Monday Musings: The Positive Edition

I’ve been listening to Joyce Meyer…

• Think on Purpose (even if it’s not true, if you believe it, it’s true for you.) 

• Replace All Negative Thoughts (you really can control what you think, so choose positive thoughts!) 

• Like Yourself (you’ll never get beyond what you think about yourself.) 

• Accept the Fact that God Loves You (and you can’t change that, no matter what you did or what you do.) 

• Miracles Come in Cans (not can’ts…I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives me Strength.)

One final thought from me:

• Freedom Tastes Sweet (much better than any cookie or candy bar.)

Two Cent Tuesday...and the two sides of the coin

In a controversial debate, both sides feel abused, maligned, picked on…if you listen to the comments and complaints, they are each saying much the same thing.

Both sides are fellow humans with passions and feelings, and should be treated as such.

Both sides feel they are as right as right can be, and that the other side couldn’t be more wrong.

Sometimes you have to accept that certain people are not going to like you for their own reasons, and you won’t be able to change that.

There are those, on both sides of the coin, who recognize that you don’t have to agree with someone to still like and respect them.   Those people are few and far in-between.

Folks on both sides of the coin can get self-righteous and downright mean when faced with opposition.  

Most of the time, both sides have some very heart-felt reasons for their stance. 

Arguing, name-calling, back-biting, anger:   None of these things help either side, ever.

If you can’t talk to the other side of the coin without the above, walking away is the best thing you can do.

No one can live a perfect life…don’t take it too personally when you’re called a hypocrite by the other side of the coin.  They are making mistakes and bad choices, too.   Everyone does, and theirs will show up eventually.

If, at some point, you realize you’re wrong, say you’re wrong.

Don’t compromise your convictions to end harassment for your beliefs.  Walking away is the better option.    If you know you’re right, you don’t have to defend yourself against those who would belittle you for your principles.   You won’t change them, anyway.

And lastly:  No matter how right you are, or even how much you try to stay neutral, there are those who will find fault with you, who will talk about you, and who won’t treat you the way they’d like to be treated.   It happens to everyone…

It was a Chick-fil-A Kind of Day

A lot of people ate at Chick-fil-A today.  There were lines all the way out to Cox Creek Parkway trying to get in the parking lot.
Once they got in the parking lot, there was still a wait.
 
When I stopped at 7 a.m., there were already several cars in line, but nothing like this.
Not only were both drive-through windows covered up, but the walk-up  window had a long line, as well.   Inside the mall was no less crowded.   Some people said they waited up to an hour to get their Chick-fil-A.

I've battled in my head all day what to write about this day, and I have decided just to speak from my heart...

I believe that I should stand up for what I believe.  I believe in the God of the Bible, and I agree with Mr. Cathy’s recent comments on the Biblical definition of marriage.   While the media and the “left” would have us believe that we, as Christians, are a minority, I do not necessarily believe that is so.

I ate at Chick-fil-A today to show my support to a Christian brother who stated his beliefs, after being asked, and received a lot of negative backlash about it.  So much of a backlash, in fact, that political figures tried to block the company from opening new stores, and city council members attempted to get others to sever ties with the chain.   That’s just not right.   Neither is wishing cancer on people who ate “chikin” today. 

Having said all that, I have finally decided that today, for me, will not be about arguing who is right, nor about pushing back when you’ve been bullied for your beliefs (which happens to both sides of the nugget, by the way).   I am not undermining in any way the importance of freedom of speech, and I do believe Christians have been bullied by the liberal media.  Even though we took a stand against those who would demand tolerance but show us none, I think precious few of us understand just how important today was.   And if we didn't do it in love, prayerfully and with respect, we may have missed the most important thing of all.

As a Christian, it is my duty to spread the good news of Jesus.  Now days, in a world that has allowed the Bible to lose its authority, just about the only way for me to spread the good news is to live my life as Christ-like as possible.   It’s my responsibility to be prayed up, studied up, and looking up, so that if I’m questioned, I will have a good Biblical response for what I believe. 

It is not now, nor has it ever been, my responsibility to save another person from their sins.  That’s the Holy Spirit’s job.   If I do my job by planting seeds and living my life as the best example that I can, the Holy Spirit can do His job, and He knows best the way to reach each and every person who is willing to let Him in their hearts with His saving grace.

Sometimes in the face of opposition,

I can say it best when I say nothing at all.

Two Cent Tuesday

Things for me to remember:

·       If I forget my cell phone, I can’t call from my car and ask Ole Boy to bring it to me on his way to work.

·       If I forget my cell phone, and Ole Boy sees it, he will bring it to me without my asking.  J

·       My car key fob will not open my house door.   I shouldn’t try that again…which I also said the first time I tried it.

·       Locking my front door does no good, really, if I leave my keys hanging in the lock…on the outside!

·       I have a really, really great family.   Spending a long weekend in Louisville (after five years) reminded me that I shouldn’t wait 5 more years before visiting again.

·       Waiting three weeks for a cold to dry up is asking for a sinus infection, which means a shot in the derriere and meds two times a day for a week.

·       That shot really works…

·       Don’t judge a book by its cover, or a boy by his tattoos. 

One last thought:

Dear New Boyfriend:

I haven’t met you yet, but I’ve seen pictures.   If you are good to her, I won’t care (much) if you are one big tattoo.   Oh, wait.   You already are.   (And I meant what I said about not tattooing her…)

Thinkin' Thursday Thoughts

I took an impromptu blog vacation, didn’t I?    What?   You didn’t notice?    Oh.   Regardless, I am back.   (Did you know that irregardless is not a word?  It’s a not-word that I use sometimes, by the way, not to be confused with Knot Words.)   I haven’t been doing anything of any great importance, so I don’t have any fun details to share with you.   I will, however, be spending a quality long weekend with my sisters and my cousins in Mississippi, and that will be fun.   I’m leaving Ole Boy and Roscoe to fend for themselves.   ::::snickers::::

I had a cold a few weeks ago, and it never completely went away.   This morning, I woke up with a very stuffy head, and I don’t know if I have an allergy attack going on, or a sinus infection.   Just ain’t fair, I tell ya!

I’ve been meaning to get on a diet since 1990.   I haven’t done that yet.   I had a bit of a health scare earlier this week…heart racing, a little shaky …I’m thinking it’s time to do something…or die.   Getting old and fat is so much fun.   You should try it.

I’m planning my fall vacation…I love my little annual getaway…can’t wait!!  Great Smoky Mountains…I’m coming!  Greet me with tons of color!!! 

“Smoky” is such a funny way of spelling Smokey.  I want to pronounce smoky as “smocky.”   In my head, I do.

I do lots of things in my head.  I write some of the best blogs in my head.  Unfortunately, they never make it to paper…ah…screen.

Chik-Fil-A.  I’m a supporter.   I will be having breakfast there on Wednesday, August 1, Lord willing.  My thing is that Truett Cathy has a right to believe the Bible, just as much as anyone else has a right to do whatever is legal for them to do.   I believe the Bible, I support the Biblical definition of marriage, but that doesn’t mean that I hate anyone.   I’m a glutton.   Who am I to judge another?   I started to not say anything about this for fear of hurting feelings or making folks mad.  Then I decided that too many Christians are silent.

People who hate Christians really hate Christians.  I know what it’s like to be discriminated against.   I think everyone probably has experienced discrimination on some level…and everyone most likely has discriminated against another at some point, as well.   If we’re honest, we’ll have to admit that.

None of us are perfect, are we?

I’m sure thankful that I’m forgiven.

What Now?

There are times
when all you can do
is hand your worries over
and let God
take care of the problem.


Pray and Trust.  That's what we're going to do.

It's Been a Rough One!

A rough week, that is...

It started last Friday…the dreaded summer cold!  My chest was tight and congested, and I felt bad.    I survived the weekend (complete with our big family annual summer get-together at my sister’s house…always a wonderful, wonderful time!) and I survived two busy days at work.   On Wednesday, I was off, and felt worse than ever.    It’s been one week today.  I’m definitely better, but I am obviously (by evidence of cough/cough/cough) not 100%.  

_______ 

I am pretty sure we had a thunderstorm last night.   Well, we definitely had a thunderstorm, lots of rolling thunder and lightning, but…no rain.   It was pretty odd.   A rainless thunderstorm.   We need some relief from this heat wave!   We did get a little bit of rain yesterday afternoon, and I am most thankful, but we need uh-lot more!   It’s not just the south, either.   My stepson lives in Illinois, and he mentioned they were having 100+ temperatures as well.    

_________

Andy’s gone.   Ole Boy has always been a huge Andy Griffith fan.   Usually, at least once a day, Andy and Barney are in my house, even if it’s just one or two episodes.   Ole Boy has the complete set of the black and white seasons on DVD, and a few other random DVDs and some VHS cassettes, as well.   A few years ago, we took a vacation to Mt. Airy, NC, Andy’s hometown.   (I wrote about it HERE.)    I am not too sure I agreed with Andy the actor’s way of thinking, but I do think that The Andy Griffith Show was one of the best shows ever produced for television.

Here are some pictures of the Mt. Airy vacation:  

The Snappy lunch counter.   This place was actually mentioned in the  TV show, and it's still in it's original location today.


I believe "Mt. Pilot" on the show is actually Pilot Mountain (above).


The house where Andy grew up

A brick honoring Ernest T. Bass at the Mayberry Courthouse in Mt. Airy. I always liked Ernest T. The whole town has capitalized on Mayberry.


Not the original...


Not sure if this was an original...




Sites like this were very common along the sidewalks of the town square.


The lady at the counter told me these are incredibly  bad pickles, just like Aunt Bee's.

Mt. Airy was "Mayberry" everything, including insurance companies.


Picture hanging in the local theater.

At the museum