December is many times a very sad time for me. Because while everyone is enjoying their family, I don't get to see them because of work. So, this year is extra special.

The holidays are about family and friends, and Jesus. And for people who don't get to see their family, this time of year can be stressful. Sometimes, being around that family can be stressful!

This Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for? I am thankful I have a roof over my head, food to eat, and a job that pays the bills. THere's so many this thanksgiving that don't have that. Someone sent a news release to me last week that said one in six Tennesseans will go hungry this Holiday season. That's so sad that happens here in the United States. So let's be thankful for what we have.

And then as Christmas approaches, let's remember the reason for the season. Without Jesus, there would be no Christmas.

Shoes In Church

One of my friends sent this to me in an email, and I wanted to share. There should NEVER be a time where someone walks into our churches, and walks out without being welcomed, not by the preacher, but by the congregation. I have personally experienced an unwelcoming feeling in nearly every church I've visited. But what if the visitor isn't a Christian? Then you've just lost your chance to show the visitor the love of God. Please read this poem:


I showered and shaved
I adjusted my tie. I got there and sat
In a pew just in time.
Bowing my head in prayer
as I closed my eyes. I saw the shoe of the man next to me
Touching my own.
I sighed.

With plenty of room on either side, I thought, 'Why must our soles touch?'
It bothered me, his shoe touching mine
But it didn't bother him much.

A prayer began: 'Our Father'
I thought, 'This man with the shoes,has no pride.
They're dusty, worn, and scratched.
Even worse, there are holes on the side!'

'Thank You for blessings,' the prayer went on.
The shoe man said a quiet 'Amen.'

I tried to focus on the prayer, but my thoughts were on his shoes again.
Aren't we supposed to look our best when walking through that door?
'Well, this certainly isn't it,' I thought, Glancing toward the floor.

Then the prayer was ended and the songs of praise began.
The shoe man was certainly loud, sounding proud as he sang.
His voice lifted the rafters
His hands were raised high.
The Lord could surely hear. The shoe man's voice from the sky.

It was time for the offering
And what I threw in was steep.
I watched as the shoe man reached
Into his pockets so deep.
I saw what was pulled out
What the shoe man put in.
Then I heard a soft 'clink' . As when silver hits tin.

The sermon really bored me
To tears, and that's no lie.
It was the same for the shoe man
For tears fell from his eyes.

At the end of the service
As is the custom here.
We must greet new visitors, And show them all good cheer.
But I felt moved somehow
And wanted to meet the shoe man.

So after the closing prayer
I reached over and shook his hand.
He was old and his skin was dark
And his hair was truly a mess.
But I thanked him for coming
For being our guest.

He said, 'My name's Charlie
I'm glad to meet you, my friend.'
There were tears in his eyes
But he had a large, wide grin.
'Let me explain,' he said
Wiping tears from his eyes.

'I've been coming here for months
And you're the first to say 'Hi.'
I know that my appearance
Is not like all the rest.
But I really do try
To always look my best.
I always clean and polish my shoes
Before my very long walk.
But by the time I get here
They're dirty and dusty, like chalk.'

My heart filled with pain
And I swallowed to hide my tears.
As he continued to apologize
For daring to sit so near

He said, 'When I get here
I know I must look a sight.
But I thought if I could touch you
Then maybe our souls might unite.'

I was silent for a moment
Knowing whatever was said
Would pale in comparison
I spoke from my heart, not my head.

'Oh, you've touched me,' I said
'And taught me, in part;
'That the best of any man
'Is what is found in his heart.'

The rest, I thought, This shoe man will never know.
Like just how thankful I really am
That his dirty old shoe touched my soul

The Recession Is not Over!!!

Today, U.S. federal reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said the recession is likely over. But it's easy for Mr. Bernanke to say that when he's still bringing home a paycheck every week. Tell that to the family that's still looking for a job because they got laid off. Tell that to those of us facing furloughs.
I'm sorry, Mr. Bernanke...but the recession isn't over until the unemploument rate dops by about half! Please don't give America false hope! Let's get jobs back, then we can say the recession is over.

Patrick Swayze Dies

Again I am reminded how short life really is. Today, actor Patrick Swayze died of Pancreatic cancer. He was 57. I cannot even count the times I have invited Swayze into my home through a great movie. I own the two Dirty dancing movies...I love the movie "Ghost" as well...not to mention "The Outsiders", "Road House", "Point Break". I am so saddened by his death. Even though he didn't do many movies over his career, he was one of the greats. He was a great actor, and Hollywood is better for having him there. Patrick Swayze will definitely be missed. And the sad thing to me...he never had children. So there are no other Swayze children to pass on the legacy.

Where am I going?

Some recent events in my life lately have gotten me thinking...where am I going in this life? What does life hold for me? I live everyday like many Americans right now...wondering whether I will have a job tomorrow. But there are other things I wonder about. I wonder where my personal life will take me. I'm not whining...but I feel a lot of times that I am so behind everyone. Here I am 30 years old, and I'm not anywhere near being where I want to be right now. Does anyone else feel that way? I feel stuck! I've got so many dreams...but they're stuck in my head...and I don't know how to make them come true! Stuck! That's a good word for the way I'm feeling right now. And I am so ready to get Unstuck!

Horrid Crime

I work in the news, and we so many times put up a wall so bad news doesn't affect us. But this week, a horrid crime broke my heart. Who would kill two people who have such a heart for the forgotten? That couple in Pensacola that was killed this week during a robbery...so sad...really has affected me. They had 16 children...12 were adopted...and most have disabilities. Let's pray for that family...that Jesus will hold each one of those children tight.

check out this link for story:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iTAOQx619OXpq7P0Jcpzqc9Zg-cwD99ED64O0

Let Freedom Ring

Had a wonderful Independence Day with my longtime friend, Valerie...and some new friends...

Pray For TV Jobs

Okay, so you've probably heard alot about construction jobs being down, or about the auto industry having a hard time. But what you haven't heard about is the television industry. It's probably because TV news is where you are hearing about other industries struggling in this economy--and we don't like to tell bad news about ourselves. But one TV company I know of has decided to enforce five percent pay cuts for all of its employees. And another TV company has went bankrupt and is now up for auction. The company I work for is not immune. We are dealing with layoffs as well. The reason? Advertising is down because other industries are struggling. So, when you're saying a prayer for others without work, pray that God will help struggling companies get back on top. Because the last thing we need is more people out of work. We need to be adding jobs in this aweful economy...not laying off more workers.

Life in Chattanooga

Kelly, Bradley, and Me at Riverbend 2009




I have now been in Chattanooga a year. And a couple of days ago, a friend on facebook asked me what life is like here. Well, I guess there are some good things and some bad, but overall, I really do like it here.
Let's start with what I like. Chattanooga is one of the most beautiful cities I've ever lived in. It compares a lot with Greenville, which is one of the reasons I looked to come here. I loved Greenville and I hated leaving there. Downtown Chattanooga is so awesome. I love the riverfront, and the northshore. It's so awesome. And it's so people-friendly. I feel perfectly safe walking around downtown alone for the most part. And the people here are friendly, too. I've met so many people my own age, which is so awesome! I also love that there's so much to do in Chattanooga--great example this week is Riverbend. I don't know that you could ever be bored here!
And I'm in a very good working environment. I really love my job, my bosses, and most of the people I work with.
Plus--we get every season here---my favorite season is now fall. Never saw such vibrant colors until I moved here!
There are some things I don't like. I haven't yet found a church to call home. But I feel I'm getting closer. I also have to budget my money very carefully because I took a huge pay cut when I came here. So that can be very stressful, especially since I've had a lot of medical bills lately. And Tennessee has a serious bug problem. I hate mosquitos and spiders, and I seem to have to deal with those more here than anywhere I've ever lived.

So to sum it all up, I really do like Chattanooga. Life here is pretty good. I don't know if this is a permanent home yet...time will tell. What I do know is this has been a really good move for me.

Life is Hard, But God is Good

I was on the phone with a friend last night and I got to thinking about my life thus far. My life has not been easy. I've had to deal with things that many hope they'll never have to face. And I know there are many people in this world that have lived much harder lives than me. But there are lots of people that have never experienced hardship in their lives. But throughout my life, looking back, I can truly say God has kept his promise to me. He is faithful. The Bible doesn't promise you will never face hardships. Life can be really hard. But the Bible does promise that you won't have to go through it alone. He will always be there, to hold you when you need peace, offering an ear to listen, and a shoulder to cry on. Looking back on my life, there were times I never thought peace could come--but Jesus was there, giving me the peace I needed...even in the darkest times, I still had hope. I don't know who needs to hear this right now, but I just felt compelled to share. Lord knows that there have been times when I felt the darkness all around me and felt I'd never find the light. But He's always there to guide me and comfort me.

So, why do bad things happen to good people? I don't know the answer to that. I heard this analogy one time. God is your heavenly Father. And He's very much like a parent...parents can't keep their children from hurting...as much as they want to--they can't prevent them from falling and scraping their knee...but what they can do is dust them off and comfort them when they do get hurt...and help them feel better. And we've all heard the Footprints in the sand poem...that's the God I serve. He will carry you when you feel you can't take another step. "cast all your cares on Him because he cares for you."

Missing My Walks

Well, I was walking two or three times a week. It was a really good release after a long day of work. But, I had hurt my foot back in February, so since it was still giving me problems...my doctor decided to put me in a boot. So, now I have to stay off my foot for the next couple of weeks. :( But I'm trying not to complain. I've got so many things going this summer, I just want my foot to get better so I can enjoy them. I'm going to Chicago on June 19th...the following weekend, my best friend from high school and her family are coming for a visit...
then the second weekend of July, my mom is coming for a mother/daughter weekend. And a couple weeks after that, Olivia, my 13-year-old friend from Greenville will be here for a few days. So, my summer is packed full of fun and I can't wait! So, let's just get all the sicknesses out of the way...and all the pain out of the way, so I can enjoy it!

Ode to being sick

I have been stuck in the house for three days, and while one day off from work would have been nice...right now, I am so stir-crazy! Went to the doctor and they told me I had an infection. She gave me a shot in the butt, and antibiotics...and told me I had to stay home until Thursday. Gosh, I am so bored! I actually thought today might be a day to get things done around the house. I mean, I woke up feeling much better (must be the shot at work!). But I took a shower...and that took all the strength out of me. So, I went and laid down for a could of hours. Then I decided to clean the kitchen...again, had to lay down and recuperate! I haven't had a sickness knock me on my butt like this in a long time! So, the laundry I hoped to wash didn't get washed...and my floors need vaccuuming so bad (my dog is shedding really bad)...but it will all have to wait! And I had planned to volunteer Saturday at RElay For Life, but I really don't see that happening...I will have to get a lot of energy before then in order to do that. So, at least I do have the Internet...and that's kept me busy for three days, although I would do anything to be around people! Oh, the joys of living alone! Try being sick and not having anyone to help you! That's where I've been this week! Had to make myself drive to the doctor, and then to the pharmacy. It's tough living alone and being sick!

I just hope I can get enough energy to do a good job at work tomorrow...because staying home another day is not an option!

My Walk

I walk about 3-4 days a week after work in downtown Chattanooga. This city is so beautiful. I took this picture Wednesday on my walk.

Isn't It Lovely?

As you know, one of my favorite things is a summer rain. well, it's not quite summer, but I still love the rain. Today it rained all day...and when I walked out of my job to go home for the weekend, I looked off in the distance and saw something beautiful! Isn't it lovely? THe mountains had sort of a fog around them. I just had to take some pictures of it!

We've Got to Stand For Something

Okay, bloggers, I'm back and I've got something I've just been itching to say.
How many of you saw the Miss USA pageant? Well, if you didn't see it, you probably don't even know who won. And it's not because you didn't see it, it's because the only person in the news about it has been the runner-up, Miss California, USA, Carrie Prejean. But just in case you're wondering, Miss North Carolina won. And in my opinion, she deserved to win, but it's not because Miss California had a bad answer for her question. Because I thought her answer rocked! I thought Miss North Carolina was prettier, and not as vain. And she carried herself on stage much better in my opinion. It sounded to me through the whole competition that Miss California thought she was the best thing since sliced bread. Even when she talked about her evening gown, she made the statement "i'm going to blow this one out of the park!" But the other girls just talked about why they liked their dress.

But what seems to have made headlines is something that's stupid. I mean, since when can someone not say what she thinks? THe question asked to her said "do you think other states should follow suit and make same sex marriage legal." The key word is think. But she got reemed because she didn't say the expected, vague answer. And she was accused of not being politically correct! Since when does giving your opinion equal not being PC? That's so stupid! Plus, she did give both sides of the argument, by saying we live in a country that allows you to choose, but in my family we believe marriage should be between a man and a woman. I think trying to be PC has gone way too far!

So, good for you, Carrie Prejean, for saying what you wanted to say. WE should all learn a lesson from you. We should always stand up for what we believe in, no matter what it costs us! IF you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything!

So, support those who stand up for what they believe in, whether you agree with them or not. BEcause it's important to believe in something!

I Took The Plunge

After having about 20 people in the last month ask me to join Facebook, I decided to get a page. So, look me up...and add me as a friend! I don't know how much I will keep up with it...I already have a hard enough time keeping up with this blog. But I will soon have Internet at home, which will help immensely.

I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Another Week Has Come and Gone...

Well, another week has come and gone. It seems the older I get, the faster life goes by. And that really makes me feel sometimes like I'm wasting my days...Here lately, I've been feeling that there's got to be a greater purpose out there for me...something that I haven't figured out yet. I guess we all toss around questions like that from time to time...

Last weekend, I had a really good trip home, even though I didn't see everyone that was on the list...I just got way too busy, and I don't think a trip home should be that stressful. So, I decided to slow down a bit...I spent several hours with my friend, Jen, and her family. She was probably ready to get rid of me when I finally left! But I just haven't been able to spend time with her, and I have really missed her lately! I also got to see my cousin, Mandy, along with my family.

This weekend, I'm going to the opera! I am so excited. I love the opera, but because of the cost, I rarely get to go. This weekend, the local university is putting one on, and it's only $7 to go. So, my friend, Stephanie, and I are going Saturday night!

well, gotta get back to work. I hope everyone is doing well. Stay safe in this weekend's bad weather!

Update

I guess everyone's really busy, because I check everyone's blogs frequently and many of you haven't updated in a while! Please update, so I can know what's going on with you!

I'm going to Gordo this weekend...really excited about that, but it's going to be a really busy trip. I'll get to visit with my friends Jennifer and Tess...and on saturday evening, my brother and his fiance, Timmy and Kylie, are coming over to the house...and then on Sunday on the way back home, I'm going to stop and have dinner with my sister, Lisa, and her husband, Jon. In the middle of all that I will visit with my mom and stepdad, and hopefully get to see my cousin, Mandy. So, it's going to be a jammed-pack weekend.

Good news about my foot...I don't have rheumatoid arthritis or gout! that's a relief! I only have inflamation, which should go away with the exercises I'm doing and the orthotics I just got in my shoe. Doctor says a combination of bad shoes and an uneven gait probably caused the problems. Now, I have new shoes as well. Can't do much about the uneven gait--i've probably had it all my life.

have a good weekend everyone, and get out and enjoy the weather...

Oh, by the way, happy early birthday to my friend, Noelle. She's the girl who went to Tucson with me. She joins the 30 club on Monday!

Undogfriendly City

Chattanooga is the least dog-friendly city that I've ever lived in! Who's ever heard of dogs not being allowed in the park? Well, most of the parks here in Chattanooga don't allow them! What's the point of boasting the great outdoors if your precious pooch can't enjoy it with you! Dogs aren't allowed on the riverwalk, they're not allowed at Tennessee Riverpark, and they're not allowed at Coolidge park! It's an outrage! I set out on Sunday to enjoy an afternoon with Casey--we first tried Tennessee Riverpark, but there are signs posted everywhere--saying no dogs! So, I decided to take a trip to Coolidge park...we walked, and I looked for signs, but there was none, so I thought I was in the clear...until a park ranger came and very nicely told me to leave! But she did tell me where we could go...Renaissance Park allows dogs...so, we got back in the car, and headed there...By that time, the afternoon was pretty much gone, but we did enjoy about an hour walk, which was well needed, since it had been raining for like 48 hours!

Chattanooga city leaders, please here us! Our dogs like to enjoy the outdoors, too!

A Rainy Weekend

Well, the good news is I am no longer sick and my foot appears to be getting better (yea!). It still hurts, but not near as bad as it has. I have to go back to the foot doctor next week.
The bad news is it's supposed to rain all weekend! I had hoped to go on a hike...just to get a little time outdoors...either at one of our national parks or at Rock City. And My dog, Casey, would have loved the walk! But it looks like I will be stuck in the house listening to the rain. :(
I'm going home to Gordo next weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing my mom and stepdad, and my friends. It will also be the first time I get to see my friend, Jennifer's, new baby boy. He was born in January. And my mom is going to help me with my taxes. Can you believe I haven't filed yet?

Well, have a good weekend, everyone!