Month: October 2013

Last week my friend Lisa and I took off to start a new adventure. What was seemingly going to be a road trip to visit my parents, sisters and brother in Elfrida, AZ turned into at times what I would consider Nightmare on Highway 191 instead of Nightmare on Elm Street.

There were so many things that went on during our trip that I decided to cover my trip in parts. This way I can add more details without writing a book or boring anyone to death.

The blog titles and sections will include these posts

1. Elfrida’s Bates Motel (Elfrida Lodge)
2. Spending time with family
3. Lisa’s Ordeal Wild Boars, Rattlesnakes and Driven to Drink
4. Tombstone and Fairbanks
5. Willcox Church of the Nazarene
6. Shutterbug Times (Outings and Photo Ops)
7. Bisbee
8. Feeling Blessed
9. Trip Home

This trip seemed to be a lot about appreciation for what I have and what God has done in my life. It is about family and being there for each other.

This isn’t directed at any one person. So if someone gets butt hurt or takes it personally know that it isn’t because of what I said, but the way it was interpreted. Or maybe it is something that one needs to look deep inside and figure out why you are butt hurt to begin with. 

Definition of Butt Hurt- offended, upset, or angry, usually by a small slight or a friendly insult.

I’m pretty sure that I’m not the only one who has ever been butt hurt over something stupid. Sometimes I have a way of blowing things out of proportion. Almost always I have someone telling me that I took something the wrong way, which in most cases is true. But, what about those people who get butt hurt over silly things and can’t get over it? 

I have to say that I have a problem with people that get butt hurt over stupid things. Well, not really butt hurt over stupid things, but allowing that to get in the way of relationships. A prime example is politics. During the time of the elections people were literally unfriending people over someone they don’t know or what party someone votes for. If they are a Democrat they must be the scum of the earth, so off they go as a friend. What is sad is that they may have been lifetime friends or family members and now they no longer exist in the minds of the butt hurt friend. 

What about that person who doesn’t show up at a party because they forgot?  The person that is butt hurt takes it personally because the other person was unable to be there. So off they go as a friend and drop into the bottomless pit with all other people that have butt hurted someone. 

As a Christian, I find it interesting when I find another Christian who can’t get over being butt hurt.  I think of the Bible verse in the Bible, “Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” 

Now, my thought on this verse is that we are to forgive one another. If we want to be forgiven, then we must also forgive. I guess I have a problem when I see a Christian who knows that they should be forgiven and have asked for forgiveness themselves and they can’t extend the same hand to another. For me, I’m very grateful that I’m forgiven. Even though I may butt hurt someone with this post or other posts and I guess in a strange way I’m OK with that. 

You may wonder why I’m OK with butt hurting someone. If not, you may not want to read anymore. So close your eyes and skip to the next blog. But if someone gets butt hurt over not forgiving someone, then they need to examine themselves. I’m pretty sure each and everyone of us has said something stupid, didn’t show up somewhere on time or some other horrible crime like forget a birthday or that the moon rose or the sun sets. 

Some people need to get over the petty stuff going on and realize there are more important things going on around us. Just the other day this young girl dies and her family is mourning her loss. I bet they will look back at all the petty things that happened and wish to God that they could take back moments and the time spent with that loved one. So what if someone forgets something or a date. That is trivial. The person is important.

Shoot I have gotten butt hurt over alot of things in my life and things my daughters have said or done. And I’m positive I butt hurt them, but at the end of the day no matter how butt hurt I may be, I love them. My niece that lived with me all through high school has pushed my buttons and butt hurt me and I did the same with her. No matter what she does and says, I love her too. If I counted all the times I butt hurt someone or someone butt hurted me, I would be the only person on a deserted island and there would be nobody to blame but myself. 

Basically I just wanted to say that is stupid things worth holding onto and letting them get in the way of a relationship with someone you love or care about? Has someone forgiven you for something you did and didn’t deserve said forgiveness? Have you never offended a person and bad someone feel bad? If you said yes to this, then more than likely there is some state of disillusionment going on in your world. If you want to be forgiven, then you need to forgive too and stop letting stupid petty things get in the way of living life and having happy relationships. 

Shoot, now I lost track of my topic, so I guess I should stop this because I may rant about rainbows and Bible studies. Don’t ask! If you want to know, you can read the blog below because they got me butt hurt, but now I’m kinda over it. 🙂 

Hmmm… Not too impressed with this website biblestudies.org because they send in a form that too much information was used on a post on my blog and that they wanted it removed since no permission was given. 

OK! I get that there are copy-write laws and stuff. But not too sure I have a good taste in my mouth over those who own that site because all the would have had to do is send me an email and ask to take it down. Instead they file a grievance, which blocked the post anyhow.  A simple email to say, “could you credit the information back” or whatever. Even though, I’m not sure how much places own Bible verses about colors of the rainbow in the Bible. BUT, OK… So I took the post down and wrote them a note since I couldn’t get the form on wordpress to work.  

I still wonder who has the right to Bible verses and how they are used. But I think from now on when I have a Bible study,  I won’t be using their site and I won’t be recommending it to anyone since they don’t have the courtesy to send a email. 

So, now I’m going to redo my rainbow post and hmmmm… 

Tonight is one of those nights like many when I can’t sleep because of pain.  I have to sit up to get rid of the muscle spasms that think they need to happen in my spine. While this is happening my mind gets wondering and this blog compiles a few of my complaints. I will try to be brief in them though so I can go back to sleep. 

1.  Halloween in the schools are driving me crazy. If people choose to celebrate Halloween, then that is fine. But there are many children that don’t celebrate Halloween and are forced into taking part in activities that are against the families religion. It has been a battle that is brewing. 

We aren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses and many think that if you don’t celebrate this holiday then you must be. Because of the pagan origins we have chosen not to do this holiday. I watch my grandson JJ who goes to kindergarten and everyday he goes to school, they do something that has to do with Halloween. And it is very frustrating to say the least.  Schools have issues with telling the true story of Christ in the schools and is overly accepting of Halloween. 

Everyone has their own reasons for celebrating this particular holiday. Many Christians do while others don’t. It isn’t up to me to force my views on others. But when a child comes home from school and is totally confused and hurting because he can’t do the activities, then something needs to be addressed. Three in ten children do not celebrate Halloween. I have no issue with doing activities that are based on fall and harvest. But I do have a problem when the schools don’t offer an alternative for these three out of ten children. Parents are choosing homeschooling as an alternative because of things like this. When JJ comes home with skeletons, witches hats and other things Halloween oriented, it makes me want to go to his school and have a one on one discussion. 

2. I’m getting rather ticked off at a computer that I’m using for church worship services. I love to create eye pleasing slides that makes people happy. I love to see the reactions during the service when they see a familiar face come across the screen. It’s something I really enjoy. 

But dang nabit, the computer that was given to the church is a pain in my backside. It is slower than a snail and has very little space. It bogs down for even short videos. I have been working on this Sundays program now for two days and it should only take a hour or two at the very most. I have decided that I’m going to just go get a decently priced laptop and donate it for church use. 

It’s not enjoyable when it takes me days to do something because the computer is ancient. So, I think when I get back from Arizona I may either buy my husband a new laptop and take his or I will buy and inexpensive one and just bite the bullet. Either way, something has to give and it is getting to me that it is so slow. That computer should have been retired years ago. If people remember how slow dial up was when computers came out, then you can imagine.  I will have to ask hubby what he wants to do on this. Because when my frustration gets this high, it is not a good thing. And working on a computer that still operates on the XP 2002 version is not my idea of a good thing. I’m feeling like a soldier going to war and given a water pistol to take out the enemy. It just doesn’t work unless you are a bug. 

The one good thing is that the Easy Worship CD was found, but now the computer is even slower once it was installed. So if anyone hears of a mad women being admitted into the funny farm over computer murder, know that it is me. I shot the computer and it died a slow and painful death. 

3. Well, there is no number three. I figured I would leave any other topic alone since these last two are major triggers for me this week. 

Today I was thinking about church and prayer meetings. 

When we first moved to St. George, we found our home, church and a grocery store. We had to laugh at the locals because they said the grocery store was all the way across town. Coming from Phoenix, AZ I was expecting a drive. Nope, it was just a mile or two if that. Anyhow, back to my thoughts on prayer. 

For those who have read my past blogs, you will know that I went to a Nazarene Church in Willcox , AZ. I was baptized in that church and most of my fond memories of church go all the way back to the Nazarene Church. When we moved here, there was no Nazarene Church so we ended up at St. George Community Church. I have no regrets for the most part since I feel just as at home there as my church I grew up in. In my heart, I think I will always be a Christian that has the ways and beliefs I was taught in the Nazarene Church.  

The reason why I got on this topic is because of a message my brother in law got from a guy at my church that they were doing a Mens Prayer group. 

When we first started at the church it was Sunday Services only and no evening services. I think for most churches in our area that is still true. I believe there is only a couple churches that meets on Sunday nights. 

The churches I always went to had a Weds Evening Service. The service was different than the ones on Sunday. On Weds if focused on prayer. The service for the most part would last about an hour or so. Depending on how many prayers were being said. We would start with a opening prayer, song, a short message or whatever else the pastor wanted to share. Sometimes it wasn’t a message, it would be whatever was on his heart at the time. Then we always ended in prayer. 

Our church had actual alters for prayer. Those people who could kneel would kneel, the others would come closer and pray. If a person wanted to say a prayer and share with others they could do that. There was no time limits or limits on what to pray for. If they were like me where I didn’t like to pray out loud, I would pray silently and listen to the prayers of others. 

When I first walked into our church here in St. George, I have to admit I looked around for the alters to pray. To me it didn’t seem normal to not have one. I did finally ask someone once we decided it was the place to be. They told me that they have an alter in front. OK! Now I’m dumbfounded over how I could miss alters in front.  I know I don’t have the best ability of paying attention. But there was no alter that I could see. Then they pointed it out to me. They called the table that says ” Do this in Remembrance of Me” an alter. I’m sure I gave them the ‘what the heck are you talking about” look.

Our church had that one too. But that is where we put the Bible and candles and whatever else that was suppose to go there. I didn’t see how people could kneel and pray at that table that is taller than my dining room table. It must still bother me, because it doesn’t seem right that there isn’t a designated place to pray and to come forward to pray. It must just be a me thing because nobody else mentions it. 

Some say you can pray in the pew or where ever you are and that is true. I can’t argue there. But there is something special about going before the Lord in prayer and joining others that are praying. 

I don’t know if a Weds night prayer service would work too good since most are older people who don’t drive. But I think it would be cool to do that. 

Pugs are those cute little dogs that that have a smashed in face and snores a lot. Today I was reading an article that was in a magazine that our vet sends out He has a pug too and I’m, guessing his is fun too. When I got to reading about pugs in the article, I had to laugh. Basically this is what it said in a nutshell. “Pugs have a fairly even temper, and while they can be quite perky, they are not generally a breed that barks to excess. They are protective, and make good watchdogs due to their attentive nature. Pugs are not generally combative, and do well with strangers and other animals in the house. Pugs are loyal to their owners, and can easily adapt to their owners’ schedule since they are creatures of habit.” With Pugs you also have to be careful when it comes to exercise and the heat. They can get over heated very easily and can die because of it.

Now, the reason I got on this topic is because I have a pug. His name is Jasper. When they were describing the traits of pugs, I was wondering if they missed the mark. My pug does meet many of them/ But when they say pugs don’t bark excessively has never met Jasper. He can out bark the best of them. Jasper owns me; he is loyal and gets along with others. But when I come into the house he is yelling at me pug style. He is giving me the look.  You know the look that means you are in trouble. When I take a bath he is there too. I will attach a video of Jasper when I walk into the house. He lets it known to everyone that he is my dog. For a good five minutes he is barking. If he doesn’t see me when I come in, I will hide from him, lol. But if he doesn’t see me, he runs from room to room until I show up or he sees me.

There isn’t anything calm about him unless he is eating or sleeping. I do have a Pug and Pekingese mix dog that loves to stir the pot. He antagonizes Jasper and Patsy. Parker was rescued from a hoarder and it took a while for him to get use to things. But he terrorizes the house. He runs for awhile and knocks chairs over and turns every carpet in the house over. He should have been called Turbo. I think he picked up the Pekingese side. When reading the article, I’m thinking that they can’t be talking about Jasper and Parker, because they are mouthy. It is true that they are friendly and easy to get along with. They are stubborn and can easily get what they want, i.e. scrap of food. They can get chunky so table food should be limited. Jasper is like a Garfield in dog clothing.

In the article they talked how calm they are and they get along wonderfully with kids. They did get that partially right. Jasper and Parker both love kids, people and anyone who gives attention. The word calm in no way describes my dogs. I guess when I describe my pug, I think of me. He loves to be loved. He likes to talk back and is stubborn. Both of our Pugs are very outgoing. They can try your patience when trying to train the He is the perfect dog for me. Here is a video of him barking at the TV.

There is a small breeze and perfect temperatures around here. For me this is the beginning of no more 100 degree plus days.

When I think of fall it reminds me of peace. All around I can see the changes of the leaves and the cool breeze carrying them away.

Growing up, we would rake up the leaves and then jump into the piles. I find it sad that the times have changed. People have riding lawn mowers or they hire someone to get them raked up. Now granted it Is time consuming, but it was a lot of fun jumping into them and you could smell the leaves. I know that is weird. But there is a smell when it comes to damp leaves.

I did a article for our churches newsletter about the fall and how pretty it is. Even though the leaves are falling, there is something peaceful when you watch a leaf flutter in the wind and finally land. I was thinking about the article and how much I miss doing the newsletter. I no longer do it, but I loved it when I could make it alive with things happening here and now. The woman at church that does it does a good job though. If she ever wants to give it up, I think I will ask to take it back over. I miss the busy work and the designing of things. It gives me something to do and makes me feel that I am giving since I don’t have much money for tithing.

I was thinking after I gave it up that I may regret it. I loved it when people were waiting and wanted to see what was going on. When you see people standing around and talking about how the newsletter looked and such, it made me feel good. Even though there was one little old lady at my church that would take it upon herself to mark each and every mistake I made.  I didn’t realize at the time I would miss doing it.

Right now with my health the way it is, it would be a welcomed distraction. It gave me the chance to make a difference and fill my time as I do my medicines. 

OK! Back to leaves and the purpose of this blog post. In my mail today I got a very special package from Ruth. She sent me leaves from Missouri. I know it seems like something small and not a big deal. For me it is awesome. I love the idea that these leaves will work for my door wreath. What makes it even better is that Ruth took the time to select the best leaves and send them to me.  My husband Chuck tells me I get excited over stupid stuff. The way I see it is that God created these leaves and nature. They remind me of living in Indiana. I would search for unique leaves and fun things for hours.

I’m very excited that summer is over and that the fall is here. Now I can go outside with my cup of coffee and enjoy things around me. When it is overly hot, I’m miserable for almost all summer long. The cool nights have been awesome.

When I go outside I can see the stars, hear the crickets and enjoy the peace. I will have to do a video of just the sounds around me. That will be when there are no cars driving around. If you haven’t gotten the chance to do that, you should. It is very relaxing. It makes it nice when you can take a friend with and bring hot cocoa and just sit and take in the beauty around you.

Pretty soon I’m going to go shoot some pictures of the fall leaves. I can’t wait. I asked my pastor’s wife Kathi if she would like to go with since she loves nature too. It will be a lot of fun.