And on a lighter note...

…the new banner pic is of Churchill Downs during Derby week. Isn’t it glamorous?

I’ll post more pics of our trip to Kentucky soon (as in, when I get motivated to plug that cord I can never find into the computer and download the 9 million pictures, sort through them and crop and enhance them so they look halfway decent.)

All You Need Is Love...Love Is All You Need

In response to this…

My ex-boyfriend once told me that Mother Theresa was not in Heaven. I disagreed with him, but given how I translated the Bible, he was correct. You see, Mother Theresa believed that because she was baptized, she would go to Heaven. I believed that you must publicly announce that Jesus is your Lord. Did Mother Theresa publicly announce that Jesus was her Lord? Of course she did. And I was baptized. But neither was done in order to earn our way to Heaven. Both actions were done in obedience to the Lord after already having earned our respective “tickets through the gates”.

Why do I point this out? Because I have learned through much studying that my way is not the only way. If I know all the answers to Christianity and self-appoint myself as such, then aren’t I playing God, rather than simply doing as God has asked of me? This point was brought to my attention in the book “A New Earth.” The author uses quotes from different doctrine, including the Bible, and never once says anything negative about any of the respective religions. He simply explains how to apply this sense of “being” to your particular religion in order to fully grasp what God wants for you. In order to allow for peoples faults and love them in spite of them. Isn’t this the main point Jesus tries to drive home over and over and over in the Bible, to put ourselves aside and simply love?

Just recently there was uproar in our church over infidelity and people were quick to forget that we are instructed to be Christ-like, which is, to mirror Jesus, and instead chose sides and forgot to love the perpetrator. This book gave me the tools to remember what I believe and who I truly am in order to allow for faults and love both sides. Did the book offend me because there was Hindu and Buddhist doctrine in it? No. What it did was teach me that I am not God and I am not in control of the situation. I must simply “be in the moment” and do as God has asked of me, which is to love.

I read a book a while back that opened my eyes to the fact that it sometimes takes tools from other religions to reach a closer relationship to who I believe is God. The book was called “Eat Pray Love.” In it, the woman goes off to India to study in an Ashram. She learns the Hindu art of meditation, which in turn allows her to simply “be.” During her time at the Ashram she is forced to be silent for a large part of each day. She is a very social being and silent meditation proves difficult for her. When she finally learns to simply “be,” she has the most awe-inspiring moment with God.

In our Christian religion, we are told to pray. This should be easy enough, but being the busy 21st century beings we are, our phones start ringing, our Blackberries flash that red light that begs for a response, the alarm screams at us to pick up the kids. We, for the most part, do not know how to stay still. The Hindu religion teaches the art of staying still. It’s called meditation and it could really be beneficial for us Christians to learn.

So do I shun the Hindus because they are not Christians, or do I learn from them and love them, though I may not agree with who they worship as god? Doesn’t Jesus want me to love them in spite of what I may see as their faults, as they were created in His image? That is what Mother Theresa did. She lived for many years in India and loved every single one of the people there, regardless of their religion. I will strive to not play God and just simply “be in the moment” and love.

And as for Oprah, as a self-professed Christian, wouldn’t she be considered a good model for Christianity in her sincerity towards all beings? And if, by chance she should slip up, do we allow for her faults, or do we hang her out to dry? I believe we should do as Jesus instructs us to and love her too.

It's Not My Fault!

So I was running errands today (because that's my new job title) and I was sent to the city of Commerce. I whined because, though I didn't know exactly where it was, I knew it had to be one of those really ugly cities that's hideousness could only be increased by the 100 degree weather. But could I really say no to the guy that's filling up my gas tank and giving me an allowance every week? So off I went.

And low and behold, my errand took me directly across the street from the Citadel Outlets. The very place I see when flying down the I5, but forget all about two minutes after I pass. I was practically there, so I might as well check it out, right? Now I know I'm currently unemployed and should stay far away from such places, but it doesn't hurt to look, right? And if I happen upon a fun yellow silk sundress that was originally $148 and is marked down to $36, do you really think I should pass it up? I didn't think so. And after all, I was SENT to Commerce...I didn't WANT to go.

You've Gotta Pay to Play

And boy did I...OUCH! This serves as a warning to all you "adults" who still act like children. When playing on inflatable slides, mazes, or whatever new form of bounce-house extravaganza they come up with, be sure to cover all limbs with clothing. We "adults" are just too heavy to slide our bare skin down vinyl at record-breaking speeds.

Is today Saturday?

I think so. But then I guess it really doesn't matter when you're laid off. Every day is SATURDAY!!!

At some point I do need to find out if today truly is Saturday though, as I have a bounce-house birthday party to attend on Sunday. Bring out the tube socks...adults are aloud to play!

I wish I were a kid again.

Seriously? That's what someone said today.

For dinner tonight, I took a bowl of leftover spaghetti, strung string cheese all over the top and threw it in the microwave. While I waited, I ate a poptart. Afterwards, I made myself some hot cocoa with LOTS of whipped cream. For dessert I grabbed some blueberries, took a swig outta the milk carton and grabbed a handful of thin mints out of the freezer.

I can't ever recall a time, as a child, I would have been allowed to eat such things for dinner. I think I'm fine with adulthood.

I Can't Handle the Truth!

I’ve been teased...er, I mean asked whether I’ll be posting a blog since I just returned from India for the second time and, being creatures of habit, it appears this is an expectation from my audience. To tell you the truth, I’m really not in the mood just yet. India messed with my head in a whole new way and has forced me to question quite a lot. So far, the answers are nowhere to be found, but I promise you when they do appear, I will share.

Until then, I will follow in the footsteps of a friend and leave you with light-hearted quotes and lessons from India…enjoy.

Quotes…
…Can I wear my Lungi on the plane?
…You WANT your coffee!
…Ees Okaay
…Who has the red ball?
…Jon, dude, I need 50 Rupees.
…Knock…Knock…Knock
…Let’s go on a trip….first we’ll go through Boston, then to Miami
…Please come
…Jon, can I borrow 100 Rupees?
…Tug…Tug…Tug
…TEEEAM!!!
…Can I bring a Nicaraguan?
…Thump…Thump…Thump
…Hey Jon, you got 80 Rupees?
…I’m keepin’ it solid
…Can you get out of it?
…HELLO!
…Seriously, I’m living in this when we get home.
…You used the bucket for what?!?

Light-Hearted Lessons…
…Moo Moos rock!!!
…Bridgete has magic hands.
...Stopping to smell the flowers is not always a good idea.
…Everyone poops (hopefully).
…Valerie will always win at Yahtzee.
…You can survive on hard-boiled eggs and bananas alone.
…Lizards are your friend.
...Advil Cold and Sinus cures everything.