I got Samuel out of school early again this past Friday so we could go see Kung Fu Panda 2. It was really good! We both enjoyed it a lot. I didn't eat any popcorn during the movie, by the way. The week before when we went to see Pirates 4, I had somehow or other held my popcorn bag on my leg and the butter bled through, staining my pants. I couldn't get the butter stain out, so now a favorite pair of pants is ruined. I'll still wear them around the house, probably to work out in, but they're ruined otherwise.
Anyway, I got off subject. Kung Fu Panda 2 is a lot of fun and definitely a great movie worthy of going to see. Both it and the first one are better than any of the Shrek movies, by far.....(don't hate me). But NOT better than How to Train Your Dragon!!! The story, as usual, has an obvious lesson/moral for the audience (there's more than one, but the two most obvious): 1. when we find inner peace, we can accomplish anything and 2. we have to let the past be the past; learn from the past, but we can't let the past hold us back from doing and being who and what we ARE in the present.
The lessons are almost TOO overt and obvious, but they don't take away from enjoying the movie. It's kind of refreshing to see modern-day fables shared via a fun medium to watch and enjoy visually.
The Furious Five get more speaking parts this time, so that makes the story more enjoyable. Where the first one focused pretty much on Po and the Furious Five don't really have much to do with the overall story, this time, they're very active within the story. We get to see and hear them a lot more. My personal favorite parts of the movie are when the Furious Five work together with Po to defeat their enemies! They work extemely well as a team (yes, that includes Po) and it's fun to watch! Those scenes in particualar are over much too quickly.
One final thought: Samuel enjoyed it enough that he didn't leave the movie even once to go to the bathroom! (He usually has to go at least once, if not more than that, during a movie!)
Great Books
To read or not to read?....that is a silly question!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES
So I went to see Pirates 4 last Friday--the day it was released. I've heard reviews that say it's the best one yet. I do agree that it's an awful lot of fun. Samuel and I enjoyed the movie very much. But I don't think it's "the best" of the Pirates movies. The first one was and still is "the best" of the films so far. Nothing can beat that very first time I saw Captain Jack Sparrow standing on the mast of that tiny skiff--as if he owned the world! Seriously, it was a very good thing I saw that movie for the first time in the privacy of my own home so I could take care of "business"---yes, it was "wet-my-pants" funny!!!!
This new movie was funny and quite enjoyable to watch. Definitely worth of Johnny Depp and the Pirates franchise and well worth our time to go see it in the theater. It is the first and only one of the Pirates movies that I have actually seen in the theater. I'm not quite sure why I never saw the first 3 in the theater, but I made sure that I went to see THIS one on the big screen! I even got Samuel out of school early to go see it!!!
It turned out to be a great treat for him especially---Samuel had learned just that morning that he'd passed his EOGs and wouldn't need to retest--not even for Math! We were REALLY excited! So our trip to the movies last Friday turned out to be a celebration! We'd have gone no matter what his final scores had been for the EOGs, but it was pretty awesome to go out and be able to celebrate and enjoy the afternoon like that!!!! So we'll always remember this movie for that special reason!!!
Johnny Depp, of course, is amazing. He could have been on screen more and it would have been ok with me! LOL! I love Penelope Cruz and she is really a lot of fun, too. I love that they've made a love interest for Jack, but that they're not fawning all over each other. That wouldn't be Captain Jack Sparrow!!!!
You do need to stay through the credits. There IS a scene after the credits. It's barely 30 seconds long, but I think it's staying through the credits for. After the 3rd movie had a scene after the credits, I thought everyone knew to stay until the credits were over, but the majority of the folks in the theater left as soon as the movie was over, before the credits even started rolling. Out of a packed theater, I think there were barely 10 of us left after the credits.
It's definitely worth seeing!!! Bring on MORE Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz!
This new movie was funny and quite enjoyable to watch. Definitely worth of Johnny Depp and the Pirates franchise and well worth our time to go see it in the theater. It is the first and only one of the Pirates movies that I have actually seen in the theater. I'm not quite sure why I never saw the first 3 in the theater, but I made sure that I went to see THIS one on the big screen! I even got Samuel out of school early to go see it!!!
It turned out to be a great treat for him especially---Samuel had learned just that morning that he'd passed his EOGs and wouldn't need to retest--not even for Math! We were REALLY excited! So our trip to the movies last Friday turned out to be a celebration! We'd have gone no matter what his final scores had been for the EOGs, but it was pretty awesome to go out and be able to celebrate and enjoy the afternoon like that!!!! So we'll always remember this movie for that special reason!!!
Johnny Depp, of course, is amazing. He could have been on screen more and it would have been ok with me! LOL! I love Penelope Cruz and she is really a lot of fun, too. I love that they've made a love interest for Jack, but that they're not fawning all over each other. That wouldn't be Captain Jack Sparrow!!!!
You do need to stay through the credits. There IS a scene after the credits. It's barely 30 seconds long, but I think it's staying through the credits for. After the 3rd movie had a scene after the credits, I thought everyone knew to stay until the credits were over, but the majority of the folks in the theater left as soon as the movie was over, before the credits even started rolling. Out of a packed theater, I think there were barely 10 of us left after the credits.
It's definitely worth seeing!!! Bring on MORE Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz!
BEASTLY by Alex Finn
I picked up this book a few weeks ago because I had seen the previews for the movie version and, of course, I wanted to read the book before I watched the movie. The reviews for the movie aren't good at all--it didn't do well in the theater, apparently, when it was out back in March. I'll still watch it. I hope I'm not TOO disappointed. Quite often, when others hate a particular film or book, I find that I enjoy it very much, so I'm not going to let the bad, negative reviews keep me from watching it. How can a movie with Neil Patrick Harris in it possibly be COMPLETELY awful???
Anyway, there are absotively, posolutely NO surprises in Beastly. It is a modern-day retelling of Beauty and Beast. It takes the original story that we're all very familiar with and sets it in modern day New York City. Of course, it does include a witch and magic, which many of us today don't particularly believe are REAL, but the story is still just believable to be enjoyable. Besides, who doesn't want to see some jerk guy who thinks he's God's gift to the world get his come-uppance??? Kyle certainly needed to see that wasn't as "all that" as he thought he was.
It would be really nice if folks who are so full of themselves could have an epiphany moment where they realize that, while we do need love ourselves for who/what we are, that doesn't mean that we think or act as if we're the greatest individual ever born. What makes life truly worth living are the people we love and who love us in return.
If for no other reason than the fact that this story reminds us to love each other simply and purely for who each person regardless of what he/she looks like, then Beastly is worth the read. It's amazing how when we look beyond the so-called physical "deformities" (zits, bad hair, multiple piercings, bad make-up, warts, fat, awful clothes, etc., etc., etc.), we find wonderful people who enrich our lives in wonderful, amazing ways!!!! We never know who is going to make a difference in our lives until (unless?) we let people in to our lives--regardless of what they look like....
I have been trying over the years to come to a place where I see the beauty and the good in every single person I meet. Have I been 100% successful in the quest? No. Sometimes I have a hard time seeing the good in my own husband! (He's a good man and I love him, but those of you who are married will know what I mean!) But the bottom line is--the truth of the matter is--believe it or not, most people ARE GOOD at heart. I do believe that the majority of people I come in to contact with don't mean to hurt the people they love. It's simply a part of life. The real question is whether or not the loved ones can forgive.....
I'm starting to ramble and not make sense even to myself....!!! I'm not going to go back and change anything. I'm going to leave it as it is.....I hope I haven't offended anyone who reads this....
Bottom line: if you enjoy the Beauty and the Beast story in general, you'll like Beastly--at least the book. (I'll let you know about the movie once I've seen it.) It was a quick, light, and easy read, but worth the time to read. I'll probably pass it along to my family......
Anyway, there are absotively, posolutely NO surprises in Beastly. It is a modern-day retelling of Beauty and Beast. It takes the original story that we're all very familiar with and sets it in modern day New York City. Of course, it does include a witch and magic, which many of us today don't particularly believe are REAL, but the story is still just believable to be enjoyable. Besides, who doesn't want to see some jerk guy who thinks he's God's gift to the world get his come-uppance??? Kyle certainly needed to see that wasn't as "all that" as he thought he was.
It would be really nice if folks who are so full of themselves could have an epiphany moment where they realize that, while we do need love ourselves for who/what we are, that doesn't mean that we think or act as if we're the greatest individual ever born. What makes life truly worth living are the people we love and who love us in return.
If for no other reason than the fact that this story reminds us to love each other simply and purely for who each person regardless of what he/she looks like, then Beastly is worth the read. It's amazing how when we look beyond the so-called physical "deformities" (zits, bad hair, multiple piercings, bad make-up, warts, fat, awful clothes, etc., etc., etc.), we find wonderful people who enrich our lives in wonderful, amazing ways!!!! We never know who is going to make a difference in our lives until (unless?) we let people in to our lives--regardless of what they look like....
I have been trying over the years to come to a place where I see the beauty and the good in every single person I meet. Have I been 100% successful in the quest? No. Sometimes I have a hard time seeing the good in my own husband! (He's a good man and I love him, but those of you who are married will know what I mean!) But the bottom line is--the truth of the matter is--believe it or not, most people ARE GOOD at heart. I do believe that the majority of people I come in to contact with don't mean to hurt the people they love. It's simply a part of life. The real question is whether or not the loved ones can forgive.....
I'm starting to ramble and not make sense even to myself....!!! I'm not going to go back and change anything. I'm going to leave it as it is.....I hope I haven't offended anyone who reads this....
Bottom line: if you enjoy the Beauty and the Beast story in general, you'll like Beastly--at least the book. (I'll let you know about the movie once I've seen it.) It was a quick, light, and easy read, but worth the time to read. I'll probably pass it along to my family......
Friday, May 20, 2011
BREAKING DAWN...Again
I finished Breaking Dawn last night and have moved on to The Short, Second Life of Bree Tanner. I really enjoy the Twilight series! It’s honestly just a real FUN read. I don’t think it’s something that has any TRUE lasting literary value, but that doesn’t take away from my enjoyment in reading the series!!! Sometimes it’s good just to read something for FUN rather than having to do “heavy” reading (such as for school) all the time. I am really excited about seeing the movie version of Breaking Dawn when it comes out later this year. I really hope that I’ll be able to go and see all the movies when they do the marathon. That’s a pretty cool thing they’ve started doing.
Wasn’t it the Lord of the Rings series of movies that started that trend a few years ago? Someone told me that they’ll show all the LotR movies as a marathon when The Hobbit comes out soon. (When is that? Early next year or before 2011 is over?) I’m looking forward to seeing all of those movies, too. I’m honestly going to read the WHOLE LotR series this summer, so it’ll be interesting to see the movies when I finish. I’ve seen the third movie 3 times now, so it’s time to read ALL the books and watch ALL the movies! Past time, actually!
I don’t have much more than that to say about this reading of Breaking Dawn. It’s like my 7th time reading it, so I don’t really have anything new to say….I’m still disappointed in the ending. I wanted a fight. I didn’t want any of “my” characters to die, but I wanted to see some ACTION! The whole book (well, practically the whole book, anyway)—almost the whole series—leads up to this major confrontation between the Cullens (and all the “good” vampires) and the dreaded Volturi. Everyone is SOOO confident of winning, especially considering the fact that they have the werewolves helping out!!! I really would have enjoyed watching Jane or Alec go down!!!
Of course, if it had come to a fight, someone would have been killed who I didn’t want to die, so that would have been VERY bad….I even found that I love Rosalie by the end, so it would have been REALLY awful if anyone HAD died….
But think about it….don’t you think that might be part of the reason why the Harry Potter series is many steps above the Twilight series? Rowling wasn’t afraid to kill off characters, even major characters. I cried like a baby, truly BAWLING LIKE A BABY, when each one died. I found that I cried harder when Dobby died than when Dumbledore died, even though I cried a lot for both. But it was especially bad in book 7 when the Weasley family got in so much trouble….that was AWFUL!!! It was especially awfully difficult to read because Percy had just come back in to the fold and reunited with his family…..
Oh, the Harry Potter series was supposed to get darker and darker as it went along, and it did—effectively. The Twilight series was supposed to get darker and darker as it went along, but it fell apart and had a disappointing climax. While I hate crying and don’t like to read books (or watch movies) that make me cry, I find that the Harry Potter series stands out for me as the better series mostly because it is darker. For some reason or another, that makes it more credible as a work of literature than the Twilight series. (I’m sorry, Stephenie. Please don’t be offended. I still LOVE the Twilight series!!!)
Sunday, May 1, 2011
A PLACE OF QUIET REST by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
BTW: Religious Content......Read the following at your own discretion....
This is a really wonderful book about drawing closer and closer to God. DeMoss takes the most simplistic concepts about having a deeper RELATIONSHIP with Him and reminds us of the importance of doing whatever we can to draw nearer to Him.
Rick Warren says in his book Purpose-Driven Life that we are as close to Him as we CHOOSE to be. And that's essentially the point DeMoss is making in this book. God is ready and waiting--He's ANXIOUSLY waiting--for us to draw closer to Him. It is up to us to CHOOSE to do whatever it takes to grow our relationship with our Precious Lord & Savior......
Oh, I pray that I will begin to do whatever it takes to have a true, DEEP relationship with my Savior who loves me and WANTS to spend time with ME!!!!
Yeah, that one shocks me, too.....that someone really and truly WANTS to spend time with me!!! As much time as I'm willing to spend with HIM, too..............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUMOY!!!!!
This is a really wonderful book about drawing closer and closer to God. DeMoss takes the most simplistic concepts about having a deeper RELATIONSHIP with Him and reminds us of the importance of doing whatever we can to draw nearer to Him.
Rick Warren says in his book Purpose-Driven Life that we are as close to Him as we CHOOSE to be. And that's essentially the point DeMoss is making in this book. God is ready and waiting--He's ANXIOUSLY waiting--for us to draw closer to Him. It is up to us to CHOOSE to do whatever it takes to grow our relationship with our Precious Lord & Savior......
Oh, I pray that I will begin to do whatever it takes to have a true, DEEP relationship with my Savior who loves me and WANTS to spend time with ME!!!!
Yeah, that one shocks me, too.....that someone really and truly WANTS to spend time with me!!! As much time as I'm willing to spend with HIM, too..............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUMOY!!!!!
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON by Cressida Cowell
I am absotively posolutely STUNNED at the number of people who haven't seen this movie!!!! It is so very AMAZING!!!!! EVERYONE should see How to Train Your Dragon!!!!!! Not only is it a GREAT story, Gerard Butler is the voice of the dad in the story!!! I could listen to the dad, Gerard Butler, talk all day long!!!! Oh yea!
But did you know there's a book?! It's wonderful, too!!! Granted, you can't read the book or watch the movie thinking that the movie is the story of the book, as we so often like to see when "Hollywood" makes a movie out of our favorite books. When I read the book, I enjoy it as a separate entity from the movie and, because of that, I can enjoy each in its own right. If, like I so often do, I look at the movie as the movie version of the book, I'd be upset that Dreamworks got so many things WRONG from the book. But when you look at each story separately, each story has great qualities.
I love what Dreamworks did with the movie. I love the way Toothless looks on screen and I agree with them that his ears and his eyes are wonderfully expressive and really make him a lot of fun to watch on screen. The story on screen stands for itself and it's AMAZING!
The story in the book stands for itself and it's AMAZING, too!!!! There's actually a whole series of books---I think the 8th one in the series comes out later this year......Samuel has read over half of the series and he agrees with me that they're GREAT stories and we can enjoy the books AND the movie---equally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
If you haven't seen the movie, you REALLY should!!!
If you haven't read the book, you REALLY should!!!
But did you know there's a book?! It's wonderful, too!!! Granted, you can't read the book or watch the movie thinking that the movie is the story of the book, as we so often like to see when "Hollywood" makes a movie out of our favorite books. When I read the book, I enjoy it as a separate entity from the movie and, because of that, I can enjoy each in its own right. If, like I so often do, I look at the movie as the movie version of the book, I'd be upset that Dreamworks got so many things WRONG from the book. But when you look at each story separately, each story has great qualities.
I love what Dreamworks did with the movie. I love the way Toothless looks on screen and I agree with them that his ears and his eyes are wonderfully expressive and really make him a lot of fun to watch on screen. The story on screen stands for itself and it's AMAZING!
The story in the book stands for itself and it's AMAZING, too!!!! There's actually a whole series of books---I think the 8th one in the series comes out later this year......Samuel has read over half of the series and he agrees with me that they're GREAT stories and we can enjoy the books AND the movie---equally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
If you haven't seen the movie, you REALLY should!!!
If you haven't read the book, you REALLY should!!!
TWILIGHT....Yes, AGAIN!!!
I've lost count how many times I've actually read all of the books in the Twilight series, but I'm pretty sure I'm pushing #7 or #8......and I enjoy them every single time!!! Why am I reading them again now? (Yes, I'm re-reading ALL of them.) 1. Partly because the movie version of Breaking Dawn is coming out before the year's out and I want to read them again before I see it---and hopefully all the movies when the theater shows them all in one day! 2. Partly because my copy of the Official Guide came in a little over a week ago and, in reading through that, I've been intrigued about the series again and just couldn't stop myself!!! 3. Because I just plain and simply want something SIMPLE and FUN to read right now after all my heavy reading this year!!! LOL!!!
I don't have much more than that to say about this particual read-through. I didn't learn or find anything new that I'd never seen before in reading the first book. I just simply enjoyed the story and had fun! It did take me longer to read it this time than before---a week and half a day.
Of course, I'm still planning on reading the Lord of the Rings series over the summer....there's plenty of time! Don't worry!
I don't have much more than that to say about this particual read-through. I didn't learn or find anything new that I'd never seen before in reading the first book. I just simply enjoyed the story and had fun! It did take me longer to read it this time than before---a week and half a day.
Of course, I'm still planning on reading the Lord of the Rings series over the summer....there's plenty of time! Don't worry!
JUMOY (Jump for Joy)
Caution: Religious Content---Read the following at your own discretion. I realize that since a handful of my students read my blogs that I ought to create a whole new one that is just for religious posts rather than anything and everything I choose to write about, but that's more trouble than it's worth. I'm going to simply trust that if you'd rather not read any of my religious posts that you pay attention to the caution at the beginning and simply not read any further..........I promise that my feelings won't be hurt, just as I trust that you won't be offended that I'm writing religious content, especially considering the fact that I'm telling you up front that I'm doing so.
Anyway, I just HAD to share this......the end of the semester is always a VERY stressful time...not just for students, but for us teachers, too. We have a LOT of work to finish and pull together so everything can officially be FINISHED; it's very time-consuming--taking a lot of time away from family and friends who are all out doing fun "stuff" without us----while we sit at home finishing our research papers--students writing them; me grading them. To make things even more interesting for me, Samuel recently had his tonsils out. That was very stressful and difficult to watch my 10-year old "baby" get through. Of course, I've gotten behind on grading and other school work as a result.
Then, Easter Sunday, my parents came to spend a few days with us. They really wanted me to be able to participate in whatever they were doing, so they always planned their "activity" with Samuel (movie, going out to eat, etc.) for when I finished at school. To make things really interesting, James (my husband) invited some folks from church to go kayaking today. Because said folks have a baby less than a year old, someone had to stay home with the baby. No. I didn't babysit. The baby's granny (who is only a few years older than I am) was here, but we visited. Which I thoroughly enjoyed! (We all took naps! LOLOL!!!)
Oh, and today, May 1, was Samuel's 10th birthday!!!! And get this....tomorrow, Samuel has a reward trip in the evening to go to the movies--paid for by his teachers. (You know we can't pass that up!) Then, on Tuesday, Samuel is going to Bo's in Lenoir for ANOTHER reward trip!!!!
Oh, what a busy time of year!!!!! Anyway, let me get to my real point. I have not been going to prayer meeting that we have at church at 9:30 on Sunday mornings. I don't know how long it's been since I showed up on time for prayer, but it's been a couple of years, I'm sure. (I know; I'm the pastor's wife. The least I could do would be to show up for something as simple as prayer time.) Anyway, I've been doing an extensive Bible Study on having a RELATIONSHIP with my Lord and Savior. As I go deeper into my Bible Study, PTL, I'm drawing closer and closer to my Lord! As a result, I WANT to spend more time with Him in every way possible!
I WANT to do my Bible Study!
I WANT to simply READ my Bible!
I WANT to go to church EVERY time the doors are open....and then some!!!!
I WANT to pray on my own time!
I WANT to pray during scheduled prayer times!
I WANT to TALK about my Lord and Savior!!!
I WANT to worship Him with ALL my Heart, ALL my Soul, ALL my Mind, and ALL my Strength!!!
So, this morning, I got up and got dressed and made sure Samuel was ready so we could leave in time to be at church on time for prayer meeting. And what a prayer meeting it was!!! The Holy Spirit visited us in that place this morning in such a special way!!!!!!!! Oh, it was so powerful! We wept. We worshipped. We praised. We adored. And we wept some more. Sunday School was a wonderful learning experience and a great reminder that God sees our hearts and knows us TRULY. While others only see the outside and what we do or what we say, God sees and knows our deepest, innermost hearts and what's TRULY there. (I pray my heart is, like David, one after God's heart!)
Church, especially the worship service, was another spirit-filled time and SOOOOOO A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!! The Holy Spirit continued to minister throughout the worship service in a mighty way! We sang about asking God to send us His Power and it came to me that His power is ANY move of the Holy Spirit. We don't need to see the walls come down as they did in Jericho in order to see God's Power! His Power is shown and revealed to us in a hundred different ways throughout each and every day....sometimes God's Power is revealed in the simple act that I am able to GET UP---don't you ever have "those days" when you know before you even roll out of bed that you'd be better off to stay IN the bed????? What an amazing service!!!
So, the enemy tried to tear down all the wonderful things the Holy Spirit had built up in me not just today, but also over the past several weeks through my Bible Study.
How, you might ask?
James invited some church folks, as I mentioned, to go kayaking with him today. Normally, at the end of a semester when I have a lot of grading to do---and James KNOWS I have a LOT of grading to do--this would have been something to send me over the edge and ready to rip his ever-loving head right off and to tell anyone who would listen how very much he doesn't GET how busy I am at the end of the semester.....that he doesn't LISTEN to me when I tell him what's going on and how stressed I am.....and on and on the list goes.
Am I justified in saying those things about James? I think I am. Is it right--no, is it HONORING for me to say those things or to feel like that about him? Absotively posolutely NOT. I keep praying that I will be a light shining for God. Losing my temper with James, justified or not, does NOT allow God's light to shine through me. Rather than drawing me closer to God, my anger has always taken me further away.......and don't forget that's when I'd run to the food for comfort rather than to God!!!
But TODAY......the Holy Spirit was with me!!!! I did NOT get angry with James!!! I did NOT lose my temper!!!! As Samuel and I got in the car to go to lunch (believe it or not, we all ended up going out to eat, too, together--I ate a salad off the salad bar), I simply prayed and asked God to help me still get my work done without my losing "it" or getting upset about the change of plans.....
And guess what?! At 10:15 pm, I finished grading the set of papers I'd brought home!!!!!!! That means that I was able to visit with my company (ok, so we both napped.....still, it was what she wanted to do and what the baby NEEDED to do!!!!), spend some quality time with the birthday boy, AND STILL GET ALL MY WORK DONE WITHOUT HAVING TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT and without losing my temper!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guys, THAT is reason to R-E-J-O-I-C-E and to Shout for Joy!!!! JUMOY to the nth degree!!!!!! And now, I'm going to bring this to a close, get a good night's sleep, and be ready for what the Holy Spirit is going to do to help me tomorrow!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I just HAD to share this......the end of the semester is always a VERY stressful time...not just for students, but for us teachers, too. We have a LOT of work to finish and pull together so everything can officially be FINISHED; it's very time-consuming--taking a lot of time away from family and friends who are all out doing fun "stuff" without us----while we sit at home finishing our research papers--students writing them; me grading them. To make things even more interesting for me, Samuel recently had his tonsils out. That was very stressful and difficult to watch my 10-year old "baby" get through. Of course, I've gotten behind on grading and other school work as a result.
Then, Easter Sunday, my parents came to spend a few days with us. They really wanted me to be able to participate in whatever they were doing, so they always planned their "activity" with Samuel (movie, going out to eat, etc.) for when I finished at school. To make things really interesting, James (my husband) invited some folks from church to go kayaking today. Because said folks have a baby less than a year old, someone had to stay home with the baby. No. I didn't babysit. The baby's granny (who is only a few years older than I am) was here, but we visited. Which I thoroughly enjoyed! (We all took naps! LOLOL!!!)
Oh, and today, May 1, was Samuel's 10th birthday!!!! And get this....tomorrow, Samuel has a reward trip in the evening to go to the movies--paid for by his teachers. (You know we can't pass that up!) Then, on Tuesday, Samuel is going to Bo's in Lenoir for ANOTHER reward trip!!!!
Oh, what a busy time of year!!!!! Anyway, let me get to my real point. I have not been going to prayer meeting that we have at church at 9:30 on Sunday mornings. I don't know how long it's been since I showed up on time for prayer, but it's been a couple of years, I'm sure. (I know; I'm the pastor's wife. The least I could do would be to show up for something as simple as prayer time.) Anyway, I've been doing an extensive Bible Study on having a RELATIONSHIP with my Lord and Savior. As I go deeper into my Bible Study, PTL, I'm drawing closer and closer to my Lord! As a result, I WANT to spend more time with Him in every way possible!
I WANT to do my Bible Study!
I WANT to simply READ my Bible!
I WANT to go to church EVERY time the doors are open....and then some!!!!
I WANT to pray on my own time!
I WANT to pray during scheduled prayer times!
I WANT to TALK about my Lord and Savior!!!
I WANT to worship Him with ALL my Heart, ALL my Soul, ALL my Mind, and ALL my Strength!!!
So, this morning, I got up and got dressed and made sure Samuel was ready so we could leave in time to be at church on time for prayer meeting. And what a prayer meeting it was!!! The Holy Spirit visited us in that place this morning in such a special way!!!!!!!! Oh, it was so powerful! We wept. We worshipped. We praised. We adored. And we wept some more. Sunday School was a wonderful learning experience and a great reminder that God sees our hearts and knows us TRULY. While others only see the outside and what we do or what we say, God sees and knows our deepest, innermost hearts and what's TRULY there. (I pray my heart is, like David, one after God's heart!)
Church, especially the worship service, was another spirit-filled time and SOOOOOO A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!! The Holy Spirit continued to minister throughout the worship service in a mighty way! We sang about asking God to send us His Power and it came to me that His power is ANY move of the Holy Spirit. We don't need to see the walls come down as they did in Jericho in order to see God's Power! His Power is shown and revealed to us in a hundred different ways throughout each and every day....sometimes God's Power is revealed in the simple act that I am able to GET UP---don't you ever have "those days" when you know before you even roll out of bed that you'd be better off to stay IN the bed????? What an amazing service!!!
So, the enemy tried to tear down all the wonderful things the Holy Spirit had built up in me not just today, but also over the past several weeks through my Bible Study.
How, you might ask?
James invited some church folks, as I mentioned, to go kayaking with him today. Normally, at the end of a semester when I have a lot of grading to do---and James KNOWS I have a LOT of grading to do--this would have been something to send me over the edge and ready to rip his ever-loving head right off and to tell anyone who would listen how very much he doesn't GET how busy I am at the end of the semester.....that he doesn't LISTEN to me when I tell him what's going on and how stressed I am.....and on and on the list goes.
Am I justified in saying those things about James? I think I am. Is it right--no, is it HONORING for me to say those things or to feel like that about him? Absotively posolutely NOT. I keep praying that I will be a light shining for God. Losing my temper with James, justified or not, does NOT allow God's light to shine through me. Rather than drawing me closer to God, my anger has always taken me further away.......and don't forget that's when I'd run to the food for comfort rather than to God!!!
But TODAY......the Holy Spirit was with me!!!! I did NOT get angry with James!!! I did NOT lose my temper!!!! As Samuel and I got in the car to go to lunch (believe it or not, we all ended up going out to eat, too, together--I ate a salad off the salad bar), I simply prayed and asked God to help me still get my work done without my losing "it" or getting upset about the change of plans.....
And guess what?! At 10:15 pm, I finished grading the set of papers I'd brought home!!!!!!! That means that I was able to visit with my company (ok, so we both napped.....still, it was what she wanted to do and what the baby NEEDED to do!!!!), spend some quality time with the birthday boy, AND STILL GET ALL MY WORK DONE WITHOUT HAVING TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT and without losing my temper!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guys, THAT is reason to R-E-J-O-I-C-E and to Shout for Joy!!!! JUMOY to the nth degree!!!!!! And now, I'm going to bring this to a close, get a good night's sleep, and be ready for what the Holy Spirit is going to do to help me tomorrow!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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