It Take Two

These puppies are absolutely adorable.



Almost as adorable as mine!

And while we are on the subject, here is a great article that was in The Tennessean yesterday.  These puppies were brought from Warren County to the State Fairgrounds (literally across the street from where I work)on Tuesday.  Vets and volunteers came to the fairgrounds to treat, feed, and love on the 120 dogs that had been abused and neglected at a puppy mill.  I assume that once the dogs are nursed to health, they will be available for adoption.  Anyone in the market for a puppy that needs a little TLC?

To-Do List

As I am sure I have mentioned a hundred times, I am a perpetual list maker.  My husband picks on me for this constantly, because he is so NOT that way.  I am a planner, and a do-er.  And I like all of my "doings" to be well planned out.  This used to be a trait that I considered one of my best; however, it has gotten out of hand in recent years, and is now something that I actually consider a weakness to be worked on. 

The odd thing is this:  I know that no matter how painstakingly well I plan out each day, something ALWAYS happens that is not on my list, or in my plan.  Always.  But then, when I begin to think about the next day, I feel the need to plan again.  Obsessively.  And I plan knowing that often my plans are futile, and that a kink will be thrown in there somewhere.  That's the nature of life.  And thank goodness.... or life would be BORING.  If you plan something to death, you suck all the real "living" right out of each moment.  What a shame!  Life cannot be blocked in to an hour by hour schedule, and God cannot be boxed in to a human agenda that leaves no room for Him to work and move. 

Strange how life works.  God has a way of humbling us, and this is just one more thing to keep my humble! 
 

photo from here

My plan for today is to let God move!  I am giving Him my day:  Wide open, free for Him to overtake it.  And I know this is easier said than done, so here is my prayer for today.


GOD- 
I surrender my plans to you.  Take over my heart, my head, my hands, my feet, my thoughts, my words, and my actions.  They are yours.  Move as you will.  My day and my life are yours.

Psalm 118:8- "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans." 

Thought for the Day

"Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does."  - William James

Photo from here

Let the Countdown Begin

Graduate school begins ONE MONTH from today!!!!

Holy cow.  I have not said anything until now, just in case plans fell through, but I am definitely starting graduate school at Trevecca on April 28th.  I will be in the marriage and family therapy program there, and cannot wait to be a student again!  I guess technically we should all be students of something every day, as a way to learn and grow our whole lives.  But I will OFFICIALLY be a student.  Again.  YAY!!!!

"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.”
- Henry Ford

Photo from here

After working with older adults for the past year, I sooooo understand and agree with Mr. Ford!  The mind is such an important thing. Our minds are important enough for us to go out of our way to make improvements on them, and to expand and challenge them each day.  

It's a Zoo Out There

Last weekend we had BEAUTIFUL weather here in Middle Tennessee.  B-E-A-UTIFUL!   Andrew and I decided to take a little day trip to Chattanooga to visit the aquarium.  Although I had already been several times, Andrew had never seen it, so it sounded like something fun to do together.

Here are my favorite things at the aquarium, in no particular order:

The big blue birds (macaws?) that always seem to be screaming at each other.

Photo from here

 The butterflies.  Specifically the ones that are black with the pink, yellow, and white on their wings.
The penguins.  They are so unbelievably adorable.  But the aquarium penguins did not have sweaters on. 

Photo from here

The otters.  Unfortunately, they were asleep when we went, so Andrew did not get to watch them play!
The seahorses.  They have to be some of the coolest creatures... ever.

Since the actual aquarium otters were sleeping at the time of our visit, here is a precious little stand- in. 

photo from here

Of course, it goes without saying that my very favorite part of the aquarium was spending the day with Andrew, who also happened to be the cutest thing I saw there... even cuter than the penguins.   

:) 

My 100th Post!!!!

It is Friday!!!!  YIPPEE!!!

Here is a sweet (or, perhaps I should say, "salty,") treat for your Friday. 

From 2-4pm, Chic Fil A is giving out FREE FRIES!!!! It is free french fry Friday!  No coupons necessary.  There is only one small catch... You have to go in and mention their new ketchup, which allows you to dunk your fries into the packet instead of squeeze the ketchup out of the packets.  I prefer the squeezable packets; old habits die hard I guess. 

My theory is that free is good.  But anything free tastes even better on a Friday!!! Now, if they would only throw in a free banana pudding shake....   :) 

And, on a more serious note, here is something that is tasty in an altogether different way; a little something to chew on this weekend as you are going about your normal, every weekend life.  It may change the way you behave when you think no one is looking.  I got this from the Upper Room blog. 

“MOMMY, MOMMY! IT’S JESUS!” I remember it like it was yesterday. I stood in the aisle at the grocery store with my dad and my young brother as a stunned little boy proclaimed loudly enough for the whole store to hear that my dad was Jesus. Now, Dad was his pastor and was the one who told him the stories of Jesus during children’s time. Dad had baptized this boy, and Dad even wore a long robe on Sundays — just like the pictures of Jesus on his Sunday school class walls.


How could the child mistake his pastor for Jesus? This child had taken what he knew to be true about Jesus and translated it into something that made sense to him.

…Today I challenge you to stand in amazement as “eyewitnesses” to the majesty of Christ. Take what you know to be true about Jesus and translate it for your own living. Honor God with your life, your time, your thoughts, and your gifts. Share the glory of the Beloved Son with those around you. Perhaps one day you too might be mistaken for Jesus!

From “Eyewitnesses to Majesty,” by Jasmine Rose Smothers, page 74 in The Upper Room Disciplines: A Book of Daily Devotions. Copyright & copy; 2010 by Upper Room Books. All rights reserved. Used by permission.