My first milestone…let’s all just take a moment and let the magnitude of THIS moment sink in.

:::inhale::: :::exhale:::  

So, nothing more than that…consider this an open thread.

Help me celebrate the big 50 by talking about whatever you want to talk about!

Five Simple Things that Bring Me Satisfaction or Pleasure

1. A scrapbook magazine.

2. A five minute “good morning” call from my Moma.

3. Snail mail from folks back home.

4. An empty/clean sink.

5. Candlelight

Alright, Cindy asked her readers to respond with their “five simple things” and I am asking you to do the same. If you read this, post yours! Please!

My Moma sent this to me today and I thought it was too cute.

Enjoy!

http://beverlys.net/LJ/BuggingYou.swf

If you ever want to see two women running crazily down the street, get a bunch of people to start screaming the title! That is what happened when a friend of mine and I were walking across the street to the site and all of a sudden we heard screaming and then “Move that bus! Move that bus!” We took off, thinking we were about to miss it, only to get there to find they were just practicing and getting video footage and then we stood there for 3 hours. It was GREAT!

The house is amazing and supposedly it is the biggest house they have ever done at 6,000 sq. ft. Eleven of my apartments could fit into that house! Now that is perspective.

Here are some pictures from last night and today…

Look at that assembly line of Sears bags!

There’s Paulie!

And Ed!

Hopefully I’ll get some more pictures up here later but at the moment I am beat.

 

 

As two of my bosses head for St. Louis tomorrow I ask that you join me in prayer for the Focus on the Family Love Won Out team as well as the representatives of Exodus that will be at this conference this weekend.

To promote this conference, Exodus put up several billboards throughout the city and a couple of days ago this happened…

REALLY mature! 

This is expected to be the largest LWO to date with about 1500 people in attendance. With that, however, they are also expecting many protestors and while there are many people who would like us not to proclaim the truth that change is possible, there are those people who are dying to hear it and we will not stop until they do! A little bit of paint is not going to deter us!

Randy and Mike share their thoughts as well.

UPDATED 2/25/06 9:12am

I just found out that a third billboard in the area was also defaced.

Guess what I did tonight…Yep! I went to the next house on Extreme Home Makeover. It is about 15 mins. from my apartment. It was so cool! They had people park in an old abandoned parking lot a couple of blocks away from the house and they shuttled people over to the site.

The tents were up and the lights were blazing. It had the feeling of a fair with all of the people and the noises. People were actually selling hotdogs and drinks in their front yard.

Seriously, it is like the house that never ends and the picture that does not do the house justice.

Check out all of those blue shirts. Speaking of blue shirts this city is going crazy with all of the Extreme Makeover business. There were a couple of people with the blue shirts on at Wal-Mart the other night and when I saw them, I almost squealed. Thank goodness I restrained myself, cause that would just make me look silly!

This is the VIP section where only people who had passes could go. Look at them with their chairs and their plants! Who do they think they are? It is my birthday! I should have gotten to sit in a chair, under a tent, with pretty plants surrounding me. Okay, I’m done being spoiled!

This was such a fun way to spend my birthday evening! With my friends, on an adventure! And the best part is, I think we are going to repeat it tomorrow because that is when Tye shows up with the megaphone shouting “The family comes home in 24 hours!”

UPDATED 2/23/06 10:50pm

We went again tonight and I have more pictures to post tomorrow, I’m just too tired to do that now. Here’s something to keep you guessing until tomorrow though. I saw three of the designers…can you guess which ones?

There is an idea for a bumper sticker going around that had me in stiches today…

I’d rather hunt with Dick Cheney than ride with Ted Kennedy!

I don’t post this to offend anyone, I just think it is hilarious.

Yesterday I received the most fun pre-birthday present ever!

My sweet moma boxed up birthday napkins, plates, cups, a table cloth, streamers, and balloons. Underneath that fun stuff was the best part…A birthday cake mix. Moma measured out the salt and baking soda and sent all of the dry ingredients of my favorite cake; Red Velvet cake. Even though I have to make it, I know that she wants to and that is what matters.

And the best part about it all…there is another box coming on Tuesday with presents! She said that she played a little game with herself to see exactly how many things she could wrap and she made me promise her that I will call her and open my presents with her on the phone.

She would hate that I am letting the world know how cheesy she is but it is her chessiness that endears her to me. I am proud of her chessiness!

I love you, Moma! And Daddy, thank you for your part in it all as well!

On Friday I did what I’ve been dreading…I got a Florida license. I drug myself down to the DMV and I made it legal. I am now a legal driver in Florida as well as a registered voter. The woman who was helping me asked me for my Georgia license and I asked her if I would get it back and she looked at me funny and said, “Ma’am, you can’t have two licenses.” Well, as I handed it over to her I started to cry and when she handed me my Florida license I thought to myself, “I’m really moved!”

As I shared this with my neighbor he said, “Aww, you’re a real Floridian now.” I quickly told him that I certainly was not, that I would always be a Georgia Peach and no piece of plastic would ever change that.

Simply one more part of saying good-bye.

Then this morning at church the Lord reminded me of my feelings of disconnection with the Body of Christ and He made it very clear what I was to do about it. I was to become a member of First Baptist Church of Orlando. Thus began an inner dialouge that went something like this…

“I want you here, baby girl!”

Lord, I know, but Edgewood is my Home!

“I know, and Edgewood will always be your Home, but I want you here, now!”

But, what if Edgewood stops sending me their weekly newsletter. I can be an active part of this church and not be a member. Why do I have to do something so permanent so early.

“You have been here for five months! I want you here…just do it! Don’t think about anything but that. I want you here!”

So, instead of arguing any further I went to the front and I met a woman named Donna who walked me through the process. She was so great and patient with me as I boo-hooed my way through my story.

For 24 years I atteneded Edgewood. 24 years worth of laughter, tears, growth, songs, friendships, Sunday School classes, Bible Studies, choir practices, Praise Band practices and the list could go on and on. Edgewood is as much my home as the house I shared with my parents and my sister and brother, and they will always be my family. But facts are facts and the fact is, I am not in Columbus, GA anymore and I need that Home and Family here in Orlando. I am a relational being and I need relationships here. I need laughter, tears, growth, songs, friendships, Sunday School classes, Bible Studes, choir practices, and Praise Band practices here.

For some reason this is so much harder than I thought it would be; moving my letter of membership. Somehow it feels as if I am betraying the church of my youth by becoming a member of First Orlando. I think that is what the enemy wanted me to believe so I would continue to feel disconnected but I know the sound of my Abba’s voice and it was clear this morning.

Please join me in prayer that I would find a place of my own in this enormous church. That I would force myself out of my comfort zone and plug into the singles ministry and the music ministry. It is so hard to do this when you are by yourself and it would be so easy for me to remain a wallflower and get lost among the masses, but I know that is not why the Lord wants me at this church. Please pray that I am brave enough to find out why He wants me here.

Today at lunch we talked about several places we’d like to visit and in honor of that here are thirteen places I’d like to visit.

1. Europe, Europe, Europe…wait, that is too vague. France - Yes, I know it is dirty and the people are rude but there is sooo much history there.

2. Ireland – There is something about the Emerald ‘Isle that calls to the Irish in me.

3. Montana – Just so you know…I don’t think I could visit Montana without learning how to fly fish.

4. New York City – I was there for only 12 hours eight years ago. I want time to explore the city.

5. Washington DC – I went with my family when I was seven or eight and I did not appreciate it. Again, I want to go back and explore.

6. England – Again, so much history and so many stories!

7. Italy – Two words…Sistine Chapel

8. Israel – To walk where He walked would be an amazing experience.

9. New England in the fall – the foliage!

10. Greece – Have you had real Greek food?!?

11. The Grand Canyon

12. Mt. Rushmore

13. Alaska – and if I ever get to go, I’ll take my daddy with me.