Planes

I am heading to Florida for work tomorrow. It is okay with me, but I don't like planes. Unlike many others, it is not because I'm afraid of crashing. It is because of the re-cycled air and the need to sit right on top of each other in a tube shooting through the air. It gives me a headache and when others says their ears have popped open after landing, mine don't recover from the air pressure change for hours.

So to get through it I have Dramamine and Earplanes ear plugs. I end up being very smiley and lazy with 2 blue rubber "springs" sticking out of my ears. It ain't pretty!

Lovey

Family Connections

It has been over 25 years since I have talked to some of my cousins. Who would have thought that Facebook would have brought us together. Writing letters, the telephone, and visiting used to be the way we made contact. Writing became cumbersome, telephone calls were expensive, and visiting relatives spread across the country took too much time.

I'm happy that Facebook has given me the opportunity to say hello and even schedule some visits with my family. I just think it is very weird that we now communicate almost entirely through computers.

Lovey

My Struggle With God

I've heard people say "You know that you know that you know." That is the only way that I can believe in God.

There are days when I don't know if I really believe in Christianity and want to become a Buddhist. Other days I want to reject all religion because I start to think it is just too much trouble. It is too hard to follow the rules. Don't covet, love others as yourself, yada yada yada. I wonder if even Billy Graham felt this way on occasion. Did he get up to the microphone and preach on days when he didn't really know if there is a God or just wanted to go home and take care of his own business.

My maiden name is Thomas and it is sure reflective of the "doubting Thomas" attitude I have had throughout my life. But, I often remember the time when my little 7 & 8 year olds in Sunday School asked, "How do you know God is really there?" I responded with no doubt, you feel God in your heart. And they all nodded knowingly.

So there it is. I doubt. I don't doubt. I doubt. I don't doubt. But in the end, I know that I know that I know.

Lovey

Fr. John Corapi

I can't sleep. I'm going to be tired in the morning, but there is nothing I can do about it.

I watched Father John Corapi a little earlier this evening on TV and he spoke about having a conscience. He said if a person doesn't use their conscience it is the same as letting a body part weaken. The more it weakens, the less you can use it. Letting one bad thing into your life weakens the conscience and soon other wrongs don't seem so bad. Finally the conscience is so weakened that wrongs seem normal and right.

Thanks Father Corapi for shooting straight with your listeners. You don't tell them what they want to hear, but what you know they should hear.

Father Corapi is going to be in Buffalo, NY August 15. I would have love to hear him speak in person but have already scheduled other plans. I'll just keep watching on the TV.

Father Corapi's website link is: http://www.fathercorapi.com/about.aspx
Here is the link to spiritual 911: http://www.fathercorapi.com/PDF/911.pdf

For those of you who are having trouble sleeping, an evening prayer.

O eternal God and Ruler of all creation, You have allowed me to reach this hour. Forgive the sins I have committed this day by word, deed or thought. Purify me, O Lord, from every spiritual and physical stain. Grant that I may rise from this sleep to glorify You by my deeds throughout my entire lifetime, and that I be victorious over every spiritual and physical enemy. Deliver me, O Lord, from all vain thoughts and from evil desires, for yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen. (By Saint Macarius)

Lovey

Junior High

We didn't call it middle school then. The top pic as at the Grand Canyon. I was having such a good time! I had my hair pulled back in a braid and my moccasins on. I sewed this dress myself and as you can see, I knew how to hem. I am very unfriendly looking, but that is because I have always hated having my picture taken. I was hard pressed to find a pic that was close-up. Also, this is the year I decided to color my hair. I became a blonde. Nine months later I had longer hair and it looked like I was considering smiling. The one at the bottom is in happier days when hair was not an issue as long as your wore a cowgirl hat.

Lovey

The Tennessee River

The Tennessee River is 652 miles long and snakes from the east side of Knoxville south to Chattanooga and in to Alabama. It then flows to create a border between Alabama and Mississippi before it moves northward again, back to Tennessee. I chose a picture of the river for the header of my blog because I think it is beautiful as it winds its way through the mountains and my son is a diver and works on the locks and dams of the river. For those of you who ever have the opportunity go to a UT VOLS football home game, you will find the river accessorized by large numbers of boats, floating in to Knoxville arrayed in Big Orange and White. The areas between Knoxville and Chattanooga have also become filled with resort-like communities on the river. In Chattanooga the river flows through the middle of town and can be viewed from a beautiful pedestrian bridge. I love this area of the country and I'm so glad that it is just a couple of hours away.

Always Looking Forward?

Well, everybody. I say that I am always looking forward, but after the last post I did take a very short trip down memory lane. Here I am in 1978 - 21 years old. The funny thing is I think I'm having a better time now. It was not easy going through the growing pains of becoming an adult. You can't see them, but my husband is sitting beside me and I'm holding my 9 month old daughter.

As I said, it is much easier being me now, but I wouldn't mind having my old body back. LOL

Lovey