What Would You Rather Do? Wednesday-Woof, Meow

I know there are Cat People out there and there are Dog People out there. So let's do an easy one today...

Would You Rather...

Have a cat for a pet

or

Have a dog for a pet

Let me know what you'd like for a pet...and while you're at it, tell me a little bit about your furry family member, I like to hear about others' pets. I'll let you know mine next week....

WOOF!!! MEOW!!

Major Malfunction

I'm alive...I really am. I'm hoping this will post.

We're having some type of malfunction with our internet access at home. Mainly with our WiFi. It craters about 5 minutes after I get online...and then I'm dead. Dead in the water. Have to shut it all the way down and start over. So posting something that will take me awhile is kind of out of the questions. It's a frustrating process.

We're working on it.

Be patient.

Something interesting will be posted soon.

Love ya,

The Computer Illiterate

What Would You Rather Do? Wednesday

Today's question isn't really a What Would You Rather Do type of question. So I'm just going to put it out there...think about it...give it some thought and let me know, we'll discuss next week.

What Do You Think Is Worse...

Driving while drunk

or

Driving while texting (or Facebooking or Tweeting, etc.)

As for last week's questions, I'm not sure, but I guess I'll go with Facebook, I'd rather only have Facebook.

Christopher GaGa? or Lady Walken?

Christopher Walken is one whacky guy.

He plays whacky characters.

I bet he's quite odd in real life, but wouldn't you love to have a dinner conversation with him? It would be....um....interesting....and probably a little intense.

But he seems like he has a good sense of humor.

My 6 year old daughter really likes Lady GaGa (is it GaGa or Ga Ga or Gaga or maybe GoGo? But I digress. Geesh, I'm a flake sometimes). Anyway, Katie & Josie love Lady G, and in particular they love Poker Face (which Josie calls the "Bah Bah Bah" song). I spend half of the time we are listening to her song saying, "we don't say that," or "we don't call other people that," or "that's not a nice way to act." You get the point. Yeah...I'd just like to see Kidz Bop clean up Ga Ga's songs. Good luck Kidzzzzz.

So when my friendy friend, Sarah, tweeted the video yesterday and I thought it was stinkin' hilarious! So here...enjoy Mr. Walken interpreting Lady GaGa.

What's up with Walken's hair?

Addition to McLinky...God Spoke Loud & Clear Today

I know I did a post today...see below for where I was on April 19, 1995. But I just had to add this to the post, or more, just add a new post to accompany my earlier one. Each day I get a daily devotional sent to my email inbox. Most days I read it first thing in the morning and try to direct my day in the Scripture, Thought and Prayer for the day. This morning was a little out of the norm at our house because we had to be out the door (ready for school and all) by 6:45 a.m. So just now opened my Daily Devotional. Here's a screenshot of today's scripture:

(Sorry it's kind of tiny, but I think you can see it).

Sometimes God whispers to us. And sometimes He speaks loud and clear.

Today, I believe he spoke loud and clear. On this day...15 years ago, 10 years ago, 1 year ago, today...Jesus wept.

Lucky for us, we have the Great Comforter to put our burdens on, He who loves and comforts us on our darkest days, even when we can't see the light--like many of the loved ones of the victims of the OKC Bombing.

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. ⁵For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. -- 2 Corinthians 1: 3-5.

Where I Was on April 19, 1995

Wow...look how tricky I am, I actually took the time to put the "button" on my post today. Something I don't normally do, but today I'm not rushed to get something posted.

So, today the RHOK asked, "Where Were You on April 19, 1995." I think I can offer a different perspective on this question than most people who post a McLinky today. Because I was not living in Oklahoma. I watched this unfold from the "outside."

I was living in Manhattan, Kansas (I moved to Oklahoma two months later--maybe I'll post about why I decided to move later). I remember hearing about it as I arrived at my job as supervisor of one of the bookstores at K-State (I was kind of at a place in my life where I was double thinking my decision about what I'd majored in and was working just to pay the bills and stay in Manhattan until I figured out where I wanted to move to). After I arrived at the bookstore, I always went to the breakroom/kitchen area to get my morning Diet Coke and see what they day would bring. It was there that someone told me what happened in Oklahoma City--that a building in downtown had exploded. It certainly piqued my interest because I had family living in Oklahoma, but I knew they were safe...they were in Tulsa and Stillwater and wouldn't have ventured over to downtown Oklahoma City by 9:00 a.m. So while I found it a little too close to family, I didn't glue myself to the TV to see what was going on. I don't think I saw images of the building until I got home that afternoon. People mentioned it throughout the day, but keep in mind, it was 300 miles away, it wasn't really the main topic of conversation...

until....

Timothy McVeigh was stopped....

And there was a connection to Kansas....

To Junction City, Kansas...20 miles away.

That's when things got a little dicey. Were we safe? Was he (and his co-horts) headed to Kansas to do the same thing to us? Who knew. But it was most definitely a nervous time for those of us in Kansas. Our hearts were breaking for our neighbors to the south, but felt like we were next on "the list." Plus, I think every fertilizer broker/store in Kansas was put on the defensive and felt responsible (there are many places in Kansas where you can buy large quantities of fertilizer--at least back then, I think that's changed after the OKC bombing. The farmers need that fertilizer...remember the western 2/3 of the state are farmland. If you want to eat bread, the farmers need the fertilizer to feed their field, to grow the wheat, etc., etc.). In a way, I think Kansans in general were put on the defensive, because the thinking was "a Kansan did this to Oklahoma." When in reality Timothy McVeigh wasn't from Kansas, he'd just been stationed at Fort Riley (in Junction City). No way would a real, true, kind hearted, heartlander from Kansas do that (did you ever see any of the interviews with the owners of the fertilizer store where McVeigh got his materials? So sad, this poor guy had such guilt and felt so responsible, but is wasn't his fault. He didn't know he was being lied to).

Anyway, it was a strange, surreal time. Then, when the feds made a connection with McVeigh and Terry Nichols to Kingman, ARIZONA, that made things even worse for people from Kingman, KANSAS. It just got geographically confusing, people didn't listen carefully to news reports and residents of Kingman, KANSAS were defending themselves that they had nothing to do with it and no, we didn't know McVeigh or Nichols. Pretty sure neither of them ever set foot in Kingman, KANSAS.

Anyway, so that's just a jumbled up version of where I was and what happened with me on the day of the bombing and the day/weeks following. It is a most heartbreaking event in Oklahoma's history. Even today when I see the images of that day, I find myself holding my breath, hoping that what I'm seeing isn't real. When I hear stories from people who lost loved ones, I cry. When I hear accounts from the rescuers, my heart hurts. But I will never fully relate like those who lived it as it was happening. I know this will tick people off, but I've never even been to the bombing memorial (actually, I've only really driven through OKC). I'd like to go, but I'm not ready to try to explain the kind of hatred that caused something like that to my kiddos. So maybe we'll just wait a couple years.

When I see the photos of the OKC bombing (and the 9/11 ones, too), it just makes me thankful that I live in a country where I don't live every waking moment with the fear that my car might blow up or that a bomb might destroy and kill hundreds of lives every day. Can you imagine living in that fear every day?

So, in closing, all I can say is God Bless Oklahoma, grant the loved ones of the people who died peace and understand that only God can provide. And I pray that this kind of heinous act never happens again and another life is not lost to that kind of hatred.

What Would You Rather Do? Wednesday-Oops, on Friday

I didn't get my What Would You Rather Do? Wednesday post done on Wednesday because I was so pooped from my evening out with girlfriends at the concert. So we're just going to do this thing a couple days late. Today's topic is on social media outlets.

Would you rather...

Only be on Facebook

or

Only be on Twitter

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this, but I think many social media outlets are getting a little toxic. Am I the only one who thinks this?

And as for last week's question on education vs. no education. Wow--did that get some people riled up. I got emails and tweets and FB comments about that from people who feel strongly on both sides of the issue. But I'll just tell you this...my answer is I'd take a college education over a very high paying job (with no college education) any day. I've seen time and time again (especially in this economy) people who have no college education, but are nicely paid, lose promotions and even their job because of a lack of a college education. I've seen very experienced professionals not get hired for a job they are well qualified for, not get a job because job descriptions or company policy states a certain level of education is a requirement for the position. So, no one will be able to convince me that an education isn't a priority.

Amen and thankyouverymuch, let's close the door on that topic.

Livin' on a Prayer

As I'm sure you know (if you live in Tulsa), Bon Jovi was here this past Tuesday night. There are few bands that I liked in high school that I would actually still want to see in concert, but Bon Jovi was one of them. I loooooooovvved them in high school. So to help celebrate my "big" birthday that is coming next month, I decided that seeing a band from my youth would help me feel young. HA! So a group of girls and I went and acted like teenagers for a night. Except we can drink legally now..but they don't serve wine at the BOK Center...so I didn't drink (but I could've, I'm old enough).

Let me tell you...Bon Jovi was wonderful in concert. Haven't you ever been to a concert and the whole time you're thinking "this doesn't really sound like so-and-so." Not the case with Bon Jovi. Jon Bon Jovi has an amazing, pure voice. Keep in mind, the guy is 48 years old and has been doing this for 25+ years, it's amazing his voice hasn't suffered. They had these super cool video screens that would shift and move around...show the crowd, show the band, show graphic that complimented the song...it was cool (you can kind of see if in the photo above).

Bon Jovi has shifted a little bit to the political side with some of their songs, but this latest album seems to have gone back to their roots of singing about hard work and American life. A lot of what they played I hadn't even heard of, but that's okay, they sounded great. And when they did start one of their chart busting songs-the crowd went wild.

Bon Jovi obviously has the right recipe for success-and it shows--in their music and their live shows. I think their success is due in part because Jon Bon Jovi is a smart business man. He understands that the music business is just that--a business...not a big party. He runs his band like a business and he's the boss...and his fellow band members know he's the boss and respect it. I don't think are any (maybe a few) of those bands that burst onto the scene during the "hair band" era are still around and going strong like Bon Jovi.

The concert was great fun...I give it 5 out of 5 stars!

Where I'm From

Ok, this is going to be super fast because I have about 5 million things to do in the next hour before I have to be at Katie's school to lead her little Daisy Troop's April meeting. But I told Baloney that I'd do a post on "Where I'm From", so here ya go, quick and fast...

The red square is Kingman County, Kingman in smack in the middle

I grew up in a small town in southcentral Kansas called Kingman. Population...roughly around 4,000, give or take a few. There we about 100 kids in my high school graduation class. Wichita is about 45 minutes away, so we had easy access to things you could only get in a larger city.

Growing up in a small town was good...and bad. Some other time I'll go into the pros and cons of small town living. I had close friends, a wonderful loving family. I was raised with good, Christian moral values that I am instilling in my children. Growing up in a small town gives you a respect for people and human relationships that I think are often missed by growing up in a big city.

This is the Kingman County Museum--it was the original town fire station and city offices.

My hometown was cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I remember 5'+ snow drifts and I remember the bank thermometer reading 121 degrees (therefore there is nothing Oklahoma weather can throw at me that I don't know how to handle). Tornadoes? Yes, of course...it's Kansas...you know...Wizard of Oz. The main street and many of the side streets of Kingman are still red brick streets. A small down town has an old-timey theater with a marquee and a ticket booth. The courthouse take up one city block and is something out of a movie.

Here's the Kingman County Courthouse--isn't it quaint.

When I lived in Kingman I wanted to "move on" and get onto bigger things. But now I find many days where I long for the quietness of a small town and the slow pace. A place where how big of a house you have, what designer clothes you're wearing or the kind of car you drive really doesn't matter. What matters is a kind soul, gentle spirit and loving heart. Things that I believe are the most important.

Gotta go...little Daisies are waiting!

Perfect Pairings--John 13:34

This picture is an oldie (from this past winter), but I love it...and the verse one of my absolute favorites.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.--John 13:34

To see more Perfect Pairings, go see Baloney.

Get Your Groove On

Yesterday on Facebook I posted a photo of Josie standing on her dresser in her outfit--jammies with Katie's ballet leotard over it. Today, I thought I'd show you what was actually happening when I took that photo.

Have a grooooooovy weekend, because, Groove IS in the heart.

Housewife....Puhleeeze

So I promised Baloney and Dawn that I would do a post on what my definition of a "Housewife" is for the new RHOK webpage. I told them not to hate me if I posted something they didn't agree with. They both told me that they love a renegade (which is me), so here we go....

I don't have to put a lot of thought and multi-paragraphs to explain my definition of a "housewife," to me it is very simple. Here it is: A housewife doesn't exist, that is an antiquated word that is no longer relevant in our society. It would be like calling our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq "Spartans." It's just not relevant in our society anymore. It was a term that pretty much came into popularity in the early 1900's and gained momentum through the late 1940s /1950s/early 60s. But we are no longer "those" women.

"Let's go defeat the Taliban!"

I do appreciate what "those" women gave us...washing machines, dishwashers, FABULOUS fashions--I do love me some 1950's fashions--so tailored, sophisticated, feminine (oh, on another note, remember several months ago when there was that quiz going around on Facebook "What Decade Woman Are You?", well, my answer was 1950s. I was the only one of my friends that took it that got that answer, so I appreciate the 1950s, it's just the majority of the roles women played just aren't existent anymore). But they sure looked beautiful. Ahhh--the days of Dior and Chanel. LOVE IT!

So pretty and feminine--classy. I'd totally wear this.

Tailored, classic, smart. I would wear this any day.

Oh, Ms. Hepburn...be still my heart. Could 50's glamour be more fabulous? Give me the occasion, this is exactly what I'd wear.

Ok...a fashion post is for another day. But I love 50's fashion and just all excited and can't stop talking about it. On with our discussion.

Anyway, the long and short of my definition of a "housewife" is nothing...nada. No such thing anymore. Come on ladies, let's define what we are, without the ridiculous terms thrown around these days...domestic engineer? Gag...NO! Stay-at-home mom/wife? Yeah, right...how many of YOU "stay at home" the majority of your day? Working mom/wife? Um...do we really want to put working women in box that defines them as women who only care about their career and not their life outside the office/workplace? I think not. I don't think there is a word/term out there that can encompass all that women are today, but "housewife" isn't it, nor any of those others just mentioned.

So there you have it.

Except this...

This would be a 1950's fashion I am NOT a fan of, however. Yiyiyi--ouch!

Oh--and Baloney is a punk (she knows what that's about--wink, wink). ;)

The Silent Gift

I recently finished a book, The Silent Gift by Michael Landon, Jr. and Cindy Kelley. Normally I do a review the day I finish the book or the day right after, that way I don't forget anything. But with this one I've waited a few days. I needed time for this one to settle, for me to roll it around in my brain and come to terms with it. I haven't decided if you all want me to give away the story with an in depth review or if you want an overview of the book and my thoughts. Please tell me what you want. I don't want to be a spoiler if you're going to go out and read these books. So today, in keeping with my "vagueness" theme of book review, I won't give anything away.

This book takes place in the late 1930's, when America is still battling the Great Depression. The main characters are Mary and her deaf-mute son, Jack. Jack has a special gift (I won't tell you what it is so not to ruin the book) that would be considered a divine gift and makes Jack's messages somewhat of a prophecy. I will tell you that when this first came up in the book, I about put it down--I actually returned it to the library. To me, it was coming too close to crystal balls, tarot cards and fortune telling with the words "God's Gift" slapped on it. I didn't like that one bit--so back to the library it went. But two days later I went back and rechecked it out. Something about it was still intriguing to me. The was a very human story being told and I wanted to find out what happened to Mary and Jack.

I'm glad I did. I was a touching story of a mother's commitment to her son during a very troubling time in her life and in our country. It was also a story of a mother's struggle with her trust in God. Her guilt in using His gift to secure a future for her son which ultimately takes him away from her and her relentless search to get him back into her arms and life. As probably most parents who go through what she endures she loses trust in God, is angry at God, challenges God. But in the end, defeated, she gives up and just when she is freed from the blindness of her battle with God, He divinely answers her desperate call for help.

The book has a beautiful cast of periphery characters who add charm and anger to the book. You despise some of the characters, are reserved about the intentions of others and grow to love Mary, Jack and those that truly have their best interest at heart.

Many people I think will relate to the struggle that Mary has with God, that when they are at their lowest or when life throws a curve ball their way they wonder where God is and why they trusted Him in the first place, yet, they know, somewhere in the depths of their heart that He will not leave them.

The Silent Gift is a beautiful story about a mother's devotion, trust in God, and human nature--both good and bad. Sure, there were parts that I thought "that would never happen" but it's a book--that's how authors keep us engaged. I am so glad that I went back and rechecked out the book and finished it. It is very touching and I would definitely recommend it.

While this book certainly isn't one of my "favorites of all time," I most definitely give it a FIVE out of FIVE stars.

What Would You Rather Do? Wednesday-Education?

(that's Anderson Hall, at K-State...my Alma Mater)

I don't know why this came to mind to ask for What Would You Rather Do? Wednesday...well, actually, I do, but to keep the peace amongst the people I'll just go ahead and ask the question and not get people's feather's ruffled. So....

Would you rather...

Have a really, really well paying job, but not a college education

or

Have a college education and an average paying job.

This one is super easy for me to answer, but I was to hear from the people! Seriously, leave me a comment, I really do want to hear what you all think about this.

Happy Wednesday!!

Perfect Pairings--Easter Blessings

Happy Easter from the Three Little Lams.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father--to Him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.--Revelation 1:6

He has risen!

April Check In

I've been MIA for the past couple days. You're probably thinking after my last post that I might be curled up in the corner sucking my thumb with an IV of Starbucks inserted directly into my veins. But, oh no, my friends. NO! I have been keeping very busy--kid stuff, life stuff, keeping my mind off my need for Starbucks. But today is your lucky day. It's my first of the month "Resolution Check-In." So here we go....

1. Work out 5 day a week--besides this past week, this has been a good solid "CHECK!" I don't know what's happened this last week, the motivation has fallen. But I'll get back on track, maybe even today.

2. Recycle more household items--again, CHECK, this is getting easier and easier and I'm finding more things around the house that I can recycle. It's actually getting kind of fun...like a game.

3. Only one Starbucks a day--um, yes, I was doing very well at this. Obviously this is going to be a moot point now, since I'm doing ZERO Starbucks a day.

4. Do 20 or more posts per month--CHECK, done!

5. Read at least one book per month--Yeah! This is the one I was struggling with because I simply was having a hard time carving out time in my day to sit and read. But I did it! You can read my review here.

So I think I did okay this month. How are you all doing on your New Year's Resolutions? We're going on 4 months now...sticking with them? Abandoned them? Let me know-leave me a comment! :)

Good Friday to you.