There was a study done that has proven if you tell yourself and others that you’re doing great you can actually trick your mind into thinking you’re doing great. It’s also been proven that if you smile a lot you will actually feel happier. I’m pretty sure there’s biblical principle behind that too. In Psalms 118:24 the author tells us, “this is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it” He’s made a conscience choice to “rejoice” today. The author talks about being in “anguish” and needing to take “refuge”…that doesn’t sound like a GREAT situation, but he’s choosing to rejoice. For us Christians we should rejoice, according to God’s word, no matter our circumstances because God chose this very day and has allowed these circumstances just for you. If you’re unable to change the circumstances, then why not rejoice in them. How are you doing today? GREAT? Let’s smile and tell someone we’re doing GREAT and see what happens. Wanna? =) I tried it today and it’s working. The stomach flu doesn’t feel so terrible afterall.

Well, when your 43, your settled, comfortable, predictable, but your welcome to return to your carefree teens and hang out for a while… which is what I did a couple of weekends ago. I met my friends from PA in Las Vegas and drove to a retreat site for the weekend where we slept very little, ate a lot, and in the stillness of the night shared our dreams. We then returned to Las Vegas for a few hours of fun before saying our good-byes. We behaved like giggling, carefree teenagers. So fun. We jumped on the bed, bought matching dresses, borrowed each others make-up and walked through the halls of Cesear’s Palace like we were movie stars. (my 2 friends asking for my autograph in the elevator) I returned home to my 43 year old life feeling young. The great part about it is that I’m not…I’m a settled adult. I don’t have to return to finding a job, going to school, fighting with my boyfriend…everything was just as I left it. Settled. Comfortable. Predictable. You should try it sometime…it’s good for the…well everything.
PS The slideshow below goes with this post. Oops.

Some of my fan(s) have asked, “why the long silence?” and I’m about to answer you, but please don’t strip me of my title as the “techno wizard”. I covet that title and work daily to maintain it. This is embarassing, but I’m going to admit this to cyber world…I couldn’t figure out how to get back into my blog and write. I knew there was going to be one simple button to push, but i couldn’t find it! I had so much to say and all I wanted to do was to write it down, but nope. I couldn’t figure it out. I looked deep into the cyber world for the answers, but they just didn’t come. Finally, today, I figured it out and I’m back…up and running so stay tuned. (BTW the answer is in remembering the correct password to get into your blog =). with the correct password and username you can do just about anything. )

Here are just a few of my friends hangin’ out. I should have made this a costume party. What a blast! I love it that my friends can just come over and be themselves.

So we’re driving through Mexico and low and behold we come across…Jesus. Bigger than life. Perched right above a city. He was perched on a hill and stood about 3 stories high. Humph. I didn’t know what I thought about that. Except that we’re in a predominately Catholic nation and they do love their statues. It’s not uncommon to see statues of Jesus in every home and marketplace. (and Elvis btw) That night I went to bed and layed there praying remembering the statue “Jesus,” I said, “how do You feel about being made a statue that’s bigger than life?” The still small voice in my head said, “at least they’re not embarrassed of Me”. Wow! That’s not really what I expected to hear in my head. It was convicting. I don’t even want to put a sticker on the back of my car proclaiming Christ in case I “misbehave” on the freeway and misrepresent Jesus! Now that doesn’t mean I’m embarrased of Him, but I certainly don’t want constant conviction…or do I? Can you imagine the constant reminder if He stood over your rooftop?

Well me and my bright ideas…”you have to be involved in something during your high school years” is what i told my girls when Ericka first began high school. “We don’t want a bunch of down time” I exclaimed. “No idle hands in this house.” So they obeyed like usual (well I like to tell myself like usual) and found themselves a sport…volleyball. “Yeah,” i said, “I love watching volleyball and it’ll be fun for us all.” Little did I know that you probably won’t get chosen for the team unless you’ve done time with a club team too. This adds up to lots of dollars and lots of days (351 or so) a year of volleyball. While it is fun, it is exhausting. I’m constantly weighing the benifits to keep myself going. One major benefit I realized is the team player you have to become to succeed in this sport. I never learned that as a kid and sometimes it shows in my adult life. Other benifits include physical activity, competition, absolutely no down time to get in trouble, bonding with like minded people, cute uniforms and the list goes on. It has to or I’ll loose my mind. Next time I have any brillant ideas I will post them before hand so you all can give your imput. My advise…tell your high schooler to choose year book or ASB!

So here’s a few pictures from our recent weekend in Reno. Alone with our only child (for a weekend) enjoying volleyball. What a blast!

After spending the morning reading of Jesus and his disciples working with the people of Jerusalem, performing miracles, preaching and teaching they then went “to a quiet place to get some rest”. Hummm. WWJD went through my mind and i thought, “well Jesus would purposefully go to a quiet place to get some rest after doing the very important work of God”. “So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” I was reflecting on my first attmept to go to a “solitary place” and the struggle that went through my mind. What will I do there? What should I be doing instead? At what point will I get too bored? Then…I went on my first solitude retreat. I could have stayed a week longer than I did and couldn’t wait to go back the next year. I signed up that day for the following year. That was 5 years ago and I haven’t missed one yet. Don’t think I will either. Wanna go with me next year? Or better yet let’s plan a day of solitude before then and spend a day at the sister of St. Josephs of Orange. Wanna? Can you tell I’m tired today? =0) P.S. I took this picture on the frozen steps of Forest Home at my last retreat.