When Did I Go Back to Jr. High?

Last week while I was at camp, I experienced something I don’t think I’ve experienced since the 8th grade…someone getting in my face. I think just about every girl out there knows what I mean. Some girl who thinks she’s all that, confronts you asking why you’ve been spreading rumors about her (or whatever her issue is). Often, this results in some sort of cat-fight that gathered a crowd.

Here is what I don’t understand:

1) I’m 31 years old…well past the age of petty teenage girl “issues”. My confronters were 16 & 17 and campers in my cabin!!! How stupid to mess with the person that dictates how late you get to sleep in the morning and has the power to make you clean toilets!

2) The “rumors” they accused me of spreading, were about their behavior that week (being late to everything, wearing things they weren’t supposed to, not being where they’re supposed to be, talking on their cell phones, etc.) and they couldn’t deny that they did any of it. As for “spreading” the so-called rumors…I don’t call discussing cabin issues in a staff meeting and looking for guidance on what to do next “spreading rumors”. I have no idea how any of this got back to them, but I’m sure it was some well-meaning counselor trying to steer them in the right direction (didn’t work by the way).

So after a LONG heated discussion about their behavior and their attitudes, we came to the agreement to start fresh the next day. Here is the kicker…one of the things they accused me of saying about them was that they were planning on sneaking out. I told them we were told by other counselors that they had been over-heard talking about sneaking out and that we should keep an eye on them. They PROMISED me that they would never sneak out, they were too afraid of getting caught.

Jump forward 24 hours or so. The entire next day, they had been sleeping in the cabin every spare moment they had. And on some occasions, when they shouldn’t have been in there. But instead of getting on their case AGAIN, I gave them the benefit of the doubt. We had a feeling they were up to something, but they promised me they wouldn’t try to sneak out, so I took their word for it.

That evening, after we got back to the cabin from the devo, there were about 5 of them (these two included) that were just acting suspicious. As a result, I had a hard time falling asleep because every time a bed moved, etc., I was awake. Finally sometime around 2 a.m. I fell asleep. My co-counselor, Jessica, came in at 4 a.m. from her “night-watch” duties. At 4:30 in the morning, we were all awoken by 5 girls sneaking out the door. Fran yelled at them asking them where they were going and they were out the door. Oh, it was ON!

Fran & Jessica jumped up and put on clothes and took out after them (I got the job of keeping an eye on the rest of the girls since I was sick and already sleep deprived). These bright young things were not too bright after-all. They were caught within minutes and couldn’t understand how they got caught (hello, the cabin door sticks! It always wakes us up when it opens.) I joined them in the mess hall shortly after and following some more heated discussions, they were informed that they would not be sleeping for the rest of the day and would spend their rest time serving others.

To be honest with you, I wish they had tried sneaking out earlier in the week. They were on their best behavior the rest of the day and were actually for the first time all week, enjoyable to be around.

Plus side to all of this, I got to see my first sunrise in about a year. It was beautiful.

I Fell From A Cypress Tree

WHAT TREE DID YOU FALL FROM?

I got this email from Vicki and well, didn't have the brain power to post anything else (but felt the need to update).

Find your birthday and then find your tree. This is fun and somewhat accurate in line with Celtic astrology. Mine was bizarrely accurate.

Dec 23 to Jan 01 - Apple Tree
Jan 01 to Jan 11 - Fir Tree
Jan 12 to Jan 24 - Elm Tree
Jan 25 to Feb 03 - Cypress Tree
Feb 04 to Feb 08 - Poplar Tree
Feb 09 to Feb 18 - Cedar Tree
Feb 19 to Feb 28 - Pine Tree
Mar 01 to Mar 10 - Weeping Willow Tree
Mar 11 to Mar 20 - Lime Tree
Mar 21 (only) - Oak Tree
Mar 22 to Mar 31 - Hazelnut Tree
Apr 01 to Apr 10 - Rowan Tree
Apr 11 to Apr 20 - Maple Tree
Apr 21 to Apr 30 - Walnut Tree
May 01 to May 14 - Poplar Tree
May 15 to May 24 - Chestnut Tree
May 25 to Jun 03 - Ash Tree
Jun 04 to Jun 13 - Hornbeam Tree
Jun 14 to Jun 23 - Fig Tree
Jun 24 (only) - Birch Tree
Jun 25 to Jul 04 - Apple Tree
Jul 05 to Jul 14 - Fir Tree
Jul 15 to Jul 25 - Elm Tree
Jul 26 to Aug 04 - Cypress Tree
Aug 05 to Aug 13 - Poplar Tree
Aug 14 to Aug 23 - Cedar Tree
Aug 24 to Sep 02 - Pine Tree
Sep 03 to Sep 12 - Weeping Willow Tree
Sep 13 to Sep 22 - Lime Tree
Sep 23 (only) - OLIVE Tree
Sep 24 to Oct 03 - Hazelnut Tree
Oct 04 to Oct 13 - Rowan Tree
Oct 14 to Oct 23 - Maple Tree
Oct 24 to Nov 11 - Walnut Tree
Nov 12 to Nov 21 - Chestnut Tree
Nov 22 to Dec 01 - Ash Tree
Dec 02 to Dec 11 - Hornbeam Tree
Dec 12 to Dec 21 - Fig Tree
Dec 22 (only) - Beech Tree

YOUR TREE (in alphabetical order)

Apple Tree (Love) -- quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal, and attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous, sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, needs affectionate partner.

Ash Tree (Ambition) -- extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, needs love and much emotional support.

Beech Tree (Creative) -- has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit(diets, sports, etc).

Birch Tree (Inspiration) -- vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.

Cedar Tree (Confidence) -- of rare strength, knows how to adapt, likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined, often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

Chestnut Tree (Honesty) -- of unusual stature, impressive, well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.

Cypress Tree (Faithfulness) -- strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give but doesn't necessarily like it, strives to be content, optimistic, wants to be financially independent, wants love and affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to gain knowledge, needs to be needed.

Elm Tree (Noble-mindedness) -- pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey,honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.

Fig Tree (Sensibility) -- very strong minded, a bit self-willed, honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, hard worker when wants to be, loves life and friends, enjoys children and animals, few sexual relationships, great sense of humor, has artistic talent and great intelligence.

Fir tree (Mysterious) -- extraordinary taste, handles stress well, loves anything beautiful, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them, hard to trust others, yet a social butterfly, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work, rather modest, talented, unselfish, many friends, very reliable.

Hazelnut Tree (Extraordinary) -- charming, sense of humor, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.

Hornbeam Tree (Good Taste) -- of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egotistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is seldom happy with its feelings,mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, very conscientious.

Lime Tree (Doubt) - intelligent, hard working, accepts what life dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones, hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to use them, can become a complainer, great leadership qualities, is jealous at times but extremely loyal.

Maple Tree (Independence of Mind) -- no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.

Oak Tree (Brave) -- robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, person of action.

Olive Tree (Wisdom) -- loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.

Pine Tree (Peacemaker) -- loves agreeable company, craves peace and harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally SOFT, low self esteem, needs affection and reassurance.

Poplar Tree (Uncertainty) -- looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously.

Rowan Tree (Sensitivity) -- full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive

Walnut Tree (Passion) -- unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise.

Weeping Willow (Melancholy) - likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner; loves to make others laugh.

To all of my European Traveling Friends…

My friend, Tonna, and I are working on a little project and we need your help. For those of you who have traveled to Europe, what are some of the things you would add to your “must buy” list? (i.e. Poland = pottery, Prague = crystal, etc.) We’d love your feedback and if you have any friends who might have input, direct them here because we’d like as much feedback as possible. Thanks!

Thought to Ponder

“…Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?'” ~ From Isaiah 45:9

Slackers of America ARISE

I found this article today on MSN. I AM NOT commenting, but found it very interesting. I wasn't surprised on the reasons they found (I could have told you all of that). Also, I have no opinion on the Missouri findings. Who cares!

Extra: Missouri is No. 1 in slacking off at work
Survey finds average U.S. worker spends two hours a day surfing the Web, running errands or staring into space.

By MSN Money staff and wire reports

A new survey suggests that we’re a nation of slackers -- worse at wasting time at work than even human resources professional suspected. According to an informally conducted poll, the average worker wastes more than two hours a day, not including lunch. Younger workers slack off more than older ones, and men and women waste about the same amount of time.

Although gender played no part in time wasting, geography loomed large. The No. 1 state for wasting time was Missouri, where workers who responded to the survey reported slacking off 3 hours and 12 minutes a day.

The top time-wasting states were:
2. Indiana 2.8 hrs/day
3. Kentucky 2.8 hrs/day
4. Wisconsin 2.8 hrs/day
5. Nevada 2.7 hrs/day

The survey didn't look at why Missouri is the worst in the nation. Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt was a little prickly. "Nobody can match the work ethic of Missourians. This survey, which our busiest citizens did not want to waste their time on, cannot undermine decades of experience. Missouri workers are among the most productive in the world."

The Missouri Department of Economic Development said a study it published last year on the industries driving the state economy found Missouri employees hard at work."

It appears to me the Missouri worker is equal to, or slightly higher, in productivity than other workers across the nation in most of the industries (the Missouri study) looked at," said department spokeswoman Kristi Jamison.

Not enough to do
The survey of visitors to America Online and Salary.com asked 10,044 respondents how much time they wasted in an average workday in a workweek consisting of five eight-hour days. Demographic information, including respondent geography, job category and gender was also collected.

The poll found the workers' top excuses for wasting time nationwide were not enough work or inadequate for the work they do.

More than 44% said the No. 1 way they waste time at work is personal Internet use, like reading e-mail, instant messages, playing interactive games -- and responding to online polls.

The second most popular, according to 23% of respondents, was socializing with co-workers. Other excuses included conducting personal business, spacing out, running errands and making personal phone calls.

The top time-wasting activities were:
1. Surfing Internet (personal use) 44.7%
2. Socializing with co-workers 23.4%
3. Conducting personal business 6.8%
4. Spacing out 3.9%
5. Running errands off-premises 0.1%

The top excuses for time-wasting:
1. Don't have enough work to do 33.2%
2. Underpaid for amount of work I do 23.4%
3. Co-workers distract me 14.7%
4. Not enough evening or weekend time 12.0%
5. Other 16.7%

Employers expect that workers will waste some time on the job, about an hour per day in addition to the lunch hour.

"Our survey results show that workers on average are wasting a little more than twice what their employers expect. That's a startling figure," said Bill Coleman, senior vice president at Salary.com.

He noted that some of the wasted time could be considered helpful, however, as conversations and personal Internet use can lead to new business ideas.

Question...

Why is it the one day when you really NEED to stay really busy at work to keep you from thinking about things you can't do anything about, it’s the day that you’ve accomplished everything you could possibly accomplish before noon even rolls around. It’s going to be a long day.

Well, It's Official

Effective November 19, 2005, I will be without a roommate. Yep, you guess it, Chris popped the "official" question on Friday night. I say "official" because I've known they were getting married for quite a while now and known the date for the last few weeks. It's been funny because they have already bought a house (that they close on next week), she's had her dress for about 2-3 weeks now, they've had the chapel reserved, even started premarital counseling...but it was to remain on the down-low till the ring showed up. Since I knew I was going to have to come up with new living arrangements but couldn't do an active roommate search until the ring was on her finger, I think I was almost as anxious for her to get this ring as she was. So if you see Chris & Jeana, congratulate them because they probably are the cutest couple I have ever seen and I'm extremely happy for them (even if he IS taking away the worlds greatest roommate).

Arachnophobia Episode 2

Oh you guessed it. One year later, a repeat of last summer’s skin crawling experience. Oh yes, I have hundreds of baby spiders all over my office again. Funny that it was the same week last year that this happened. I would say it’s a sign that I need to take this week off, BUT then, who would know that the spiders have hatched! They are the creepiest little black things that you have ever seen. It seem that they hatch in the billboard vinyls that I have in my office before Jay takes them upstairs. I’d take a picture, but they are way too tiny. Squirming here!!! One spider I can handle…hundreds are another story! Who knows how long it had been since they hatched. I only noticed them while talking to Tyson Condict who was sitting in the chair next to my billboard box. But i really think it was just today because they were too concentrated in that area. YUCK!!!!

Giving Up Control

“Most people I know who live free have experienced a serious stronghold or hindrance they fought to overcome. They usually appreciate and apply victory more readily because they’ve experienced the misery of defeat firsthand. I rarely meet people who have come to trust God fully who haven’t also painfully confronted the fact that they can’t trust themselves.”

I have been reading book lately by Beth Moore called Breaking Free. The above was the opening paragraph to the chapter I read last night and the last sentence really hit home for me.

I have been struggling lately with wanting some changes to take place in my life, but not really sure if the changes I WANT to make are the ones God wants me to make. I have always been such a control freak that I have always struggled with truly allowing God to take control. I guess that’s why the last sentence has hit home for me because I have finally come to a point where I truly realize that I CANNOT trust myself to make the right decision about at least one of the situations that I’m facing right now (of course, truth be known, that’s probably the case with every situation I face…old habits are hard to break). I can potential positives and negatives for either choice. As difficult as it has always been for me to give up control regarding decisions that affect my life (like I ultimately have much control anyway), I think for the first time in my life, I just don’t WANT to be the one to decide. I want God’s will.

The problem now is that I want God’s will NOW. I know that in the long run, I will be happiest with God’s decision. I’m just anxious to get there and get past this stage of constantly wondering what He’s up to.

Something else I have come to realize recently that my approach in regards to one of these situations has been wrong from the very beginning. My intentions have been good, but my viewpoint has been skewed. I have been under the misapprehension that God had left the entire burden up to me to make one of these changes. Problem was I didn’t know how to go about it. So because the desired outcome didn’t come about, I was feeling like a failure. I have since come to realize that I wasn’t expected to handle it on my own and that I should have developed a better support system.

All I have to say is that I’m thankful for the gift of prayer and for God’s amazing grace!

Color Quiz

Someone sent me this quiz a while back and I ran across it again this morning. Curious if the results would be anything similar to what they were the last time, I took it again. Am I really this much of an emotional mess? And here I thought I was actually at peace with the situations out of my control. =) Shoot! Sounds like I need a vacation! I'd be interested to know what it says about everyone else...

Your Existing Situation
Needs warm companionship, but is intolerant of anything short of special consideration from those close to her. If this is not forthcoming, is liable to shut herself away from them.

Your Stress Sources
Acutely distressed by what appears as a hostile environment. Feels she is being subjected to intolerable pressure and driven against her will. Rebellious and resentful at what she considers unreasonable demands on her. but feels powerless to control the situation or protect herself in any way.

Your Restrained Characteristics
Willing to become emotionally involved, but demanding and particular in her choice of a partner and in her relations with those close to her. Needs reassurance and is careful to avoid open conflict since this might reduce her prospects of realizing her hopes.

Feels trapped in a distressing or uncomfortable situation and seeking some way of gaining relief.

Your Desired Objective
Needs to feel identified with someone or something and wishes to win support by her charm and amiability. Sentimental and yearns for a romantic tenderness.

Your Actual Problem
The tensions induced by trying to cope with conditions which are really beyond her capabilities, or reserves of strength, have led to considerable anxiety and a sense of personal (but unadmitted) inadequacy. She attempts to escape into a substitute world in which things are more nearly as she desires them to be.

Your Actual Problem #2
Depleted vitality has created an intolerance for any further stimulation, or demands on her resources. This feeling of powerlessness subjects her to agitation and acute distress. She attempts to escape into a substitute world in which things are more nearly as she desires them to be.