"I feel stretched...

like chocolate pudding scraped over too much ham!"


Yes that is my favorite line from "The Lord of the Beans"--the new VeggieTales video. Any LOTR aficionado would get a kick out of this fun parody--yes Toto Baggypants is on a quest to find out what he should do with his gift--a magic bean that combines the gifts of the 4 other magic beans into one. We haven't played with all of the DVD extras yet, but I also enjoyed the 6 minute "Veggie Commentary" done by Larry (as Earacorn), Jimmy (as Legolamb), and Pa Grape (as Grumpy the dwarf)--it made me laugh. I highly recommend this whole DVD even if it does have the feature song sung by Wynonna (I really don't care for country music).

Go out and buy The Lord of the Beans or at least rent it.

Pictures taken from www.bigideafun.com

Switched

OK...so this is one of my FAVORITE videos on the internet. It just goes to show why a Mac is better than a PC. I hope you guys like it.
http://files.redvsblue.com/switch/RvB_Switch.mov

PS I'm still a Softie at heart. Happy 50th Bday Uncle Bill!

Your Response is Requested

In our MC next week we are planning to talk about cheating. I'm wondering-- what is the difference between cheating on a test and cheating in team competition during youth group. I'd love your feedback...especially if you are still in high school.

Thanks!

Loyalty

Part of my personality is to be a loyal person. I'm loyal to my grocery store, my alma maters, my former company and my Broncos--even when they lost 2 Superbowls in a row and even before that when they were put down by every sportcaster in a state other than Colorado. I'm loyal to my friends, my family, and ultimately to God. I'm not saying I'm perfect or always faithful, but loyalty seems to be an upholding, allegiance, and pride.

So, what about loyalty to one's church family? Our church recently changed our mission statement and vision--and I'm REALLY excited about it. For once in my 25+ years of being a Christian, I'm letting the Holy Spirit challenge me in some new ways. So, why are some people leaving? There isn't any heresy. It's all biblical. Some may be leaving because of changes in music or they just can't get past the comfortable way we've always done church...but it just seems disloyal. If we are the body...then when people leave its like an amputation...sure its not like they aren't part of the greater body, but it leaves a hole. Sometimes the hole is mainly emotional, but it really gives me an uneasy feeling. And I'm not sure that I want that to go away. We don't leave family...even when they do things to hurt us...or we have a disagreement...or we just don't "like" something about them.

(Thanks to Roger for the amputation analogy)

Cool picture huh? My friend Vera took it of her butterfly bushes a while back. I noticed more butterflies this summer than usual. I saw several up close and was just amazed. OK, so maybe all insects aren't horrible. I may just have to go to the Butterfly Pavilion after all.

One thing about monarchs is I think their orange color reminds me fall, so even though we won't be seeing many around now, watching the leaves fall can have a similar effect...calming, I think.

Castle Rock MC

Well, we had a fun time at youth tonight... even though certain people ditched (RS, CB, JB!) We had a respectable showing with everyone who was there dressed in theme. We were tourists--and we all ended up thinking Hawaiian.

Happy Fall Break!

Thoughts on Yoga

I read in an article on parenting in the Rocky Mountain News yesterday that one thing to help bond your family is doing Yoga together.

So, it seems Yoga is everywhere. I've heard it touted time and again by the media as well as acquaintances. I even recall hearing that they wanted to institute it in the public schools up in one of the mountain towns.

Can you really take the Eastern thought out of Yoga? So much of the "empty your mind" concept seems to be essential to these supposed benefits, but its just not a biblical concept. God doesn't tell us to empty our mind...which I believe can open us up to negative spirtual influences. God wants our minds full of Him.

Is there a way to take the positioning of Yoga and make it beneficial physically without the direct link to the religious emptiness?

Am I...green?

I love personality tests! I love to take them...I love to second guess why I chose what I did...I love to see what the tests say about who I am.

I just took a new one a few days ago, and I'm a Green--Peacekeeper. My second color was a Yellow--Promoter. I was surprised that I didn't come up with my second color as Blue--Planner. I think sometimes I act Blue because I was raised by a Blue and my sister is a Blue. I am definitely not a Red--Producer This is the People Skills Series, and there is also a book about kids, that I may just ask for for Christmas.

In another test I was a Golden Retriever. The most intensive test I've taken was the Myers-Briggs in which I first tested as an ENFP, but I may also be an ENFJ.

I find the analysis of my personality intriguing...as well as why I relate to others the way I do, and why I struggle with some people more than others. I believe that God made us the way we are, and we have a particular bent, but that isn't an excuse to keep us from learning and growing in areas of our life. Knowing yourself can help you overcome relationship challenges and even some internal conflict.

So, every time I get a chance, I'll take another test.

my new discovery

I'm not above bribery.

Tuesday night I heard the following come out of my mouth.
"If you sit quietly through this band, I'll give you a chocolate."

As a former teacher, I know intrinsic motivation is best.
As an observer, I've always felt that bribery isn't the best way.

But, hey...as a parent, I've learned that there is more than one way to skin a cat (and i mean that purely figuratively unlike some of you other people). So, sometimes you use the less palatable choice out of desperation. And I got to see Arapahoe and DC, so that was my goal.

I was happy to leave during Pomona's performance.

Stomp the Orange

We got together with a bunch of people from our Marriage Matters class and had a mystery dinner on Saturday night. If you've ever done one before, this was not the kind with the envelopes where no one knows who did it at the start. Those of us who were cast had script/guideline type things, and we knew what was going to happen...well, sort of...


What I learned:

• I'm not as good of an actress as I like to think I am. Sadly, I think I spent more time getting my costume together than getting into character.
• The heels are more uncomfortable than the fishnets
• I do better with an accent than I thought I would. But Southern is probably the only kind I could pull off. Lucky for me that's what was needed.
• It's hard to pour a drink with a feather boa around your shoulders
• Even with a vocal chord that doesn't work, I can still scream...but it hurts
• Several of my friends are much better actors that I guessed they would be

My favorite line of my character "you have splinters in the windmills of your mind"

My favorite line from the whole mystery was "Stomp the orange"

If I had it to do over again, I'm not sure if I'd sign up to be cast or if I'd have more fun guessing who the murderers were. If I was cast again, I'd stop stressing about the clothes and have fun getting into character.

Arachnophobia

In the early morning hours, I was pondering spiders. With the first snow today, I knew there would be lots of spiders trying to make their way into my home. I just haven't got an appreciation for spiders...I do know they eat bugs, and that's great...but why did God make that whole realm? Why not make birds herbivores and make plants self-pollinating and just plain skip the creepy crawlies? I wish I knew God's reasons because then maybe I wouldn't get so perturbed and jumpy when I'm in my basement.

Legos

Well, I've spent a fair chunk of time watching my hubby play Lego Star Wars in the last few weeks. And really it's pretty amazing what they can make with Legos...even if it's just animated Legos. I had never considered that I could be excited about a Lego X-Wing or Lego Pod Racer (even though it is Sebulba's). Maybe I'd get into Legos more if I had some of these cool kits.

I have also learned in the last 2 weeks that not only am I a passenger seat driver...I'm a passenger seat gamer. Roger has been patient, and actually found me helpful in a few cases.

I recommend Lego Star Wars...it's rated E and it's fun...all the better if you know a lot of Star Wars trivia and can appreciate the finer details of the game.

May the LORD be with you.

Random sitings

Hampden and University--by the old Denver Sem Campus

Red, old fashioned convertible
arm and leg sticking out of trunk

Talk about disturbing!

Prayer Request

I know that many of you that are reading this are Christ-followers. Please take a moment and pray for my step-brother Jason. Jason turns 27 this month, and on Tuesday he tried to take his life. He was raised in the church, but he is not a believer. He has a lot of problems and reasons to be down about life. He also has 2 sons and a girlfriend/common law wife as well as 4 siblings, 2 step-sibs, and their families and of course his dad and my mom. We all care about him, and we want him to choose life and most of us know that the only REAL hope is Christ. Anyway, he is in the hospital, and I have no idea what to say to him or how to be an encouragement since I have very little contact with him. (our folks got married after Roger and I did, so I only see him maybe 4 times a year.) OK, so now that you read about the situation, please pray again.

Thanks!

The pressure is off

Well, I didn't realize the Broncos were playing early today. I had Alex's outfit in the washer during church, so I could dry it before the game started at 2pm...well, the game was over before we even got home. So, Alex wearing Broncos gear is not the reason they are winning...all the more reason to rejoice...maybe we just have a good team with good coaching this year. ;) Go Broncos!