http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/nov/06/thanks-for-the-memories/
If you have a moment today, take the time to read the Commercial Appeal article above. If only I could affect those around me the way this man did. What a legacy.
Quote from the article above:
"He understands that tomorrow's jobs won't necessarily look like yesterday's jobs. But somebody has to do them, right?
Somebody has to teach. Somebody has to make things go. So figure out what needs to be done and then go do that.
Do it every day, if possible. Do it with joy and kindness and thoughtfulness."
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Eating Up The Chronicles of Narnia
I've been reading through the Chronicles of Narnia series again. I read them in my younger years, and once owned the entire series in individual books. I think I loaned a few of the individual books out and no longer have a full collection. However, Kelly bought me the entire series again for Christmas the year The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe came out in the movies. It's one very large book with all seven stories.
Clive Staples (C.S) Lewis truly created a masterpiece within this series. As much as I enjoyed them in my younger years, obviously enough to read them again, I have loved them even more now. At twenty-six, I am eating up the adventures of each tale, and loving the depiction of Christ Lewis paints through his Aslan character, a lion.
If you have never read this series, I beg you, read!
Read it to yourself, or read it to your children - they too will love the tales, even without understanding all of the analogies that unfold within the words.
If you have read it years ago, take the time and fall back into the adventure. Lewis' description of Aslan throughout all seven stories brings about a better understanding and/or reminder of many of the characteristics of God.
Here is one of my favorite quotes that expresses what I mean...
In the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, (which is not even the best book of the bunch) the children ask:
"Who is Aslan?"... "Is - is he a man?"
The Beavers reply, "Aslan a man! Certainly not. I tell you his the King of the wood and the son of te great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion - the Lion, the great Lion."
"Ohh!" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervious about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees koncking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"then he isn't safe? said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
In summary, the children in The Chronicles of Narnia ask if Aslan is safe? Aslan is the depiction of Christ throughout the entire series by Lewis. The beavers quckily answer, NO he is not safe, but he's good.
Just like God. God can punish us all if he wanted, codemn us all because we deserve it.
God is good. He loves us unconditionally, and wants what is best for us. And although He could be wrathful in every sense of our existence and has the right to be, He instead pursues us and loves us.
1 John 4:9-10 testifies of God's love for us, "This is how God showed his love amoung us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but htat he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
Additionally, in Psalm we see many verses expressing God's goodness:
Psalm 4:19 says, "How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of all on those who take refuge in you."
Pslam 107:1 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."
I wish I had marked the quotes, each time I thought, "wow. now that's a great example of Christ," or "Wow. what a good description of the Lord." But I didn't, so I guess you'll have to read it to find your own favorites. ;)
Clive Staples (C.S) Lewis truly created a masterpiece within this series. As much as I enjoyed them in my younger years, obviously enough to read them again, I have loved them even more now. At twenty-six, I am eating up the adventures of each tale, and loving the depiction of Christ Lewis paints through his Aslan character, a lion.
If you have never read this series, I beg you, read!
Read it to yourself, or read it to your children - they too will love the tales, even without understanding all of the analogies that unfold within the words.
If you have read it years ago, take the time and fall back into the adventure. Lewis' description of Aslan throughout all seven stories brings about a better understanding and/or reminder of many of the characteristics of God.
Here is one of my favorite quotes that expresses what I mean...
In the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, (which is not even the best book of the bunch) the children ask:
"Who is Aslan?"... "Is - is he a man?"
The Beavers reply, "Aslan a man! Certainly not. I tell you his the King of the wood and the son of te great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion - the Lion, the great Lion."
"Ohh!" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervious about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees koncking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"then he isn't safe? said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
In summary, the children in The Chronicles of Narnia ask if Aslan is safe? Aslan is the depiction of Christ throughout the entire series by Lewis. The beavers quckily answer, NO he is not safe, but he's good.
Just like God. God can punish us all if he wanted, codemn us all because we deserve it.
Romans 1:18-20 says, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of human beings who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
He is a wrathful God and "unsafe", but He is good.
God is good. He loves us unconditionally, and wants what is best for us. And although He could be wrathful in every sense of our existence and has the right to be, He instead pursues us and loves us.
1 John 4:9-10 testifies of God's love for us, "This is how God showed his love amoung us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but htat he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
Additionally, in Psalm we see many verses expressing God's goodness:
Psalm 4:19 says, "How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of all on those who take refuge in you."
Pslam 107:1 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."
I wish I had marked the quotes, each time I thought, "wow. now that's a great example of Christ," or "Wow. what a good description of the Lord." But I didn't, so I guess you'll have to read it to find your own favorites. ;)
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Stop to Look at the Clouds
As I've grown up, one of my favorite things, ever, has been clouds. I loved clouds. I loved the beauty of them, and the ability to say, "wow! God is God and I am not" when looking at them.
Over the years, however, as things get busier and busier, I find that I do not stop to look at the clouds often enough. I still love them, but I do not take notice of them like I used to. I think I've let life get in the way. I think that's sad.
Today, while driving to my parent's house for lunch. I stopped to see the clouds. I even had to take a picture or a few. (below)
With all the craziness of the elections today, and the uncertainty of the future that will come from today's votes, it was nice to just look at the beauty God has blessed us with and again say, "Yes, Lord. You are God and I am not! I praise and thank You!"
Over the years, however, as things get busier and busier, I find that I do not stop to look at the clouds often enough. I still love them, but I do not take notice of them like I used to. I think I've let life get in the way. I think that's sad.
Today, while driving to my parent's house for lunch. I stopped to see the clouds. I even had to take a picture or a few. (below)
With all the craziness of the elections today, and the uncertainty of the future that will come from today's votes, it was nice to just look at the beauty God has blessed us with and again say, "Yes, Lord. You are God and I am not! I praise and thank You!"
The Bad Habit Continues
NEWS FLASH: The nasty bad habit has not been broken! With many days, and a week's worth of success, Dexter has done it again! I first posted my gross concern about my not so little puppy on October 21st, and today, 14 days later, I cannot say that he is eating poop free. He has had a relapse! Yuck!
For days, and a little over a week we have watched Dexter's every move. Each time we've let him outside to do his thing, we stand alert and pay much attention to his "tee tee, and poo poo" time. I've worked hard on congratulating him and praising him each time he poo'd, letting him know pooing outside was a great thing and mommy is happy with him when he does it that way. However, I've also had to yell "NO!!!!" a couple times to keep him from turning fully around and chomping on the stuff he just left in the yard. AHHH!
But it's worked, even if I've had to yell and get his attention that it wasn't okay to eat his poo. He was making progress, right?
And then it happened... I looked away for a couple seconds and CHOMP, the disgusting, nasty event occurred again. GRRRRR!
And then yesterday, Monday morning happened... read the excerpt to my sister Robin, who owns Dexter's sister:
"Dex ATE HIS POOP AGAIN! gross. What's his deal? It's disgusting. I'm going to have to call the vet today and get some help. I can't watch him every single moment. And today he pooped in the house & gobbled it up before Kelly could grab him. :( nasty nasty boy."
To my amusement and surprise, Robin quickly responded to my nauseating news flash:
"OH MY GOODNESS!!! Maeby totally pooped in the house this morning and Brent caught her right as she started eating it!!! I meant to tell you!!! UGH...my dog does it too...she just doesn't usually get the chance because we take her out on the leash. I think she's done it more than once in the house and then ate it. EWW. If you figure out a solution PLEASE tell me too! Gross, Gross, dogs."
So what's the deal, huh?I called the vet. I cannot stand it anymore.
Here is what they told me. It's just a habit that needs to be broken!
They suggest buying some Adolph Meat Tenderizer, putting it into Dexter's food 30 minutes before he eats it. Do this for about 2-3 weeks and it should help break the habit. Apparently the meat tenderizer makes his poop taste bad.
AGAIN, doesn't poop taste bad anyway?! Even to a dog???
I'm hoping this works because this has got to stop, Dex is a licker, and I can't have a licker eating poo and trying to lick me! YUCK!
Ps. I asked my sis if I was allowed to post her email on my blog. Here was her reply, "for sure. tell everyone that our dogs are gross :)"
Problem is, they are sooo cute too. Check out these young photo's of them. Awwwww....
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Never a dull moment
Never a dull moment in the McGugan house. And to be honest when the moments happen to be dull, we are so thankful for the rest and relaxation of it all.
Mom and Dad sent us a great Halloween gift. A box addressed to "Number one daughter and What's His Name" came to the house today. I'm obviously "number one daughter" because I was born the first of the three girls in my family, and Kelly is "What's His Name", which has been mom's nickname for him ever since she knew he would be around forever.
My hubby was nice enough to leave the box intact, unopened, waiting for me when I got home from work. I read the label, laughed and smiled, and began to open the happy from mom and pop. Turns out, we've been sent a great big metal canister of goodies. The metal tin is decorated in Halloween decorations with "Spooky Halloween" written on top... very cute.
I open the canister to see all the goodies, eeew'd & awww'd, and went to show my hubby what was all inside... and that's where that drama began.
Kelly quickly went to town to claim the items that he would get. I made sure to correct him that we would share it all... but he was adamant that he would get this, and that, and this, and I could have that, etc. I began my giggle, as I often do when he's in his comical state... and continued to correct him that we'd share it all.
"No, no, no.... here, you can pick first, you pick which one you want, and then we'll take turns," he attempted to compromise.
I laughed and didn't respond fully, not wanting to encourage him. ha ha. So he picked for me, "yeah, you take that one, the one your hand is on, that's yours. Okay, so I'll take this one."
I continued to laugh at him and said that I wouldn't pick like this, that we would share, but then I quickly remembered that he had already tried to claim the chocolate chip cookies in the batch before started the "picking" process. He, he, he. So I said, "okay, I'll pick that one!" - as I pointed to the box of cookies in the tin.
"uhhh, uhhh, no. It goes you pick, then I pick, then I pick, then you pick"
I lost it. Cracked up. He gave that smirk he gives when he knows he's being hilarious.
I tried to pull myself together - don't fall for his sillyness, come on, you can do it... and then the thought came to me... "honey, no... we are going to share all of this, what's yours is mine, and what's mine is yours... we share everything"
"Who says?"
"This!" - as I showed my left hand ring finger with both rings in place.
"Awwww, you've got to pull that one, don't ya"
I won. Ha!
Granted, my hubby is now asleep on the couch HUGGING the tin of goodies, apparently afraid that I'm going to dig in without him.
Wow.
You think I'm joking?
Look below:
Mom and Dad sent us a great Halloween gift. A box addressed to "Number one daughter and What's His Name" came to the house today. I'm obviously "number one daughter" because I was born the first of the three girls in my family, and Kelly is "What's His Name", which has been mom's nickname for him ever since she knew he would be around forever.
My hubby was nice enough to leave the box intact, unopened, waiting for me when I got home from work. I read the label, laughed and smiled, and began to open the happy from mom and pop. Turns out, we've been sent a great big metal canister of goodies. The metal tin is decorated in Halloween decorations with "Spooky Halloween" written on top... very cute.
I open the canister to see all the goodies, eeew'd & awww'd, and went to show my hubby what was all inside... and that's where that drama began.
Kelly quickly went to town to claim the items that he would get. I made sure to correct him that we would share it all... but he was adamant that he would get this, and that, and this, and I could have that, etc. I began my giggle, as I often do when he's in his comical state... and continued to correct him that we'd share it all.
"No, no, no.... here, you can pick first, you pick which one you want, and then we'll take turns," he attempted to compromise.
I laughed and didn't respond fully, not wanting to encourage him. ha ha. So he picked for me, "yeah, you take that one, the one your hand is on, that's yours. Okay, so I'll take this one."
I continued to laugh at him and said that I wouldn't pick like this, that we would share, but then I quickly remembered that he had already tried to claim the chocolate chip cookies in the batch before started the "picking" process. He, he, he. So I said, "okay, I'll pick that one!" - as I pointed to the box of cookies in the tin.
"uhhh, uhhh, no. It goes you pick, then I pick, then I pick, then you pick"
I lost it. Cracked up. He gave that smirk he gives when he knows he's being hilarious.
I tried to pull myself together - don't fall for his sillyness, come on, you can do it... and then the thought came to me... "honey, no... we are going to share all of this, what's yours is mine, and what's mine is yours... we share everything"
"Who says?"
"This!" - as I showed my left hand ring finger with both rings in place.
"Awwww, you've got to pull that one, don't ya"
I won. Ha!
Granted, my hubby is now asleep on the couch HUGGING the tin of goodies, apparently afraid that I'm going to dig in without him.
Wow.
You think I'm joking?
Look below:
Monday, October 27, 2008
Pumpkin Party
This weekend friends and I put together (I did little, but was still considered a hostess... I think the most I did was pay $10 for food and bring chairs and tables) a Pumpkin Party. It was a fun excuse to get a group of friends together and socialize with a little bit of a different purpose.It was a blast. The goal was for everyone to bring a pumpkin and a bag of candy. We'd eat together, and then compete to see who could do the best pumpkin carving (winning getting a small prize) and spread the candy into goodie bags we would all take home.
The cool thing is, even though everyone did not bring a pumpkin to carve as planned (myself and the hubby included), it ended up being a great blend of carvers and socializers. The carvers focused intently on their mission, while the socializers buzzed around and "ewwwww'd and awwwww'd" at the works of art. This blend made for good conversation and interaction throughout the night. It was a beautiful chilly evening, and we all enjoyed the luxury of Candace's garage and the fire pit outside the garage door that allowed us to roast some smokin and yummy s'mores. Yum, Yum.
Here are a few pics I took throughout the night, a few of many. It was good night.
- Here's the group of hostesses, and my hubby being charming as ever behind us.
- I love this one. Tina & I + Jeff. Love the look on Jeff's face, classic.
- The hubby was ready for me to stop the picture taking, but then again, I always get an odd face out of him when the camera is flashing.
- Finally, the hubby got into the camera action. Alan, on the other hand, wasn't so sure.
- An example of the grub being served and yet again Kelly's photogenic action. Check out my necklace... the ghosts lit up and flashed, you can catch a few blue ones in this pic.
Good times. I can't believe Halloween is practically here, and November begins on Saturday. Where has 2008 gone?
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Preach It Sister
One of my best friends, (girl) Kelly keeps a blog also. Today, all I want to do is post a quote from her blog and ask you to go take a look. It is well worth you read today.
Kelly's post is titled: What Happens When You Google "Barack Obama AntiChrist"?
Kelly writes:
Two days ago I received yet another forward from a frazzled evangelical christian claiming that Barack Obama is the Antichrist.
When people start trying to use the Bible to push their agendas, I sit up straight and listen closely. The email "quoting" Revelation made me do just that. I became angry because someone who loves Christ sent me (and MANY others) this email. They didn't open their Bibles to see if Revelation actually said something about the Antichrist being in his 40s and a Muslim; they allowed their emotions toward Obama's liberal morality to take over, clicked "Forward", and sent this garbage to everyone they know.
Seriously, go take a look:
http://observationsoftheordinary.blogspot.com/2008/10/what-happpens-when-you-google-barack.html
Kelly's post is titled: What Happens When You Google "Barack Obama AntiChrist"?
Kelly writes:
Two days ago I received yet another forward from a frazzled evangelical christian claiming that Barack Obama is the Antichrist.
When people start trying to use the Bible to push their agendas, I sit up straight and listen closely. The email "quoting" Revelation made me do just that. I became angry because someone who loves Christ sent me (and MANY others) this email. They didn't open their Bibles to see if Revelation actually said something about the Antichrist being in his 40s and a Muslim; they allowed their emotions toward Obama's liberal morality to take over, clicked "Forward", and sent this garbage to everyone they know.
Seriously, go take a look:
http://observationsoftheordinary.blogspot.com/2008/10/what-happpens-when-you-google-barack.html
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