yum. i have bought non alcoholic cider for my inlaws for a new years' toast with them. i, myself prefer the "leaded" type. catholic a well. alcohol is part of our "culture" (not really but i couldnt think of a better word). so, in theory, we catholics could be a "cult" teehee.

i get what you are talking about steve, the original cider might have been alcoholic. i'll have to try that ... (just kidding)

i actually have started eating apples for the first time in my life! i like the yellow "delicious" ones that are really soft. so does my son. he bites them and shreds them like a woodchuck would and sucks the juice out then spits it out. totally gross, but i guess he is getting used to the taste.

Went to a great conference for teen girls with our youth group this weekend. It is called the Revolve Tour and it is sponsered by the Women of Faith gals. Anyone out there that has a daughter or sister or youth group with teen girls you should check it out. It was an incredible program that spoke to the issues that affect today's teens and addressed issues like eating disorders, cutting and self-harm, drugs and alcohol and boys and sex. It was a frank and in your face weekend and it ministered to over 10,000 girls and women. If you have someone you know that is struggling with any of these issues, or just for any young woman that faces the sometimes overwhelming issues of growing up, school and life in general, please look into this tour. It was fabulous.

Wow, sounds cool

Optimists plant trees after a hurricane.

Today we're planting 3 trees

no, optimists plant trees right before the hurricane hits, realists leave beaumont and the rest just board up and hope for the best. teehee.

really, that is cool. i hope they live to leave leaves all across your lawn for many years to come!

thank you

We didn't get them planted, I had to go get a cantankerous patient into the shower this afternoon - it took an hour and a half of me wrasslin a 105lb 75 y/o man who really didn't want to get clean - at the end as I picked him up and put him back in bed in clean sheets he said "I really wanna thank you for what you done for me"



You don't wanna know what was covering him (and me after it was over) - he *really* needed a hot shower.

Tack on an hour for the drive and 30 minutes scrubbing in the shower myself and the afternoon was shot

We'll plant the trees this week, they're in containers in the backyard just waitin

The fire department just left my house. I nearly burned it down. I put sausage on the stove and forgot it was there and proceeded to leave to take my son to Basketball. Then I decided I needed a new pair of jeans...

My girlfriend works at the shop where I was so we were catching up when Rachel called my cell telling me that the neighbors called her and the fire alarm was going off at home and smoke was coming from the kitchen. (She was babysitting at my girlfriend's house at the time) I immediately flew from the store doing a mental inventory of what it could possibly be when I remembered...the sausage...

I called 911 who assured me they were already on their way and I prayed and cried all the way home, even getting angry to have to pull over for the police cars that were going to MY HOUSE!.

When I finally got to the top of the hill I could smell the smoke and I was certain that when I turned the corner that the house would be in flames. I was hysterical by that point. The road was blocked and there were emergency vehicles everywhere. When I finally got through, the firemen were just getting ready to break windows...I ran up with the keys and my hand was shaking so hard that the fireman had to take them from me and move me away...I was a mess!!!!

Smoke blew out everywhere when they opened the door, and then the rest of the doors and windows...and at the end of it all...not one lick of damage. /

They were so kind and trying to make me laugh so I wouldn't lose it...they told me they couldn't stay for dinner though as I wasn't a good cook and the sausage was just a bit too well done for their liking.... ROFL!

They also told me that the only thing I had to do was buy a new pan, they couldn't save it...

This whole time I was just praising God and thanking Him for knowing and being there. When everyone left I went back into the house and found alot of papers that had been blown around by their huge fans and I also I found a napkin on the kitchen floor. It had the perfect imprint of my stove's coil scorched on it...but not one flame ever ignited. /

Thank you Jesus for protecting a house that wasn't mine from the careless actions of one who is Yours.

If you EVER questioned if the Lord was in your corner, your quesiton was now answered. what an amazing story, as i read aloud, even my mundane husband was intrigued. Embie. you are blessed. The way you treat others alone should account for at least twenty angels on your shoulder. You are an amazing person and if only i could do whatever it is you do to solidify my faith, i would sleep better at night. i would have "lost it" wayyyyy before i would have needed to. the phone call would have "had me at hello" ...

Thank you Angel, but you give me way too much credit. It was all Jesus and nothing more. My faith is grounded in believing that He is in control of every aspect of my life. Even in bad circumstances He does not change. He is always on His throne, regardless of what I do or how I feel.

I know you are Catholic and strong in your beliefs, but have you ever prayed for Jesus to come into your life and just surrender that control to Him? That's what it's about; making Him the Lord of your life and knowing He is far better at keeping it together than we are.

If you haven't, try it. It will change your life. And about sleeping at night? I give all my cares to Jesus before I go to bed, cause I know He's gonna be up all night anyway...

yeah, i have surrendered and been saved. i taught and attended a non denom church for a while and still maintain my catholic faith. but i am still a fatalist in thinking and cant seem "to give it up to God" in all cases in life as i was taught. the most important things, i am able to leave it to faith and have seen the benefits - > our moves, jobs, children's health, etc. i truly consider myself a catholic who appreciates and incorporates many protestant aspects. thanks so much, but if i would have come upon my house on fire, i would have probably lost it.

Melanie passed her National Counseling Licensure exam today

She's been studying full-time for weeks and going to school for years for it - I'm a proud people

You should be - congratulations.

rock on mel !

She was accepted into her internship yesterday as well

Yippee for Mel!

I have completed 10 chapters of homework (I had forgotten one) posted 3 case studies, finished my final exam, I am just owing 2 papers.

That mo betta, eh? Don't tell me you lecture your kids about procrastinating on homework

We're growing at work at something like twice the speed of my last start-up office (which was the fastest start-up office for them ever and which in turn was much faster than any office my recently former company had either). Tomorrow, weather permitting, we break ground on the first inpatient hospice facility within a hundred plus miles in any direction. Thank you Lord for entrusting me and my partners with so many loved ones and their families o/

Way mo betta. And I'm all done until Jan 6!!!

...and Allen...regarding your work...
Once you prove yourself in the small things, you are then entrusted with the big things.

You have favor my friend.

God is Good! /

that is awesome embie! we are so proud of you! expect nothing less!

Yesterday, 8 weeks after the hurricane, they picked up the remainder of trees, stumps and debris left over from the high winds in our neighborhood. It'll still be years until things begin to look "normal" (lots of trees 40-100 years old were blown down), but cleaning up the stuff sure helps

Yesterday during our Christmas service Rachel and three other girls from her youth group performed an interpretive dance to Casting Crown's "Lifesong" as part of our worship. All of the spats and short remarks and stubborness and power struggles of the last few weeks fell away in a flowing of tears.

I have to tell you that there is nothing more joyous or gratifying than seeing your childen worshiping the Lord on their own and not because their parents say so. That is one big fat praise! God is so Good! /