Whataya Want From Me

A friend and I were having a conversation about music the other day, and I mentioned that I love Adam Lambert's "Whataya Want From Me". It's a great song. Like great, great song. I'm surprised I actually like it because the screeching and stuff drove me nuts when I watched Idol. I digress.... The next comment out of her mouth kinda threw me for a loop. She said, "Well, with you being a Christian and all, shouldn't you be against him and his music because he's flamboyantly gay?" I didn't really know what to say, and kind of just left it alone. I'm the type of person who thinks of the great response after the conversation is over. I need time to process my thoughts to give a good, solid answer, or in some cases a good slam. After thinking about her question, it really started to irritate me. Just because I like a certain kind of music or a certain artist doesn't mean I'm a "bad Christian". The music nor liking the person singing the lyrics makes me any different of a Christian. I don't go out and worship them or act on any of the lyrics that I hear. I still worship God, and strive to put Him first in my life. No music or person is going to change that aspect of my life.

Then, I got to thinking of another answer I could have used. I like all kinds of music... from country, r&b, hip-hop, rock, alternative, sometimes punk, Christian... all kinds.... and no artist from any of those genres is any different because they are all sinners. You can't tell me that the members of MercyMe, DCTalk, Selah (you get the point) are perfect people just because they sing Christian music and lead Christian lives. We are all sinners regardless. Adam Lambert's being gay is the same in God's eyes as someone else's lies, jealousy, whatever. The only being that is perfect is Our Great King... and nobody else can come close to Him in any way, shape, or form. Plus, who am I to judge Adam Lambert about being gay and his flamboyant-ness? I'm a sinner, and I do things I'm ashamed of all the time. I have no stinking right to judge him and how he chooses to lead his life. I have homosexual family members, does that mean I don't love them and won't support them? No. Would their lifestyle suit me? No, but who am I to judge them?

So.... I am going to carry on liking Beyonce, Adam Lambert, Jay Sean, MercyMe, Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum, U2, whoever I please... because they don't change me or change the relationship with the One I desire.

Bye, Bye Miss American Pie Spring Break :(

the hubs just texted me (i'm finally getting some hours in for my extra job(s)... thank goodness), and told me that we do not have school again tomorrow. i seriously don't think we're ever going back to school. tomorrow will be our seventh day being off... this is starting to get a little frustrating. i'm guessing we are going to have to say goodbye to our spring break... which will kill me because we were going to go to PA for a good chunk of that week. and there are times when i just need to go home. by april, it will be one of the times that i need to go home. plus, the students (and teachers) not having a break from february to the second week of june does not sound appealing in the least, either. they're having a meeting on wednesday to figure out how we're going to make up all of these days. i'm keeping my fingers, toes, eyes, arms, and legs crossed that we do not have saturday school and we do not lose our spring break. we'll see how much all of this crossing works!

Suck It Up

Have you ever been at the point in your life where you want something so badly, and you know that it is up to you, and only you, to get this specific "something" done? Nobody else can do it but you. Nobody can make you do it, you need to find the willpower and stick-to-it-ness inside yourself, and just get it done. I am at that point right now. I have a major, major goal that I want and need to accomplish. It's a pretty major thing that needs to be taken care of, too. I know that I can only do this myself... nobody can tell me that I have to do it, and nobody can make me do it, either. I'm the only living being that I can count on to get this taken care of, and what I'll get out of it is the amount of effort I put in to it. For the last couple years, I have started and stopped, done really well and then just put no effort forth what-so-ever. I'm kind of like a roller-coaster train wreck. If I don't see exactly what I want to see happening, I'm done. I get frustrated, overwhelmed, and mad... then I give up. I need to change those behaviors because everything is riding on me, on my head. I'm the only party responsible for my actions, and whether I get done what I need to do. So, it is basically time for me to suck it up, realize I am in this for the long haul, set small goals, accomplish them, and reach my biggest goal. It will be amazing when it finally comes. But, I cannot give up and throw in the towel. When I get frustrated, I can't just crash and burn.. I've got to pick up where I left myself, and just keep going. Cuz if I quit, there will be nobody who can make me change my ways, and force me to do this. It's kind of scary realizing that I cannot rely on anyone else to help me get this done (here in the physical world.. like, I cannot have someone in my face yelling at me telling me what I need to do), and that I have myself (the person who has given up so.many.times.) to rely on to accomplish this goal. When I suck it up and just do this, I am also proving that I believe that God is going to carry me through everything. Because He is seriously the only One, besides my willpower-less self, who can get me where I need to be. Your prayers will also greatly help, too, and will be greatly, greatly appreciated!

Letter ~ Take Three

Dear Snow,

I am writing this letter to you to find out if you are ever going to stop falling? Like, ever ever? I enjoyed you the for the first 10 inches you blanketed us with in December. It was really pretty. And, it also didn't cause us to change our plans for Christmas. I, the silly person that I am, thought you would be done with us down here; because let's face it, we usually just get ice in this part of the state. But, no, you had other plans. You decided to pile another 10-15 inches on us last weekend. This, in turn, caused us to miss an entire week of school, caused me to not get my hours in for my second/third job(s), and made me kind of go a little stir-crazy. Five days stuck in your house is quite a lot, don't you think? However, you still found it necessary to give us yet another 10 inches this weekend (so far, including some sleet, too). I predict this will cause us to be out of school again until at least Wednesday, maybe more. And, now, I have two weekends, yes, two short weekends (depending on whether you decide to dump on us again next weekend), to get my entire 40 hours of work in from my two extra jobs to meet my hour requirement for the month. That is going to kick my hiney. So, snow, I am begging, even pleading, for you to stop. Please? My spring break is probably going to be ruined, on top of the extra money I need to pay our bills. If you loved me at all, you would just decide to taper off, and let no more flakes fall. If it starts icing on Tuesday, I will have a letter ready for the ice, too.

Thank You Kindly,
A Stir-Crazy, Batty Woman

Future B.E.P. in Da House

To begin this post, I have to admit that I like to listen to R&B, Hip-Hop, and Rap every once-in-a-while... especially when I work out. My munchkin has figured out how to get my I-pod to work, and puts the earphones in her little ears and dances in to oblivion. She's going to be an insane dancer one of these days. You just wait and see. I digress...

Here is the scene at our house last night (we've had 3 snow days so far, and we're all going a little stir crazy, which doesn't help the situation): The munchkin goes to the sweeper, pulls off one of the extensions to help you reach clear down in the couch, chair, etc, and starts swaying back and forth. She uses the sweeper extension as a microphone. Then, she starts belting out words. "I gotta feeling... that tonight's gonna be a good night, that tonight's gonna be a good night, that tonight's gonna be a good, good, night... oooooooo hhhoooooooo" and so on. She even sings the correct amount of times before you say "good, good night". She also likes to sing country, and belts "Big, Green Tractor" with the best of them, and spices it up with a little "Single Ladies" by Beyonce. We don't need to go to any concerts when we have a future Black Eyed Pea in the house, or a country or R&B star. Take your pick... she's cute enough to draw in a ton of fans, too!! Ha.

random thought

since when is sex needed to sell cereal? seriously general mills??? just had to get that off my mind. it's sad what this world is coming to, really.

About.Face

My Gram (dad's mom) has told me for years that it is important to take care of my skin. We are talking about a lady who washes her face twice a day (morning and night), then she reapplies makeup after each face wash. Her motto is "You never know what time of day you are going to have to see someone. If you have to go to the hospital in the middle of the night, you want your face to look good, at least!" I wish I would have listened to her, and heeded her advice. Now that I am 30 (still, yikes), I am really regretting that I have chosen not to do so. However, it's better to start now than never, so I have gotten myself some products to help me take better care of my skin. Well, the Clinique isn't new, it's just been unused mostly up until this point. From now on, I am washing my face twice a day, and doing St. Ives Apricot scrub every 3 days. It feels so good on my skin... sloshing off the dead skin cells makes everything feel so soft and smooth. Here's to hoping that my new "about face" attitude works... taking care of my skin can't hurt!