More pictures of my grandcat, Spike … taken this afternoon.  This was his first time to be outside and not be afraid.

There is a dangerous virus being passed electronically, orally, and by hand.  This virus is called Worm Overload Recreational Killer (WORK).  If you receive WORK from any of your colleagues, your boss or anyone else, via any means, DO NOT TOUCH IT!  This virus will wipe out your private life completely.

If you should come into contact with WORK, put your jacket on and take two good friends to the nearest bar.  Purchase the antidote known as Work Isolator Neutralizer Extractor (WINE) or Bothersome Employer Eliminator Rebooter (BEER).  Take the antidote repeatedly until WORK has been complete eliminated from your system.

You should forward this warning to 5 friends.  If you do not have 5 friends, you have already been infected and WORK is controlling your life.

(Thank you to my friend, Eva, for sending this!)

Well, today I finished my first week on my new job at the church. I am both excited and exhausted! My body is having to adjust to working ALL day. (Yeah … I know … some of you out there are not feeling sorry for me one bit!) But the job is way busier than it was 10 years ago when I worked there. Some of the things are still pretty much the same but a lot of new things have been added. The primary difference is that all the computers are networked and they weren’t networked back in the day. And while we still communicate with each other face to face a lot, we also rely on interoffice email. Also the telephone system is modern so we have intercoms to talk to each other on (saving us walking up and down the stairs all day long!) and a way to transfer callers to voicemail (which saves us having to write down so many messages). Yep … they have definitely improved things. Of course, we now have 9 pastors on staff instead of only 4 like we had when I worked there 10 years ago. But in a way that makes things easier because all the responsibilities are split up between the pastoral staff. It just makes it easier to know who to go to for a particular issue.

All in all, I had a wonderful week. And it is SO good to be able to sleep until 7:00 am, leave my house at 7:55 am, and be clocked in and at my desk by 7:58 a.m.

If you want to see some info on the church, go to:  www.fairmontpark.org

There is a truck driver from Minnesota who has chosen to memorialize 9/11 by having his truck painted with the names of all those who died that day.  He said he gets stopped a lot by law enforcement people who want him to take a picture of them beside his truck.  Here are the pictures.  They’re pretty cool.

Yesterday was my last day to work at Odfjell, where I’ve been a receptionist for almost two years. During that time I’ve met some really wonderful people and made a lot of friends. And even though I plan to keep in touch, both through email and meeting them when our schedules will allow, it was still a sad day for me.

When I evaluated why I felt so sad leaving, I realized that feeling sad was actually a good thing for me because it meant that the people at Odfjell had touched my life in some way. And what really meant so much to me was that all week long, people have been stopping by my desk and “wishing me well” at my new job. And I was given a beautiful autumn bouquet of flowers as a gift … and it had a card with it that everybody had signed.

You know, when I began working at Odfjell, I was at a point in my life where I needed to be surrounded by good people … people who would encourage me, befriend me, and like me for who I was. And I found that at Odfjell.

So Monday … I start a new pathway in the journey of my life. I will begin working in my church office as a secretary, helping support 9 pastors. I worked there many years ago, when my church was much smaller, so in some ways I feel like I’m “coming back home” again. But the real blessing out of all of this is that had it not been for my time at Odfjell, I would not have been ready for this new portion of my journey, because it was during that 22-month period that I did a lot of inner healing.

So as I say farewell to one portion of my life journey and head down the road toward my next one, I remember that someone wise once said: “It’s not the destination that’s important, but the journey.”

I’ve had a wonderful journey the last two years! Thank you, to all my friends at Odfjell …

Ever wonder about those people who spend $2.00 apiece on those little bottles of
Evian water? Try spelling Evian backwards: NAIVE

If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea...does that mean that one enjoys it?

As income tax time approaches, did you ever notice: When you put the two words
"The" and "IRS" together, it spells "THEIRS"?

http://ka5cvh.com/downloads/in_god_we_still_trust.wmv

Check out the link. Copy and paste it into your url address area.  It’s an awesome video that I got via email today. Make sure you turn up the speakers on your computer to hear the song.

. . . by the way, Chase … your sister is planning on coming up next weekend and bringing Spike so he and Mocha can “get acquainted.”  Dad took her today and bought 4 new tires for her car.  So she’s good to go.

Mike and I kinda went crazy this evening taking pictures of our grandcat …

God Bless America …

A baby asked God:  “They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?”

God said:  “Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.”

“But here in heaven I don’t have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy, God.”

“Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you.  And you will feel your angel’s love and be very happy,” said God.

Again the child asked:  “But how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don’t know the language?”

“Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.”

“But God, what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?”

“Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.”

“But who will protect me?”

“Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its own life.”

Again the child said:  “But I will always be sad because I will not see You anymore.”

“My dear little one, your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me even though I will always be next to you.”

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked:  “God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel’s name.”

God said:  “You will simply call her, Mom.”

Mike and I drove to Giddings this morning so I could visit with my mother.  She was in a pretty lucid frame of mind for a change and even managed to laugh at a couple of silly things I said to her.  She also knew who I was and was able to call me by name.

Then we stopped off to say “howdy” to my sister and niece.  My niece had 4 chairs she was wanting to get off her hands and I needed some new dining room chairs so we brought them home.  I took a few pictures of the chairs at my table and they almost look like they should have come with the table to begin with:

They look good, don’t they?  Anyway, while we were there we also drove to the back part of their property to see where they plan to put their new home.  My brother in law has already staked out where they want it and has already pretty much leveled the ground.  It’s kinda on the top of a knoll … quite a few trees around to provide some shade and eye scenery.  I think they’re going to be well pleased with where the house will be placed.

And that’s how my Labor Day went … how was yours?

Well, another week has passed … slowly … but at least tomorrow is Labor Day and we have the day off.  It’s nice to have a long weekend every once in awhile.  Me, Mike and Erica plan to drive to Giddings so we can visit with my Mother in the nursing home.  Then we’ll stop by my sister’s house to say “howdy” to them.  They should be getting their new modular home delivered sometime later this week (I think) but my sister told me it would be 2 or 3 weeks until the power company can put up the pole to connect them to power.  (You see, they’re putting their new house in a different spot on the property … that’s why the electric company has to do all that other stuff.)  I know my sister will be happy to get back into her own place.  I’m just so thankful that my niece and her husband live on the property there and had a house big enough to accomodate them.  It made it so much nicer than them trying to find a house or apartment to rent.

Well, I gotta go.  Spike needs a bath and I’m supposed to help … yeah, right …