Pop a la Mode

Tonight I had dinner with Michelle - if you can call a five hour gab session dinner. We did eat in between there but we had a great time catching up.

But something happened to us that I can honestly say was a first for both of us. Michelle had to stop and get gas on our way back to her condo so I stood outside the car chatting with her while it was pumping.

Up pulls this huge black Tahoe and this nerdy looking guy in glasses rolls the window down. He very politely asks, “Excuse me, do you know how to get to Valley Avenue?”

Well we happened to be sitting right at the cross section of Valley and informed him this is it just hang a right. But of course Michelle, being the polite person she is, asks, where are you going? She wants to make sure they find the place.

His reply. “Sammy’s.” For those of you not from the Birmingham area, Sammy’s is a low-budget gentlemen’s (ahem) club. Okay, it’s a strip club. Fine. I said it.

So Michelle and I tell him, yes that’s the right direction and very quickly he supplies the fact that they are having a bachelor party. As if we care.

He says, “Well you just looked at us cross-eyed so I wanted to explain.”

It’s not us you need to be explaining yourself to buddy. I have never, ever been asked for directions to a strip club before which prompts this question. Did we look like we would know where a strip club is? Why ask us? Maybe I should be offended.

Discovery Channel is probably Tivo’ed more in my house than I would like to admit. And this had all my favorite shows in one fell swoop! Mythbusters, Dirty Jobs, Deadliest Catch, Man vs. Wild - awesome.

And that tune is darn catchy.

1. I know that I should be on Jeopardy! or Cash Cab. I could totally make some money.

2. I know that I love it when my parents visit. Even if it’s for less than 24 hours.

3. I know that I really need to clean out all the magazines I have in my condo. I feel like I’m becoming my own street vendor.

4. I know that I’m really glad I’m getting my hair cut and colored this weekend.

5. I know that I have a really great family and they all need therapy because my last post caused much undue stress.

6. I know that I still love my new car!

7. I know that I’m entirely too excited that next month the new Indiana Jones movie comes out.

8. I know I watch too much TV. Please stop telling me.

9. I know that I love my handbell choir. They’re a great bunch of dingalings.

10. And I know that even though there are a lot of things that I would change in my life right now, there are too many things I love. And as long as the scales tip in that direction, that’s okay with me.

I had a moment today that brought back a memory from at least 10 years ago of an incident that hurt me. And when I say hurt, I mean I cried for days about it. I never thought I would get past it.

But I did and as that memory came back today, it still stung. But only in that little bitty way when you remember something you don’t want to remember. No tears, no hard feelings and most importantly no hurt.

So all that to say that it’s encouraging that I can let something go in 10 years and move on. Thankfully all hurts don’t take 10 years to heal but only if you allow God to heal it. I know some very bitter and very unhappy people that will never be happy because they don’t want it. The bitterness and unhappiness is as common to them as the sun shining every day. They don’t know what they would be without it.

I pray that I never become that bitter and no matter how much I hurt, that I learn from it and move on and become a stronger person.

Have you noticed a theme to my more serious posts lately? I’m trying to grow here people!

EDITED TO ADD: I highly doubt anyone that reads this site had anything to do with said hurt. So please don’t bang your head against the wall trying to remember something. Unless you need something to feel guilty about, knock yourself out.

It’s been awhile since I updated everyone on what I’m reading these days. Let’s just say diverse is probably a good way to put it:

Just finished - The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by AJ Jacobs; The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from Around the World by Adam Jacot de Boinod; and 131 Christians Everyone Should Know.

Working on - Pick Me Up by Zoe Rice; Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips; The United States of Arugula: The Sun-Dried, Cold-Pressed, Dark-Roasted, Extra Virgin Story of the American Food Revolution by David Kamp; Everything Bad is Good For You: How Today’s Popular Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter by Steven Johnson; and Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy.

It is not unusual for me to have this many books going in case you’re wondering. It just depends on where I’m sitting in my house.

Like I said diversity - it’s the spice of life.

Have you ever had one of those weekends that you look back and wonder where the time went? That was mine this weekend.

Elizabeth came down for a college visit at Samford; Jonathan got married (events including rehearsal dinner, ceremony and reception); I went to see Spamalot with Rachel (completely politically incorrect but too funny not to laugh at) and I had to sing at church this morning with the Dawson Singers (meaning I had to be there at 8:00).

Thankfully I didn’t have to be back at church this afternoon so I’ve been laying on my couch. I’ve alternated between watching Braves baseball and The Lord of the Rings movies. I am now stuck on The Two Towers which in my opinion may be the best movie of the three. And probably because I am physically and emotionally exhausted I just got choked up watching Aragorn tell a boy that there is always hope when the fight is for the good fight. And now the elves just showed up and I’m getting verklempt. I love these movies. They make me feel like I can take on the world.

Which is a feeling that I need to feel these days. My weeks have been interesting lately which has contributed to my tiredness. I never know what my week will hold - I only pray that I work hard, work smart, work well and glory God. Isn’t that what it’s all about anyways?

So whatever your “good fight” this week, I hope you are victorious.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
Ephesians 6:10-18