Jen's Blog

My Birthday!

2007-07-20T07:20:00.000-05:00

Today is my birthday! OK...I'm not saying that so you will give me a gift...but, I woke up this morning and really didn't give it much thought. I am 44 years old! (UGH!) For some reason, the older I get, the more vain I get. I've always wanted to look good, but now it takes alot more effort! (Ladies, you know what I am saying!)
Anyway, I look at my grandmother, who will be 97 next month, I think "how beautiful she is!". She really is! Does she look every bit of 97? Yes...but something radiates from her. Don't get me wrong...she is beautiful on the outside, too! I've seen 50 year old women with more wrinkles! Everyone who is fortunate enough to know her falls in love with her...just ask the staff at Oakmont Nursing Home!
I hope that if I live that long, that is the effect I will have. I worry and fret so about my physical appearance that sometimes I forget that there is an inner beauty that come from knowing Christ that I need to work on, too. Yes, I need to excercise my spirituality just as much as my physical body.
Well, that's about all I have for today...hope you have a great day and God Bless!

Just a Few Thoughts

2007-04-24T08:28:00.000-05:00

In deciding to blog this morning, I really didn't have anything profound or thought-provoking to say. So, I will just let you know about a few things that are on my heart.
I have been thinking alot lately about friendships and relationships. Now, I am a shy person by nature and have to push myself to "get out there" sometimes. Once I do, I am usually glad. I don't seem to do well in social situations where there are alot of folks gathered, unless maybe it's family or people I know really well. I think I do better in smaller groups or even one on one situations. I think God made me this way for a reason. Maybe it makes me appear to be "anti-social" at times, but that's just how I am!
God has blessed me with a few very special friends in my life. Some still remain....one or two were only for a season.
Sometimes the way that I am can result in loneliness and isolation brought on by myself! So, although I love having just a few close relationships, at times I shoot myself in the foot, because I hang on to the familiar and don't give someone else a chance.
Why am I telling you this? I don't know! Maybe I am being too self-indulgent this morning...I apologize!
I have also been thinking about death....ok, I know....now I am being morbid! But, in just the past couple of weeks, I have heard of two women who lost their husbands suddenly to heart attacks...and they were young! This scares the bejeebers out of me...especially when I watch Tommy day after day pushing so hard at work. But, I can't worry over it...or I'll drive myself crazy! Then, of course, the shootings at VT remind me that everyday my children are exposed to the madness of this world.
I have to put these worries in God's hands and let go! I have to do that daily, hourly, minutely, secondly!
I wonder how people who don't know Christ deal? Where do they put their hope and trust? Anyway... I am not going to regurgitate words anymore.
Somebody posted a comment on one of my old posts the other day and all it said was "trash". It was an anonymous post. when I looked back and read what the post was about, I couldn't help but agree. It was trash! But, I am just expressing some thoughts and feelings...nobody has to agree or disagree with me. You don't even have to read this! It may be that a private journal is a better place for me to write my thoughts.

VA Tech

2007-04-17T08:06:00.000-05:00

As a parent of a child who is in college, I am feeling very sad this morning for the parents of those VA Tech students who were killed yesterday. When I first heard about it and saw it on TV, I couldn't help but think about Ashley. I was thinking about all the petty arguments and disagreements that we have had and how many parents may have just had one of those with their student before this happened. After all, that isn't uncommon among parents and college-age kids.
Or maybe they just haven't communicated in awhile, or just said "I love you and I am proud of you". Of course it also brings back memories of Columbine. I remember what I did that day...I went and got Ashley and Maggie out of school! I just wanted them home with me.
This morning I had to hug Maggie...just to hold her before she went off to school. Guys, we can't protect our children from the daily evils that are out there....only God can do that. Every day, if I don't pray anything else, I put my children in God's hands as they go to school and do other things. That's all we can do! And it is sufficient.
My heart goes out to the families of all those who were killed in this tragedy. I am praying for them and I call on all of you to do the same.

Lord Is It Mine?

2007-03-31T10:16:00.000-05:00

I know that there's a reason why I need to be alone
You show me there's a silent place that I can call my own

Is it mine, Lord is it mine?

You know I get so weary from the battles in this life
and many times it seems that you're the only hope in sight

Is it mine, Lord is it mine?

When everything's dark and nothing seems right
there's nothing to win and there's no need to fight

I never cease to wonder at the cruelty of this land
but it seems a time of sadness is a time to understand

Is it mine, Lord is it mine?

When everything's dark and nothing seems right
You don't have to win and there's no need to fight

If only I could find a way
to feel your sweetness through the day
The love that shines around me could be mine.

So give us an answer won't you
We know what we have to do
There must be a thousand voices trying
to get through.

--Supertramp

Jonah

2007-03-20T08:06:00.000-05:00

I know I haven't posted in awhile...I just really haven't had anything much to say! I am normally at aerobics at this time on Tuesdays, but I have alot of "stuff" to do this morning, so I am going to try and go tonight. Anyway...I just wanted to drop a few words before I get busy. The other day, I was reading Jonah and something struck me! God uses us in spite of ourselves! I already kinda knew that, but it just hit me as I was reading this passage. You know the first chapter is all about Jonah fleeing from God because God wanted him to go to Nineveh. He wanted him to preach to them against their wickedness. So Jonah gets on this boat that is going to Tarshish instead, thinking he can run away from God...of course, I would never do that! (Yeah, right!)
Anyway....because of Jonah's sin, this big storm comes up and scares the daylights out of the sailors and they start calling on their own "gods". Then they start asking who is causing this...somebody has angered their god and caused this storm to rock their world!! They question Jonah, and he says if they toss him overboard, the sea will be calm again. They really don't want to do that, but, they are in fear for their lives, so they toss him! Now here are the verses that struck me...

15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered sacrifice to the Lord, and made vows to him.

Then we know that God provided a big fish to swallow Jonah, etc. I guess it wasn't easy for Jonah to just let them throw him overboard like that...but, look how God used his disobedience to glorify himself and make believers out of those sailors! I don't know why I just dismissed that part before!

Well, I just have had that on my mind and wanted to share it. Let me know your thoughts on that! Hope you all have a great day and keep the Faith! TTYL!

DNow

2007-03-05T11:09:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a weekend! I am so happy that we were able to serve as a "host home" for Disciple Now weekend! I am exhausted, but blessed! It makes me think back to a few years ago when we lived in a little singlewide mobile home on Tommy's uncle's land just down the road from where we are now. In the beginning, this was just fine for us, but as our family started to grow, it began to get a little cramped. Also, mobile homes don't hold up very well over time, and I was starting to feel really self-conscious about where we lived and people coming over. Don't get me wrong...I wouldn't trade those years for anything! But, we were dreaming of a house! I remember praying to God that if He would just allow us to be able to build a house, I would make it a warm and inviting place for people to come. Well, it isn't always clean and organized, but I think people feel welcome here...at least I hope so!
Anyway, it was actually kind of refreshing having all that testosterone in the house for a change! (We had 10 middle school age boys!) It was fun listening to them talk and noticing how different they are from girls, which is what I am use to! I think Tommy liked it because he wasn't out numbered for once!
My prayer is that they each received a blessing as well and that they will look back on this weekend as a fond memory and as a stepping stone in their walk with God.
Thank you, Jay, for the opportunity to serve God in this way!

Babbling On

2007-02-20T11:57:00.000-05:00

First of all, I just want to thank you all for your prayers and concern for Ashley! She is doing much better now!
I love group fitness! It's such a neat way to get to know people better and get in shape at the same time. If you aren't a part of this awesome ministry, I encourage you to give it a try! Erin and Tonya do such a great job of motivating us to want to look and feel better! I just love them both to death!
Maggie just completed the classroom part of drivers ed and will begin the driving part this Thursday. She is really anxious to get her lisence...me, I'm not so sure! Sure, it will be nice not to have to haul her around everywhere...but, I will worry about her out there on the road!
I am going to get Ashley out of the house for a little while today. I think she is getting cabin fever. We are going to take the dogs to get their toenails trimmed...that's always an adventure.
I am going to get going,now...boring blog today! Sorry! Here is another pic of the twins!

Ain't they cute??? God Bless! Jen<><

Another Day

2007-02-16T09:02:00.000-05:00

Hey,everybody! Well, it's been a long week! Haven't been able to blog, because I have been taking care of Ashley alot of the time. I had to take her to the hospital yesterday morning because she had some bleeding and was very sick to her stomach. The doctor thought he would have to operate again and cauterize where the bleeding was coming from, but it stopped on it's own. So, we spent part of the morning in the hospital, just getting some fluids and nausea medicine in her. She still hurts alot and is depressed because she can't eat the foods she likes. I am praying that she will improve in the next week and be more like herself. It really is much harder on an adult than a child! (Of course, she is still a child to me!)
I am excited about Winter Jam tonight! I hope many of you will get to go. Alot of kids who don't know Christ will come to know him tonight. If you can't go, pray for the Holy Spirit to be in that place and in the hearts of all the performers. I better get going...got a messy kitchen to clean up! In Him, Jen<><

Ashley

2007-02-10T10:58:00.000-05:00

Hey, guys....I just want to ask you all to be in prayer for Ashley today. I think this is going to be her roughest day as far as pain. She woke up awhile ago and she just couldn't get settled down because it was so excrutiating. Thanks!

I Want My Mommy!

2007-02-09T09:27:00.000-05:00

Hey, ya'll! Hope you are all doing fine this morning! Ashley had her tonsils removed yesterday and everything went fine. She is in a great deal of pain, which was to be expected. She needs her mommy! Isn't it funny how that never changes? I still want my mommy when I am sick or hurting! And, no matter how old our kids get, we would gladly endure the pain for them to spare them from suffering! If we feel that way as earthly parents, how emmense God's love must be for us that He sacrificed His only Son to suffer and die so we wouldn't have to! I can't even wrap my mind around it...it makes me tear up when I think about it!
I think about a few years back when I had my hysterectomy...I was just waking up and the first thing I remember was my mother gently wiping my face with a cool wet rag. I will never forget that. I was in pain, but, knowing that my mother was right there to comfort me in that way was so sweet. I almost cry thinking about it!
I will always be there for my girls, too...no matter what. Even if they are doing things that I disagree with or I don't see their point of view, I will be there in their time of need. I think God is like that, only a million times more. I believe God has a mother's heart and even though we probably break it on a daily basis, He will never leave us, nor forsake us!
We just started singing a song in choir called "Your Grace Still Amazes Me". Erin has a solo part in the beginning and I could just sit there and basque in the beauty of her voice as she sings it. Sometimes I forget to come in with the choir when we are suppose to! But, every time we sing it, my heart just swells and I think about how amazed I really am by God's grace!
Anyway, I have to go give Ashley some more pain medicine...I hope you all have a great day! In Him, Jen<><

Ten Years Gone

2007-02-05T17:46:00.000-05:00

OK...I know alot of you are all psyched about the Super Bowl. I am not a sports fan, but I usually check out the commercials and the half-time show! Oh my gosh!! Prince ROCKED! He sang Purple Rain in the rain! Pretty cool...
So, anyway, after the half-time show, I'm sitting there with Ashley as our eyes start to glaze over, and we decide to see what is on other channels. Did you know that there is a "Puppy Bowl" on Animal Planet?? They have this little area made to look like a football field with dog toys in it and they put puppies in there and just film them doing puppy things! Every few minutes they change puppies and put different breeds in there! And, it doesn't end there!!... there's a "Kitty Half-Time Show"! We missed that, though. We were rolling in the floor laughing....not just at the show, but at the fact that we were sitting there watching it! It was great...
It was a good weekend...Ashley brought "The Producers" home for us to watch and it was hilarious! We all went to T. Dale's 10 year extravaganza...and it was great! Then, church on Sunday was wonderful! I had to keep babies in Sunday School...but, it was fun! Jack showed me how to build a tower with blocks and then knock them down and say "uh-oh"! We did this many times! It really helped when there were sharing issues....I would just say, "Hey, let's build another tower!" and everybody would be happy.
The sermon was wonderful...Dale used the same one he did as his first 10 years ago on Psalm 1. He talked about how there are no accidents with God and we are where we are for a reason. He has a purpose for each of us. I needed to hear that, because sometimes I just don't feel like I am making a dent! But, right now, I am right where God wants me to be...that will change somewhere down the line, so who knows what He has in mind.
Well, I am just glad that I had a few minutes to blog a little. My neice, Brooke, had her twin boys on Thursday! They were suppose to take them on Valentine's day, but were concerned about the lungs of one of them...so, they went ahead with it! Their names are Jeffrey(my brother's name) and Joseph(my dad's name). So, now she has 3 children under 2! And all boys! Here's a picture:

Sweet, huh? Well, I guess I will close now. Ain't God great?? ;-)

Tonsils

2007-01-30T13:17:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd blog a little before I go to Greenwood. I feel so good after that workout this morning! It was painful, but worth it! Well...now I am at a loss for words! Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........
Yeah, I have to go get Ashley so she can go to an early appointment in Greenville in the morning about her tonsilectomy. I had my tonsils out when I was 12. I remember I couldn't sleep the night before and I had the radio on beside my bed. Every time the nurse would come in to check on me, she would turn it off and I would promptly turn it back on when she left! This went on all night. Then , I remember them coming to get me for surgery that morning before my parents got to see me...they were very mad!
And I got to eat all the sherbet and jello that I wanted to...and the attention was pretty great too! I liked getting attention when I was young....not much has changed.
Well, I really better go now...have a groovy day!!

Custard Pie

2007-01-29T09:29:00.000-05:00

Well, hey everybody! Hope you are all doing fine today. I am doing pretty well! Just reading everybody's blogs and chatting with Linda a little before I go to the gym. (I know....I should have gone right after dropping Maggie off!)
It's so cold outside! Well, I guess it's suppose to be...it is almost February! My mother's birthday is this Friday and my brother's is Thursday.
Saturday, we went to watch Maggie(Woodmont Drumline) compete in Winter Percussion at Greer High School. It was fun...Maggie seemed to really have fun with it.
Kyle Payne is blogging now and I added him to my links, so ya'll check him out! I want to thank those of you who have left me encouraging comments...it really helps to know that someone is getting something out of reading my ramblings!
Well, I am gonna jet, now! Hope you all have a great day and God Bless! <><

Sophia

2007-01-24T09:26:00.000-05:00

I think she has the right idea!

The Battle Of Evermore

2007-01-24T08:36:00.000-05:00

Hey, ya'll! What's up? Just wanted to babble a little bit before going to the gym. Listening to a little Bonnie Raitt this morning...she is soooo cool! "Everybody is cryin, MERCY!, but they don't know the meanin' of the word...."
Pretty groovy, huh? "Everybody is cryin', PEACE ON EARTH, just as long as we win the war!"
Awesome words, I think. Just read Frank's blog...he's getting fit, which is great! We have some really great folks at FBC now. Some that I wish I could get to know a little better, but it's hard when you live "over the bridge" and only see them at church functions. I have been doing less and less in that regard lately...I use to have so much passion and I don't know where it went! I have a tendency to isolate myself anyway....then I wonder where everybody is! It's a catch 22!
Even when I read my Bible, it's like it just isn't sinking in. I know that part of this is just me....just the way I am made. Even though I take medicine daily for depression, and probably will for the rest of my life, it still rears its ugly head sometimes. What am I getting at? I don't know...I just want to share this morning.
I read Michael and Frank's blogs and they are just on fire! Then I think, what a bummer mine must be. It seems like I am always in a state of struggle! I am going through some "mid-life" stuff right now and I feel like I am going crazy sometimes! (Anybody out there feel me??)
Well....that's my blog...wish it could be inspiring...sorry! I always feel better after exercise, so I need to go do that. Hope you all have a fabulous day! Peace out...

The Crunge

2007-01-22T11:33:00.000-05:00

I know that my blogs are few and far between and I am sorry for that. I will try to do better. It is hard for me to get on the computer on a regular basis with a teenager in the house! I hope everyone had a good weekend...mine wasn't so great! I got socked in the head with a migraine on Saturday and it pretty much knocked me out of commission for the entire weekend. I don't have them as often as I use to and this one was especially intense. I just wanted to go to bed and pull the covers over my head, which is exactly what I did! Anyway...enough whining!
Today, I have alot to do....mainly to this house because it is so dirty and messy. I am just not very inspired today! I am very happy that group fitness has started again, so I am looking forward to that tomorrow. Just don't have much to write about right now, but maybe I will get "inspired" later! ;)

Manny & The Hooters Girls

2007-01-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sorry, guys! I just couldn't resist! This is my great nephew, Little Manny, who lives in San Diego! Look at the expression on his face! It's priceless!
(I know some of those aren't real...)

Dancing Days

2007-01-13T07:50:00.000-05:00

WOOOHOOO!!! Two days in a row! Well, here I am in the workout clothes I wore all day yesterday, and hopefully, will actually work out in this morning. Don't worry, I didn't sleep in them! I think God has a sense of humor and He was getting a great laugh watching me yesterday! I am glad I could bring Him such joy!
I wonder if my day would have gone differently had I started out giving it totally to Him. I am sure it would have...but, it's in the past and I just have to chalk it up as a lesson learned! Tommy said I never should have gone back for my ipod...his exact words were, "You never go back once you are already down the road." Kinda profound when you think about it, although I don't think he meant it to be. He literally meant you don't turn the car around and go back once you are headed for your destination.(Especially for something like an ipod!)
I will be taking Maggie to the school this morning to her Winter Percussion practice and will head directly to the gym from there. Everything I need is in my gym bag, but if I forgot something, I will not come back for it!!
Do you think God was trying to get my attention yesterday??

I'm Baaaaack.....

2007-01-12T13:49:00.000-05:00

I know I am so popular that everybody was just dying to know why I haven't been posting! Well, I couldn't! I couldn't sign in to my account, so I just created a new one!
Let me tell you about my morning....first you have to know what a lazy procrastinator I am....I am going to work on that tomorrow.
So, anyway, when I go to the gym, I usually go right after I drop Maggie off at school. If I am really good, I have all my stuff packed in my gym bag the night before, so all I have to do is get dressed, eat some yogurt, take my vitamins and go!
Last night I decided to just wait til the morning to get it together. Didn't quite work...so, I decided to take Maggie to school, come home and get my stuff together.
Anywho......when I got back home I realized that I really needed to update my ipod, so I got on the computer and downloaded some Peter Frampton (Do you feeeeeel like we do?). So, I plug my pod into the computer and....nothing....it's not updating...however, my ipod says, "Do Not Disconnect"!!!
So, I disconnected it. My ipod freezes. After several tries, I finally get it going again and plug it into the computer where it promptly begins updating. (Whew!)
By now it's about 10:00 because I can't just do one thing when I am on the computer...I have to check my mail, chat with Linda, read other blogs, etc. So, I am ready to go workout! I decide I will plug my ipod into the car so I can listen to my new tunes on the way!
As I am riding down the road, I realize that I left my waistbelt that holds my ipod on the table! It has my earphones in it! This just will not do! So I turn around and head back to get it. I am leaving the house (10:30ish) and I decide that I have got to have a sip of my energy drink. I look away for only a second! When I look up, I am wiping out the speed limit sign with my sideview mirror! It destroyed it! It's just dangling now, a mass of wires and glass! Tommy is going to have a great time with this.
So, I pull over and call the Lexis dealership to tell them I am on my way...
they took it off because it was just hanging there and hitting against the car. They will order another one and it's only going to cost 690.00 to replace ;/!
That brings me to my blog...couldn't sign in. So, I just created a new one! Hope you like it. I am still in my workout clothes because I think at some point, I might be able to do some kind of exercise....