It’s Amazing Grace

I’m trying out a different jokes website; there has to be a better site out their than the one I have in my rss feed.

Genie on the beach

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A man was walking along a California beach and stumbled across an old lamp. He picked it up and rubbed it and out popped a genie. The genie said, “OK. You released me from the lamp, blah blah blah. This is the fourth time this month and I’m getting a little sick of these wishes so you can forget about three. You only get one wish!” The man sat and thought about it for a while and said, “I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii but I’m scared to fly and I get very seasick. Could you build me a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive over there to visit?” The genie laughed and said, “That’s impossible. Think of the logistics of that! How would the supports ever reach the bottom of the Pacific? Think of how much concrete…how much steel!! No, think of another
wish.” The man said OK and tried to think of a really good wish. Finally, he said, “I’ve been married and divorced four times. My wives always said that I don’t care and that I’m insensitive. So, I wish that I could understand women….know how they feel inside and what they’re thinking when they give me the silent treatment….know why they’re crying, know what they really want when they say ‘nothing’….know how to make them truly happy….”
The genie asked, “Do you want that bridge two lanes or four?”

It’s amazing being able to experience rest and spent so much time with Curtis so far this summer. We are getting to spend more time together that allows us to share in our daily life experiences more often. Have you ever seen two sumo wrestlers smack bellies together in a dual? Well, funny thing…Curtis and I do that to have fun with each other. I know it’s silly, but it puts a smile on our faces and makes us laugh. We rode our bikes today to the post office–and through CBU, down to some residential areas back home. It was the first time we ever rode bikes together, and we had the time of our lives.

I’m thinking about what job opportunites I can apply for this summer, or at least by the Fall. I feel uneasy about going back to the classroom and being harrassed by the teacher. I know no matter where I go, there will mostlikely be problems. But I believe now that I have value and do not deserve to be harrassed in vindictive ways. I wonder what’s out there for me…patient, but eager to find out.

You’d think I’d have more time to blog, but noooooo–it’s been a busy two weeks since school let out. Sometimes I wonder if it’s politically correct for me to say “school let out for the summer” or “work let out for the summer”. I don’t want people to think I’m the student. I feel like I have to explain that I work at a high school and not actually attend a school. Anyway, such ridiculous thoughts…

I wonder what other people do on hot summer days like this if their not working. Sunday is my mommy’s birthday…I think she’s gonna be 56 or 57 yrs. old…I’m not really sure. Curtis and I went to “Edibles” to have a fruit plant sent to her tomorrow. Then I said, “hey lets stop buy that new ATT store next door to see if they have reasonable deals.” Curtis didn’t really want to…he was a little grouchy, an rightly so…it’s hot!!! But we went and what do you, we came out with two knew Sony Erikson phones. We paid forty for the black one and twenty (50% off) for the pink fusia one. We also got 200 min. (or words, or characters…I don’t know what it’s called)…but we got 200 each month so that we don’t have to keep being over paid for texts we get from others. And, we found out that because we work in Riverside County, we get a 15% discount on our bill! Curtis said, “Good job Gracie!” He was happy we stopped by afterall…he finally got a bluetooth.

Then, we went to Target where we met and talked to Andrew and Becca for a little bit before leaving. Funny thing…we went in to get trash bags and lotion, and left with four bags of groceries. Those low price stores really getcha, you know. Then we had cobb salads at Farmer boy’s by our home on Madison because Curtis was starving and couldn’t take it any longer. We then went to CVS to pick up my medications before arriving back home about four hours later.

It was so hot when we got back home that all we could do was pass out on the bed and sleep for 2 1/2 hrs. I took a cold shower when I woke up and suggested Curtis do the same. I think my body temperature went down twenty degrees. The weather people say the red alert will end tonight…so stay hydrated!

A man noticed that his credit card had been stolen but didn’t report it. The thief was spending less then his wife.

It was my last day of work today at ERHS. Now I’m free to explore the whole summer with Curtis! I am releived that I don’t have to go back to the classroom anymore. I know it’s not my responsibility, but I hope Scott finds his way; I hope it’s the right way too. I had to plead with Curtis to take me out to Cold Stone to celebrate. He eventually caved in when he I got up off the couch and mopped to the bedroom. He said, “Oooooookay Gracie, we can go to Cold Stone”. Anyway, while laying on the bed, he decided to mess with me. He started his journey in the hallway leading to our bedroom door. I was pretending to be asleep, but I could hear him snooping. I had a feeling he was going to run and jump on me. So I braced myself and popped my head up off the bed as he was in the air with his arms and legs spread wide open. And, my big hard head busted his nose. He was bleeding and screaming; I thought I poked his eye out…I was worried. He was in excruiciating pain. I gave him a wet towel to mop up the blood of his face, and gave him a bag of ice to put on his nose for 10 minutes to reduce the swelling. I asked him if any blood was on the back of my head. And he said, “I’m in pain and all you can think about is if there’s blood in your hair”. We laughed and I told him I didn’t mean it in that way…but he knew that. It was pretty funny…after the fact. His poor nose has a cut on the top of it. He told me he should have just went with his initial instinct and gone straight to the bathroom instead of trying to mess with me. I told him I’d try not to pop my head up next time if he decided to do it again. We eventually got our Cold Stone icecream. People say strange things happen on Friday the 13th.

Teacher: “Now, Sam, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating” Sam : “No, sir, I don’t have to, my Mom is a good cook.”

Whenever I see a family going through struggles, it always brings me closer to my inner most feelings. Oh my gosh, that Home Edition Makeover show sure can make almost anyone breakdown and cry. There was this couple in their early twenties who had four children, all with the same rare disease. They couldn’t eat anything, and the whole house had to be sterile at all times. The kids were nourished with feeding tubes. The dad was willing to take out loan after loan in order to put himself through medical school to find a cure for his kids, and kids alike.

However, they were blessed and you could see the joy on their faces; I felt joyful for them. They got a new house with sterile air that’s used in hospitals. The oldest kid, about 5 yrs. old I guess, got his room spiffed up with a log cabin bed like his hero, Abraham Lincoln. I never met a kid whose hero was Abraham Lincoln either. But when asked what he liked most about Abraham Lincoln, he said, “He set the people free.” Oh cool is that! The kids ended up getting medical treatment a the Philadelphia childrens hospital. And, they even found out their kids can eat some foods, like grapes and melons. CVS pharmacy is going to pay for the medical bills and put the dad though medical school. I’ve never seen a man so happy for his kids. God bless.

It was a struggle transitioning to the worship team ministry a couple of years ago…but it has been all worth it. It seemed as if it were not too long ago we struggled getting talented musicians. But, I am not the kind of person that likes to give up. I can foresee the future benefits of long drawn out work; the results are what keeps me going. Makind a difference for Christ is not always easy…then again, is it ever? I have grown to love what I do over at Pipeline. Eddie is a great leader because he cares for us. Jonathan is a talented drummer with so much untapped talent waiting to burst out at any moment…less is more Jonathan. Joe is a young leader in the making who has continued to grow as a person and leader. Little Jordan, our youngest singer on the team has guts and is waiting to step out of the shadows even more. Kimberly can sing her heart out for the Lord…glad she’s with us. Thank God for Tracy…a little more experience to the team has done us much good…oh, thank God for Tracy. Our newest edition, a cool bass player named Matt…he is intellegent, patient, a great player…and from what I hear, he can play the drums pretty darn well too. Well, there you have it, the Pipeline Worship Team. I look forward to our continued growth relationally, musically, personally, with Christ and our faith in Him, and as leaders for these young impressionable children we lead in song every Sunday for three morning services. Oh, and I love dinner time on Monday nights right before we practice. It’s the bomb! Check out our children’s church service some time at 8:30am, 10am, and/or 11:30am…yes, we’re busy, busy, busy!

Our Pipeling band got the day off today. I was excited to be able to go to church this morning with Curtis. We haven’t gone together ever since I started leading our worship team prayer for Pipeline. It’s kind of like a version, or extension of main service worship team prayer at the night service.

But anyway, I couldn’t help but notice as I was singing the words, “…arrested by your truth and righteousness,” in the song To Know Your Name by Hillsong, that it was the first time I really payed attention to the words. As I was singing, I was thinking about what that means in my life. And, I realized in all my sinful ways, instead of God getting rid of me or executing me out of existance for my just punishment, He (as a police man who arrests a criminal) has detained me from my own demise. His perfect Truth and Righteousness has arressted me and shows me who I am, and who Christ has created me to be. And, I gladly submit to His perfect Will, because He is the only one perfect in my life. The Holy Spirit speaks to my heart and I realize I need to stop and turn the other direction.