Church Signs

I am not a religious person. I know starting things off that way can lead to some disagreement but religion and choice of religion is not the purpose of this post; so let's move on. Despite not being a religious person I still enjoy reading the sayings and quips churches come up with and post on their road signs. You know the signs that are at the edge of the road out front of most churches? Those are the ones I'm referencing. Most of them tend to be Bible teachings and encouragement to get back into the church. Some times they are so clever that they make me laugh out loud. But occasionally I see one that makes me think. The most recent one  being the following: "If you throw mud at someone it is you who is losing ground." I saw this on a church sign yesterday and thought to myself, well that is quite fitting. In today's world with text messaging, instant messaging, facebook posts, and even blogs it is ridiculously easy to slander against someone and verbally bully them that I thought that this week this local church was on the right track.
I began to think about all of the times I have seen or even participated in backhanded messages or posts about another person. You know, the ones where you or another person write or says something about someone else as if he/she isn't there? It is clearly directed at that individual but for whatever reason if we don't use the person's name we feel like it's okay. We all know it's not okay and the purpose of this post is not for me to try to patronize anyone or promote the current (and very popular) anti-bullying movement. Rather, I simply felt like the saying I saw on the church brought up a good point. Just to decrease the likelihood of it coming across as a righteous attempt at teaching a lesson I will use my counseling skill of "I statements." Whenever I find myself upset with another individual and expressing this either verbally or digitally through angry and defaming words I hope to try to remember that this is only hurting me. I know, I know, words hurt others and I don't deny this; however, I suppose my point for this post is that in my own life it is I who is losing my ground and losing my ability to call myself a good, understanding, and kind person.
As I continue write this I am reminded of many instances where I have done just what I am writing about: lost my temper, spoke negatively to or about someone, flat out flipped out and spewed angry negative words (if you know me you know my capability for this). On some level I knew that this made me look bad each time it happened but until yesterday I never fully grasped the fact that whoever was within ear (or in today's world, eye) shot began to permanently view me in a different light. Despite my attempts at trying to tear down another individual through my "muddy" words I was only tearing down my own character and public image. In short, through my words it is I who was losing ground.
My only hope after learning this about myself is that I am able to retain the lesson learned and apply it in the future. At this moment though I am at the very least grateful for learning the message; and for that, I thank you church down the road! I guess we never know where we'll learn something new.

'Tis The Season

Our new neighbors have recently invited us to their Christmas in July party that they are holding tomorrow night. First off, I have never been to a Christmas in July party and do not have the foggiest idea what it is we have gotten ourselves into; but, of course, I have decided that we cannot show up empty-handed. Since I refuse to use pre-made cookie dough for cookies I chose to make "No Fail Sugar Cookies." I figured,"Hey, I'll just decorate them with red and green icing and sprinkles. No big deal." It is 11:33 pm and it has now become "a big deal."
For whatever reason the cookies are about 1/3 as flavorful as a cookie should be, and perhaps most horrifically: they're chewy. My husband politely ate one and informed me that they weren't "that bad" and that with the icing they should be just fine. Cue icing and sprinkles... They still suck. I suppose now is where I simply suck up my pride and succumb to the pre-made roll of dough from the store. I just hope no one will be able to tell the baker's name is Pillsbury. 
If you promise not to tell my secret I would really appreciate it : )


OH! And if anyone can make the cookies and figure out where things went wrong let me know:
http://www.recipegirl.com/2008/08/10/no-fail-sugar-cookies/

I come to you from an air mattress....

And not one of those fancy Aerobed air mattresses that costs $300 and comes with a remote. No, we are talking the kind that comes with a battery powered air pump and loses its inflation by the second night. Despite being married for (almost) a year it is now that I truly feel our life as a married couple and as a military family has begun. "Your life has begun on an air mattress?!" you might ask. Why, yes it has. Let me start from the beginning....
My husband is in the military and fortunately the date we chose for our wedding was BEFORE he had to report for Active Duty- 3 weeks prior to his report date, that is. We got married, he left, and we decided I would stay behind to finish graduate school. Fast forward 8 months and I have finished graduate school (yay!) only to make the 900 mile trip from OH to MS. A month and a half later we are now in Virginia where my husband is now stationed for the next X number of years. 
Now back to the proverbial air mattress: Here we are in Virginia, waiting for our things to arrive from Mississippi, trying to figure out where the post office is, attempting to not spend 30 minutes finding the grocery store, sitting at a card table for dinner and sleeping on an air mattress. But here's the thing- this is the very first time in our entire relationship (from dating to now) that my husband and I moved to the same location at the exact same time. This is the first time we are moving in to a home together and will move out of the same home together. It is here that we have made our first big purchase together (washer and dryer, if you're curious). And it is here that I hope to have my first "real" job; get involved in my first community group/association; have trick-or-treaters (!!!); and perhaps most significantly is the fact that Virginia may very well be the place where I can truly host a family get together.
So, as I stare into pretty clearly "the big unknown" I realize that despite this ugly blue air mattress from which I write this very first post, my adventures, lessons, and memories are just beginning.
Here's to you Virginia!