Jail or free-wheeling inbreeding

Yesterday I was in Barnes & Noble with my work friend, Amy. We had decided to go there rather than having "lunch" because our break was at 3:30 and we weren't hungry. Anyhow, while walking down the middle I noticed those tables where they often put the similarly themed book groups and I saw one of the funniest things I've seen in a while.

There was a book on the end called "The OCD Workbook: Overcoming Obsessive-Compulsive Disease". Right beside it I saw "How to Organize Your Home: Tips for Creating a More Organized Environment".

It made me laugh out loud. :)

Also, I am trying to start capitalizing. I have entered the realm of the shift key. :) Now if I could only break my dependence on smileys, I would rid myself of bad nettiquette altogether.

i've been listening to this cd all day and this song made me cry.

"There is a Reason"--Allison Krauss and Union Station

I’ve seen hard times and I’ve been told
There isn’t any wonder that I fall
Why do we suffer, crossing off the years
There must be a reason for it all

I’ve trusted in you, jesus, to save me from my sin
Heaven is the place I call my home
But I keep on getting caught up in this world I’m living in
And your voice it sometimes fades before I know

Hurtin’ brings my heart to you, crying with my need
Depending on your love to carry me
The love that shed his blood for all the world to see
This must be the reason for it all

Hurtin’ brings my heart to you, a fortress in the storm
When what I wrap my heart around is gone
I give my heart so easily to the ruler of this world
When the one who loves me most will give me all

In all the things that cause me pain you give me eyes to see
I do believe but help my unbelief
I’ve seen hard times and I’ve been told
There is a reason for it all

*reveling in the beauty of the public library's cd collection*


yeah, so i guess it's been a while since i went to a library for any purpose other than to use a computer, but wow, you can get a cd for 21 days, listen to it all you want and then know if you want to buy it or not. that's a beautiful thing. the libraries here have some good stuff. here's what i got yesterday:

the flaming lips, 'yoshimi battles the pink robots'
patty griffin, 'living with ghosts'
ben harper and the innocent criminals, 'live from mars'
marvin gaye, 'let's get it on' (couldn't resist!)
jeff buckley, 'sketches (for my sweetheart the drunk)'

good stuff.

this library rocks.

i also got 'il postino (the postman)' and 'clockwork orange' on dvd too.

*dances around to 'steal my kisses'*

ok, i've been thinking some about this, and there are a few things that i have gleaned from this dream:

1. yoga is of the devil.


2. megachurches worship satan.

:)


just kidding, yeah, i have been evaluating it for several truths. one of the main things i felt after the dream was that it doesn't matter if you worship Jesus or satan, if the programs and things you are putting out are good, they will get results and people, HOWEVER if they are not lead by the holy spirit for honest, genuine reasons, then they are all just that: programs. and they are all equal. people are drawn to things that build community. they will flock to it.

but what does the church of Jesus Christ have to offer that makes it the one, true body? what is it that we have that sets us apart? and when we answer those questions, we must ask: now how do we celebrate that and invite others, particuarly ones who haven't yet known it, to celebrate along with us? what do we REALLY have to offer?

tough questions.

the church is more than just some jesus loving ymca, it's multi-faceted, and it's time that we started building that part of ourselves that sets us apart. now if we could only figure out what that's supposed to be... ;)

the funky dream i had last night goes something like this:


i'm driving to gainesville from hartwell. matt and i aren't dating yet. i'm headed there to visit him. on the left side of the road b/w i-85 and gainesville i see this old warehouse style baptist church, only instead of looking like it did look, now on the front of it there is a big red sign, like stores have, all illuminated, and it says "666"

intrigued i look for a sign with a message on it, and it's just got some message like "community night" or something on it, it says "come on in." intrigued, i do.

i head in and am talking with a cute trendy tattooed girl at the entrance and i'm asking about the place. she informs me that it is a satanic church. new to the area. i look inside the warehouse doors to see people doing yoga. it's a class, which she tells me, they offer for free. anyway, she's chatting on and on about how few people have given them much attention that wasn't negative, even though they've done more for the community than any of the other local churches. she had just spoken with the mayor or someone about how much they were doing and how it put the other churches to shame. she said they had a large attendence and small groups on thursdays, etc.

then i met the pastor, well, priestess. she was wearing a pink sweater set and was blonde and looked like a cheerleader. she was very valley. very friendly. anyhow, she said that a lot of people came there just for the community aspect, not b/c they worshipped satan. she said the animal sacrifice rituals were not mandatory for membership and that they actually had several vegetarians who used stuffed animals instead, to avoid cruelty.

i was very intrigued and decided that since the local churches had all shown them nothing but scorn, i would befriend these friendly satanists and i signed up to take yoga. then i left.

and then i woke up.

yup, so in case any of you were interested in joining a satanic megachurch, i know of a good one. :)

*pops in cd with "hotel california" on it*

*note to self--don't eat spicy food before bed*

i have good news!

it's official: for the 2005/2006 school year, i have employment.

that's right, folks, you're reading the blog of a teacher of gifted language arts for south forsyth middle school in cumming georgia (no jokes, people). it's great news because it makes living arrangements SO much easier. i'm really looking forward to being that close to atlanta as well. small enough feel to the place to be safe, but large enough to feel like i live somewhere real.

i have to take two classes this summer to complete my certification, but praise God, they're going to reimburse me for the cost of it after i complete it. things are really falling into place with this and wedding stuff. i'm also surprisingly enough, enjoying my current job.

see, i call people all day long and say "please call jennifer belle at ..... b/tw the hours of ...." yeah, i have an alias. belle from my screen name. it was going to be jennifer garner, b/c that would just be TOO funny, but they wouldn't let me use it. oh well. anyhow, i've not talked to a ton of people, but i'm making the highest volume of calls in training (about 90/day) and i've collected around 2k so far. cool stuff. i get cursed at and hung up on occasionally, but it just makes me laugh because i get to talk smack while the phone is dialing and stuff. "oh yeah, mr. johnson, you're gonna give me my money, or i'll slap you down." i'm like a pimp, but for credit debt. fun fun fun.

anyhow, i'm still alive, i'm doing alright. things are going great at church still, and i'm really doing my best to enjoy this last bit of time to live with the fam before i head off into the married life.

so i was leaving my dad's church when i noticed that the sign out front was the old "ch__ch. what's missing? ur" cliche, so here's the alternate version matt and i created as a response to cheesy signs everywhere. enjoy!

.

so on my way back from a glorious music/romance/diamond filled weekend in georgia, i am driving home on i 75, one exit away from my home exit, and suddenly the road gets all bumpy.

it freaked me out, there was a lot of construction, but this wasn't normal. so i realize that the car is now lopsided, and that my rear driver's side tire has blown out. i'm all like "crap, this sucks." it was around 2:30 am when this happened.

so there i am, in the little y shaped part where one exit merges onto the interstate, backed up as far as i can, which isn't really far b/c of road construction. i'm sitting there trying not to think about the fact that there is a semi on either side of me, rushing to merge onto this interstate highway. each were going around 60 or 70 mph...

yeah, so i call my mom and 911. and i've decided to take back every ill thing i've ever said about this interstate, because i have realized that florida has this wonderful service called "road rangers" they come and fix your flat tire, or put water in your radiator, or tow you to an exit, whatever you need, FOR FREE if you call 911. cool huh? God bless the florida highway patrol.

so yeah, mom showed up, broke my jack trying to fix the tire, and the guy finally got there an hour and a half later, fixed it in a second and a half and i headed home. so i got in bed at around 4:30 or so this morning, and went to work at 8:30 (on time, i might add).

so that's my little story. i figured anyone reading this already read matt's and got all the sappy details of the weekend, so why should i repeat it? :) he's WAY more into all that than i am. ;)

my ring rocks. :) i'll post a pic when i can take one.

i'm in georgia! i'm visiting matt!i have my ring!

i'm a happy girl. :)

i'm also baking a quiche (sp?) for a lingerie shower for one of my bestest friends in the world. i hope it turns out ok. it smells great...