I'm Officially A Fan

I must confess that, while I haven't used AOL in years, I love AOL's main page. There's always something there that peaks my curiosity enough to check out the picture or first paragraph of an article. Sometimes it's worth looking into, sometimes not. But look what I found there today! Definitely worth checking out!!! I believe the entire article would be found at USA Today, but this I found--via AOL's main page--at http://www.oceanup.com/oceanup/2008/06/kevin-jonas-sr.html.

I am typically a big fan of Disney movies, but generally not too hip to their TV shows or Disney radio. With the radio especially, I feel like I'm being constantly yelled at. And no, it's not a pregnancy thing either. :-) Age-related...perhaps. It does sound like something my mother would say. Anyway, what little I've heard from the Jonas Brothers has been good, so I already liked them. This article just made me an official fan. It's nice to be able to tell Little Bit that the music she so wants to listen to is something I can endorse. I love that God always finds ways to put His children in places of influence in some of the most spiritually desolate places...like Hollywood! Check it out!

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June 24, 2008

Kevin Jonas Sr. "We Didn't Give The Boys Purity Rings As A Pledge Of Perfection."



















The Jonas Brothers wear purity rings as symbols of their commitment to remain virgins until marriage. Their ordained minister father, Kevin Sr., strives to make time for the family to worship and give thanks for their blessings.

He revealed to USA Today: 'The boys made a decision when they turned 12 years old to put those rings on their fingers. We didn't give them these rings as a pledge of perfection, but as a reminder of values. Our hope is that they'll always know that there's a good, right way to treat the opposite sex.'

Joe added, 'Even songs we write today, if you really listen to the lyrics, it can be about love songs, but it's also about our relationship with God. It's simple. We're Christian guys in a rock 'n' roll band.'

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ROCK ON, GUYS!!!

Pleasant Words

The question was raised recently, once again by astute blogger Shauna at The Coffee Stop, as to how to share something personal on one's blog knowing that one will have to ultimately face lurkers. Here's what she said:

"There is a reason I haven't been blogging as frequently, and hopefully I'll feel confident enough to share it here soon. Quick question: how do you get personal on your own blog, knowing you will come face to face with some of the lurkers?"

It's something I've often wondered myself. How do you blog about something difficult you've been facing without sharing something lousy about another person? Any suggestions? I'm listening! I haven't been blogging for long, but my basic rule of thumb, for life as well as blogging, is that if I don't have something nice to say then I should keep my mouth shut (something The HOFFER has been asking me to do for quite some time--LOL!!!). While I've learned over the years that unkind words or gossip usually come back to bite me in the butt if I don't keep quiet, that doesn't necessarily mean I follow that little nugget of great advice with any regularity. Words can be used to build up and bring joy, or they can be used to destroy and hurt. Once spoken, they can't be taken back. In print--letter, email, note, BLOG--it's even worse, because it's written out for all to see and read again and again. Here's what the Bible says about what we say and how it affects others in James 3:3-12 (I'm using The Message translation):

"A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!

It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.

This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue—it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth!

My friends, this can't go on. A spring doesn't gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don't bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don't bear apples, do they? You're not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?"

Yikes. That IS scary!

I had originally planned on this post being about a few pet peeves I have, but reading those verses has caused me to change my mind. Pet peeves are negatives. So perhaps another time when I really need to vent...perhaps. Since words can be used for good instead of evil, positive instead of negative, I would like to share some pleasant words written about my Beloved (a.k.a. The HOFFER), as well as one more Bible verse. It's from one of my favorite books, Proverbs (New International Version, this time!).

Proverbs 16:24: Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.


Boy, did we find out just how true THAT is!!! Check out these pleasant words that someone wrote recently about The HOFFER! And yes, his name really is Cash. This was posted in a BMX chat room that he has been a part of for several years. (OldschoolBMX and Vintage, as referenced in this post, are both chat rooms focusing on BMX racing, mostly past but also present.)


"If anyone knows Cash, they’re a better person. What can I say but THANK YOU!

There are very few people on this earth that I look up to and admire. My dad was one. A good Christian man when he passed just after his 56th birthday. My pastor is another for instance. He brings the word of God to his flock every week in and week out. He’s genuine, not judgmental. He loves Jesus and he loves people. Then there's Cash. Cash is another person that I really admire. He is a genuine person and really loves people. When I first started back into this BMX thing, I thought it was kind of silly to be racing BMX into my late 30’s. However, with my involvement in OldschoolBMX and later Vintage, I found out that Cash was racing and that to me told me that it was alright to do so also. As time went on, I found Cash to be a warm and caring man. Never have I heard a discouraging word come from his mouth. He always has something positive to say and you can see Christ working through him. I consider myself fortunate to have met Mr. Matthews and to have him call me friend is truly an honor that I cherish.

Cash, I love you like a brother. If there’s anything you or Katy need, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I pray for you, your wife, your daughter, and the one in the womb. Cash, you are doing God’s will. Keep up the good fight!

Thank you!

Your friend, Mike"


Oh my goodness. How would you like it if someone said something like this about you? I was weeping openly after I read this. But what's important is this: our friend Mike hit the nail right on the head. The HOFFER is EXACTLY what Mike said: encouraging, always has something positive to say...pleasant words indeed. I am truly blessed to have him be such a major part of my life.

Happy 17th Anniversary and Happy Father's Day, Sweetheart! I love you.

I'm Speechless (And The Countdown Has Begun!)

If you look at the length of this post, you will probably think, "This woman obviously does not know the meaning of the word 'speechless'." I will explain that part later. But as you can see by the ticker at the top of my page, as of today, I have 100 days till my due date. THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN!!! WOO HOO!!! As for an early delivery, that is only wishful thinking. My family has a history of delivering big babies and delivering them late. I'm not complaining about the big...that means my baby is healthy. I'm just whining about the late. Fortunately for me, Dr. P. said that we wouldn't go past the due date given my age. What a great doctor!!! ;-)

I wish I were one of those women who enjoys being pregnant, but I'm not. My sister and my niece both absolutely love it. My sister cracked her best jokes when she was pregnant, and given that she has 5 kids, she has come up with enough material to last a career for any comedian. Me? Not so much. I hate being uncomfortable, I hate being hot (which is a constant here in Texas), I can't function without adequate sleep, I hate having to think about food 24/7, I hate having to pay ridiculous prices for and wear maternity clothes...blah, blah, blah, whine, whine, whine. Those of you who have been pregnant before know the drill. That being said, I am nonetheless so very blessed to have been given this great gift. I love the end result and know that going through all the stuff I don't enjoy is so very worth every minute of it. Little Bit is solid proof of that. So I try to keep my whining to myself and not complain...no one wants to be around a whiner. I don't know how successful I've been at that...I'll have to check with The HOFFER. God bless him...he is on the receiving end of most of those whines. What a saint.

I slept pretty late this morning. My allergies are giving me fits and I'm taking all the medicine I'm allowed to take, as well as what works for me. Claritin and Nasacort work pretty well but sometimes need some extra help. If I weren't pregnant, I would have two or three days of Sudafed 12-Hour to get dried up and be done with it. Alas, it's one of those pregnancy draw-backs that I can't take Sudafed, so my head feels like it's the size of a watermelon and my nose the size of a large naval orange. I can take Benedryl, but it gives me weird dreams that keep me up all night. My allergies are usually at their worst at night because (those with weak constitutions or are reading this during a meal may not want to read this next part) all that yucky drainage settles in my throat and chest since I'm lying down. So sleep is once again eluding me, hence not getting up till after 10:00 this morning. Let me tell you...I needed it!

Once I did wake up and get going, I ran out to grab breakfast for everyone because I am out of eggs. Must have protein first thing in the morning, and LOTS OF IT. After I got back with a bag full of breakfast tacos and started to sit down to eat with Little Bit and The HOFFER, there was a knock on my front door. We ran to see who it was, and we were pleasantly surprised to see our Mail Delivery-Babe with a big box for us. My Blog Buddy Shauna from The Coffee Stop sent me a bottomless box of baby goodies! I was speechless. So to brag on my Canadian buddy's incredible generosity, allow me to share the bounty with you. Little Bit will be serving today as our resident Vanna White.




Here is Little Bit giving Shauna the "I LOVE YOU" sign for the Littlest Pet Shop puppy/kitty (we're not exactly sure, but Little Bit doesn't care at all!) sent just for her! It's also a virtual pet that can be registered and played with online. Right up her alley!!! Her exact response was "I'M GOING TO SLEEP WITH THIS FOR ALL ETERNITY!!!"





Here she is showing off one of the baby gifts. It clips onto the car seat cover and the two little noisemakers hang down for the baby to grab. VERY cool!!!



And then came THE CLOTHES, which if you have ever shopped for baby girl clothes...OM MY GOODNESS. THEY ARE IRRESISTIBLY SWEET!!!! The first picture is a package of onesies...something there are NEVER enough of for a new baby. The second picture is of a package of long-sleeved nighties. Of course they're pink and girly!!! Love them!!!

Oh, just a side note: Little Bit and I went to register earlier this week. She didn't understand that we were REGISTERING ONLY, NOT BUYING. While I filled out some paperwork, she grabbed a cart and came back a few minutes later with about 15 outfits, nearly all of them some form of pink. When Little Bit was born, all but about two or three of her outfits were pink. I LOVED IT!!! Okay, back to the bounty:



FOOTIE-JAMMIES!!!!






Another onesie...the second picture has a close-up of the front. Hard to believe that Little Bit was once this size!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!





HEY! How did Chester the Wonder Dog sneak in here????





A smelly-good for Mommy and Baby...





More clothes. Isn't she going to be such a sassy girl??? Check out the detail on the jeans!





And of course, Little Bit modeling the outfit!





One more of the Wonder Dog. Silly boy.


So Little Bit has spent one day of her summer vacation playing with her new online pet, and I don't mind. It has given me the opportunity to brag about a sweet and generous friend whom I have never met in person, but hope to do so one day! Shauna, thank you again for your wonderful gift. The HOFFER and I were in tears as Little Bit kept bringing more and more stuff out of the box! I am so privileged to know you, if only as an online buddy. You rock!

Modern Day Version of "Who's On First?"

Okay, THIS was just TOO FUNNY not to share with the masses, and I don't like to send out mass emails, so thank goodness I have a blog. If you've never heard Abbott and Costello's classic comedy routine "Who's On First?", click here to watch a YouTube video of this famous performance. It never stops being funny. Watch it before you read any further. This will be much funnier if you do.

So here is the email sent to me from a friend:

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, 'Who's on First?" might have turned out something like this:


COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT


ABBOTT: Super Duper Computer Store, Can I help you?


COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer...I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses, and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommended Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office IS office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W".

COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue 'W' if you don't start with some straight answers! What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes, at no extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

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A few days later...

ABBOTT: Super Duper Computer Store, can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on START...