How to Shock People

My husband and I did a little shopping last weekend, and when we were discussing how much we spent (because we're back on a budget), we realized that our receipt was wrong. We had walked out of the store with two pillows that we were not charged for.

Call me crazy, but I feel guilty when something like that happens because I know I obtained those items in error. They were not sold at a discount. They were not a gift from the store. They were simply overlooked. And so, a few days later, I returned to the store with the plastic cover one of the pillows had been in and went to a checkout counter so I could pay for them.

I explained the store's error to the clerk, who acted completely disinterested. As soon as he called the manager, I judged him and thought, "He doesn't have a clue what to do."

The manager reached us, and my clerk says, "Tell her what you're here to do. Just tell her!" He went from being apathetic to excited in just a few seconds! So I told my story again, and the manager was surprised. Shocked, actually! She was so shocked, in fact, that as a token of thanks she gave me 20% off my total bill.

Suddenly, my clerk was a chatterbox and told me about a time when a similar thing happened to him. And he happily remembered that he, too, did the right thing. As I was leaving, with a wink he told me to have a blessed day. Have a blessed day!

And I had judged him! To be fair, maybe he was just having a bad day, and seeing a little good in the world cheered him up. I don't know. I, however, have NO excuse for judging him...

Funny thing is, only two days later the same thing happened to my husband. Only instead of $20, it was a difference of several hundred dollars on construction supplies. He admits that he struggled a bit because of the significant savings, but in the end he made the right decision and went back to the store, too.

Guess what?

His clerk was shocked.

I guess the point of all this is not to say, "Look at us and how righteous we are" or anything pious like that. The point is that I am dismayed that the world we live in is shocked when someone is HONEST! I would hope that honesty and integrity would be the rule. Instead, it appears to be the exception...

"You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the LORD your God is giving you." -Deuteronomy 16:20 (NKJV)

This is a GREAT idea - Check it Out!!!

The good folks at SonGear came up with this idea to have a million Christians proclaimimg their faith on the same day by wearing a Christian T-shirt. Already have one? Easy then. Need one? SonGear can hook you up. Check out their website - cool stuff!!!

Goodbye, Patrick...

Patrick Swayze finally died. :-(

Patrick, you were a brave fighter, and always one of my favorites. May you finally be at peace...

I love football!!

Even Appalachian State football. (Just don't tell my fellow WCU alums, OK?)

After 11 years of being odd-(wo)man-out at ASU games, I've finally decided that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. So, I will be cheering for App, except when they play Western (of course!)

So, this past weekend was the home opener in Boone, so we loaded up the van and headed up the mountain. It was a gorgeous day for football! We met tons of friends (the usual ASU crew) for tailgating, and then got to enjoy the whole game (well, we lost, so I can't really say "enjoy.") Anyway, here's some pics of just how nice it was:

Aaron taking a swing

Eli jumping (doesn't he look like he's having a BLAST?!)


The boys and their boys (strange: the only girls were the wives - no daughters in this crowd!)


What I get when I try to take a pic of MY boys :-(


See what a beautiful day? (Kinda makes you agree with Travis Cottrell when he says that God gets His mail here)


And finally, for those of you who won't believe me, you might call me a traitor after you see this - photographic evidence that I actually pulled for ASU:


Now, if I could just get tickets to watch the Colts play...:-)

Over the Hill

No, not Jeff - that's later!! :-)

I meant my minivan. Poor, poor vehicle - only five years young and already aged beyond her years...



You're really not old, honey! I just KNOW you can double that!!! (Right???)

Fearless: The Latest Book by Max Lucado

When I agreed to read this book for a review, I just thought, "I love Max Lucado. He's so good." But now that I have "Fearless," it's not because Max is good. It's because God is, and He uses Max to let us all know it.

The first chapter made me cry. The second chapter made me cry.

And I just thought I didn't need this book right now! My life is pretty good, so imagine my surprise when I wound up sobbing before my Lord after the first few chapters. This book ROCKS!

God has this way of using Max Lucado to just say it. I mean, lay it down and say, "There it is. Now what are you going to do about it?"

What is this "it"?" Whatever God needs you to hear, that's what!

Those first few pages began opening my eyes to a problem I hadn't even recognized - fear. Something has been amiss in my spirit lately and I just haven't been able to put a finger on it. But Max did.

I won't tell you all about this book. You just need to know that it is relevant to whatever place you find yourself right now. Really! Read it, and you'll see.

Just to show you how good it really is, the fine folks at Thomas Nelson even let you have a preview. Just check out the widget in my sidebar to get access to the first chapter or so.

So just read it - what are you afraid of?

Please check out these other sites that go along with the book:
The Fearless Times
Buy "Fearless" from Thomas Nelson
Fearless Town Hall with Max Lucado

Book Review: Same Kind of Different as Me

I finished "Same Kind of Different as Me" around Christmas (I think), but just never got around to blogging about it.

I should have. This is an awesome book! Told through the voices of two very different characters, Ron and Denver, you can really see the big picture. Below is the book description provided by the publisher, Thomas Nelson...

A true, inspirational story that crosses the barriers of society.

Meet Denver, raised under plantation-style slavery in Louisiana until he escaped "da Man"—in the 1960s—by hopping a train. Then, after another 18 homeless years on the streets of Dallas, God moved . . . and a godly woman named Deborah prayed, listened, and obeyed. Mountains began to move, beginning with her husband, Ron, an international art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani suits and art-collecting millionaires.

The story takes a devastating twist when Deborah discovers she has cancer. Will Deborah live or die? Will Denver learn to trust a white man? Will Ron embrace his dying wife's vision to rescue Denver? Or will Denver be the one rescuing Ron?

There's pain and laughter, doubt and tears, and in the end a triumphal story that readers will never forget.

I couldn't have said it better myself! It will suffice to say that this is a page-turner that I just couldn't put down. (Which is saying something, because I read it as an e-book on my laptop!) It's a great story, and certainly one that has been added to my favorites list.

Look what I found!

Click on the button above and check out these AWESOME tees from "Wild Olive Tees." Now, which one do I want? Decisions, decisions...

Almost there...I hope!

Almost where?

To a point where I have a moment of functional brain cells awake enough to write a post. It's been a tough week! And it ain't over yet.

My dad is scheduled for surgery at 11 am today. Remember him in prayer again for me, please? After his little stay in the hospital already this week, we're very anxious to see what happens today.

Thanks, and I'll update this weekend!!!!!