Four.Twenty.Eight

Photos You Haven't Seen

I got my inspiration from a friend on Facebook who decided to post some old photos from the really early days in our ABF at church.  Thanks.  Really.

Here's a few photos I pulled from my iPhoto vault.  Enjoy!

This is Golfing Sammy.  He's playing at Tour 18 in this shot. {October 2010}

 

It took at least 5 tries to get my veil situated right on my wedding day.  This appears to be only the first or second attempt because the bridesmaids are still smiling about it. {June 2003}

 

I took this photo at Classic BMW's monthly Cars & Coffee auto show.  I felt like it was a pretty good creative shot.  Cars & Coffee is a great place to practice your creative camera skills. {October 2009}

 

We took the MINI up to the Shops at Legacy parking garage while it was pretty empty to take some creative shots shortly after we got it. {September 2008}

 

Our first home during the building process.  We're still here!  {March 2005}

 

Homemade sushi!  I made sushi as a surprise once for Sammy's birthday.  Unfortunately, the stores didn't have any sushi-grade raw fish that day, but I managed with cooked varieties.  It turned out pretty good, but it was labor intensive! {February 2007}

 

This makes me laugh!  If you've been to The Strand in Galveston, you've seen the artists that do the caricatures.  Sammy complained later that the artist drew his eyebrows really thick.  Ha!  {July 2006}

 

All I can say about this picture is thank goodness for new, more stylish ski clothes.  {Winter Park, CO, February 2005}

 

This is me.  This is my Paw-Paw.  This is an oil well in West Texas.  I went lots of places around West Texas with my Paw-Paw.  {Circa 1983-84}

 

You didn't think I would leave Axel out of the photo flashback, did you?  Boy, he loved this toy.  It was a jack-o-lantern with a crunchy, plastic inside that he loved into oblivion.  It died long ago!  {June 2007}

On Music...

And this is exactly how I feel about music.  It really does feed my soul.  The following quote is from Madeline L'Engle, one of my favorite authors.

"If music be the food of love, play on
Music feeds our laughter, heals our tears
Do not stop playing, or our fears will waken.
Play! And after I'll know who you you are, and you will know me.
And together we'll drive the clouds of night away, and day will break."

Thank you Mark Lee of Third Day for sharing.

D-Day - 65th Anniversary

Some of you might know (or not) that I am interested in World War II history.  I am always fascinated by the people who accomplished such amazing things in their life that contributed to their country's freedom, and I love hearing the stories.  What extraordinary times those were.

I found this page that lists the 12 recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor from the Normandy Invasion.  It really astonishes me what such young men accomplished and what it meant for so many people.  In addition, the prayer that President Roosevelt prayed over the radio on the eve of the invasion is reprinted at the post's end, and it is so moving.

Medal of Honor Recipients, Normandy Invasion

Article titled, "'D-Day' - Day of Glory"

If you're ever interested in learning more about this time in history, you can watch the documentary originally aired on PBS by Ken Burns called "The War".  It is available on DVD.  Set aside a few nights to watch, though - it's a 6-disc set!  In addition, another good one is the miniseries Band of Brothers.  Fictional movie, but based on much fact.  If interested in a book, I just finished "My Hitch In Hell: The Bataan Death March."  Very interesting and harrowing account of a soldier's survival in unbelievable odds.  I also have and hope to soon read "Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of WWII's Greatest Rescue Mission" another POW story.

Musings from a Garage Sale - Part Two

There are some things you don't see every day.  You don't always see a Lamborghini driving down the street, you don't always see an eagle soar across the sky, and you don't always see Tommy Lee Jones at your garage sale.

Did you hear that?  Tommy Lee Jones himself was at our Garage Sale on Saturday!  In the flesh!  In person!  In a red shirt and jeans!  With sunglasses on!

My friend and I were so proud that, yes, our garage sale was impressive enough to draw a celebrity crowd.  I tell you, we had some amazing 25 cent video tapes there, but I really think he was coming in for the $2 three-pound hand weights.  I mean, that is exactly what a celebrity really wants.

Now I have something very important to tell you.  The celebrity guest at our garage sale was really a celebrity look-alike.  The guy was a dead-ringer for Tommy Lee Jones.  I kid you not.  If you have ever looked at someone and said, "Wow!  He looks just like Tom Cruise!", or whatever celebrity, this guy was an even closer match.  He was the closest match I've ever seen, all the way down to his voice.

So, we got to chatting with the guy and he was actually a pretty funny guy who was very laid back about his celebrity status.  Here's how the conversation went:

My Friend:  Does anyone ever tell you that you look like...

Guy at garage sale:  Every day, every day.

My Friend:  Well, you've reached your quota for today!

**Laughter**

Guy at garage sale:  I've been asked for my autograph so many times.  Once, someone just kept insisting I give them an autograph and I said, sure.  I signed it, they looked at it, and it said "Sid Johnson."  They asked what that was for and I just told them I was keeping a really low profile."

**More laughter**

We kept chatting with Tommy... er... Sid, and they ended up buying a couple of items.  But truly.  This guy was a dead ringer.  Right on.  Could have starred in a movie for T.L.J.  We had several big laughs about it with him and are still talking about it today.

A Throw Down In The Fabric Aisle

Well, I knew when this happened I'd have to write about it in the blog.  I felt like throwing down right there by the Joann's fabric table.

Let's begin by saying that I am probably the most non-confrontational person you will ever meet.  I will also say that my biggest pet peeve is very likely the following:

People that believe the world revolves around them and the rules don't apply to them, their business, or their current situation that is right in front of their nose.

I guess this is because Christ tells us to be just the opposite and it chaps my hide when others don't get it.

With that information said loud and clear, here's my story from my errand I ran on my late lunch break.  I hope I can keep it semi-short.

I went quickly to Joann's to get some polar fleece for part of the dog bed cover I am making.  It has to be cut.  They had two ladies working at the cutting counter and a couple of people in line.  So, one line, two cutters, "Who's next?"  Follow this easy-cheesy scenario?

Next, I noticed a lady get behind me with a basket looking a bit impatient.  She then proceeded to move and I really didn't notice where she went.  The people in front of me were up to be waited on, so woo-hoo, I'm next.  I might just get back to work in a timely fashion.  I then noticed the lady that came up behind me was standing clear on the other side of the table near the other cutter.

Then, D-Day.  The other cutter said, "Who's next?"  I walked up to her, put down my bolt of cloth, and said, "I believe I was next."  The woman who was behind me attempted to begin putting down her things as I said this, so I kind of had to be sure to say that I was next.  I kind of felt a storm a-brewin'.  The woman behind the counter cut my fabric, I said thanks and proceeded to get some velcro.

As I looked at the velcro, the lady proceeded to tell the cutting clerk that "That was pretty rude." and "I guess her time was more important than anyone else's." within clear earshot of me.  Add a couple other things in there.

Now, remember my pet peeve?  I just couldn't take it.  With all the courtesy and kindness I could muster, I turned to her and said, "Ma'am.  I was standing at the counter before you came up.  I was right behind those people with that fabric right there." pointing to said fabric.  I'm about 99% sure that she heard about 2% of what I said because she proceeded to put her hand up towards me and say, "I don't want to hear you." about 5 times very loud.  Every other customer (okay, 2 customers) was staring as were the cutting clerks.  I tried to reiterate my point with a million scenarios going through my head all at once at about 2,000 mph.  Would she try and hit me?  Should I ask a customer?  Should I ask the cutting lady so I can be vindicated?  Help!  Get me out of here!  Should I keep arguing my point?  Should I make her listen to me?  Keep my voice down.  Stay calm.  Aaaaaaaahhh!

My last words to her were, "O.K.  That's fine.  You were very rude."  At this point my face was probably a tomato and I was probably shaking visibly.  My shy personality goes on overload like a nuclear reactor with large red flashing lights and loud buzzers when there is confrontation I have to deal with.

You see, I am not a rude person.  I make many attempts to smile, be ultra-polite, say excuse me, thank you, and everything else so maybe someone else can smile a little in their day.  This just put me over the edge and I just couldn't stand there and listen to it for another second.  I don't know if I was wrong for saying something, but I know 100% that I was not wrong in being next in line.  She was rude to the very end.

So, how was your afternoon?  'Cause this is how I feel:

Candace Cameron Bure

You know, I grew up watching Full House.  It was part of the "TGIF" line-up on ABC and I waited impatiently for Friday to come around so I could watch this show.  I discovered through surfing a couple of blogs that one of the show's stars that I idolized has turned into a truly amazing adult.  How many child stars do you see that have had complete train-wreck lives, gotten into drugs, divorces, alcohol, and have even had tragic ends to their lives?

The child star that I am so impressed with is Candace Cameron Bure.  I always knew that she and her brother, Growing Pains star Kirk Cameron, were Christians.  But her website really impresses me.  She has grown up to be such a beautiful woman and has stayed true to God and Christ.

You know, I see stars like Jessica Simpson and get a bit disgusted.  Her first attempt at a career was singing Contemporary Christian music and it seems like all she wants to do now is show cle@vage and perform scantily-clad in her movie scenes.  Maybe I'm being too hard on her, but something tells me I'm not.  I see a star like Candace Cameron Bure and feel so happy for her and the Christian woman she has become.  It is so unfortunate that teenage girls are getting images of Jessica Simpson splashed in their face every 5 minutes instead of someone like Candace being shown to them as someone to imitate and truly look up to.

So visit her website, www.candacecameronbure.net, and read for yourself what a great example she is for God.