At The Movies

We don’t go to the movies often anymore, but when we do it’s an event. Our favorite seats are, of course, right in the center and we’ve found that the first row of the upper section has a bar in front of it, perfect for putting our feet on. Because we prefer these seats we get there pretty early.

For Christmas this year my grandmother gave us a “dinner and a movie” package – gift card to Chili’s and cash to see a movie.  Side note here – have you been to a non-matinee movie lately? WOW – tickets are expensive!!! Anyway…a movie finally came out we wanted to see so we used our Christmas gift in March.

 

Since we were the only ones in the theater I thought it would be a great idea for us to take our picture and send to grandma in the thank you card.  And we got a little silly – well actually HE got a LOT silly. 

Oh, we saw the movie Unknown with Liam Neeson and I enjoyed it. Lots and lots and lots of action. Keith kind of rolled his eyes and said that too many things were predictable in it. BUT…I realized quite a while ago that really I am the perfect movie audience. I go in, sit down and never see anything coming. I’m like an irish setter – a new world every day! Therefore, I don’t really have a problem with predictable….

Ash Wednesday

We just got home from the Ash Wednesday service at church. When I was pondering the service on the way home it surprised me to realize the two words that kept coming to mind were solemn and joyful – and odd combination to be sure.

But receiving the sign of the cross on our forehead is solemn, while at the same time we receive it with joy. This service was one that was moving and made me so happy to be there tonight.

One thing our church is doing is reading the New Testament during the 40 days of Lent. We received a bookmark and cd during the service on Sunday and today marked Day 1. Keith and I listened to the cd of the Bible reading while we followed along and there is something about hearing the word of God while sitting next to the man you love that is just amazing.

May this season strengthen and encourage you – Amen.

“The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.  How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”  Hebrews 9:13-14 NIV

Baby Girl is Sick

Little Brooklyn has the flu.    My daughter-in-law called this morning and they’ve spent the day together.  Fortunately Miss B doesn’t appear to be horribly ill feeling with it and in fact they made cupcakes together even.

I remember ‘back in the day’ when somebody had the flu you just told them they’d feel better soon and everybody went about their business. But the flu has been getting some bad press, so it’s more worrisome.

Who am I kidding here – when my granddaughter is sick I worry! 

SSMT Week 5

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”  Mark 10:45 NIV

This verse is absolutely powerful to me. So many times we go about our lives and get caught up in trying to be important and recognized.  Yet we should be looking outside of ourselves rather than focusing on ourselves.

This is my Verse #5 for Beth Moore’s Siesta Scripture Memory Team.

Card #2 – FTL 128 – Just Saying Hello

So of course once I decide to do something I have a hard time with all the “documentation” involved.  Back in January I shared about the 52 Weeks, 52 Letters for 2011 and how great an idea I thought it was. Well I’m running behind on sharing the cards online, but that’s ok.  I also realized that if I send a “store bought card” (*GASP!*) that I’m not going to say anything about that on the blog, so my numbers might not look right online at the end of the year.  And that’s ok.

Moving on….

Every now and then when making a card you just feel it. That’s what happened with this card and equally wonderful was being with two girlfriends while making the card.  Great afternoon, even though this is really all I have to show for it. 

This is my Card #2 and it’s using the FTL128 layout from the Clean & Simple Stamping blog. Keith and I were just saying at dinner tonight that sometimes sending a card for no reason can be even more important than a card for an occasion. We never really know what other people are going through and this jaunty little bird stopping by to say hello might be just what somebody needs to hear/see.

• Stamps – a set from Hero Arts (I bought it at a scrapping/stamping garage sale and it didn’t have the outer envelope with the stamp set name on it)
• Ink – Stampin’ Up Chocolate Chip
• Paper – Stampin’ Up cardstock
• Size – 4.25 x 5.5

** Linking to Clean & Simple Stamping

Review–Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones

Save the Date
by Jenny B. Jones
Thomas Nelson Publisher
304 pages

ABOUT THE BOOK: You’re invited to the engagement of the most unlikely couple of the year.

When the funding for Lucy’s non-profit job is pulled, she is determined to find out why. Enter Alex Sinclair, former professional football star and heir of Sinclair Enterprises—the primary donor to Lucy’s Saving Grace organization. Alex Sinclair has it all . . . except for the votes he needs to win his bid for Congress. Both Lucy and Alex have something the other wants. Despite their mutual dislike, Alex makes Lucy a proposition: pose as his fiancée in return for the money she desperately needs. Bound to a man who isn’t quite what he seems, Lucy finds her heart – and her future – on the line.

Save the Date is a spunky romance that will have readers laughing out loud as this dubious pair try to save their careers, their dreams . . . and maybe even a date.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Save The Date, go HERE.

MY REVIEW: This book was so much fun! A very light-hearted read that made me smile so many times.  I was a little worried when I first started reading that this book might be too “young” for me and I wouldn’t be able to relate.  But honestly that was not the case and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

I think one of the things I loved was that Lucy, the main character, seemed so real.  Not only was she pouring her heart into the Saving Grace organization, but she had the same dreams and insecurities as so many women do.  Early in the book she attends a gala to try and secure funding for her organization and these are her thoughts:

“As she looked around the ballroom at the crème de la crème of South Carolina, she struggled to draw a deep breath. She was a cubic zirconium in a sea of diamonds.”

Really…how many of us have had similar thoughts in similar situations? Not that I’ve been to a lot of galas in my time, but most of us have had the fish out of water feel at least once.

I will definitely seek out more books by this author.  Her writing style was one that made me look forward to curling up with a book at the end of a long day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I write Christian fiction with a few giggles, quite a bit of sass, and lots of crazy. My novels include the Katie Parker Production series and So Not Happening. I would also like to take credit for Twilight , but somewhere I think I read you’re not supposed to lie.
When I’m not typing my heart out (or checking email), I teach at a super-sized high school in Arkansas.
My students are constantly telling me how my teaching changes their lives and turned them away from drugs, gangs, and C-SPAN.
Okay, that’s not exactly true.
Some facts that are true include:
I've always been refined!
A. I got my camera confiscated by big boys with guns at the American Embassy in Europe this past summer. O la la!
B. I once worked in a seed mill office and cleaned out mice on a regular basis. Ew.
C. I’m a former drama teacher.
D. I didn’t pass my drivers test the first time. Or the second…
E. I attract stray animals like a magnet.
F. I used to assemble and test paint ball guns for a local factory...
Since my current job leaves me with very little free time, I believe in spending my spare hours in meaningful, intellectual pursuits such as:
-watching E!
-updating my status on Facebook
-catching Will Ferrell on YouTube and
-writing my name in the dust on my furniture
I’d love to hear about you, so drop me a note. Or check me out on Facebook.

 

** Thank you to CFBA for providing me with a review copy of the book for me to read and post my honest opinion about.