"Where Tradegy Confronts Eternity"

Hi all. I haven't blogged in forever. I've been busy with work, Jessica, and life as usual. A lot has been going on. Most recently I attended my 20th high school reunion that was wonderful. I'm so glad I went and was able to visit with so many old friends. But - that is not the topic of this blog. This blog is about the book The Shack by William P. Young. My mom recently invited me to attend one of the book club sessions that she goes to. The book this month is The Shack. I download the unabridged version from Audible.com and began listening on our morning commute. I don't want to give away the book - but you MUST get it and read it. It was wonderful. I've just received my paper copy in the mail so that I can read through it again. While this book is obviously fiction - I think it could be a pretty accurate description of God. Here's a quote from the back...

"THE SHACK is the most absorbing work of fiction I've read in many years. My wife and I laughed, cried, and repented of our own lack of faith along the way. THE SHACK will leave you craving for the presence of God." - Michael W. Smith, recording artist

That sums it up. Reading this book, or rather, listening to this book has given me a renewed desire to seek God. I think it would be excellent for those old and new in their faith as well as those seeking.

Check it out. Let me know if you read it and what your thoughts are.

A Hint of Fall

I am outside watching Jessica play on her new swing set and play in her new sandbox enjoying the little hint of fall. The fact that it's 69 degrees right now instead of 80 in August is wonderful. If I had it my way the temp would never get over 72. In fact - it could be 5 to 10 degrees cooler and it would be fine with me. I love the fall and winter. Spring is ok but only goes to show summer is coming. And I don't like the heat at all.

So, we'll sit outside this morning until the temperature rises and we are forced back inside to the cool air-conditioned air.

I hope everyone gets to enjoy this little break for a bit this morning.

Tonight is my 20th high school class reunion. I'm sure I'll have much to blog about tomorrow. I'm so looking forward to seeing people I haven't seen in the last 10 to 20 years and catching up with everyone. Hopefully this will spur us on to keep in touch more than once every 20 years.

~Yvette~

Adoption & Happy Birthday's

Today is my birth-mother's birthday. Happy Birthday Debby! I hope it is a blessed and wonderful one.

Debby and I met in person about 15 years ago. It was a strange process for me to decide to find her and then finding her and meeting her. (I should blog on that whole thing another time.) We keep in touch - but not as much as we should. It has been a wonderful experience finding her and getting to know her and more about my birth family. I was also able to meet much of Debby's family - including my birth-grandmother - before she (birth-grandmother) passed away.

On that note - here is a poem that I found growing up and always felt that it described my situation perfectly. I shared this with Debby when I met her. And each time I read it -- it still brings tears to my eyes.


Legacy of an Adopted Child
Once there were two women who never knew each other.
One you do not remember, the other you call mother.
Two different lives, shaped to make your one...
One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.

The first gave you life and the second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love, and the second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name.
One gave you a seed of talent, the other gave you an aim.
One gave you emotions, the other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile, the other dried your tears.
One gave you up...it was all that she could do.
The other prayed for a child and God led her striaght to you.

And now you ask me, through your fears,
the age old question unanswered throughout the years...
Heredity or environment...which are you the product of?
Neither, my darling, neither...
Just two different kinds of love.

--Author Unknown--

Excellent and Funny Post

I haven't blogged in a while. All the great topics I thought of the night I created my blog have suddenly disappeared. But, I still read my friend's blogs.

A while back a friend referred to another blog. I took a look and am now addicted. I've added it to the "My Blogs" section on my blog and check it out each day. THIS guys writes a lot of blogs. This one was particularly good and you should check it out.

Stuff Christians Like: #347. Using faith as "God" currency."


He also has an interesting ongoing topic about tattoos and is currently holding a contest. I say interesting because I waited until a few years ago to get a tattoo even though I had wanted one long before it was "cool" to get one. I like mine a lot and have thought about another one. I'll have to take another 10 to 15 years to decide like I did the first time. The Kanji symbol means "Happiness."




So I've been scanning more blogs while sitting on a conference call and this one made me LOL. There have been several - but this is great.

346-worship-leaders-that-add-word-and


~Yvette~

Getting Older

I'll be 38 years old at 12:28 A.M. on Saturday July 12th. I'm not sure how I feel about that. There are days when I feel really old and tired. And there are days when I feel like I'm still 18. (If only I had that 18 year old body back!)

I remember very, very clearly the day I turned 25. For some reason that birthday was the worse. I was working from home with not too much to do on a 5 ache farm. I kept wandering outside to talk to the animals. I think I cried most of the day. Probably because my life was not at the point where I thought it would be at that age. I thought I'd have 2 kids and being busy living happily ever after. Didn't quite turn out that way. I believed what the people I worked with had told me...don't blink cause you'll be 30, then 35, then 40 before you know it. And here I am...2 years shy of 40. OMG - can I really be 38 years old?

It's so amazing how life just happens. That reminds me a few songs...both by Kenny Chesney actually - "Don't Blink" and "The Good Stuff". -- link to lyrics in case you don't know the songs. (I really like Kenny Chesney!)

From "Don't Blink"...

Don't blink...Just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you wake up
and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife...

Don't blink...You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your better half
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you'll pray that God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't blink

I feel just like that...I blinked...I was 18 laying out on Stone Mountain with Brandi and Paul...I was 23 and looking forward to being married...I was 27 and starting over again...I was 30...I was 35...and now...38. I guess the next time I blink I'll be watching Jess walk down the aisle. I hope time slows down between now and then so I can savour every minute of her life. :-)

I wonder if I could get myself nominated for 10 Years Younger and What Not to Wear all before the reunion on August 9th? HA! I am looking forward to my own "makeover" as my birthday present to myself. (Bye, bye grey hair!)

So all that to say....

Happy Birthday to Me...
Happy Birthday to Me...

Hey...this would be a perfect time to make more cupcakes...

I go back...

With my 20 year high school reunion coming up I've done a bit of thinking about the past and high school. Getting back in touch with old friends has been wonderful and I can't wait to see everyone. There is a song by Kenny Chesney called "I Go Back" that sums it up well...

"I go back to the smell of an old gym floor
The taste of salt on the Carolina shore
After graduation and drinkin goodbye to friends
And I go back to watchin summer fade to fall
Growin up too fast and I do recall
Wishin time would stop right in its tracks
Everytime I hear that song, I go back, I go back"

"We all have a song that somehow stamped our lives
Takes us to another place and time".

I love this song. It is so true and hearing it brings back a flood of songs that remind me of specific time periods, events, or people in my past. That one line ..."We all have a song that somehow stamped our lives"...is perfect. If you've never heard the song I recommend looking it up and listening at least once. Of course - the fact that I listen to the 80's station on satellite radio also helps bring back a ton of memories. I love it when they play a song I've forgotten I knew and forgotten I loved. Here are a just few songs that get me everytime I hear them (in no particular order)...

Crazy for You - Madonna

Paradise City - Guns n Roses

I will never forget driving down Memorial Drive with my friend Brandi. This song came on and she broke into the best head banging I've ever seen. :-)

Anything by the Violent Femmes

Alive and Kicking - Simple Minds

Somebody - Depche Mode

Photograph - Def Leppard

Every Breath You Take - The Police

The whole "Records" album from Foreigner

The one year I was able to go to Panama City for spring break this was the album to play. I can't hear it now without thoughts of that trip (some good, some bad) coming back.

Another Brick in The Wall - Pink Floyd

In elementary school we use to do something called "Sing for your lunch." Basically each class would pick a song and sing it at the front of the auditorium/lunch room before being "allowed" to eat that day. In the 5th grade (I believe) our class picked Another Brink in the Wall. Now back in the 5th grade I had no idea what this song was. Obviously the teacher who "approved" this selection didn't know the song either - or read the words that she copied for the whole class to learn. I will never forget Billy McBride running across the stage with a play guitar and "playing" along with the guitar solo. I'm pretty sure the teacher probably got in trouble. Every time I hear that song now I think of Billy and all of us standing on the stage singing "we don't need no education...".

The list goes on and on and I'll probably keep updating as I hear more of them. Please post some of your favorites too....

Still not blogging...

Well - I'm still here...and I read my friend's blogs each day - but I still haven't writen anything new. Maybe tomorrow.

~Yvette~