Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Angels Obey His Word

Today's Scripture

"Praise the LORD, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His bidding, who obey His Word" (Psalm 103:20, NIV).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Did you know that when you speak words of faith, angels are commissioned to move on your behalf? The Scripture tells us that God gives His angels charge over us. That means, when God hears you declaring His Word, He says to the angels, "Do you hear what my child is saying? They are speaking faith. Angels, I have an assignment for you. Go down there and begin to turn the situation around." And the angels obey His Word!

If we could pull back the curtain on the unseen spiritual realm, we would see a host of angels and heavenly beings watching over us. That´s why it´s so important to guard what we say because with our words we either open a door for God and His angels to move on our behalf, or we open a door for the enemy and the forces of darkness.

Make the decision today to only speak words of faith and life over you, your home, and your family. Declare God´s Word and His promises and let your words set the angels into motion to help you fulfill the destiny God has planned for you!

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, thank You for calling and equipping me. Thank You for giving Your angels charge over me to protect and guide me. I will declare Your Word over my life and choose to honor You in all I do. In Jesus´ Name. Amen.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

A first for all women everywhere

I got a new pair of jeans!

I got a smaller pair of jeans!

I feel like the girl in the yoplait commercials, "Yeah, I need you to take these in."

The best part was the record timing and fittings!

I took a tissue. I don't do well buying clothes. Typically, on any given clothes shopping experience, I leave crying. I hate trying on clothes and flourescents lights are evil. Just evil!

I went to the juniors section first to see if size "Whale" had become available yet. It has!! And the size "Whale" were on size, too! It was great. I got several pair to try on in the fitting rooms. I made it to the fitting rooms, prepping myself for a few tears and didn't cry! It was great. The first pair set the evening, though.

I slide them on, zip them up and did the sit test. You know, the test where you sit down in the fitting room to make sure that you don't show ass crack everywhere you go? Yeah, all the pants I brought F.A.I.L.E.D!! I really didn't even have to sit. They pants didn't make it above the crack. Who thinks that low is cute?! How do you sit? No wonder they were on sale!

So I leave those in the room, walk out, think about leaving but decide to try one more pair. A different cut but not waist high.

I walked back in, pulled them up and then the angels sang.

I found a new pair of jeans in two fittings and in under thirty minutes!

Top that!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

It's not that I don't care

It's been over a week since my last post. Just so you know, I've not run out of material, I've run out of time!

I am headed to the small town of Cullman here shortly. It will be a great evening. I also have several stories I would love to share with you! One about having 152 different servers when I went to get sushi last night and another about the little girl who repetitively stabbed me with my own pen, even after I broke it. I need to be tested for poisoning!

I'm looking forward to my little excursion. It's more like a mini-break for me; a time for reflection - gag me. All of us need a little escape now and again. I'm just escaping a hundred miles north to a bowling alley to get my ass kicked!

Friday, January 9, 2009

In a small town in Alabama

Got a text from husband tonight: Going to Stephen's.

Me: Again?

That's two weeks in a row. After a bit of discussion and agreeing that he absolutely must start spending some time with me, his wife, I decided I was going out tonight.

First up on the agenda: dinner. What do I eat? When we were getting ready to close up shop at the dealership, I was listing all the different places to eat where it was kosher for people to sit by themselves. That left Panera Bread and the cafe in Barnes and Nobles. While both are absolutely delicious and I hardly ever turn down a good cup of tea, I can't really have a lot of bread, something that both the restaurants are known to furnish.

So I got to thinking about what sounded good and the first thing that popped into my head was some Thai food. But then I thought about how I want my dear, sweet, loving husband to take me to Surin Saturday night to make up for the lack of anniversary dinner on Thursday. (I'm not telling you that story so stop wondering.) I got a couple of my friends from work together and we decided on the next best thing: Sushi!

I love the sushi! Rainbow roll, tuna roll, nagiri (with the salmon); oh! Yum! One of the guys from work had never been to an actual sushi bar before and so we had to eat at the bar for the full experience. Kobe, the Japanese steak house and sushi bar, opened up a few months ago and I hadn't tried it yet; there is one in Birmingham and I had been wanting to see if this one was just as good. We decided to go there and give it a shot. We sit down, place our order and eat till the fish could reassemble in our stomachs and swim again! I must have had plenty of fish eggs floating in my eyes! I was so full!!

Then the wild hair crawled up my ass.

"Hey, William," William was enjoying his first experience in the sushi bar. "Have you ever tried octopus?"

"Only at the buffet." William has been know to frequent a local joint that serves buffet sushi, AKA crap with rice.

"If I order it, will you try it?"

"I'll eat anything!"

So I ordered octopus nagiri. The plate arrived and there it sat. William picked it up, dipped it in some soy sauce and stuffed it in his mouth. Five minutes later he was still chewing so I continued to wait to ask if it tasted alright. I've always wanted to try it, just a little afraid to.

"How is it?" I asked after a few more minutes of constant but slowing chewing.

"Not too bad," he answered between chomps, "Little chewy. Flavor's good."

OK...I picked up the last piece, dipped it and tried to take a bite out of half of the octopus. If you have ever had squid, that's the kind of chewy I tried to bite in half. It wasn't working so much for me. Finally, I was able to rip the piece in half. He was right, not too shabby of a taste, very chewy. Ten minutes later, I was able to swallow the food.

Later, we decided to go catch up with another friend of ours at a local karaoke bar. I rarely frequent these places and was expecting a younger crowd on a Friday night. I. was. wrong.

When we pulled up, the windows were tinted to block out anything going on inside. As we opened the door, cigarette smoke tumbled outside. There were two pool tables to my right where four middle-aged men, one in a leather jacket, stood staring at us with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths. The bar was on our left and there was not one seat left empty. I think we were the youngest people they had seen in awhile; I thought for a second we'd hear a record screech. All eyes were on us.

"Hey! Over here!" screamed a familiar voice. I turned to find Jennifer, the only face I knew in the unfamiliar crowd. She introduced us to everyone at her table and we sat down to join the conversation. They were discussing whether to stay at this bar or go to another one, arguably a gay bar.

"It's not gay," one man at the table said. He was tall and slender and wearing a cowboy hat. He was probably in his mid to late forties. I wondered about the hat. "It's owned by two lesbians. It ain't no gay bar."

"Well let's go on over there then!" Answered the other man. He was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans. He had salt and pepper hair and a thick mustache. He seemed a bit antsy to leave the bar we were in.

Next to him sat an older woman in pink scrubs. Her hair was cropped short and colored blond. She was nursing a glass of tequila, apparently not her first. She looked at William, "Are you singing tonight?"

"Oh, William loves to sing!" I intergected. "He has the most beautiful voice!"

I looked over at William while trying to stifle my laughs. I hadn't realized that he had the karaoke book in his hands already. He looked at me like he wished he'd had a beer bottle in his hands instead of the book. Pure fear in his eyes!

"What are you going to sing?" The woman asked him. I noticed her eyes were getting crooked; I didn't think she was sober...at all. She had a very heavy southern accent, as did all the other patrons. I felt like I was in a movie stereotype.

"Oh, William! Sing for her!" I interrupted again. "He'll bring tears to your eyes, I tell ya! He loves to sing Hal & Oates Kiss on my List!" The woman's eyes crossed even more as she processed my words and excitement showed in her smile.

Another man sitting next to the woman finally spoke up. "What are you going to sing, ma'am?" He also had on a cowboy hat, a flannel shirt and tight jeans. I'd bet a hundred dollars he had on cowboy boots but I never checked. He raised his eyebrows at me when I finally realized he was asking me his question.

"Oh," I thought quick, "I'm a mute."

"You're a wha?"

"I'm a mute."

"Oh," he looked dumb-founded. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, me too." Don't laugh! Don't laugh!

I looked at William again and wondered if he was going to play along, too. His face was beat red; I couldn't look at him so I turned to Jennifer who wasn't paying any attention to the conversation.

Everyone paid for their tab and we headed to, Angie's, the gay/not gay bar. I really didn't know what to expect after the first bar. I wasn't drinking since I'm training and everyone else but William was so I just tried to go with it. I'm from a much bigger city than Tuscaloosa originally so the idea of a gay bar was no big deal and the concept of one being in T-town really didn't seem realistic at all so I really had no clue what we were walking into.

Again, the doors were tinted, but not so much. When we walked inside, the dance floor was immediately in front of us with a stage on our left. Several tables were pushed together and the bar was in the far back. Music was playing and I recognized the song. It was Hootie and the Blowfish, Let her cry. I looked for the karaoke stand confused for a second; the song sounded too good.

All of a sudden a short, pink streak holding a microphone breezed past us. It was a short man with a pot belly in a hot. pink. polo. shirt. singing Hootie. He held the microphone and spun around the dance floor singing the song. He sounded just like Darius Rucker but I'm quite positive there was no resemblance. He looked like he was about to break into Broadway dance moves. Several in our group immediately had to go to the bathroom.

We sat down and I looked to my right where several women sat with there girlfriends. To my left, it was a mixture of older women in clothes several sizes too small mingled with men in cowboy hats and tight jeans. What a mix!

I still didn't know what to think. Fortunately, a basketball game was playing on a huge TV directly ahead of me so I focused on it to keep myself from laughing in people's faces.

Some of the same people from the first bar followed us to the new bar. They talked Jennifer into singing. I agreed to sing if William went first. Nobody else in our group had balls. I must admit, that was the first time I've done karaoke sober!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

The Old Man is Snoring

It is raining.

It has been raining for days.

I am sick of rain.

Why? Besides the fact it's been raining for days?

Because I have customers who want to stand outside of the car while you tell them why it's such a great product and leave you to stand in rain puddles deeper than Lake Michigan when you're 5'5 tall! I should have brought a change of pants!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Buffalo Hot Wing Dip

This is some of the best dip I've ever had - and I can't have any more of it till afer February 15...

It's so easy to make and is great on some Scoops! Warning to those who don't like spicy: This stuff is hott!!

What you'll need:

2 bricks softened cream cheese
1 bottle Frank Buffalo Hot Wing Sauce
1 package of Ranch dip mix
2 cans chicken
1 small package of bacon bits
1 package/2cups shredded sharp chedder cheese

What to do:

Heat oven to 350. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Use a fork to separate the chicken chunks or put mixture in a food processor. Pour mixture into a baking pan and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until light brown on top. Serve warm with chips.

What's that over there!?

I am definitely ADD.

I sold my first car the other night. You can look at it one of two ways: I've been at the dealership for three years and it's taken me this long to sell my first car OR I'd been a salesman for approximately 3 hours and sold my first car. I prefer that later considering that was really the case.

Yay me!

Thing is, that was pure luck. Not every customer comes in with a sheet of paper with stock number scribbled on it and says, "I've come to buy this car." I wish it always happened that way.

In reality, I have to learn product. I know, another question, "How can be there three years and not know the product?" Well, let me tell you this! If you saw all the different specs and numbers and product codes and bla bla bla's there were to all the different models we have on our lot, you'd understand. My brain feels like one big fart right now.

I have taken to studying at every given opportunity. It's hard to study answers to questions you don't know you're going to get. It makes me wonder how I ever graduated high school!

I have a little book that someone told me has all the information in it that I need know. Great! I have sat down to look at this book a hundred times. I'm on page 9!

Everything keeps distracting me. If it's not another customer, it's that I have to use the bathroom. I might have to get something to eat, the phone rings, a customer comes in, or family has arrived. This morning, I was drinking some water and at the bottom where the glass was blown together (they are handmade glasses) reminded me of a monkey...that was the distraction this morning. I never would have noticed it if I hadn't been subliminally looking for an excuse to put the book down...

Oh, I don't miss school.

Friday, January 2, 2009

The Dream

Have you ever had those dreams where you think it's reality until you wake up?

Sometimes those are the best, however, the other night - not so much.

I had a few totties New Years Eve and slept so good. Oh, I wish I could sleep like that every night!

All of a sudden, I'm in the office of my home church. I walked into the
office and Barack Obama was sitting in the secretary's chair, smiling at me.

Oh, wow, Barack Obama is the new pastor and the new
secretary.


I walked through the office doors into the main part of the office, closer to
his desk.

Stephanie, you need a black head band for that hair of yours don't
you?


I looked at him funny. How did you know that I need a black head band?
Let's go pick one out.


Together, Barack Obama and I tried on black head bands. I picked a thick,
early sixties-style head band that made my short hair poofy in the back. It
looked great. Obama had good hair band taste, ha ha!!


Then I woke up...

Now, dream interpreters, what does that mean?

I'm too aggrevated for this right now.

Alabama losing to Utah is not how I wanted to spend my evening. Maybe this game will get better and Bama will actually show up.

In other news, why is it that when shit hits the fan, it's diarrhea?

Talked with the husband just now and we'll just say that there is a disagreement over..."etiquette." This is what it's like to married you single folk; bicker and argue over he most idiotic topics. You let the irritation consume you over minuscule things until it eats you from the inside out and you eventually explode. Marriage takes work and if you think it's supposed to be easy, you need to be committed.

Trey, I'm right, you're wrong. Period. Good etiquette means being proper and secrets don't make gummy bears.

Seven minutes left in the fourth and I think Alabama has yet to come out of the locker room in the Sugar Bowl! Good grief...I need a glass of wine...

I'm sorry for the bitchiness, really I am. I hate complainers and complaining. Notice that it is past my bedtime on a very long day and I'm a little irritated that I'm sitting on the sofa without my husband whom despite our petty arguments, I do love dearly and pray he forgives me for my irrational comments - even though right now I still think he's being a pig.

One. Pissed. Bama. Fan.

What in the world is going on with Alabama football??
Is this where we suck in the first half and reign supreme in the second??

Hey, Alabama, Utah's QB has a wide opening to make another 1st down. Why don't you run away from him so he can slide and get the chains moved?

Ooh, helmet cracking football...Hopenotbody was hurt on that play. Instead, maybe it knocked some sense into the defense. Speaking of defense; why don't we go for pass interference and give Utah 15 yards...good grief! Where is the team that was no.1 for most of this season?!

People to pray for...

Today is one of those days that I'm not going to forget in the near future.

I don't want to give away too many details since it's not really my business to tell, however, I will tell you about my piece of the puzzle.

My boss called me into my office earlier today. I like my office. It's big, it's roomy, I have eucalyptus in it so it smells nice. I have a photo from my wedding day sitting behind me; always showing off my husband. Comparitively speaking to some of the other offices in the building, it's huge!

"I have to give you a choice," my boss started. It's never good to start a conversation like that. I knew today was going to be a strange day and I knew in my gut that it was going to get weird for me. I had been praying for weeks that I'd have a job after today; during this meeting, I was about to find out. My boss knew that was my first concern as soon as he started his speech.

"Don't worry, I'm not firing you. Don't freak out," my eyes must have been about to pop out of my head because I was holding my coffee in my hands so he wouldn't know I was concerned. I like to play the poker card; I don't want you to know my true thoughts sometimes. My eyes always give me away, though!!

After we finished our meeting, which I'm not going into any further detail as juicy as it may be for you, I assured him that I didn't want to go anywhere.

"I'm a team player," I promised. I'm being put into a position that kind of sucks if you look at the glass half-empty. But I'm a person who always looks at the glass as half-full. I'm not stupid either; I know what's going on, I know this has to happen. Plus, I have faith that I'll be rewarded for my hard work and loyalty.

When I write this blog, I like to pretend I'm really sitting with you discussing my day over a cup of coffee. Or you're reading a book while getting your afternoon-tea-pick-me-up. I regret not being able to really discuss this in that fashion but please understand that some things aren't meant for you to know about me but I will vent about them cryptically anyway. That being said, I hope I can be motivational enough for other people who may not always see the glass as half full.

Life is always challenging. Life is not fair. Life doesn't always give us what we want. Actually, life never gives us what we want; we have to work for it! Take for example this half-marathon. Pretend for a second that you were going to run the race tomorrow. You couldn't finish 13.1 miles automatically! It takes training and diligence to condition your body to running that distance.

Side note: Alabama is playing Utah right now and my day is getting worse because JP Wilson just threw an interception in the first minutes of the game; right after Utah just scored. What the crap!!?

My point in the marathon is, if you train hard, work hard, play hard, you'll finish faster, better and have more fun. God says we have to persevere. God also says we'll be rewarded for finishing the race.

Many of you could have the same reaction as my husband. Or you would have the same reaction: quit.

I'm not quitting.

I'm not leaving my job. I love my job. This is a great opportunity for me! I can learn -- Utah. just. scored. again. -- and get better at what I do. I can be more successful and make more money. Why would I quit a good thing? Yeah, so what if it's hard!? That makes the reward that much better!

Let me just end with this: there are many people who don't have a job right now. I could be one of those people. Your attitude has a lot to do with what you achieve in life. If you have a shit attitude, you aren't going to make it far. Everyone who may not be as fortunate as me to have a job to stress over is in my prayers tonight. It may be a scary market to not have a job in but trust me and believe me when I say it's getting better. I work in a business that is dependent upon a good market: trust me when I say I see it getting a lot better and quick! If you don't have employment right now, I dare you to learn something new and do what you're afraid to do. Even if it's hard. I promise you it will be worth it. Just keep looking at the glass as half full!

Was that motivational enough?