I (Heart) the 80's: Monday Madness

1. Top Three favorite 80's song - Every Time You Go Away by Paul Young, Respect Yourself by Bruce Willis, Power of Love by Huey Lewis 2. Top Three favorite 80's movie - Top Gun, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Rocky 3. 3. Top Three favorite 80's TV show - Dukes of Hazzard, Three's Company, Remote Control 4. Favorite 80's sports figure - Jimmy Conners, Larry Byrd, Spud Webb 5. Favorite 80's historical moment - Berlin Wall comes down 6. Favorite 80's memory - Hangin out and stayin outta trouble at the farm 7. Favorite 80's fashion trend - MULLETS!!!!!! Skinny ties a distant 2nd. 8. Biggest regret of the 80's - A certain person who will remain nameless and the end of The Electric Company (Last episode taped in 77 but aired in reruns til 85)

Change

Today, Change SUCKS!

Remodeling

Been up since 4:30 so I decided to sit by the tree and watch some useless TV. I had to scan the gambit of channels just to find something that wasn't an info-mercial. I read a little A.W. Tozier and started getting ready early, so I have a few minutes to spare before starting the day. Our house in Mullins got an overhaul and has new paint and new carpet. At least on the inside. Duh, like you'd put carpet outside, I mean paint. NO NEW PAINT on the outside. Yeah, that's it. Shut-up, I've been up since 4:30. Perry, Michael and I (they did most of the work) went up Thursday night and finished most of it by Friday night. It looks a whole lot better. In the adventure, I found out a lot about myself. If someone is around who is better at something than me, I will naturaly pass it off to them without tryng to do it myself. It's like I'm afraid I'll mess up. Instead of learning from my mistakes, I was afraid of making one. Michael made a very small mistake in trimming some carpet and I didn't get mad. It was small. Everybody makes mistakes. But I know I would have been upset with myself if I had made the same mistake. Does that keep me from taking risks and trying new things? Hmmm. I think I'll ponder it in my brain. I know this is a me and God thing and probably doesn't mean anything else to those reading, but It just stretches me to look at ME sometimes. Oh well, outta time, gotta go don the Sunday apparel and go to church. l8r

Blessed

Yesterday started out as the typocal Sunday. I got to church about 8 AM and suddenly realized I forgot about the 7AM Men's prayer breakfast. That started the rush, 2 sunday schools with worship service in the middle. Dinner @ mom's and back to it again. Here's where the path varied. We went to the Salvation Army in Columbia and served dinner. Our student choir performed a Christmas musical and I got a chance to share the gospel. I don't mean your run of the mill, don'tcha want to go to heaven gospel. I got to lay it out plain and simple and allow God's Spirit to do the rest. I prayed with a lady who's been clean from crack for 30 days. She wants a present for her 6 year old son who no longer lives with her. We prayed and I was encouraged by her determination to make it. Why do I do what I do? Calling I guess, but it sure does good for me to see teens leading out in serving, worship, prayer, accountability, and living Christ-like. They may have me completely fooled, but I really believe God is doing a huge work. I am Blessed.

Tree Hunting Part 2

Friday night, the hunt continued. We found the place by accident. Beautiful frasier furs. We got an 8 ft for $50. Pretty good around here and much prettier than anything we had seen thus far. The guy said he would trim the bottom, but after many bad experiences with bad trimming I opted to take it home and do it myself. 8:30 Friday night, in the front yard, I get all manly and pull out the chainsaw. I was the noise of the neighborhood for 10 minutes. I reved it real loud just to allow the neighbors to look out their windows to see my asperations as a lumberjack. In the stand, in the house, tilt and whirl and BINGO. Ready for the lights. Kim did most of the decorating and we had very little arguement. She's incredible when it comes to making a house a home. Furniture all arranged, tree all finished, porch beautifully decorated, it's Christmas time. I woke up this morning after a crazy day yesterday, sat beside the lighted tree in my chair and snoozed while feeling warm and cozy. Thanks sweetie. The house is beautiful.

Tree Hunting Part 1

We always put up a christmas tree. A REAL ONE! Frazier Fur from the hills of NC. We tried a virginia pine once, but ain't nothin like a NC Fur. Smells great and lives through the whole season. We usually have it up and decorated by the Saturday after thanksgiving. Kim and I have learned through the years how to do it. Either I or both of us go to pick the tree. It has to be close to perfect. Just the right height and fullness. Not to big, but just right. Straight trunk and straight top with very few bare spots. We've learned to look at the bottom branches to see if we lose fullness when we cut them off to put it in the stand. The best way to keep me from being a TERRIBLE person is for Kim to leave while I trim the bottom, put the tree in the stand, and get it straight in the house. She doesn't dare tell me it's crooked after I'm through. She puts on the lights (She's REAL good at it) while I stand there and pass them over the back and top. We then have our sweet argument about which of my old ornaments go on the tree and which stay in the box. You know all those homemade ornaments that have more meaning than taste. I love them, she does too, just not on the tree. When all is said and done, we will have a beautiful tree with Kim's touch. Rafia bows and gingerbread, A LOT of lights, non-blinking all over the tree and a few strands of blinking ones spead throughout. 4 weeks of a new atmosphere in the Stilwell House. I look forward to it. All of this started out as a rant over our pursuit of the perfect Christmas tree, but after writing all this, I'm not mad anymore. We looked yesterday, didn't find it, so we're back at it this evening. It's kinda fun.

Photo Friday Relections

Reflections on the Mullet