Random

I don't normally like to do those blog and email surveys that everyone does, but I love to read them. You can learn a lot about a person through them. I stumbled across one, however, that is very random and that contains just the right type of questions that I thought would help anyone reading this blog learn more about me. Enjoy.

1. How old will you be in five years? 31, Yikes!
2. Who did you spend at least two hours with today? The whole staff of Cedar Hill Baptist Church. Well, actually they were in the building, but I have the office to myself. So No one I guess.
3. How tall are you? 5’4”
4. What do you look forward to most in the next six weeks? Performing Tetelestai at various churches all over Ohio (and Virginia).
5. What's the last movie you saw? In theaters: The Pursuit of Happyness. At Home: Remember the Titans (I love that movie!!)
6. Who was the last person you called? Um…I work as a church secretary so…Berean Christian Bookstore
7. Who was the last person to call you? Once again…I work as a church secretary so…the Senior Pastor’s wife
8. What was the last text message you received and who sent it? Cingular, letting me know how much money I used ($0.00) to talk on my prepaid cellphone.
9. Who was the last person to leave you a voicemail? My sister Cara.
10. Do you prefer to call or text? Definitely call. I don’t really see a point in text messaging. That’s what computers are for. I’d rather speak to the person in person.
11. What were you doing at 10pm last night? Grocery shopping. I’m a night owl and there are fewer people in the store late at night.
12. Are your parents married/separated/divorced? Divorced
13. When is the last time you saw your mom? 2 Hours ago
14. What color are your eyes? Dark brown
15. What time did you wake up today? Do you mean what time did I push the snooze button or what time did I actually get out of be? My alarm was set for 7:30am. I got out of bed at 8:15am.
16. What are you wearing right now? Red sweater and jeans
17. What is your favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night
18. Where is your favorite place to be? Asleep in bed. I don’t get to be there often.
19. Where is your least favorite place to be? At work.
20. Where would you go if you could go anywhere? New Zealand - right away! Of course, there are a couple of somebody’s I would love to visit in Orlando right now too.
21. Where do you think you'll be in 10 years? Please Lord, anywhere but Cleveland!
22. Do you tan or burn? I tan, but not that deeply. I don’t burn.
23. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child? I didn’t really have any darkness fears. I guess that’s why I didn’t mind reading so many Stephen King novels and other scary stories as a child. I did once convince my sister that there was a werewolf under her bed. Fun Times!
24. What was the last thing that really made you laugh? Amazingly my Mom told a joke the other day that was actually funny.
25. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2. All used for the purpose of watching movies, not actual television.
26. How big is your bed? Twin size
27. Do you have a laptop or desktop computer? Desktop, but I don’t really own it.
28. Do you sleep with or without clothes on? Kind of personal question. With clothes on. It’s always fun to change into another outfit just to go to bed.
29. What color are your sheets? Varies depending on what’s clean. At the moment blue, with three comforters on top. (It’s cold in Ohio)
30. How many pillows do you sleep with? Two.
31. What is your favorite season? Spring. It signals the beginning of at least 6 months of warmth. I also love the beautiful plants that bring vivid color to the world after a gray and dreary winter.
32. What do you like about fall? The beautiful colors of the leaves on the trees.
33. What do you like about winter? Snow – a bright white, sparkly cold version of sand.
34. What do you like about the summer? Not having to wear a jacket
35. What do you like about spring? See answer to question #31
36. How many states have you lived in? One (but I also “lived” in South Africa for 6 weeks)
37. What cities/towns have you lived in? Cleveland & Granville
38. Do you prefer shoes, socks, or bare feet? Bare Feet, inside and on grass. On the yucky city sidewalks I prefer sandels.
39. Are you a social person? Yes, but I can only take so much of people. I need personal time too.
40. What was the last thing you ate? Zesty Italian Chicken and sweet potatoes
41. What is your favorite restaurant? Anything Italian – so for now, Olive Garden
42. What is your favorite ice cream? Butter Pecan
43. What is your favorite dessert? Ice Cream
44. What is your favorite kind of soup? Chili
45. What kind of jelly do you like on your PB & J sandwich? I don’t like PB&J sandwiches. But I do like strawberry jelly.
46 is missing so...here's a random bit of information: I'm currently rehearsing for a gospel musical that starts performances Feb. 16 and goes through Good Friday.
47. Do you like coffee? Nope, it tastes like burnt beans in hot water to me.
48. How many glasses of water, a day, do you drink on average? When I’m in a play about 6 glasses a day. When I’m not in a play – 2 glasses.
49. What do you drink in the morning? Water or hot chocolate
50. Do you have a crush? Yup.
51. Do they know? Yup. I’m dating him.
52. Do you know how to play poker? Nope. I can barely remember the rules to normal card games like Hearts and Solitare. Card games are not my strong point.
53. Do you like to cuddle? I don’t know. I’ve never done it.
54. Have you ever been to Canada? Yup. Saw Phantom of the Opera with my Middle School
55. Do you have an addictive personality? What does that mean? I get easily addicted to things or people easily get addicted to me? What?...Huh?
56. Do you eat out or at home more often? At home more often. I love to cook.
57 is missing so…here’s a random bit of information: I love watching cartoons like the Avatar, Rugrats, Anamaniacs, NyuYasha. I don’t think a person can ever get too old to enjoy cartoons. I can’t wait until I have kids and can watch them without getting strange looks…
58. Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you? Yup. We were good friends all through High School and even were in plays together. But we went our separate ways once we went to college.
59. Do you want kids? Definitely! Probably no more than 6.
60. Do you speak any other languages? No. I barely remember Spanish from college.
61. Have you ever gotten stitches? Nope. I’ve never broken any bones either.
62. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? Nope.
63. Do you prefer an ocean or a pool? Pool. Oceans are dirty and have fish in them. I do like sand though. Can it be a pool with sand around it?
64. Do you prefer a window seat or an aisle seats? Window.
65 is missing so…here’s a random bit of information: I am an Aunt for the first time. My nephew, Alex, is expected to be born in a month and a half. He’s one of the reasons why I wish I could go to Orlando.
66. What is your favorite thing to spend money on? Someone I love
67. Do you wear any jewelry 24/7? No. I have a lot of jewelry but I forget to wear it often.
68. When did you last speak to your crush? 5 days ago.
69. Can you roll your tongue? Yup.
70. Who is the funniest person you know? My brother Kenan.
71. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? Yes. My Care Bear that I got when I was 5yrs old.
72. What is the ring tone on your phone? A rock version of an orchestral Tocatta. Came with the phone.
73. Do you still have clothes from when you were little? I have a T-shirt from summer orchestra camp that I had all of the campers sign.
74 is missing so…here’s a random bit of information: I’m going to live in New Zealand for a year. Not for missions work, not for school, just to do it. There’s no purpose behind this trip other than that my sister and I wanted to travel while we were still young and free. God just confirmed our hearts desire.
75. Do you turn off the water while you brush your teeth? Yup. Ever since someone brought to my attention how much fresh water Americans waste.
76. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Varies from night to night.
77. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees? Bees. I might actually survive.
78. Do you flirt a lot? No. I don’t really know how to flirt. Though I fear that sometimes my friendliness to guys is taken as though I were flirting.
79. What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Honey Mustard.
80. What is your favorite food? Pizza
81. Do you know how to change oil in a car? No.
82. Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket? No.
83. Have you ever run out of gas? No.
84. What is your usual bedtime? Midnight.
85. What was the last book you read? Well, considering I tend to read more than one book at once: I just finished “The Secret Garden” yesterday, I just started “The Sacred Romance” a few days ago, I’m also reading a biography of Jim Elliot and “Culture Smart New Zealand.”
86. Do you read the newspaper? No, but sometimes my pastor gives me interesting articles to read from his paper.
87. Do you have any magazine subscriptions? Nope.
88 is missing so…here’s a random bit of information: I’m very picky about the movies I watch. I actually do look at the ratings and the reason for the rating on movies. Being in the entertainment world I know that there are more motives behind why things are included or not included in a movie than just entertainment value. I’ve turned off a movie on more than one occasion if I thought it wasn’t worth my time and effort to finish it. I haven’t yet walked out of a theater, but I’m willing to do that to. Call me overly cautious, I don’t care. I want to protect my mind and my heart from inappropriate things.
89. Do you watch soap operas? Nope.
90. Do you dance in the car? Yup. I love upbeat music.
91. What radio station did you last listen to? Moody Christian Radio.
92. Who is in the picture frame closest to you? There’s no picture near me.
93. What was the last note you scribbled on a piece of paper? Are you kidding me? I’m a secretary for my church. I scribble tons of notes. The latest one I wrote was “Call Honeywell about fire alarm.”
94. What is your favorite candle scent? Cranberry Orange
95. What is your favorite board game? Clue
96 is missing so…here’s a random bit of information: I Love the Lord Jesus Christ!
97. When was the last time you attended church? Umm…I work at my church so when was the last time I did not attend church? Saturday.
98. Who was your favorite teacher in high school? Dr. Mayor, my Orchestra teacher.
99. What’s the longest you have camped in a tent for? Never. I’ve never been camping. I’m a city girl.
100. Who was the last person to do something extra special for you? My dad’s wife Tracy – she spent twelve hours braiding my hair for free!

A Little of What's To Come

So I just remembered that I have Gabcast and can talk about whatever.

I've decided to devote this blog to sharing some interesting things I've been learning about New Zealand and New Zealanders from a Culture Smart book. I'm loving the things I'm learning. Of course, any culture book is a generalizationof the society, so I'm sure things aren't going to be exactly the way they describe it. Still, it's good to know some basics before I head there.

Gabcast! Goodbye P&B #2

Check List #1

Hi.

Whoever you are reading this.

Isn't it kind of freaky to be reading a blog (like this blog for instance) and it's speaking directly to you?

It feels kind of like Big Brother is watching doesn't it?

Maybe I can see you through your computer screen. Maybe I'm watching you make that silly expression as you continue reading this. O.K. Laugh. Roll your eyes. Shake your head. I'm still here.

Anyway.... I didn't mean to write all this in my blog, but now you can tell what kind of mood I'm in at the moment I write this. I'm probably not in this mood right now, as in this exact moment in time that you're reading this. But hey, if you're really curious about if I am or not, just give me a call, right now. Ha! I knew you wouldn't. (Don't you love my reverse pyschology attempt at getting people to call me?)

O.K.! O.K.! I'll be serious now...somewhat.

So I made a list. Of what praytell? Of things that need to be done, bought, or packed before I head to New Zealand. I guess you can kind of call it a list and a schedule. I have a time frame of when things need to be done. Last weekend my sister and I looked at Traveler's Insurance. It was a little more difficult than I thought it would be. Not because of the insurance language but because we kept finding insurance that covered a person up to a year only if they were British. Hmm. We did finally find something that looks like a possible good insurance and at a good price. Lord, guide us in this process.

I also made a packing list for NZ. It doesn't seem that long. I wonder what I'm missing? Well, I have a few months still to add (or subtract) from the list. As it is. We'll get to NZ and have to sit, sleep, and eat on the floor until we get furniture. Maybe I should consider bringing a sleeping bag? Nah, takes up too much suitcase space! We Americans do have too much "stuff" we think we need to be happy (or even comfortable). We'll see how the Lord challenges me on that one once I move away.

So, what's in store for this weekend?
Reading up on the tax law for Americans who are out of the country for a year. What fun!!! Uggg.
Only three months and 1 week left to go.

The Holy Spirit & the Word of God

"Take the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." ~ Ephesians 6:17

The Holy Spirit.

Did you know that the Holy Spirit works in conjunction with the Word of God? Did you know that the Spirit's weapon in helping us resist the schemes of the devil is the Word of God? It's the only part of the armor of God that is not defensive. No wonder Jesus quoted scripture when he was tempted by the devil in the desert.

So what does this mean for us?
You can't have the Word of God but no Holy Spirit and resist completely the devil's schemes. And, you can't have the Holy Spirit, but no Word of God and resist completely the devil's schemes. Let me explain. If you have the Word of God but you don't have the Spirit living in you, you can't truly understand God's Word. "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) Yeah, the things of the Bible look like foolishness because you can't understand it. The Christian who has the Holy Spirit - and is therefore capable of understanding the Word of God - but doesn't even read the Word of God has trouble hearing the Spirit clearly. They've cancelled out one of the Spirit's main weapons against satan and one of the sources the Spirit uses to speak truth to them. Let's remember, it is possible to quench the Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

Now before I go any further, I better talk about what can be included in the schemes of the devil: confusion, distorting God's Word, tempting, lying, accusing, creating a stumbling block, and deceiving. There's more, but can you see why it's so important to have the full power of the Holy Spirit to resist the devil. If we're not careful satan can really mess up our ability to discern the voice of God from his confusing and deceiving schemes.

The connection between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God is also an important thing to remember for Christians who want to believe only part of the Bible or don't think you can take it at its face value, and Christians who want to rely more on the leading of the Spirit than what the Bible says. If the Word of God is not ALL TRUE then there's no point in following it. How are you supposed to determine which parts are true and which aren't? The Holy Spirit can't be effective using a sword with dents and nics. That creates confusion, and God is not a God of confusion. But we know who is..... Also, to rely on the leading of the Spirit but not really care for the Spirit's weapon is a gross mistake. 1 John 4 tells us "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God." This implys that there are false spirits out there. Satan is a distorter of God's Word and a deceiver. Many false religions have come about because of false spirits: Islam, Mormonism. How do we test to see if they are from God? With the Word of God. What else do we have as a measuring rod of God's commands verses a false command? We can't trust our heart or "feelings" because "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure" (Jeremiah 17:9). Also, our heart needs God's Word to keep us from sinning "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." (Psalm119:11) Utilize the Spirit's weapon, the Word of God, so you aren't lead astray (or just as bad, continue to stay a babe in Christ for your entire life as a Christian).

Use the full power of God. Allow the Holy Spirit AND the Word of God to work together.

Planes, Trains, and Taxi Cabs

All three modes of transportation are what I am going to use to travel in New Zealand. The first and most important being the AIRPLANE! And as of Friday, January 5th I now have a one-way ticket to this country full of so many possibilities. Yup, my sister and I actually bought our plane tickets. One-way. Of course we're planning on returning after a year, but then again, maybe not...

We fly out on Tuesday, May 1st, 2007. Oh, I wasn't joking when I said we were leaving at the "beginning" of May. That's only 3 months and 24 days away! (But who's counting?) And you know what? God once again revealed Himself in this situation. We always had in our mind that we would leave the very first day in May, but if there were better ticket prices on a day around that date we would go on the cheaper day. Well, when we searched for plane ticket prices a few days before and a few days after May 1st and even a week later, all of the prices were significantly higher (by a couple hundred dollars). The Lord allowed us to go on the exact date that we wanted to leave, and He made sure we got the cheapest price too. Cool.

It's kind of scary to see how much God wants us to go to New Zealand. His directions are clear and He arranges things to help us along the way. I can only wonder about His purpose in taking me to this country. He only reveals just enough to help me see that I'm still going in the right direction as I follow His leading. It's all part of the trusting process I guess. I can't wait to see what He reveals next!