:: Sisters' Weblog: It Bloggles the Mind! ::

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United States, Tennessee, Humboldt, English, Susan, Female, 36-40, Christianity, Bible Study, church, music, trumpet, CD's.

Katie's blogchalk:
United States, Tennessee, Humboldt, English, Katie, Female, 30-35, Christianity, Bible Study, church, mom with two kids, full-time student.

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:: Saturday, December 07, 2002 ::

December 7

December 7th is probably just another day to you. NOT TO ME! December 7 is special to me because it is my anniversary! Way back in 1966 God chose to bless me on December 7th. He had it all planned out before the world began, but as far as my existence...this day in 1966 is a milestone. December 7, 1966 I was adopted!

I was only 4 months old so I don't remember much, actually, I remember nothing of the events of that day, but I mark it as special anyway. I know that it was the day I got a family! A wonderful mom and dad. I love them so much. I have tears as I blog knowing that as much as they are special to me, they have NEVER let me forget how special I am to them.

My parents are so awesome. I go to them when I need anything...encouragement, opinions, even if I need help financially I know that I can count on my parents. If I had a need right now and called them and asked them to come, they would be on the next flight out of Cleveland. I can always count on my mom and dad to be there for me. They have never failed to show me love.

Growing up I took my parents for granted, not intentially, but I thought all parents were like mine. They were there at every band concert and softball game, awards banquets and every kid milestone. They were always there when I needed help with my homework. They took care of all my needs. I always had clothes to wear, (even though I think mom sometimes had to drag me to clothes shop!), and food to eat. I had the extra-added benefit of having Gram come live with us when my grandad died too. She baked the most awesome chocolate-chip cookies (that I have not ever been able to duplicate), and beaten biscuits...I miss the beaten biscuits! I never meant to take for granted the love my parents showed me...so here for all the WWW to see...Thanks Mom and Dad for loving me!

I remember helping dad every spring put the mower deck on the tractor so I could mow the yard and in the fall it was time to put the snow blower back on and chains on the tires. I remember mom helping to coach my softball team one year and always being my taxi getting me to and from all my practices and rehearsals. I remember Gram supporting me in my endeavors on the softball field and in the band as well. I have so many awesome childhood memories and most of them because of my parents loving me so much!

When I was adopted, I gained parents, but later on I gained two younger sisters. We had a good life growing up together. I remember bickering as siblings do but we love each other and are there for one another when needed. I am so blessed!!! WHY DID GOD GIVE ME SO MUCH?!!!

Ohhhhhhhh, the mail just came in! Snail mail that is and LOOK! I have a card from Mom and Dad! YAY! It's a Veggietales card...Bob and Larry on the front! I'm so excited! Wooohooooooo!!! It says "God made you special and He loves you very much." and now I'm gonna open it! Inside it says "What better reason to have a happy birthday?" But Mom scratched out birthday and wrote "ADOPTION DAY!". Then the best part is what she wrote after that: "We love you more than you love Veggie Tales. Love, Mom and Dad." AND I LOVE THEM MORE THAN I LOVE VEGGIE TALES! (and I LOVE Veggie Tales!)

God did make me special and every day of my life my parents have reminded me of that. As a kid they would tell me I was special and that being adopted was special. As an adult, they still tell me I am special. I know I am special in God's eyes because of the parents He gave me. WOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I feel special today!

December 7...today is a day I will celebrate!

:: Susan 12/7/2002 09:42:46 AM ** ** [+] ::
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I'm bummin'...what's going on? I better not lose my entire website! Or my blog! Hopefully it's just because of the recent ice storms...but...isn't Truepath out of CA? Ok, so that can't be it. Maybe a squirrel got in the lines...yeah, that's it! A squirrel!

:: Susan 12/5/2002 04:36:07 PM ** ** [+] ::
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My blogs get posted, but my server is missing. Hmmmmmmmm? What's up with that?

:: Susan 12/5/2002 04:28:49 PM ** ** [+] ::
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Where's my server?

:: Susan 12/5/2002 04:26:08 PM ** ** [+] ::
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Where's God in the Good Times?

I came across this question at Expressions: In books and sermons, Christians are often asked whether their faith is strong enough to withstand bad times. I'm wondering, though, if a better question is this: "Is my faith strong enough to survive good times?"

Hmmmmmmm, just the other day I said to Katie that I wasn't praying like I once did and my relationship with the Father has suffered because of it. She confessed that she is having the same difficulty. I responded to that (kind of tongue in cheek) "What we need is a good tragedy!". Of course, Katie quickly chimed in..."NO! Don't ask for thaaaaaaat!".

Brokeness is what we need.

How does one "get broken" in the good times?

:: Susan 12/4/2002 11:44:28 PM ** ** [+] ::
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The End

It's bittersweet really. As an Internet user since 1997, I have surfed many websites. I love to surf...but, today...it ended.

:: Susan 12/4/2002 08:34:25 PM ** ** [+] ::
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Harry Potter

I loved the first movie! Can't wait to see the 2nd! My niece said it's better than the first and one of the best movies ever! Woooohoooooooo!

:: Susan 12/4/2002 07:02:20 PM ** ** [+] ::
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Bible Reading

My friend Katie and I were determined to read through the Bible cover to cover this year. We started last January and I remember looking at the monumental task by holding in-between my fingers the few pages we had read and seeing the giant bulk of pages left to read. We sometimes wondered if we were going to be able to do it. Those questions were very frequent while plowing through Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Isaiah...and some other books of the Old Testament. I have already vowed that the cover to cover idea might be a once in a lifetime experience, but I will continue to wash myself with His Word each year by some other type of "bible in a year" plan.

It was difficult to stay on top of it. We tried to get through 3-4 chapters a night. Doesn't seem too difficult in and of its own, but much of the spring and summer we were involved in multiple other studies as well. We studied Philippians, (I actually studied it three times just this year!), and did a Beth Moore study "Jesus, the One and Only" which had us reading a lot in the gospels (of course). Northbrook Church spent much of the past summer/fall in a series "Being a Christian in a Non-Christian World" and covered I Corinthians in that. In SaLT we spent time learning all about Peter from the New Testament writings. It's been a busy and very productive year for me from the study point of it. At times I did feel overwhelmed, which is why I didn't worry too much about studying Philippians three times! (Never had any more new material to have to read! LOL)

It was very easy at times to fall a bit behing but we were able to make a lot of ground on a trip to Ohio by listening to the Bible on Cd. If you have never done it, I highly, highly recommend listening to Max Maclean read it. He reads with great inflection and can capture the "character". I still shiver when I remember how he sounded when he read "I am Legion!". THAT was scary! It sounded verrrrry demonic! Anyway, Max Maclean got us through the book of Job on that trip to Ohio. He also helped us out when we felt more like listening than reading...but 98% of the time Katie and I traded off reading it aloud to one another, and it has been a worthwhile journey.

Oh, another comment...there is something really special about reading the Word out loud too. Can't explain it, but it just comes more alive...at least for me.

Tonight we will continue on in James! Whew! Made it this far! James was one of my first studies ever with the pastor at First Baptist Church in Marshalltown, IA. My singles group studied it. I miss that singles group, even though I was the oldest, well...besides Pastor. It was mostly comprised of the older high school youths and the college kids. There was one girl, Darci, she and I hit it off well. She wasn't in school and was trying to make a life for herself through Christ. She had a voice on her! WOW! She can sing! I was moved to tears by her singing because her voice was so soft, yet mighty, and she carried herself with such confidence. She told stories with her interpretations and inflections in the music. It was so beautiful. Hmmmmmmmm, wonder if she ever does anything with that? I know she's a songwriter too...I have the CD the youth made a couple years ago. I should try looking her up...wonder if she'll even remember me?

Well, that's about all on bible study. Still going through with the commitment to finish in a year, cover to cover, God's Word. Any recommendations on a good "One Year Bible"? 2003 is right around the corner!

:: Susan 12/4/2002 04:49:39 PM ** ** [+] ::
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Wanna Go For a W-A-L-K?

My dog hates rain. Can't say that today is a good day to enjoy...hovering around the freezing mark and been raining all day. Brrrrrrrrrr, it's cold and wet out there. I have to coax him to go outside to do his "business". At times on rainy days I have actually had to carry him out there and stay out until he finished up. It is not fun. I don't think I should have to do that! Then again, I can relieve myself in the comfort of my dry and heated indoor bathroom! LOL

Now the weather has not changed. It is still very cold and wet. "Wanna go for a walk?" and he gladly dances around awaiting to be leashed up to go outside.

Dogs...I just don't understand them.

:: Susan 12/4/2002 04:37:02 PM ** ** [+] ::
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It's Much Better With All the Swearing In It

I work retail. I can be frustrating especially this time of year, but I love it! I get energized when it's time to be on the sales floor and sell music! It's so much fun...but...sometimes, dealing with the public has its downside.

As a Christian I am sometimes convicted about the things I sell. I work in music retail. I love to sell good music, however, the downside is, most people seem to like to buy bad music. Bad musically, and very bad lyrically. A lot of popular music celebrates the not so nice things in our society...drugs, sex...you know, that kind of stuff. Many artists also choose not to sing too many big words, they especially enjoy simple, four-letter words. It is frustrating for me because I know that it is not God's will for me to sell this stuff, but at the same time, I know I am where He wants me. I work among lost people all day long, and do my best to shine a light in this dark world from my little store in Jackson, TN. I do my best to thwart some sales, and offer alternatives to the negative music people want to buy. Here's what happened today:

Mother and son come to the check out to buy the newest Nelly CD. The mother asks me "is there an edited version of this?" and I said that "yes, there is." The son, who was probably 15-16 interrupted and told his mom to please not get the edited version. She asked me more specifically what edited meant and I explained that in the edited versions the bad language is removed. Sometimes there is just a blank spot in where a word was, or the word is replaced with another word which is less offensive. The son said this "moooooom, it leaves lots of blanks all over the place!" (I smiled a bit because the kid really just dug a hole because he made it sound like there are so many bad words that when you take them out, nothing is left!) but his mom didn't catch that and he backed off when he realized what he was saying. She said "well, that doesn't make sense to have holes all over the place!" and so I said, (and I somehow regret it a bit) "no, it's a lot better to have all the swearing in it!" and then turned away as another cashier was going to ring out the purchase. I just don't get parents these days.

Here's something else that I dealt with today...(it's hard being a Christian in a non-Christian world!)

A customer came into my store. He had been kicked out of my store a couple weeks ago because he was harrassing my customers for money and after that I was told by my associates that he had been in the store for over an hour sitting on the sales floor muddling through magazines. He had been annoying my employee's too. I didn't understand the seriousness of the situation until I stopped working on the schedule in my office and came out to see for myself. The young man seemed to be under the influence of something...wobbled, staggered as he walked. Kept leaning on things to prop himself up and spoke very loudly and obnoxiously. He needed to leave. When he didn't after I asked him to I called mall security who eventually was able to escort him out. He was told not to return. Today he returned.

When I saw him in my store he seemed to know what he wanted and was purchasing a CD. I hoped he would check out without incident and just be on his way, but no...that would be too easy. He did buy one CD and then decided he wanted another. He didn't have enough money (which is his usual problem) and so he harassed my employee's for some. I watched this for a bit while he kept trying to come up with an extra dollar to cover the cost, but no matter how many times he counted the bills in his hands, he came up short. While I was on the sales floor, one of my young associates told me that when he came in earlier he kept grabbing her nametag and putting his face close to hers in order to try to hear what she was listening to (we wear headsets in order to communicate better with the personell on the sales floor). It made her quite uncomfortable. He also kept obnoxiously calling her name loudly from across the store. Once I discovered this, I knew he really needed to leave. When I asked him to leave, he said some rude things to me and was rather beligerant. He was not leaving so I called mall security. As I was calling, he left my store so I told security I didn't need their help after all, the customer left.

About 5 minutes later he returned. I approached him and reminded him that I had asked him to leave. He "demanded" respect as a customer because "a customer is always right" and went on and on about all the money he spends in my store (which is NOT a lot because he never has money and always harasses customers and employees for it) and that he has "more friends here than I (you) have staff." Whatever that means!?! He apparantly was not going to leave, so while I kept trying to get him to go my associate called security. This "man" started raising his voice and calling me names. He used the "f-word" and then said "excuse my language" and I said "I will not excuse your language, get out of my store." At all times I managed to keep cool and did not raise my voice, although I was speaking very sternly. Customers in the store were of course observing all of what was going on and this young man continued his string of obscenities and kept hurling insults my way. Some customers started laughing at him because he was being such a fool. He was telling me that I had a "hair up my @$$" and that "You are probably p-----ed off because no one dated you in high school" and that "I have a vendetta against him." I just wanted him to leave. Finally mall security got there to witness the last of his insults and then he said "you never said please". I asked him again "Will you please leave now." and he "politely" said "yes, maam." and left. All 6 mall security officers were there and immediately hauled him off to the side of my store for "questioning". I was just happy that he was out of my store!

The police were called and he was charged with trespassing. Mall security has also banned him from the mall. It seems that other merchants in the mall have had similar incidents with this young man. We were hoping that the police would see that he was under the influence of something and do a search of his person and/or car, but no such luck. I guess being an idiot isn't probable cause.

That happened in my first two hours on shift today. Oh boy!

Next story: We have these awesome listening and viewing stations (LVS) installed in my store. It allows customers to sample music from almost any CD in the store. It is so cool! You can watch the movie trailers too off of DVD's! It's so neat...love the Internet! Anyway, I have about 21 units in my store. The units with include a simple control panel and scanner, as well as a set of headphones, are placed at various places throughout the store. We got the system a little over a month ago, while some of our company's other stores were "test" stores and have had them installed since early spring. The headphones are always an issue because they will break with a lot of use which listening points in my store get. The stores in downtown Washington DC and in Rockerfeller Plaza in NYC say that the headphones are virtually indesctructable, and they really are very durable. I have maintained the opinion that people in this part of Tennessee are not the most intelligent and are very rude, and disrespectful. Jackson, TN proved it again tonight...my third set of headphones was broken! THIRD SET! They haven't replaced any in NYC or Washington DC yet! This is why on 9/11/01 the crime rate in major cities throughout the US dropped that day, but in Jackson...they went up! Wonder why rednecks get a bad name! Southern pride? I'm still trying to determine what it is that the south is so proud of? Somebody...please explain!


:: Susan 12/1/2002 12:22:50 AM ** ** [+] ::
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