Sad Sunday...what can I say? It happens!

Drinking gin does not ease pain.

Now not only does my heart still hurt, but also my head.

The Dangers of exercising

The tile that binds

By Dave Barry, Miami Herald

Today's topic for homeowners is: how to install a tile floor.

Any home decorator will tell you that there is nothing quite like a tile floor for transforming an ordinary room into an ordinary room that has tile on the floor. But if you're like most homeowners, you think that laying tile is a job for the "pros." Boy, are you ever stupid! Because the truth is that anybody can do it! All it takes is a little planning, the right materials and a Fire Rescue unit.

Consider the true story of a woman in Linthicum, Md., who decided to tile her kitchen floor, as reported in an excellent front-page newspaper article written by Eric Collins for The Capital in Annapolis, Md., and sent in by many alert readers. According to this article, the woman, who wanted to be identified only as "Anne" for reasons that will become clear, decided to surprise her fiance by tiling her kitchen floor herself, thus saving the $700 a so-called "expert" would have charged for the job.

Step 1, of course, was for Anne to spread powerful glue on the floor, so the tiles would be bonded firmly in place. Anne then proceeded to Step 2, which--as you have probably already guessed--was to slip and fall face-first into the glue coat she created in Step 1, thus bonding herself to the floor like a gum wad on a hot sidewalk.

Fortunately, Anne was not alone. Also in the house, thank goodness, was one of the most useful companions a person can ever hope to have: a small dog.

Specifically, it was a Yorkshire terrier, a breed originally developed in England to serve as makeup applicators. A full-grown "Yorkie" is about the size of a standard walnut, although it has more hair and a smaller brain.

Anne's dog, named Cleopatra, saw that her owner was in trouble, so she immediately ran outside and summoned a police officer.

Ha ha! No, seriously, Cleopatra did what all dogs do when their owners are in trouble: lick the owner's face. Dogs believe this is the correct response to every emergency. If Lassie had been a real dog, when little Timmy was sinking in the quicksand, Lassie, instead of racing back to the farmhouse to get help, would have helpfully licked Timmy on the face until he disappeared, at which point Lassie, having done all she could for him, would have resumed licking herself.

So anyway, when Cleopatra decided to help out, she naturally also became stuck in the glue. But again, luck was on Anne's side, because also at home were her two daughters, ages 9 and 10, who, realizing that the situation was no joking matter, immediately, in the words of the Capital article, "began laughing hysterically."

Eventually, with their help, Anne got unstuck from the floor and was able to lay the tile. But she still had glue all over herself. So, according to the Capital article, "she called a glue emergency hotline, but no one answered."

I don't know about you, but that sentence disturbs me. I think somebody should check on the glue-emergency-hotline staff. I picture an office reeking of glue fumes, with whacked-out workers permanently bonded to floors, walls, ceilings, each other, etc. Come to think of it, this is also how I picture Congress.

But getting back to Anne: Still trying to solve her personal glue problem, she called a tile contractor. During this conversation, the glue on her body hardened, such that (1) her right foot became stuck to the floor; (2) her legs became stuck together; (3) her body became stuck to a chair; and (4) her hand became stuck to the phone.

"I had to dial 911 with my nose," she is quoted as saying.

When the rescue personnel arrived, they found Anne still stuck. Perhaps this is a good time in our story to bring up the fact that she had been working in, and was still wearing, only her underwear. Fortunately, the rescue crews were serious, competent, highly trained professionals, and thus, to again quote the Capital article, they "laughed until they cried."

Once they recovered, the rescue crews were able to free Anne by following the standard procedure for this type of situation: licking her face.

No, seriously, they freed her with solvents, and everything was fine. Anne got her new floor and saved herself $700, which I am sure more than makes up for suffering enough humiliation to last four or five lifetimes.

So the bottom line, homeowners, is this: Don't be afraid to tackle that tile job! Just be sure to have a dog handy, and always remember the No. 1 rule of tile installation professionals: Wear clean underwear.

Simple joys!

Met a lovely guy while out today...

I smiled the whole way home.

Whispers to the moon!

Sweet Lover of mine rememberest not my kiss?
Has thou so long be without that thou couldest have forgotten me?
I see thy sweet face nightly
I reach out my hands to thee;
but thou art so far & hearest not my simply entreaties.
Return to me for I can not live without thee.
The days are long & my heart is sore & cries out for thee.
Hear me, Oh love, & come swiftly to my call.
hid my supplications
Return and be one with me
******
My soul is cast down.
Yea, my countenance is distressed.
For Thou has forgotten the warmth of our love.
Forget me not, dear love, neither forsake me.
My soul dependeth on thee.
Without thee I am lost & wander as a drunker through the streets.
Come to me; restore me to thy heart.
Turn me not away!
Yea Lord, my heart waiteth on thee.
I trust in Thy goodness.
I know the tender mercies of Thine heart
and wait with confidence in Thee.

M.C.

Saturday night....

Went out dancing last night...was too much fun!!! I do love to dance. Mom meet a bunch of America navy guys, so we had guys to dance with. :)
Here in Romania, it's very unusual for men to ask you dance. Personally I am not into dance with a partner, but it was good for a change. My legs are sore!
They loved Mom, even asked her to dance.
And for those of you who wanted pictures....hee hee we forgot the camera. Sorry! But you know I really haven't change since the last pictures, so you're not missing anything. Lol

I don't miss you... I just want you!

Stormy weather....

If we could see Him, life would be so easy! Imagine seeing, walking, talking, eating, hugging Jesus. Would you doubt, question, struggle, feel unloved? Not likely!
But He says "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
(John 20:29)

Angel--Jack Johnson....lovely voice!

Hugs????

I need a hug! :(

"Love is the beauty of the soul." St. Augustine

"The hours I spend with you I look upon as sort of a perfumed garden, a dim twilight, and a fountain signing to it...you and you alone make me feel that I am alive...Other men, it is said, have seen angels, but I have seen thee and thou art enough."
--George Moore

"She walks in beauty,
Like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes."
--Byron

What's your passion?

Jesus said, "I came to seek and save that which is lost ---even as My Father hath sent Me, so send I you." (Luk.19:10; Jn. 20:21).

Light/Darkness

Darkness cannot conquer light, but light can always conquer darkness.

Jesus:
Not everyone takes Me at My Word when I say that "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world" (1Jn.4:4). Some Christians live all their lives in great fear of the Enemy. But you are privileged to realize his cowardice and his fakery, and you can stand up to him without fear.

I chose a rather simply picture, because I always loved the illustration of a light going on in a dark room and instantly conquering the darkness within.
Sure the world can be a dark places, but the light of one person, one smile, one act of kindness can chase a little more of that darkness away.

You live this life but once.

“To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure, but risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.”

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”
Flora Whittemore

“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching.”

“The most important things in life aren't things.”
Anthony J. D'Angelo

“Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude towards us.”
John N. Mitchell

“Only a life lived for others is a life worth while.”
Albert Einstein

True Heroism

Do not be dazzled by the World's false judgments. The common soldier is often nobler than the general. ... Nor is it otherwise on the battlefield of life. There is a yet harder & higher heroism—to live well in the quiet routine of life; to fill a little space because God wills it; to go on cheerfully with a petty round of little duties, little vocations; to accept unmurmuringly a low position; to smile for the joys of others when the heart is aching; to banish all ambition, all pride, & all restlessness, in a single regard to our Saviour's Work. To do this for a lifetime is a greater effort, & he who does this is a greater hero than he who for one hour stems a breach, or for one day rushes onward undaunted in the flaming front of shot & shell. His works will follow him. He may not be a hero to the World, but he is one of God's heroes, & though the builders of Nineveh & Babylon be forgotten & unknown, his memory shall live & shall be blessed.

—Fredric W.Farrar

Wednesday Whimsies!!!

"Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism. Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make yourself a happier and more productive person."

He made James Bond toys come alive in World War II

By: Lauren Fogle

If you're familiar with the James Bond books or movies, you probably know about the character "Q." What you may not know is that "Q," the famous gadget-maker, was based on a real person.

The original "Q," Charles Fraser-Smith, was born in 1904. As a teenager, he placed his faith in Christ. That faith would carry him through the pressure of holding a highly secretive job during World War Two.

On the outside, Charles's job looked pretty routine. His job description said he was simply a low-ranking civil servant in the Ministry of Supply Clothing and Textiles Department.

Or at least that's what the British government wanted you to think.

Charles's actual job was to create and supply Britain's armed forces and secret organizations with a variety of special gadgets for a number of purposes. Some of these gadgets helped prisoners to escape. Others helped agents gather information. Charles never knew what he was going to be asked to make next.

Often, Charles designed items that looked ordinary but concealed useful items. Fountain pens and pencils housed tiny compasses and silk-rag tissue maps. Cigarette lighters contained cameras. And fake batteries were used to return film to Britain for processing.

Charles also helped Special Operations Executive agents. These men and women often parachuted into occupied countries. They needed to be able to blend in. Charles made sure they had exact replicas of foreign items, from matchboxes to makeup. These small details helped protect the identities of the agents.

Charles's job may seem exciting. But it was very stressful. At times, Charles would receive a hundred phone calls a day. The only way he could manage his job was through prayer.

He also maintained a proper perspective. It would have been easy for him to boast about his job and his accomplishments. But he didn't. He was known for commenting that "only fools and barbarians glorify war." He said, "Fighting an aggressor is a sad and uncomfortable task… but it has to be done when there is no alternative." His faith in Christ helped him make all his decisions as he helped in the fight.

After the war, one author wrote a book about Charles's work. But Charles was upset that the author didn't mention his faith. Charles was almost eighty years old when this book was published, but he wanted to tell the whole story. So he wrote three books of his own, which described his faith and the faith of other war heroes.

Charles died four years after publishing his last book. But even at his funeral, he made sure people knew the real story about his death. Someone read these words Charles had written: "I always think of death not as a sunset, an ending, but as a sunrise, a beginning. Death for the true follower of Christ is entrance to real life… We can say with Paul, 'For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain.'"

Love the sinner; hate the sin!

Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)

Unanswered prayers!

How many times have I said this to Jesus: "If you'd only grant me this wish I'd never ask for anything again."
Even though I always found something else to ask Him for again. ;) I guess He is pretty use to that line. Surprisingly most of the time He has granted me my wishes, some I wish I hadn't wish for & others I was quite thankful for. But, of course there were a fair number He didn't grant. Heard a song that basically sums up all those unanswered prayers.

(chorus)
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers Remember when you're talkin to the man upstairs That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.

Trying Places!

Jesus: The most trying places throughout your life are where you are going to grow in faith the most, be the most strengthened, and be the most useful to Me. This is a promise. You may feel you have yet to see this promise fulfilled, but you will see the fulfillment as you put one foot in front of the other and walk on into the destiny that I have for you.