Jonah!

Please check out this series on Jonah. This is a 4 part series, part 4 is next weekend at LifeChurch. This series is a true blessing...Pastor Craig doesn't mind stepping on anyone's toes. Church isn't always a "feel good" experience. We should be convicted and it should be life changing...we should not be just going to church to check it off our checklist of things to do.

Part 1 - The Jonah In Us


Part 2 - Jonah's Prayer


Part 3 - Jonah Obeys

Power of Prayer - Something to Think About

There is this small town church. A bar opened up a mile down the road. The pastor and members of the church were so upset, they didn't want a bar to open in their town...yet alone right down the road. They had special prayer meetings and prayed that the bar be removed.

One night, lightning struck the bar and it burned down to the ground. The bar owner sued the pastor and the church. The pastor said that we are not responsible, it was just harmless prayers...just words. The bar owner said their prayers were the reason why lightning hit the bar.

The judge said, "Wait a minute here! So we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer and a pastor that does not."

Weekend Reflection

Well, we had a pretty uneventful weekend. I didn't have to do much work this weekend, which is good and bad. The good reasons are obvious, the bad one's are they are still needing to be done.

Friday night, Addy had her final swim lesson for level 1. Ann got to come down for that, then after that was over she took Addy and me to her house. We would only have one car in Choctaw that way, since Liz was already at the chapel. We spent the night up there on Friday night with Liz having two more weddings on Saturday.

Saturday, we got up and Liz went to the chapel. I pretty much sat around the house before Addy and myself went to help Liz clean candles and pick up the flower petals. After we were finished there, we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Golden Palace, in Midwest City. After eating lunch, we went by the mall there....wow, that mall is practically closed (half the stores are empty). I grew up in Midwest City before moving to Norman when I was 20. After the mall, we went by Sally's Beauty Supply to pickup some nail polish for Liz. She had been wearing boots and after all that walking, her feet were really hurting. Luckily, she had some sandals in the trunk of the car, but her nails needed to be done. By this time, it was about time for her to be back at the chapel for the next wedding...so I dropped her off and went back by Ann's house. I was only there for a little while....I had to get mine and Liz's stuff together, but Addy was spending Saturday night as well. After loading the car, I went by the gas station, picked Liz up and headed home for the night.

Sunday...wow, what a great message this morning. I am so glad that I started attending LifeChurch...it has been such a blessing. I will definitely need to post the Jonah series on here soon, which is what we are currently in. After church was over, we had lunch at Red Robin in Norman...then headed home. I got home and was planning on working this afternoon. I started mowing before the rain moved in...it never fails here lately. Jody (father-in-law) showed up to help me with the flat tire on the SUV...he had a tire flat repair kit (the tire had a screw in it). After that, I came in and showered, watched a movie, then took about a hour long nap with Liz. Jody had to come back down here (with us telling him not to repeatedly) because he was supposed to bring Liz's black book which has her driver's license, insurance card, money, etc. He showed up while Liz was at the grocery store, he only stayed about 5 minutes...I really didn't want him to drive down here for that, it is ridiculous. I am so ready for bed...I am still waiting on Liz to get here so I can carry in the groceries. That is pretty much it...I am just hanging out with Addy until she gets here. I hope everyone had a great weekend...unfortunately, it is time for another Monday....yay!

Homeschooling Is Here To Stay!

I have a good friend of mine who agrees to disagree with me in regards to homeschooling. I have nothing totally against public schools. I went to public school and loved it. I (and my wife) feel a higher calling...we have been called to homeschool. I ask, if I am doing what God has called my family to do...how is that wrong? We are in agreement to God, therefore I don't need to answer to any person in this world. Here is even some scripture that goes along with my belief on homeschooling...

God gave you children as a steward and gave you the authority over them:

Psalms 127:3-5 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Genesis 33:5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

Genesis 48:8-9 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these? And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

Isaiah 8:18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

Hebrews 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

On rendering to GOD'S what is GOD'S:

Matthew 22:21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
(People tend to ignore the latter portion of the verse. Our children are not Caesar's! Children belong to God!)

Ezekiel 16:20-21 Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?

God's commandments to us regarding our stewardship of the children He has given us include:

Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

How someone thinks in their heart is what makes them. How do children learn to think of the world, of God and His creation, in school?

Isaiah 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Jeremiah 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Again, a child's mind is trained in school.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Does a child receive this kind of training in public school?

Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Does a child "walk with wise men" in public school?

1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
That's communications as in "community."

Is it a good idea to put children in that situation?

James 3:13-18 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Matthew 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Psalms 119:97-104 O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

A Little Marriage Humor...

A man and his ever-nagging wife went on vacation to Jerusalem. While they were there, the wife passed away.

The undertaker told the husband, "You can have her shipped home for $5,000, or you can bury her here, in the Holy Land, for $150."

The man thought about it and told him he would just have her shipped home.The undertaker asked, "Why would you spend $5,000 to ship your wife home, when it would be wonderful to be buried here and you would spend only $150?"

The man replied, "Long ago a man died here, was buried here, and three days later he rose from the dead. I just can't take that chance."

Wordless Wednesday - Love Thy Neighbor




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Weekend Reflection

This was a pretty laid back weekend, for a change...well, as far as working. Most of that is due to the fact that Liz was so sick. Friday night, I drove her to the chapel because she wasn't feeling well. I stayed at her parents' house until she was finished with the wedding...then came to "help" with the candles. She had gotten so much worse during the wedding, that I had to do all the candles/cleanup while she laid on a bench literally shaking. After that, we headed to her parents to stay the night (which ended up being both nights).

Saturday, she woke up still feeling really bad. She insisted on going to work at the weddings, so I took her. I got there in time to help clean up again, trying to get her back to her parents to rest. We didn't do the candles because the evening wedding was supposed to be outside. Well, about 5:30 (Liz is suppposed to be there about 6) I noticed it was pouring rain outside...so I woke Liz up so we could go do candles. We just knew for sure that they would move the wedding inside with the rain. We got to the chapel and flew through the candles...not until we were finished had the rain cleared out and they decided to keep it outside. After the evening wedding, I just had to pick Liz up...with the wedding outside, we didn't have to cleanup the chapel. We went back to the in-laws for another night...finally we checked Liz's temperature...it was like 102.4 or something. We loaded her up with more medicine.

Sunday, Liz was still sick....she didn't get out of bed until around 3:30 in the afternoon. I just lounged around at her parents watching tv. We finally left around 5 or 5:30. While we were there, my mother-in-law (Ann) made me a header. She did such a good job...I love it! I might want to re-do my entire layout...just not sure what I want done. Addy spent the entire weekend with John...he dropped her off at the house late Sunday evening. Then it was pretty much off to bed....except we didn't get much sleep (Liz and myself). I got probably 3-4 hours....Liz maybe got a hour.

That was pretty much our weekend. Since I was up at the in-laws, I didn't get anything done around the house...just lounged around, helping my wife once in awhile. Awesome Fathers Day, I know...hey, it beats working the entire weekend!! Though, that means more will be waiting for me when I get to it.

Another 4 Letter Word - Soda!

Liz and I have been doing many different things in our lives to have a simpler and healthier lifestyle. We are making changes all across the board to be happier and more focused. From reducing the amount of daycare kids (or re-arranging days they are here), no television in the living room (we did this right before Christmas and we're good), and we are working towards having meals prepared at home....the list goes on. We were forwarded an email regarding soda and how bad it really is for kids AND adults. I don't have the article from the forwarded email yet...but it got me looking. Below, I found the TRUTH regarding SODA! We aren't going to immediately stop right this second (we just bought two 24-packs), but since we are addicted...we are going to slowly reduce the amount we drink in a day. I had already done so (I used to have about 6 in a day) by reducing down to 3-4. My next goal is to have 2 per day this next week...then, just 1 per day until I run out. Here is the article:

Soda. It's become the four-letter word of beverages. Of all the drinks on the market, soda probably has the worst reputation. Science and medical research point their collective finger at soda, and blame it for everything from diabetes to tooth decay, hyperactivity to childhood obesity. But is soda really that bad for you? When asked if soda is inherently unhealthy for people, board certified nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, said, “Yes. Simple, unequivocal answer, yes. Yup. Affirmative. Absolutely.” What's so unhealthy about many Americans' favorite beverage?

To get to the truth, let's start with the ingredients. The average cola contains carbonated water, caramel color, natural flavors, caffeine, phosphoric acid and high fructose corn syrup. Carbonated water is plain water infused with carbon dioxide, which creates the bubbles. Caramel color is a natural additive that tints food products, providing the familiar color consumers expect to see. Natural flavors are often of the citrus variety and added for taste. All of these are simple, harmless ingredients. Next is caffeine, a diuretic and stimulant known to be addictive.

What's left on the list of ingredients is what solidifies soda's bad name: sugar. Phosphoric acid is a chemical that adds a tangy or sour flavor by breaking down starches into sugar. According to Bowden, we should consume as little sugar as possible, especially refined sugar. “Zero would be a bull's-eye but is pretty much an unobtainable goal,” says Bowden. Why is it unobtainable? Because almost every product on supermarket shelves contains the final ingredient on our soda list: high fructose corn syrup. “It's included because it is a way cheaper form of sweetener than anything else,” says Bowden. “It is also one of the single most horrific ingredients in the food supply.” Adding high fructose corn syrup to foods provides little nutrition and lots of calories.

If this is the case, then what about diet soda: Does it help or hinder weight loss? “There's no hard-core scientific evidence that it hinders,” says Bowden.“But there is a ton of anecdotal information and intelligent observation that leads one to think that might be so. New research shows that noncaloric food and beverages deregulate our innate ability to judge caloric intake. Secondly, there's the psychological part: Many people subconsciously think they're taking in less calories by drinking these crappy drinks and then subconsciously allow themselves more food. Third, there is some suspicion among nutritional scientists that sweet tastes — through a Pavlovian conditioning method — might signal insulin to release even though there are no actual calories or sugar. This is a theory I think has a lot of merit.”Taking all of this into consideration, soda just doesn't add up to be a beneficial drink. Even the label on a can states that it is “not a significant source of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron.”

Now that you have the facts and you're staring at a month's supply of soda you just bought, don't panic. Your purchase need not go to waste. According to numerous household cleaning Websites, soda can clean your toilet, eliminate rust from a car bumper and remove grease from clothing.

Wordless Wednesday - Quick Search



Please leave me a comment if you're participating in WW so I can visit your site. Also, if you'd like to see other WW participants, go here

Homeschooling Objections and Responses:

Objection - This is a new idea. How do you know it will work?
Answer - Home schooling is not a new idea. It is how education was done in Biblical times. It is how many of the founding fathers of the United States were educated. Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Edison were home schooled. So we know it will work because it has been working for centuries. Government schools are the new idea. It is an experiment that is not proving to be very successful.

Objection - Your child won't be able to participate in high school athletics.
Answer - That may or may not be true, depending on the area where one lives (not the case in in Norman, OK and surrounding metro area). However, even if it is true, making right decisions often involves sacrifice. I would rather see my child get a quality education in a loving Christian atmosphere than have him play football. Additionally, what percentage of students really get to play high school sports? Only the best make the team. And only the best of those actually get to play. But there are many ways (little league, recreation leagues, etc.) to participate in sports without being on a high school team.

Objection - The shared government school experience is essential to our nation.
Answer - The nation was doing just fine before the "government school experience" began. Government schools did not start becoming common until well after the founding of the United States.

Objection - What if they *want* to go to government school?
Answer - Suppose children *want* to do cocaine? Does that mean they should be permitted to do so? Children are not allowed to make all of their own decisions for the simple reason that they are not mature enough to do so. They are often unable to assess all of the necessary information to make the right choices. That's what parents are for. It is their responsibility to make those decisions for their children.

Objection - Government schools were good enough for us, so they should be good enough for our children (implied here was also, "They should be good enough for your children, too!").
Answer - Outhouses were good enough for earlier generations of my family but that doesn't mean I should get rid of my indoor plumbing. Also, the people teaching, the children going to school and the curricula in use are not the same as they used to be. Besides, I don't want what's "good enough" for my child. I want what is best for him.

Objection - They won't get the necessary social skills in a homeschool environment that they would get in the public school system.
Answer - You're right, they'll get better social skills! Only in the public school system, are you locked down to strictly spending your time with people your age. Once you are out of school, you have to deal with people from old to young. Also, there are many co-ops, church/christian groups, homeschooler groups out there...not to mention extra-curricular activities (dance, choirs, etc) for homeschoolers where they will interact with other kids. Also, if you are involved in a local church...they will be around kids about their age during the kids classes.

I will leave you with this thought. If God has called you or someone else to homeschool and "raise up their child", then who can judge them/you for that? I would rather my kids be raised/taught by us with christian background/beliefs, then what the world might/would put into their mind. We will raise our kids with values, morals, and God...which will give them a firm foundation to stand upon for when they go out into the world. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord"!

Homeschoolopoly!

Growing up, I loved to play Monopoly with the family....or just whoever would play. As a teenager, I got Sooneropoly (I have no idea where it is now, though) and absolutely loved it! I am amazed at how many different versions of the game are out there...sports, animals, etc.

Now, they have a Homeschool Edition...and it appears to be Christian-based, too!

http://www.homeschoolopoly.com/gamepix.htm

Gin In School???....Another Reason To Homeschool

School Served Gin to 6th Graders

I saw this headline and just had to laugh. Of course, I wouldn't be laughing if it were my kid.

School defends serving gin to students

State education officials said they’ll investigate a northeast Ohio charter school that served gin to sixth graders at a graduation ceremony.

Four students were given a teaspoon of gin mixed with water on Tuesday in a ceremony modeled on a Ghanian rite of passage event, said Kwa David Whitaker, an official with the Phoenix Village Academy. The school’s curriculum emphasizes African history and culture, and the ritual was intended to teach truthfulness, said Whitaker, who oversaw the ceremony.

The students were blindfolded, giving them the uncertain feeling that goes with moving from one stage of life to another, he said. Each student was given a teaspoon of water and a teaspoon of the gin-water mix, and then asked to identify which contained water. The students recognized that the gin wasn’t water and spit it out before swallowing, Whitaker said. The point is to teach the children to be honest, he said.

I just love the part were the students were blindfolded. I think this lesson is teaching the students something, but I don't think it is "honesty." It sounds more like something you would do at a college frat party.

I Can't Believe It Has Been A Year!!

Well, my wife and I are celebrating our 1 year anniversary! Tomorrow is actually the day, but we have kinda been celebrating all weekend. We stayed out at the in-laws the last couple nights because Liz had three weddings (one Friday, two Saturday).

Saturday, I dropped her off at the chapel...then took the car to get the oil changed and to the car wash (clean and vacuum), then back to the chapel to help her clean candles. After that, we went to Shawnee...we ate lunch at the Delta Cafe, then headed over to Old Navy to check out some clothes. Liz has been running short on "nice" clothes for work at the chapel...so I let her pick out whatever she wanted. I also picked out a couple t-shirts and dress shirt...Liz felt that I needed these "cute" sandals, so she got me those, too. She also got a nice dress from there for our date tonight...though it wasn't for that alone.

Tonight, we went out for the evening. Addy spent the evening with her daddy. We went by a jewelry store, where Liz bought a couple items....I just couldn't find anything that brought out the color of my eyes, that also went along with my outfit. haha! After that, we went to eat at Musashi's up in the city. The experience was really cool....the food was pretty good, too. We headed back for Norman, with a stop at the sno-cone stand and video store before heading to the house.

That was pretty much it about the evening. Now, enough about that...I really want to talk about my wife. I have to thank her for the best year of my life. She is my everything! If there is anything possible that I can do for her...I don't hesitate! She will be the first to admit that she is extremely spoiled rotten!! I can go on and on all day long about how much she means to me! I will end this post saying this last thing...I AM THE LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WORLD!!!

Something To Think About - Life's Baggage

Check out this little video clip (it is less than 3 minutes long) from our Pastor Craig about baggage...it is so true! As we go through life, everything we face adds more baggage to carry...at some point, we need to realize that we aren't strong enough to do it on our own. We need to give it all to God, who is able and willing!

Appetizer

What do you consider to be the ultimate snack food?
I'm not a huge snack food person. I don't snack much at all. My wife makes these tortilla roll-ups that I love (and haven't had in a long time...hint, hint). I also love nachos and lil smokies.

Soup

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), about how popular is your last name?

Maybe a 4. I have seen my last name out there, more than I thought I would. There was a professional baseball player, a famous music producer, and I even see it every now and then while out. Example: Last weekend, Liz and I were out garage sale shopping. We turned down a street, and the first house on mailbox had "SHIPLEY" on it...I thought it was cool.

Salad

Who is your all-time favorite sitcom character, and why?
Wow, now that is a tough one! I have no idea. It may be Raymond's dad, from Everybody Loves Raymond...just the way he acts (especially towards his wife) is funny. He reminds me of my dad...my dad jokes around like that with my mom, though he really does love her.

Main Course

Do you shop online? If so, name some sites you like to browse for goodies.

I used to before I got married...now, I just don't want to spend money because there are better things that it needs to go for (bills, food, kids, etc). When I did shop online...my favorite was Old Navy. I would also shop a little online with EA Sports (video games), Best Buy, and ebay.

Dessert

Fill in the blank: I think ___________ should be ___________.

I think FRIDAYS should be PART OF THE WEEKEND. How cool would that be?? I would love to have a 3-day weekend every single week. Talk about boosting your workers motivation.

Go here to see other Friday's Feast participants. If you're participating, be sure to leave me a comment so I pop over to your place and indulge a bit!

Wordless Wednesday - Bad Parenting


Please leave me a comment if you're participating in WW so I can visit your site. Also, if you'd like to see other WW participants, go here

A Little Mr. Rogers In Us...

Some very interesting things about Mr. Rogers

1. He Made Thieves Think Twice
According to a TV Guide piece on him, Fred Rogers drove a plain old Impala for years. One day, however, the car was stolen from the street near the TV station. When Rogers filed a police report, the story was picked up by every newspaper, radio and media outlet around town. Amazingly, within 48 hours the car was left in the exact spot where it was taken from, with an apology on the dashboard. It read, “If we’d known it was yours, we never would have taken it.”

2. He Watched His Figure to the Pound!
In covering Rogers’ daily routine (waking up at 5; praying for a few hours for all of his friends and family; studying; writing, making calls and reaching out to every fan who took the time to write him; going for a morning swim; getting on a scale; then really starting his day), writer Tom Junod explained that Mr. Rogers weighed in at exactly 143 pounds every day for the last 30 years of his life. He didn’t smoke, didn’t drink, and was extremely disciplined in his daily routine. Rogers found beauty in the number 143. According to the piece, Rogers came “to see that number as a gift"… because, as he says, “the number 143 means ‘I love you.’ It takes one letter to say ‘I’ and four letters to say ‘love’ and three letters to say ‘you.’ One hundred and forty-three.”

3. He Saved Both Public Television and the VCR
Strange but true. When the government wanted to cut Public Television funds in 1969, the relatively unknown Mister Rogers went to Washington. His 5-6 minute testimony on how TV had the potential to give kids hope and create more productive citizens was so simple but passionate that even the most gruff politicians were charmed. While the budget should have been cut, the funding instead jumped from $9 to $22 million. Rogers also spoke to Congress, and swayed senators into voting to allow VCR’s to record television shows from the home. It was a debate at the time, but his argument was that recording a program like his allowed working parents to sit down with their children and watch shows as a family.

4. He Was Genuinely Curious about Others
Mister Rogers was known as one of the toughest interviews because he’d often befriend reporters, asking them tons of questions, taking pictures of them, compiling an album for them at the end of their time together, and calling them after to check in on them and hear about their families. He wasn’t concerned with himself, and genuinely loved hearing the life stories of others. Amazingly, it wasn’t just with reporters. Once, on a fancy trip up to a PBS exec’s house, he heard the limo driver was going to wait outside for 2 hours, so he insisted the driver come in and join them (which flustered the host). On the way back, Rogers sat up front, and when he learned that they were passing the driver’s home on the way, he asked if they could stop in to meet his family. According to the driver, it was one of the best nights of his life—the house supposedly lit up when Rogers arrived, and he played jazz piano and bantered with them late into the night. Further, like with the reporters, Rogers sent him notes and kept in touch with the driver for the rest of his life.

5. He was Color-blind
Literally. He couldn’t see the color blue. Of course, he was also figuratively color-blind, as you probably guessed. As were his parents who took in a black foster child when Rogers was growing up.

6. He Could Make a Subway Car full of Strangers Sing
Once while rushing to a New York meeting, there were no cabs available, so Rogers and one of his colleagues hopped on the subway. Esquire reported that the car was filled with people, and they assumed they wouldn’t be noticed. But when the crowd spotted Rogers, they all simultaneously burst into song, chanting “It’s a wonderful day in the neighborhood.” The result made Rogers smile wide.

7. He got into TV because he hated TV
The first time he turned one on, he saw people angrily throwing pies in each other’s faces. He immediately vowed to use the medium for better than that. Over the years he covered topics as varied as why kids shouldn’t be scared of a haircut, or the bathroom drain (because you won’t fit!), to divorce and war.

8. He was an Ivy League Dropout
Rogers moved from Dartmouth to Rollins College to pursue his studies in music. He composed all the songs on the show, and over 200 tunes.

9. Mr. Perfection
He was a perfectionist, and disliked ad libbing. He felt he owed it to children to make sure every word on his show was thought out.

10. The Sweaters
Every one of the cardigans he wore on the show had been hand-knit by his mother.

Appetizer
Name something you think is “the best.”

Wow, this is tough. It depends on what the topic is. I have the best wife! I root for the best team, OU! I can go on and on and varying topics. Name someTHING that is the best...I would say homecooked meals. Restaurants are awesome, they have their time and place....fast food is good, it has its time and place. There is no better food than the one's prepared at the house in my opinion. I like cooking, and I don't mind doing the cooking either...especially if I ever get a grill. Sometimes, as busy as we all are....we tend to put aside healthier home-prepared meals for the easier drive-thru fast food.

Soup
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 highest), how stressed are you today?

I would say 2-3. I'm not too stressed. I have to leave here in a little bit for Muskogee, to deliver a server. It is Friday, that is the part that keeps me going. I already have Monday lined up for me, too. I have to go to Pauls Valley and Millwood Schools. Tonight, I am hoping to get the yard mowed, and then I am hoping to get some sod and lay it down where I tore up the landscaping. I'm not stressed, just have a lot going on.

Salad

What kind of cleanser do you use to wash your face?
I have tried the "Purpose" cleaner that my uses and it is wonderful. I got to use some, I think it was before we were married...she already had some stuff at my house. It was really nice, at the time I told her that my face feels tight and clean. For the most part, I don't use face cleaner...pretty much just soap. I wouldn't mind using more her face cleaner, it was nice.

Main Course
Tonight is a blue moon! What is something that you believe only happens “once in a blue moon.”

Wow, I don't know. I guess play video games and watch sports. I used to play video games, pretty much on a daily basis for a few hours. I also used to watch sports (and espn when no sports were on) non-stop. Ever since I got married, that happens once in a blue moon. We are just always so busy and on the go. There is always so much to do and going on, that hobbies can easily be pushed aside. When I get home from work there is cleaning, taking out the trash, cooking/getting something, eating, a little family/relaxation time, showers, etc...then it is time to go to bed, get up and go again. When I was single, I just put things off until I wanted them done...I have to think about others now.

Dessert
When was the last time it rained where you live?
I will steal my wife's answer to this "Ummm...it's been raining for the last month...seriously." I know in about a month, we will be longing for rain and cooler temperatures.

Go here to see other Friday's Feast participants. If you're participating, be sure to leave me a comment so I pop over to your place and indulge a bit!

State of the Country Address...

Instead of typing/cutting & pasting...I will just pass along a link. Head over to my mother in-law's page, Ann, and read this letter...it is worthwhile.

http://annb1129.blogspot.com/2007/05/state-of-country-address.html

Boring for You - Cool to Me

As some of you might know, I am a Computer/Network Technician in Oklahoma. I work out of Oklahoma City but travel all over the state. We have been involved in some interesting accounts, though 85-90% of our business involves school districts across the state. I have been to Dallas to do some work at Ross Perot's business a few years ago. I have worked on Kelly Ogle's computer, and Brad Edwards had brought his computer in the shop once before. Now, I am working on Clay Bennett's new computer...the owner of the Seattle SuperSonics and chairman of Dorchester Capital in OKC. After it is ready, this afternoon around 1pm I am taking it to install in his office. I hope he is here today...but I figure he is up in Seattle. I'll let you know!

Wordless Wednesday - Another Reason To Be Afraid of Water!







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Survey Says...

What were you doing 10 years ago?
May 1997...I was finishing up my Junior year of high school. I was working for Mid-Del Schools that entire summer doing inventory.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
Well...that is an easy question. Liz and I were about to get married...our one year anniversary is June 11th!! I can't believe time has gone by so fast.

Five snacks you enjoy:
1. buttered popcorn
2. pretzels
3. tostitos with cheese sauce
4. Original Ruffles with french onion dip
5. salted peanuts

Five songs that you know all the lyrics:
1. so many worship music songs (hymn or contemporary)
2. pretty much any Dave Matthews Band songs
3. Hear You Me - Jimmy Eat World
4. How To Save A Life - The Fray
5. Grow Old With You - Adam Sandler

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
1. Give to LifeChurch/mission work
2. Get out of debt
3. Travel to some destinations we'd like to go see
4. Buy a different house with some land
5. Not only give to missions, but go do some mission work, too.

Five bad habits:
1. excessive eating
2. not exercising
3. not spending enough time with God one-on-one
4. not leading my family in prayer/devotional time
5. not reading/studying

Five things you like doing:
1. cuddling up with my wife
2. playing football
3. playing basketball
4. watching football (especially those OU Sooners!)
5. getting together with family

Five things you would never wear again:
1. Anything in a small size.
2. Anything medium, too.
3. Probably even anything with a large tag on it, as well.
4. socks with stripe around it
5. the makeup/wig that I wore, so Addy could have a few minutes of pleasure (pics on my wife's blog, too)....something tells me it won't be the last time, even though I don't care for it.

Five favorite toys:
1. bed
2. laptop
3. tv
4. xbox 360
5. basketball goal (with a basketball, of course)

Something To Think About - Just Let Go

At church this past Sunday, I heard a really good illustration that I thought I would pass along. It has really stuck with me ever since I heard the story. Here it is:

The "South Indian Monkey Trap" was developed by villagers to catch the ever-present and numerous small monkeys in that part of the world. It involves a hollowed-out coconut chained to a stake. The coconut has some rice inside which can be seen through a small hole. The hole is just big enough so that the monkey can put his hand in, but too small for his fist to come out after he has grabbed the rice.
Tempted by the rice, the monkey reaches in and is suddenly trapped. He is not able to see that it is his own fist that traps him, his own desire for the rice. He rigidly holds on to the rice, because he values it. He cannot let go and by doing so retain his freedom. So the trap works and the villagers capture him.

That really sticks out in my mind...what are we holding onto in our lives? We can free ourselves, if we were just willing to let go of "what we think we really need".

The Weekend - Happy Memorial Day!

It has been a pretty good weekend. Liz had a CPR/First Aid class for DHS (for her in-home daycare), so she had to take off work from the wedding chapel this weekend. It was nice to spend some extra time with her!! Meanwhile, Addy spent Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night with her grandma.

Friday night, Liz and I met my parents, aunt Carol, and my niece Kayla for dinner. Kayla lives with my parents for a couple more weeks...my sister got a job in Arizona and Kayla was finishing out the school year with my parents. Anyway, (back on subject) after dinner they all came over to our house so Liz could cut Kayla's hair. Her hair is so thick and it just wasn't looking good...my wife is so good with hair (better than she gives herself credit for) because it looked amazing! After they left, we were exhausted and ready for bed. We got cleaned up and hit the sack.

Saturday, Liz had to get up early (especially for a Saturday) and head up to OKC for her class. She had a class from 9-5, but it was on the same weekend as an art festival (the building the class was in was right in the middle of the festival). She allowed herself some extra time to park and find the building. While she was at work, I did some shoveling of the dirt (the remains of the landscape removal), cleaned the kitchen, took all the trash out, and did some laundry. I was getting ready to start another project around the house about 2:30 (thinking I still had some time) when Liz called saying they got let out a little early. We were planning on going to my parents' house when she got home, so that was cool that we would get to spend a little extra time out there. It seems like we don't get to spend too much time with them, simply because we are always so stinkin' busy. Liz got here, we took a few minutes to relax and headed out to their place in Blanchard. My parents were cooking us a wonderful meal...they are such spoilers because they let us pick whatever we want to eat. They cooked us a brisket, baked beans, mashed potatoes (for me)/potatoe salad (for them), and rolls....it is soooo good!!! After dinner, we played a game of cards.....Continental Rummy, our favorite game! After cards, we thought we were ready to go....3 hours later after visiting/talking in the living room, we finally made it out of there.

Sunday, we got up and got ready for church. I was so happy and excited because Kayla and my dad were going to LifeChurch with us this morning. We picked my dad up at their church, then went to pick up Kayla (who spent the night at a friend's house), and headed up to church. We had a total of Kayla, my dad, Liz's mom, Liz's dad, Liz's brother, Addy, Liz, and myself...quite the group! After church, I asked both Kayla and my dad what their thoughts were. Kayla really enjoyed her class...I was happy to hear she liked it. I really wasn't sure what all the kids (in that age) did during class. My dad said it was alright, he thought the music was too loud and you couldn't hear the people singing over the instruments. I see that as mixed...people are sometimes worried to truly worship because they are worried what their voice sounds like. After church, my mom and Carol picked up Kayla and dad from church. Addy, Liz, and myself went out to Liz's family's house for a cook-out. The food was so good....I love food cooked on the grill. We finally made home for the evening. We took Addy out to ride on her bicycle for awhile...during which we had a coupel ducks follow us home. We fed them some bread, which I'm sure they loved!

It was a pretty good weekend, and it isn't over yet!! We are all off tomorrow for Memorial Day. We don't really have any plans yet. We will probably go to the park for a little bit, and we will probably also get some work done on the house. We want to get as much done before it gets too freakin' hot! We hate the heat! Well, I will let you know what we ended up doing with our extra day off.

Appetizer
Name a sound you like to hear.
I have a few....I like listening to my wife sing, I like hearing amazing musicians play their instruments, the sound of the crowd at an OU football game. Those are all favorites of mine. There are many times when my favorite sound is just peace and quiet...I enjoy silence.

Soup
What is your favorite kind of cheese?
Wow...I love cheese!! Cheese is good...can't think of a favorite!

Salad
Do you sleep late on Saturday mornings? Why or why not?
I don't sleep very late...well, later than I do on weekdays for sure. I am usually waking up about 8 or 9 in the morning on the weekends.

Main Course
When was the last time you forgot something? What was it, and how long did it take to remember it?
I am like my wife...I tend to forget things. My memory used to be perfect...I could remember the smallest detail. Every since I turned 26, like my wife, I feel like I am 62 in that area. I don't remember conversations that my wife swears we had and other things, too. I have to really pay attention to what is going on, in order to remember it later. I used to be able to do other things and remember stuff...now I have to focus. The last two mornings I forgot to take the trash out. I almost forgot to set the trash cans outside to be picked up today, but I somehow remembered that as I was pulling out of the driveway. I was running late, and I didn't have enough time to run back inside to get the trash bag out of the kitchen. I am just feeling old!

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I notice ____________ when _____________.
I notice it is about time for football practices when my birthday arrives on July 29th.

If you'd like to participate, visit Friday's Feast. Also, please leave me a comment so I can head over to your place and enjoy your feast as well.

Dangerous Church

In light of the topic recently about contemporary versus traditional churches, I looked up church in Pastor Craig's messages. I found this one that stood out to me. I don't want to be a part of a "safe" church...which "strives to keep members happy", "avoids controversial issues", and "remains cautious". That last one stands out to me...."we've never done anything like that before"....yes, you've heard it all too many times. What if we took the "we don't do that here" approach and instead asked God how He would like it done?

Watch the message and find out why God didn't intend for the church to play it "safe". God has called us to GO into the world and teach people about the salvation that our gracious Lord provides...I think we should do whatever it takes to get that message to the people. Sometimes that even means thinking outside the box and being creative...to get the message to people that wouldn't normally attend church (unlike what many churches do...build a building and hope they come to you).

A Little Marriage Humor...20 Jokes

1. My wife and I have the secret to making a marriage last. Two times a week, we go to a nice restaurant, have a little wine, some good food and companionship. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays.

2. We also sleep in separate beds. Hers is in Sydney and mine is in Melbourne.

3. I take my wife everywhere, but she keeps finding her way back.

4. I asked my wife where she wanted to go for our anniversary. "Somewhere I haven't been in a long time!" she said. So I suggested the kitchen.

5. We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops.

6. She has an electric blender, electric toaster and electric bread maker. Then she said, "There are too many gadgets and no place to sit down!". So I bought her an electric chair.

7. Remember.... Marriage is the number one cause of divorce. Statistically, 100% of all divorces started with marriage.

8. I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always.

9. I haven't spoken to my wife for 18 months. I don't like to interrupt her.

10. The last fight was my fault. My wife asked, "What's on the TV?"....I said, "Dust!"

11. In the beginning, God created earth and rested. Then God created man and rested. Then God created woman. Since then, neither God nor man has rested.

12. Why do men die before their wives? 'Because they want to'

13. Getting married is very much like going to a restaurant with friends. You order what you want, then when you see what the other person has, you wish you had ordered that.

14. At the cocktail party, one woman said to another, "Aren't you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger?" The other replied, "Yes, I am, I married the wrong man."

15. After a quarrel, a husband said to his wife, "You know, I was a fool when I married you." She replied, "Yes, dear, but I was in love and didn't notice."

16. A lady inserted an 'ad' in the classifieds: "Husband wanted". Next day she received a hundred letters. They all said the same thing: "You can have mine."

17. The bride, upon her engagement, went to her mother and said, "I've found a man just like dad!" Her mother replied, "So what do you want from me, sympathy?"

18. When a woman steals your husband, there is no better revenge than to let her keep him.

19. A little boy asked his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?" And the father replied, "I don't know son, I'm still paying."

20. First guy (proudly): "My wife's an angel!" Second guy: "You're lucky, mine's still alive."

Wordless Wednesday - Free Cat!





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Traditional versus Contemporary Churches...

I have been reading a discussion on another blog about church. They talked about their experience last week at a "contemporary" church and seem to be kinda critical about the fact that they put so much into getting "warm bodies" there. They said they spend too much money on church advertising and doing what it takes to get people in the doors.

Isn't that the point? Get the word to the people! Why don't we use the internet, live worship bands, donuts, moonbounces, etc. to reach the people that wouldn't normally go to any church.

I can understand liking a more traditional setting, too. I grew up in those type of churches. It is hard to reach the lost in those type of churches, too. You can reach them...yes. Mostly, you look at the attendance at the "traditional" churches and it is mostly people that have already accepted Christ in their lives.

My point isn't to bad mouth one style of church versus the other....it is all the family of God. My entire point behind this post is just that. If you don't like one style versus the other...don't criticize it....just don't attend. You can find one that fits your style. How can we criticize anything that is reaching people and bringing people to Christ? If one (yet alone thousands) have found Christ in either style church....how is it wrong!?!?

LifeChurch - On MSNBC

My church was featured on MSNBC in regards to using technology to reach the world. Jesus said to "go into the world" and not "build a building and hope they come to you". I think we should use all the "tools" we can to get the word and message out to the people. Check it out...

http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/msnbc/fv.htm??f=00&g=003d2240-7893-4d6e-b5b6-735dd9ce5f07&p=hotvideo_m_edpicks&t=c24&rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/&fg=

10 things your restaurant won't tell you...

1. "It's more about the sizzle than the steak."
Business is good for the restaurant industry. Americans now spend roughly half their food budget dining out, and restaurants expect revenue of more than $537 billion in 2007. That's a 67% increase since 1997. It's not just our collective avoidance of the kitchen that's pumping profits: Restaurants work every angle these days, using marketing psychology to get you to spend more. Fast-food outlets even use a high-stimulus environment to maximize the source of their profit. Specifically, the use of bright light, bright colors, upbeat music and seating that does not encourage lolling. Even the menus are rigged. "We list the item that makes the most profit first so it catches your eye," says restaurant consultant Linda Lipsky, "and bury the highest-cost item in the middle."

2. "Eating here could make you sick."
The 2006 E. coli outbreak that started at a New Jersey Taco Bell and sickened more than 60 people was traced to green onions. But food-borne illness isn't the only cause for concern: In a separate December incident, 373 people in Indianapolis got sick after eating at an Olive Garden where three employees tested positive for the highly contagious norovirus. "You don't call out (sick) unless you're on your deathbed," says freelance chef Leah Grossman. Indeed, according to a recent study, 58% of salaried New York City restaurant workers reported going to work when sick; the number is even higher for those without benefits. They're not giving up the $100 they'd make in a shift because they're sick.

3. "Our markups are ridiculous."
It's no secret that restaurants enjoy huge markups on certain items: Coffee, tea and sodas, for example, typically cost restaurants 15 to 20 cents per serving, and pasta, which costs pennies, can be dressed up with more expensive fare and sold for $25 a dish or more. At a fine-dining restaurant, the average cost of food is 38% to 42% of the menu price, says Kevin Moll, the CEO and president of National Food Service Advisors. In other words, most restaurants are making roughly 60% on anything they serve.

4. "Big Brother is watching you . . . eat."
No one likes having their every move scrutinized, but that may be just what's happening at your favorite restaurant. Cameras are popping up everywhere, from four-star eateries to the place where you grab your lunchtime sandwich. At New York City's four-star Daniel, for example, four closed-circuit cameras monitor the dining rooms, offering a bird's-eye view of every plate.
"It's about maintaining a quality of service," says Daniel spokeswoman Georgette Farkas. "With the cameras, the chef can tell when each course needs to be plated and served." So much for that romantic dinner for two.

5. "There's something fishy about our seafood."
Even when you pay top dollar for a seafood dish, you might not get what you're expecting. About 70% of the time, for example, those Maryland crab cakes on the menu weren't made using crabs from Chesapeake Bay, says James Anderson, the chairman of the Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics at the University of Rhode Island. Because of high demand, crabs are often from other Eastern states or imported from Thailand and Vietnam. There's also the problem of outright substitution -- inexpensive fish, such as pollack, getting passed off as something pricier, like cod. How widespread is the problem? In 2006 the Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal sent fish samples to a lab to prove that four out of 10 local restaurants were pawning a cheaper fish as grouper. The same lab also checked seafood from 24 U.S. cities and found that, overall, consumers have less than a 50-50 shot at being served the fish they ordered.

6. "Reservation? What reservation?"
When Timothy Dillon, 34, showed up at new Chicago trattoria Terragusto for his friend's birthday, he wasn't expecting a wait. He'd made a reservation for four, then called the day of to confirm and add one more. The restaurant told him no problem, but when the party showed up, they were met with a long wait. After almost an hour of standing by the bar being ignored, they ended up leaving for another restaurant.

7. "Our specials are anything but."
It could be the chef legitimately wants to try out something new, but it could also be something nearing the end of its shelf life that needs to get out of the kitchen. How can you tell a good special from a bad one? Watch out for an expensive item used in a way that's minimizing its flavor, such as a lamb chop that's been cut, braised and put into a dish where it's a supporting player. Pastas, stews and soups containing expensive meats are also suspect. "There's an old saying in the restaurant industry," says David A. Holmes, the vice president and director of Out East Restaurant Consultants. "Sauce and gravy cover up a lot of mistakes."

8. "There's no such thing as too much butter."
Think that salmon fillet you ordered for dinner is good for you? Think again. Restaurants load even their healthiest fare with butter and other calorie-heavy add-ons. Restaurant meals average 1,000 to 1,500 calories, says Milton Stokes, a registered dietitian and spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. That's roughly two-thirds of the daily average calories recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to a recent study, women who eat out five times a week consume an average of 290 additional calories per day.

Though most Americans assume that fast food is the worst offender, similar fare at casual sit-down restaurants can be even more caloric. The classic burger at Ruby Tuesday, for example, has a whopping 1,013 calories and 71 grams of fat. The McDonald's Big Mac, with its 540 calories and 29 grams of fat, seems downright diet-worthy by comparison. "We butter our hamburger buns," says Julie Reid, the vice president of culinary for Ruby Tuesday, "so we tell people if they're looking to cut calories, they shouldn't eat the bun."

9. "Nice tip -- too bad your waiter won't get it."
Just because you tip your waitress 10 bucks, it doesn't mean she's going home with that money. More than likely, she'll have to pass on some of it to the people who helped her serve you: The bartender might get $2, and the busboy $3 to $5. It's called a tip pool, and it's becoming standard practice in many restaurants. "It happens often that if someone leaves a voluntary tip (for their server), a significant portion of that money is going to other people," Zagor says. According to federal law, only employees who customarily receive tips -- wait staff, hosts, bartenders and bussers -- can participate in the tip pool. But sometimes management takes a cut. In 2006, waitstaff from the Hilltop Steak House in Saugus, Mass., won $2.5 million in damages after complaining that managers dipped into their tips.

10. "Never go out to eat on a Monday."
If you think that Monday, when restaurants tend not to be crowded, is a great time to eat out, think again. "You're being served all of the weekend's leftovers," says Francis, the exposé co-author. Kitchens prepare food on a first-in, first-out basis, meaning whatever is oldest gets served first. It's a way to ensure that everything on the menu is as fresh as possible. The system works great most days, but it can run into a little glitch over the weekend. Distributors typically take Sunday off and make their last deliveries Saturday morning, which means that by Monday any food not used over the weekend is at least three to four days old. And it will be served before the same ingredients arriving in Monday's delivery. What to do if you wish to dine out on a Monday? Ignore your instincts and go to a place that's perpetually crowded.

Wordless Wednesday - Redneck Timeout!





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One more tribute to Mothers...

This video was shown at the end of the service on Mother's Day at LifeChurch. It is funny!! It is only a couple minutes...please watch!

Friday's Feast - #1

Appetizer
Tell about a time when you had to be brave.
What does it mean to be brave? It is tough when you have never been in the military, firefighter, police officer, being faced in a life or death situation, or an extremely tough obstacle in life. I can't think of anytime where I had to be "brave" and overcome some huge obstacle. I wouldn't call getting up and speaking in front of a group of people (even if you are extremely uncomfortable doing that, like me) brave, I wouldn't call getting up with my mom and sister to sing a song in front of the church brave, enduring a ride that goes way up in the air when I'm afraid of heights, etc. I can't think of anything that qualifies that word "brave" in my life.

Soup
Which upcoming movie are you excited about seeing?
I don't even know what's coming up. We don't watch tv at all... we watch stuff online (replays on abc) or movies... we never see previews or check out what is coming soon. I do want to see "The Reaping" and "Vacancy" that are at theaters.

Salad
Name an item you try to always have on hand.
I always want to have money on me, but my one item that I want at all times is my cell phone. I don't want to get stranded away from home (even if it is a mile away) without being able to call for help. I travel all over the state for my job, it would really be horrible to get stuck on a highway miles and miles away from anything.

Main Course
Imagine the most relaxing room you can think of. Now describe it!
My bedroom. I just want to be next to my wife. I even enjoy sitting behind her in bed brushing her hair. I love being next to her, that is when I am most relaxed and happy.

Dessert
On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being highest), how spiritual or religious are you?
I don't know...7. We are very religious, we love the Lord, we go to church, we try to do right, etc. The only reason I rate myself lower is because I do a horrible job leading the family in spiritual things (bible study/devo, prayer, etc) at home. It seems life is so incredibly busy...work, come home, clean, cook, eat, clean, spend time with family, bed, etc. It is just an excuse, I shouldn't have to "make time" for God...it should be me "making time" for other things. I struggle with this daily! Please pray for me, that I will be the MAN that God wants me to be.

If you are interested in Friday Feast, then go here http://fridaysfeast.com/ . Be sure to leave me a comment, I want to read your answers.

Dr. Phil - About Men #1

I was reading stuff online and came across this stuff on Dr. Phil's website. Pretty interesting! I can relate to some of this, and I'm sure my wife can, too. I will post different one's randomly.

Michael and Stephanie

"I cannot communicate with Michael," says Stephanie. "He's a typical male. He is so hard to talk to ... When I try to tell him what I do or don't like, Michael will shut down."

Michael says that Stephanie tends to dwell on things. "She'll walk around the whole day angry over something that I don't even know what I did," he says. "She has so many preconceived notions, what can I do to please this woman? It seems like there's nothing I can do that's good enough for her."

Stephanie turns to Dr. Phil for help: "I can't talk to my husband. Please help me communicate more effectively."

Dr. Phil starts by explaining that men have very fragile egos. "Men make a lot of relationship choices based on fear," he says, "and men have been socialized to a stereotype. Talking about feelings is just not natural for a guy."

Also, when Stephanie turns to her husband and says, "Can we talk?" what Michael hears is, "Have you got about an hour for me to chew your butt out?"

"Didn't you say that most of the time that you're talking to him, you're chewing him out?" Dr. Phil asks Stephanie.

"He deserves it," she says.

"How's that working for you?" Dr. Phil asks.

Dr. Phil drives home the point that men have fragile egos, they hate rejection, and their relationship choices are often fear based. So, when Stephanie criticizes her husband or makes an attempt at what she thinks is problem solving or communicating, he may view it as rejection. Then, if he makes a physical advance and she rejects him — which Michael says she does often — that's another blow to his ego.

Dr. Phil reads parts of the letter Stephanie wrote to Dr. Phil, in which she realized that she's not "fighting fair" with her husband. "I have done a great job of killing his character and dignity," she wrote, acknowledging that she needs to make changes from within herself.

All I'm asking you to do is recognize these characteristics about men," Dr. Phil tells Stephanie. "Men make these decisions based on fear. He's saying, 'I don't want to get rejected, I don't want to get hurt again, so I'm going to shut down.'"

Also, men have been socialized to not talk about their feelings, because showing their emotions could be perceived as weakness. "It's not natural for us to do that," Dr. Phil says. "That's just the way it is. I'm not saying it's right, I'm not saying it's fair, it's just the way it is. And what you're doing is not working. You are attacking ... When we are attacked, physiologically we are wired up to have one of two reactions: fight or flight."

Dr. Phil says that 90 percent of problems couples have are not resolvable. "You don't solve them, you just agree to disagree," he says. "You can be right or you can be happy."

Wordless Wednesday - I Think I Will Keep Going!





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Something to think about - "Don't Buy Gas" emails

Thanks to the recent run-up in gas prices, many of our email accounts have become cluttered with chain emails asking us to boycott major gasoline stations on a certain date in the future. The reason being, we’re mad about having to pay so much for gas and if we all band together for one day and refuse to buy gas, we’re supposedly going to cost the major gas companies billions of dollars and force them to drop the price of gas. For those of you who continually forward these emails to everyone on your contact list, please stop. This is one of the most ridiculous ideas out there and it would never work.

There are plenty of extremely logical and obvious reasons why this tactic would never work, yet most of us tend to overlook these as we focus on trying to place blame for the huge jump in the price of gas since the end of February. As is usually the case, logic tends to take a backseat to emotion.

That being said, I’m going to try my best to explain why this idea won’t ever work in the real world and why you should automatically delete any emails like this that you may receive.

The first (and most obvious) reason is you are simply delaying the purchase of the gasoline you need; we’re not actually decreasing the demand for gas (which might bring the prices down), we’re just shifting the demand to another day in the very near future.

For example, let’s say that 100,000,000 people decide to join this boycott, which causes 1,000,000,000 fewer gallons of gasoline to be purchased on that particular day. In theory, this would cost the major gas and oil companies about $3 billion in revenue.

However, you mean to tell me that during the next couple of days that those 100,000,000 people aren’t going to go back to the gas stations to purchase the gas that they didn’t buy the day they were boycotting? Of course they’re going to; they still need all that gasoline in order to get to work, drive the kids to school, etc. There wasn’t a drop in demand, just a shift in demand - which means that the gas companies don’t actually lose the $3 billion in revenue, they just get it within the next couple of days.

The second reason is if for some insane reason this boycott tactic actually worked and did cause the gas companies to lose money, do you actually think that these companies would lower prices to gain back the small percentage of their total annual revenue that they lost? I highly doubt it. The more likely scenario would be these companies would actually slightly RAISE prices in order to try and collect some of the money that they may have lost.

Hopefully it has become pretty obvious that the only way we’re going to be able to save money on our car’s gasoline is to reduce the demand for gasoline by driving less and driving more fuel efficient vehicles. It’s not going to come by some crazy scenario where we boycott gasoline stations for one arbitrary day.

I hate filling the gas tanks, too. It feels like I am having to finance a tank of gas. Shifting the demand of gas to another day is not the answer. Please stop sending me those emails and bulletins! Sorry for the rant...I will step off my soap box now.

-Ology Survey...

FOODOLOGY

Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. Thousand Island...I also enjoy the Caesar Salad, too.

Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Chick-Fil-A (which I rarely get, since most are in the mall) and Arby's...those are probably my favorites, but I don't have either by the house (across Norman). I also like Wendy's, BK, McDonalds, and Sonic just fine.

Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. You're killing me with the food questions...I'm a lover of most food. Cheddars, Chilis, Charlestons, Rib Crib, Salt Grass Steakhouse....that is probably my top 5 right now.

Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. 10%, if we have really good service then maybe a little more generous.

Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick off of it?
A. I can't think of a single thing...I like variety.

Q. What do you like to put on your toast?
A. butter, butter & grape jelly, or honey on toast already made....I also really like taking bread, then put butter & cinnamon sugar spice on it, stick in the oven to toast (cinnamon toast)...so good!

Q. What is your favorite type of gum?
A. I like all different kinds, except the cinnamon gums like Big Red.

TECHNOLOGY

Q. Number of contacts in your cell phone?
A. I have no idea and I don't know how to find out without actually couting each name (which I'm NOT going to do).

Q. Number of contacts in your email address book?
A. I use several different email addresses, so I don't know all together.

Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A. A snapshot of the OU football stadium during a night game.

Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A. We have 2 in the house, 1 in the garage (used to be in the living room). Addy has a tv in her bedroom for videos, we took the tv from the living room to the garage, then we have the big screen tv in our bedroom (where we watched the most tv/movies anyway).

BIOLOGY

Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. Right.

Q. Do you like your smile?
A. It is ok...I just wish I had straight, white teeth.

Q. What's your best feature?
A. I don't know, I am just happy with myself as a whole.

Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. Outside of the occassional nail clippings, skin (from cuts or peeling), cutting of hair, etc....nope, not at all.

Q. Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?
A. smell and touch - I notice smells really well (good and bad)...my skin can be somewhat sensitive to the touch, too. My feet for example...I can't walk up a ladder without shoes on, and you can definitely forget walking on rocks.

Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?
A. I have no idea...hopefully, I don't have any now. I really need to get to the dentist.

Q. What is the heaviest item you lifted last?
A. Addy, I guess. I have no idea.

Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. No, the closest thing is blacking out for a few seconds.

BULLCRAPOLOGY

Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. Yes, I should live everyday as if it could be my last (because it could)...it still would make a difference (especially long-term planning).

Q. Is love for real?
A. Yes!

Q. If you could change your first name, what would you change it to?
A.I wouldn't.

Q. What color do you think looks best on you?
A. Black.

DAREOLOGY

Q. Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?
A. Absolutely!

Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
A. I don't think so.

Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?
A. Yes, just surprise me though....I definitely couldn't do it to myself, and I don't want to watch it being done either.

Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A. Of course!

Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?
A. No way!

Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1,000?
A. I don't care for hot sauce, but I definitely would!

Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for 1,000,000?
A. Okay...I'd like to say no, but if we're talking NO PUNISHMENT...including God, then I might take out someone like Osama or Saddam (I know he is already dead)...just someone evil and cruel.

Q. Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?
A. Definitely! We don't watch much anyway.

DUMBOLOGY

Q: What is in your left pocket?
A: Wallet and phone

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: I don't think so...it is ok.

Q: Could you live with roommates?
A: I have...it can be difficult. I had two really good one's...then I lived with a group on a seperate occassion and had payment difficulties (shared bills).

Q: How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?
A: A couple, I think.

Q: Where were you born?
A. Midwest City

Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A: Not in awhile, I have been lucky and not been pulled over (that is the extent of my "run-ins").

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: A daddy.

LASTOLOGY

Q: Friend you talked to?
A: I talked to a few co-workers just a minute ago.

Q: Last person you called?
A: Liz

Q: Person you hugged?
A: I'm sure it was Liz.

FAVORITOLOGY

Q: Number?
A: 23 - that was my favorite sports number and always had it.

Q: Color?
A: Crimson & Cream (OU!)

Q: Season?
A: Fall/Winterish....December is my favorite month. I like it cold. I also love the whole Christmas time...buying presents/going shopping, hearing Christmas music, decorating the house, etc.

RANDOMOLOGY

Q: First place you went this morning?
A: I went to the laundry room to restart the dryer, then the bathroom.

Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: I can't wait to be a daddy! I also can't wait to be debt-free (or at least only owe on house and maybe one car).

Q: What's the last movie you saw?
A: I can't remember...I watched part of Perfect Stranger and part of Next. I guess it was Deja Vu.

Q: Do you smile often?
A: Yes, probably quite often.

Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: Yes, very much so.

Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A: Tile and carpet. I can't wait to rip up the carpet in the living room/dining area and put down hardwood floors.

Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
A: Stand.

Q: Now that the survey's done what are you going to do?
A: Check my e-mail and look like I am working.

Long Exhausting Weekend!

Wow! Talk about a long exhausting weekend full of work! Let me break it down for you:

Friday night, I got home around 5:45pm....Liz was already gone to work at the chapel. It is Addy's weekend with her daddy, but he called saying he was going to mow first...so it was going to be a couple hours. By the time I got home, all the daycare kids were leaving at the same time. Marnie left right about the same time...so it was just Addy and myself for awhile. I took Addy around the block a couple times....she rode her bicycle and I walked. After that, I decided we would go down to the neighborhood park...we just drove down there. We stayed there about 45 minutes, until it was about time for John (Addy's daddy) to get to the house (8pm). Liz called about 8:30-8:45 to say she was on the way home. We decided to stay in and order pizza. Addy really wanted to sleep at our house, and John allowed her to do that....so she showed up around 10pm.

Saturday, we got up about 8:30am...we all got dressed, went across the street (to another housing edition) to look at a yard sale, then we took Addy back to her daddy's. Then Liz and I went to eat a healthy breakfast at Golden Corral. After that, we went looking for clothes at a consignment shop...nice stuff there! Liz and I headed back to the house, so she could get to her wedding for the day. My parents showed up at my house, not long after I got back home. We dug up all our shrubs & bushes along the driveway and sidewalk...along with the bricks and rocks that was with it. Liz got home about 3pm, then we went over to my parents for dinner, game, and movie. We picked up Addy on the way back home, to spend the night.

Sunday, we got up to get dressed for LifeChurch....might I add, yet another amazing service!! I have never, EVER seen a bad one there....Pastor Craig is an amazing preacher! After church, John picked up Addy in the parking lot. Liz and I went to eat at Outback Steakhouse (which wasn't good at all this time). After lunch, we went to SAMS and Walmart to pick up some groceries and supplies. We got back home, unloaded the groceries, and got busy...nope, that kind of busy (unfortunately). We started yard work. I mowed the front yard, Liz trimmed up some bushes in the back, then we trimmed hedges/tree in the front yard....Liz also planted a couple flowers in some pots. After the yard work, we went to eat at Goldies by the house (pretty good, I might add). After getting back to the house, we worked on the inside. We cleaned Addy's room, bathroom, office, living room, kitchen, did some laundry, and hung a scarf on our living room curtain rod (to go with the curtain). Addy just got home, and I am exhausted...I know Liz is, too. We had an extremely long day...and weekend full of work! Now, we have to wake up at 6am for the baby arrival of Liz's daycare...then it is back to work for me, too. Not that my work stopped because of the weekend...I think I did more work on my weekend!

Shout out to moms...

Mother's day is approaching soon -a day to celebrate the motherhood. It is a day to thank mothers for all that they sacrifice for their children. A mother practically gives away her hobbies, her interests and many times her job to raise her children. Nature makes a mother like that. She will protect her children against all the dangers and give them all the comfort that she can. How do women balance their role between being a mother and a wife? Can any man do that? It looks very difficult, rather impossible. Men will talk a lot, but when comes to do this fine balancing, not many will succeed at all.

How many men realize the work done by their wives? Rather they start feeling jealous that their wife is paying more attention to kids than them (this is definitely what I do)? It sounds ridiculous. Instead of making such complaints, men should attempt to help their wives and share as much burden as possible.

A wife who is also a mother draws no contract with those she cares for. She makes no pre conditions. For a woman, who loves her husband, her man is very important and for a mother, her children are most important. Women bear many injustices. A lot of them work for years to only get a divorce at the end. To restart the life with kids must be a real tough job for a divorcee woman. Society that is male dominated should not only acknowledge their mothers, but also their wives. Women deserve much more recognition than they get.

Wordless Wednesday - Which Way Do I Go?





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