I decided to take a bit of a break from work and expound on some things I was thinking about last night, lest I forget before I have a chance to write again.
I have been reading "Searching for God Knows What" by Don Miller. Fabulous book. Highly recommended for all. I'm somewhere in the middle where he is talking about Jesus. About how he acted and what he taught when He was on earth -- how he viewed people and treated people. And something clicked. It seemed that for one split second I "got it." There are some things that you know. And you can know them and believe them with all your heart - and then one day a light goes on, and God opens your eyes and you get it -- you really and truly know! I had one of those moments last night. Jesus was God. God walked on this earth, and His personality was manifested through Jesus. He wasn't just a man, though He was fully man. He was God! So the way Jesus lived, and loved, and taught, and spoke, and laughed, and hurt, and cried, and treated others was the same as how God does. Even now. Towards us. Although He is not "physically" here with us like He was then.
I know. "Duh," right? But it made sense in a whole new way to me - I can't explain it. I can't put into words what I understand now. I can't explain how I see Jesus differently now. I affected me so much that I had to stop reading and just ponder this incredible truth. We so often have no clue what we really mean when we say that we are called to be "Christlike." He was so good - amazing - different. His whole perspective on life was so different than our own. Man, it makes me want to weep. It makes me want to be like that. It makes me want to really and truly see people through His eys. And man - it makes me love Jesus so much more.
I feel like in high school when they used to tease me for saying "oh." Someone would tell me something and I'd say oh...oh...oh-oh-OOOOH! I get it!" :) And I would finally get it! Those are beautiful moments!
After this "eye-opener" (and before I fell asleep in the papasan!) I began thinking about what it means to follow Jesus, truly seeing Him for who He was. I was thinking about a guy I work with, specifically. A good guy. Knows a lot about the Bible and Christianity but doesn't know Jesus. I began to think about one of our conversations concerning afterlife - he doesn't believe in one. And in my mind I asked him -- "But what have you got to lose?" When you live life not believing in Jesus, or believing in anything to come after this life, what have you got to live for except for the here and now. And when things go wrong (as they always do) and you see this world in its depressing, sad, evil state (which it is - despite some "good" people who do some "good" things for other people), what do you have to hope in?
But what if we're all wrong? What if Jesus really was just a good teacher. What if there is no heaven - and no hell?
But what do you really lose from believing in Jesus and living your life for Him? If it's true, then those who followed Him and loved Him will get to spend all of eternity (which we cant' even fathom!) rejoicing in His presence! And if we're wrong? Well - you'll be dead. If there is no afterlife, then it won't matter if you are wrong or not. you're just... dead. But if you don't believe in Him and He IS God and everything He says IS true... well then I sure want to be on His side! In the meantime, in this life you experience hope, love, meaning, joy... like you could never dream of.
It's just like Puddleglum - who would believe in Aslan and Narnia even if there was no Aslan or Narnia.
In the words of Fyodor Dostoyevsky: "If anyone proved to me that Christ was outside the truth...then I would prefer to remain with Christ than with the truth."
That's what life with Christ is about. Once you've really seen Him and loved Him and begun to truly know Him -- you want no other life besides Him.
That is the Jesus Christ that I want to know.

...that this is going to be a looooooooooooong day. :-/

Do you have any idea how many times mom said that to me while I was growing up? I don’t. It was way too many to count. Apparently, I’ve always struggled with my attitude. And the funny thing is – I never really noticed it. I’ve always thought of myself as a nice, sweet, good-natured, kind, loving, non-bratty girl.
Ha
Ha
Ha.
(And to think I’ve managed to trick a few people into believing that as well – poor souls.)

Well, I’m being told to adjust my attitude again, although not by my mother this time – but by God. (yikes!)
My attitude lately has just been trash and I have no idea what my deal is.
And it’s not even directed at one specific person (although my husband may be shocked to hear that!) ;) It’s toward anyone and everyone. I know I’ve been just awful to live with.

Lately, I feel like living out the fruits of the spirits is nearly impossible. No, not nearly – completely impossible. And you can see it in what I do. And if you could read my mind, you’d definitely see it in what I’m thinking. It’s so humbling and so sad to admit. I could write you a whole dissertation on what I know I should do, and what I know to be true, and how I know I should act whether I am right or wrong… but I will spare you all that, because how can I write it if I can’t even live it? I’ve been such a bear and I need God to come in and change my heart because I cannot do it on my own. I’ve tried already. Numerous times. Nothing is working.
So I’m asking you to please, please pray for me. And for Charles and for my co-workers, and for anyone who comes in contact with me.
(sheepish smile)

Thanks.

Tonight is my last night shift ever. I haven 1 hour and 45 minutes left and I'm dying. Everytime I even stop for a second, I start to drift off. The last couple nights have been ok, but this one is bad. I'm exhausted, freezing, and my contacts are dry. I just want to be home in a warm bed, not at work, an hour away from home, when it's 5 degrees outside. bleh, bleh, bleh. My work has been done since 2am and I get off at 8. I've read a book until i fell asleep, watched the Olympics (thank goodness for having a TV!)... i finally turned it off when I dozed off during a Pilates infomercial. bleh again. I'm so tired I was afraid I might call and order without even realizing it! i decided not to risk it. I had two surprises. My mom called me at 2:15am and we talked for an hour. When I saw the number, i was afraid something was wrong. Why wasn't she in bed? Turns out she had a bad dream, woke up, and decided to call me! yay! And then, since my dad is on the night shift, I called him about 4:30 and we talked for a bit. Crazy that my whole family was pretty much all night. I don't know what my bro was, but it's likely that he was too. maybe i shoulda called him...
Hopefully the drive home won't be bad, and I can make it safe, and sleep for a couple solid hours tomorrow. oh sleep, sleep, glorious sleep, how I long for thee, dream of thee...
i've learned something else... space heaters are CRAP. i have to pretty much wrap my legs around it until it burns me to get any warmth from it at all. I know I"m rambling. You don't have to read on. You just need to realize that I am desparately trying to stay awake.
The guys ordered pizza and wings tonight in honor of my last night. that was cool. they are the greatest and I'm gonna miss 'em... but not enough to work overnights again. no way, no how.
the sun is just starting to come up. too bad my office is facing the wrong way. I'd love to at least be able to watch the sunrise. I've seen very few in my life. They are incredible and beautiful and God is so creative and amazing... BUT I"D RATHER BE SLEEPING.

:)

ok. i'm off. maybe i'll try to read a few pages more. or do some more push-ups. or read the sunday paper. or watch the morning news. the options limitless -- oh wait, except for the one thing that i want to do oh so much... go home and sleep!
I hope you all are dreaming nicely! :) Happy Sunday!
This is Cherith Meeks with the graveyard shift news update.

Today's been an interesting day so far. The incredible winds woke Charles and I up at 6:00 this morning and we thought it would be a good idea to move my car away from the garage and the woods, lest a tree fell on it. It was really creepy out so chuck stood in the doorway while I backed my car around. I know. I'm such a wuss.
so we had just gotten back in bed and all the power went out. We stumbled through the house looking for Chuck's ipod (for the alarm clock) and flashlight. We located them, got back in bed, only to be awakened by a cat fight in the living room. Wonderful. Finally we got to sleep. At 7 the alarm went off and there was still no power. So i called work and told them I might be a bit late, and went back to sleep. At 8:30 we woke up and there was still no power. And carol called to see if she could come downstairs and sit by our stove. We have gas heating and they have electric, so the upstairs was freezing. So we all sat around the stove in our pj's. The power finally came on about 9:30. (which is good, cuz i really wanted to brush my teeth and such.) I debated about coming to work in the high winds but decided that since the roads weren't bad and i have MONDAY OFF (yay!!) that it would be a good idea. :) so i got ready and bundled up and made it to work ok. I passed countless trees that were down, traffic lights that were swinging so hard that I flew underneath them in fear that they would fall on my car, and an 18-wheeler that the wind had blown over on the expressway. But Pharisee, my mini-yacht (my Chrysler LHS) made it safe and sound! So i get a short day today plus i get to go home ("not a minute before 5") where my husband has something mischievous up his sleeve! :) I can't wait to see what it is! ;) It should be a fun night! Yippee!!

Whatever word you inserted above, that is me! I can't even think of a word that begins to describe how I feel!
(and if you don't feel like reading a truly honest and sappy post, don't read any further. I'm on a rampage today.)

I am currently at work, at a great job, eating white cheddar cheez-its dipped in salsa (very, very good) and I know that in just a few short hours, I am going home to my sweetie... and a sweetheart he is. God really gave me a tremendous blessing when he brought Charles into my life. No joke. I know some good men. I grew up with good men. My dad is loving, kind, selfless and sacrificing, my granda is one of the most godly men I have ever known, my church is full of them... and I am married to one. I have met few people as kind and compassionate and understanding and forgiving... When I am the most ridiculously bratty (which i can be. you have no idea)... Charles is more loving and more giving. Not to say we never fight. But we work it out. and He never holds grudges. He rarely even remembers the hour after. it's an incredible gift that I wish i had. I know that in our pursuit of holiness, that God alone is to be our standard. But I can learn a thing or two from my husband. He is such an incredible example. I guess that's one of the things about marriage. - "As iron sharpens iron." Well, I am being sharpend... and encouraged... and loved unconditionally, selflessly, and sacrifically... daily. No matter what my actions and attitude. I'm not saying he's perfect. No one is perfect save God alone. We have our struggles and our differences or opinion and perspective, but everyday I'm learning more and more what it means to be married to a spiritual leader - someone who leads by example. And I respect that more than anything else. and it softens my heart more than anything esle. And it draws me closer to Jesus - because I see that and I want it for my own life. it's incredible!! it's wonderful!! Marriage truly is the most profound and difficult relationship that you will ever enter into. and both those words are huge understatements!
So i just want to make it clear now, if I never have before, that I love my husband to bits. He is the biggest blessing that God has ever given me, save Jesus Christ and my Salvation! He is so many things... thoughtful, talented, loving, forgiving, fun, kind... and I appreciate everything that he is and everything he does.
And I can't wait to go home and see him tonight!

Charles, I love you so much! :) You make my heart so joyful! Mwah!

1) This year, our Valentine's day celebration will not be on the 14th. Nope. We had these wonderful plans of having dessert at the romantic Philips European Restaurant (the first place Charles said he loved me! awww.) But silly us - we forgot to make reservations. Well, I thought of it on the way home. So we called and they said the first opening they had was 10:00pm!!!!!! That is my bedtime! So no dessert for us. At least we didn't drive all the way up to the city for nothing. That would have been worse. Anyhow, despite the slight disappointment, we ended up having a wonderful, tasty meal with my parents (who were gracious enough to let us share V-day with them) and then headed home. It was still a very nice, fun evening. We are just putting off the dessert for a time when we don't have to wait until the middle of the night to eat. And maybe we'll have a little more privacy without the place being packed out. :) And I still love Charles, and he's still the best husband in the world! :D
2) My car is in the shop now. The guy said that he will put used tires on it so it won't cost me a fortune. That is very nice of him. It's all because of my dad - I know it. He pulls all kinds of strings for me. He's also letting me borrow his car. That is wonderful too. It means that I can get to work. oh happy-happy-joy-joy.
3) I love the Olympics. I wish they didn't run so late every night. I would love to watch everything. At least I get to read the highlights at work. I missed a ton of good stuff last night, I guess: Ted Ligety (a 21 year old skiier) who beat out the pig-headed pro, the incredible Russian figure skater who set a world record ( i was i could have seen his quad jump. man)... too much fun. I think my brother could train and make the Olympic team. Which will segue to my next point.
4)He's really incredible at everything he does. Maybe he should start his own Olympics. He's crazy - but super great! You should check out some of his pics and videos at www.myspace.com/n8dog126. His eyes are a little crazy, but you get used to them! haha. Nate was in a ski competition this past week and won! It was his first competition ever. He attempted to be in one before but had a weird accident and ended up in the hospital before it started. But he's on a roll. We're trying to find a way for him to get sponsored. You can check out pics from the comp. at www.markbrownphotography.net then Sports, then Scott Del Forte Memorial Halfpipe Jam.
You have to enter your e-mail to see any pics. He is numbers 25-27,94-95,118,136-137,164,166. I have to brag on my brother because a) he's way cool, b) he's way humble, c) he's way better everything than i am! So check it out! :) I have a cool family!
5) The absolute coolest thing about gmail is the new gmail chat! it is so cool! You don't have to download anything - which means that I can talk even while I'm at work. And the absolute coolest thing about gmail chat are the smiley faces! It turns them the right direction! It's so freakin cool! The wink face actually winks at you - and when you type a <3, it turns it upright and even colors it red. So so so cool! you should get it. If you don't, then you aren't near as cool as the rest of us! ;)
6) I guess I don't have too much else to say except that God is good!! He is continually working in my life and even though I don't always see changes as instantaneously as I would like, He is showing me my heart, and who I really am, and what I need to do to become more like him. And He's given me an incredible husband to encourage me, be patient with me, hold me accountable... and he's given me incredible parents who I can model my life after... I am so abundantly blessed and have absolutely no cause to complain. I am saved by grace and I am loved and protected and provided for by an AMAZING God! :)
That's all for now! Ta-Ta!! :D

Today is the day of love. The day when Americans purchase over 18 million roses and thousands of pounds of chocolate for the ones they love. There was a hysterical "Cathy" comic strip about Valentine's day today about why do you have to show someone you love them on a special day... why not everyday? Good question, Irving. But still, this is a nice day. A fun day. A day when little kids get to make big heart pockets to hang on their desks and then watch in delight as they fill up with cute valentines from their friends. (or are crushed when they are the "class loser" and have a pocket that is noticeably emptier than anyone else's.) But for most, this is a day worth looking forward to - even if only for the conversation hearts! yummmm!
As for a trip down V-day lane, one of the most precious moments that I've ever had on Valentine's day was my senior year of high school. It had the potential to be one of the worst days of my life. It should have been my ex-boyfriends and my one year anniversary and instead it ended up being a terrible day in school, and I was lonely and miserable, overwhelmed by thoughts of what that day could have been like. I walked out to my car after school, sad and feeling completely defeated, to find a dozen roses on my seat - with a note that said something like "to one of the two most special women in my life" (or something similar), "Love, Papa" (I can't remember exactly - but i still have that card (and the petals) in my trunk.) I couldn't stop the huge smile that spread across my face and I had a hard time holding back the tears as I opened the door, smelled that glorious fragrance and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I had the best dad in all the world! And I still do!
Anyway, I hope this day is a good one for you. And if know one else tells you today - I love you and I think you are amazingly special!
Will you be my Valentine? ;)

We had a blast at our church's adult retreat this weekend - it was at snowy camp asbury and it was wonderful! I could write forever about it but I"ll sum it up the best I can! It included a brisk morning walk, loads of games like euchre, pit, wits and wagers (a betting game :O), apples to apples, and 10 up-10 down, an amazing race with tasks such as rollerskating twice around a rink, eating an anchovie pizza that you baked yourself, milking a cow, pumping gas for 2 people, acting out the story of jonah, and a lot more, listening to Randy Snavely of Family Life Ministries speak God's truth, singing silly songs, laughing, getting to know the people in my church, eating tons of junk food and getting very little sleep...
needless to say, it's one of my favorite weekends of each year. The adults in my church are crazy fun! But I was exhausted when we got home yesterday and proceeded to take 3 1-hour naps while chuck read a book. (they were right in a row, just 3 different locations. I tried to stay awake- honest!) Then we bummed around and watched the Olympics. Despite my napping, I was even able to fall asleep right away last night and even overslept 13 minutes. yikes! This has been one crazy weekend.
On a bad note, something is apparently wrong with the alignment in my car which has proceeded to give me bald front tires -- $200 tires with an 80,000 mile warranty. great. So on top of a ridiculous phone bill which we never expected, i have to find the time and money to get my car in the shop. But hey, i'm not worried. God has provided for us continually thus far and will continue to provide. It's just a nuisance.
To end on a bright note, tomorrow is Valentine's day - the holiday of looove! :) Now if only I could figure out what to do for mine... :)

Ciao!

Today is the start of a great weekend! I am working a short day (i get to leave at 12:30!) and I have spend the morning chatting away since I have no work that I can be doing. On the way home I"m stopping to pick up a few things, going to the bank and heading home where I will pack for the adult retreat this weekend! I'm am all geared up for a weekend of fun, fellowship, good food (that we don't have to wash the dishes after eating!) and loads of great games... Pit, Euchre, Taboo, Settler of Catan...! BOOYAH! I'm psyched! And I get to do all of these things with my love! Even better!
Let the festivities begin! :)

No - this does not refer to accountability partners.
I began reading Ezekiel this week and last night came across something very thought-provoking in chapter 3. I don't want to try and paraphrase so just read it here.

16 At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me: 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for [a] his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.
20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself."
22 The hand of the LORD was upon me there, and he said to me, "Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you." 23 So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the LORD was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown.

I was floored by God's words that Ezekiel was held accountable for the blood of those that he did not speak God's truth to. This, to me, is so major. Yes, Ezekiel was God's prophet and his calling and his job was to speak the words of God. Yet as Christians, are we not all commanded to go? Are we not all commanded to share the gospel, speak truth, live as Christ... "Go and make disciples of all men..." I don't speak for anyone but myself, but I know that I have been incredibly lazy and complacent when it comes to witnessing. It scares me - what if I should frighten someone off, or say something wrong... but these are not excuses. When we have the knowledge of truth and we see people who are dying everyday and we do not speak truth to them, are we held accountable? I hate to say it, because the thought shames me and terrifies me, knowing how little I have shared my amazing gift of Love, Grace and Life with others, but a large part of me thinks that we should be. Why wouldn't we be held accountable? Salvation is not our little secret. Christ's desire wasn't that one would come to know Him and then keep Him to themselves. It is His desire that none should perish - and what part are we playing in that, and if we aren't, what consequences are there? none? if so, why not? Shouldn't there be?
I was thinking about the people I work with - wonderful people who are loving and who really care about others, but many of them not Christians. First of all, am I living in a way that they see something different from me? I sure hope so. But what good is it to live in a way that's different if I don't tell them the reason for my difference? What is the good of being joyful if I dont' share the reason for my joy? What good is it to show my hope if I am not telling those that I know and love who my Hope is in??
I know that I am stretching this parable - that Jesus was talking about money, but it makes sense to me - the parable of the talents. "To whom much is given, much will be expected." We have been given an incredible gift of grace, of eternal life, and an opportunity to live our brief lives here on earth to the fullest. But what if we are like the man who was given the one talent and buried it? What if we bury that gift deep inside us, never to speak of it? Yes, I pray that people will see that we are different, but we MUST tell them why.
And if we are held accountable for the blood of those that we do not share the Truth with when we have the opportunity, it certainly adds a sense of urgency to sharing our faith - Which we SHOULD have anway. It is thoughts such as "someone else will tell them" or "they will see Jesus in the way I live and that is enough" that breeds lazy, complacent, comfort-zone lounging Christians who are comfortable enough to go to church and learn everything they can about God and the Bible, and talk to other Christians about what God is doing in their lives... But that is not all that we are called to do. Why are we so hesitant and scared to tell a non-believer about the awesome things that God is doing in our lives? And it doesn't matter what your gifts are. It doesn't matter if I have the gift of evangelism or not. I have the gift of eternal life, and it is my responsibility to share that and if I don't, as much as it really scares the trash out of me to say it - I should be held accountable. And THAT should radically change the way I live my life.
Think about this. Pray about this. Evaluate how important sharing the gospel is to you - and whether or not you would want someone's blood to be on your head, and them to spend all eternity separated from God while you dance around His throne and feast at His banqueting table, because you didn't see the urgency in telling them about our wonderful, incredible, beautiful, awesome, mighty, merciful, loving Savior. I don't. Remember - someone told you about Jesus.

Jesus, please forgive me for my complacency. I ask for the willingness and the boldness to speak your truth, your love, and your grace to a broken, tired, lost and dying world. Give me a burden and a passion for them - both living out and telling of my hope in you, my faith in you, and my joy which is only found in you. Make me your mouthpiece.

This has possibly been one of the most frustrating days of my life... and it's not even 10:00 yet. Should my whole day be like this and I shall bury my head in the snow, never to emerge. I don't like to complain, so don't take it that way. However, this is my blog, so I am free to rant and besides, this should make for some good reading. Let's start at the very beginning...
Last night Charles and I went to bed at a fairly decent time - a little later than I like, but it was worth the 1/2 less sleep to finish up a good conversation. Well, that 7 1/2 hours turned into 7...to 6... to 5 1/2...
I'm not really sure when I actually feel asleep, but it didn't last more than 45 at most. at 6:55am I finally fell into a dreamless sleep - only to be rudely interrupted by my alarm at 7:00. ha. I should have just gotten up, but i didn't feel awake, i felt tired.
So I dragged my butt outta bed, got ready, started my car, cleaned off another 3 inches of snow (it's not like we haven't had 26 inches already in the last 2 days...) and headed to work. I left in good time, thinking I'd get to work early, be able to leave early, get to the bank in good time, yada yada yada...
So I plow outta the driveway, tail end swinging all over cuz of the snow and ice, get a mile down the road and realize that my cell phone is still on the charger. I probably have time to go back and get it, the roads aren't great, but they aren't terrible. So I decide to just drive carefully and remember for sure tomorrow. Since the roads aren't fabulous, i decide it would be a good day to take the thruway. I have exactly 65 cents left for the toll. perfect. Of course, I get behind every slow car and school bus there is. so i'm starting to get a little anxious. finally i make it through leroy and am expecting a right hand merge to the thruway. turns out it just a plain old turn, and i missed it. i'm headed for 490. So i turn around and get on 90. After the toll, there's a sign. Left to Albany, right to Buffalo. Well, i usually take the thruway home...toward buffalo. So, without thinking, I veer right. And I'm on the thruway before I realize "oh my gosh. I'm going to buffalo. I need to go to Rochester... you FREAKING IDIOT. Can I turn around? And then, to my horror, a sign - "Next exit 13 miles." YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING. I am going 13 miles in the WRONG direction. This is NOT happening. But i have no choice. So I fly along, (well, not really. you can't do much when you have 2 trucks going the same speed - 5 mph under the speed limit - in both lanes. Anyway, 13 miles later I get off in Batavia, pay the only change I have for the toll, make a U-turn and head the 26 miles back to Rochester. I am not a happy camper at this point, but at least glad to be going the right direction. So i'm thinking that I should call work and let them know i'm going to be late... oh wait - who forgot their cell phone today?! yep, that's right. me. un-freaking-believable. I pass the Leroy exit, which i got on in the first place, and think that it may just be a good idea to get off, go home, and go back to bed. things can't get much worse than this. but on no. I must go on. So i'm flying along at this point, having to clear my windshield every 3/4 minutes since the trucks are spraying a continuous wave of salt on my car. Then, to my horror, I run out of windshield washer fluid. Yup, that's right. And at that exact moment, it stops snowing and the sun comes out, so not even the snow will make my window wet enough to clear it. Also, not realizing that my wipers are still on, they come out to do their duty, and instead of clearing my view, they successfully smear the salt all over my window making it nearly impossible to see. (this is all true, i tell you. no exaggeration at all.)
FINALLY i make it to the Rochester exit. I scrounge around and manage to find $1.10 to pay the toll, pray that there will be no more salt on the roads and head for work, where I manage to hit every red light possible. GRRRRR. Could this really be real? Maybe I am just dreaming. Finally I make it to work, up the big hill, I jump out of my car, make sure to grab my keys - because i do NOT feel like dealing with that today - and head for the building. the one good thing about this morning- at least I left in good time. I walked in the door at 9:00 on the nose. phew.
What a morning.
Hopefully the ride home won't be quite so eventful...

edit: May day just got slightly better - my husband called me at work and my boss gave me a chocolate-covered strawberry(my favorite!!). yummm!

The joys of living in the snowbelt = getting almost 12 inches of snow in one night with another 12 inches promised in the next 24 hours, including high winds. Call it a mini-blizzard. Call it "everything in the area is closed but Cherith works in Rochester where there is no snow on the ground at all and therefore still has to go to work." Ha. So today I took the thruway to work and fortunately that was clear, although the roads up to that point were ridiculously awful. And with the winter storm watch until 6:00 tomorrow night, it's looking like I'll be headed to my parents house to sleep tonight. I love my parents, don't get me wrong, and I love to be home, and cutting my drive to work in half isn't bad either. But I don't like not being able to see my husband at all. bleh. But I suppose if I die that won't be happening at all, thus I shall trek to Lima this evening, which is not in the snowbelt and is not under a severe weather alert. Driving in white-outs doesn't thrill me, to be honest. Maybe if I was out off-roading... (In a luxury Chrysler LHS?? Hmmm.....)
As far as the brilliance thing, I'm really not. I am just very proud of myself at the moment. All morning on Saturday I watched Charles fiddle with his blog template and make all kinds of changes and be all technologically brilliant and I was jealous. Well, today I discoved how to add links AND names to my template. Go me! (I know. Everyone has them and knows how to do it. But I didn't and I figured it out. And for that, I am convinced that I am the smartest person sitting at this dest right now. mwahahahah! :)

This week has gone by fairly quickly although i have to admit the last 3 mornings I had to remind myself that Friday was just around the corner, in order to get my butt out of bed. And it has finally arrived which means that 1) I don't have to go to bed early tonight, 2) I don't have to get up early tomorrow, 3) I don't have to do anything or go anywhere tomorrow if I don't want to, and 4) well, i guess i don't have a 4. I was just getting excited! So far I have no plans except for Church and Bible study on sunday and the SUPERBOWL! woohoo - although I'm not really sure who i'm going for. I hate the Steelers, but I'm normally an AFC fan. And I don't really know anything about the SeaHawks. So I guess it just boils down to whether I want to oppose Charles are support him. ha. we shall see. Maybe I'll cheer for both teams. At least that way I'm guarenteed that the team that I want to win actually wins. that never happens. So work is starting to show up in my dreams. It's a bit scary when you start dreaming about doing a mail-run. I need a vacation. Actually, I need to move to Australia so that I can stay at home and sleep in and read and clean the house and learn how to cook and go to the beach while Charles is at work! :) heehee. Revenge is sweet, my friends! J/k. It's not really revenge. But it will be a nice change. Until I get bored and want to go back to work. Besides, I"ll probably be working forever to put Charles through the craploads of school that he still needs. Speaking of school, I suppose I should decide if I want to go back. But that is dull and boring so I shan't think of that now. I'll think of... butterflies. Yes, that is nice. And this beautiful weather we're having. Well, it's raining today, and colder than yesterday, but it's still in the 40's and not snowing in FEBRUARY! BOOYAH! Yesterday it was mid 50's when I got home so Charles and I went for a walk. Well, it was more like a plod-along and drag your feet or an anxious hoppity-skip, depending on who you were walking with! :) Sounds romantic, doesn't it? A walk down a beautiful country road together with the one you love? Yup - sure does sound that way. That's not quite how it all panned out, however. :) The wonder of newly-marital spats. (is that a term?) But it all worked out and we ended up having a slightly frustrating but wonderful evening together. Oh yes. Life is good. It never was bad to begin with. We just had to remember that. As for the smells on Charles blog, I never said anything about him smelling like sweet pea and violet. I couldn't smell him if he did smell like that. That was all his conclusions. I keep things in my head. (charles might argue that, but it really is true. If he had any clue how much i don't say...) ;) Well that's all the blabbering I can handle for now. I know I haven't really posted anything of significance lately, but sometimes it's just nice to be shallow. Being pensive and thoughtful and deep all the time takes up so much energy. And I need that for incidents. Or for when I get home... and Charles and I, um... get into a fight... and I need energy to stay strong...yeah, that's it... in opposition...er,... something like that. =D

I can't seem to get enough of this change thing, lately. Well, for one, the pink drove me crazy. It was a bit too much for me. I'm not that girly. We'll see how long I can handle this.
In other news, visa things are continuing to move along well, and we have a good lead on which we should apply for! yay!
In other other news, married life is going along rather smoothly. Charles and I seem to be adjusting quickly. I slept like a dead person last night, which is a good sign! What I was told was 100% true, however. You find yourselves being annoyed at the silliest things - such as what to plan for dinner for the next week. ha. :) But it is so worth everything!
In other other other news... well, i guess I don't have any. My life has been pretty much the same every day. :) That's not totally a bad thing. It's not like my life is bad and is the same everyday! It's just... normal. This morning I had a nice surprise. Charles got up before I left for work. It seems so little, but it's a big thing when you're used to being by yourself all morning. He did, however, scare the bejesus out of me when he came into the bathroom while I was blow-drying my hair. I'm not used to being interrupted and for a moment, began to see my life flash before my eyes! heehee.
Speaking of being afraid, I am a lot. My imagination is just out of control. But God made it very clear to me last week that I don't have to be afraid. I need to trust in Him, and rest in Him. i'm not afraid of death - I can't wait to see my Jesus! Yet I still find my heart racing over every little sound that I hear. And I needn't let that control me. There is a verse is Psalms that I love - although I can't tell you what it is right now. It says "what can mere mortal do to me?" And that's just it. What can man truly do to me? I need to remember that the next time my heart starts pounding like crazy. I trust in a God who is so much bigger than any enemy I may face. And that creepy sound that I keep hearing - that sounds like someone breaking into the house? Well, it's just the stupid, hyper cat running into the piano... again. :)