To my Grandma Betty Jo...

I know that there is a reason for everything, I know that it clearly is your time, but it doesn't make things any easier.  Last July when they told us there wasn't much time, you took that as a personal challenge apparently and really showed them!  You are probably one of the strongest and most stubborn women I know (and people wonder where I get it).  Yet through it all, I have no doubt that you and grandpa both never gave up on God and never stopped praying!  I know that the last several years have been rough on you and grandpa (and the whole family really), but you have shown us all what true love really is.  You and grandpa have truly lived out the part of your wedding vows that you vowed to "love each other through sickness and health". 

I know that you have left this earthly body behind and are no longer experiencing pain!  I know that you are dancing on the streets of glory where you will forever be in the presence of the king!  But it is just so hard letting you go.  I know that I will never again hear you ask me if I've found a boyfriend and then when I answer no, you try your hardest to come up someone for me.  It is hard knowing that whoever my future husband is will never have the opportunity or privilege to know you.  It is hard knowing that the children I may one day have will never know you, only stories.  It is hard knowing that my mom will never be able to pick up the phone again and wish you a "Happy Mother's day" or just see how your day is going. 

But I can rest in the fact that I know where you are.  I know that you are going to spend eternity in heaven.  I know that you have prayed for everyone of your children and grandchildren to come to have a personal relationship with Jesus as well.  So I know that one day we will all be reunited in heaven where we will all spend eternity worshipping our King! 

I love you Grandma Betty Jo and will miss you dearly!  But I know that you are no longer in pain!  Go ahead Grandma, sport those high heels like you have been wanting to do for year, but haven't been able to! 
We no longer have to say "Grandma Betty Jo, where are you?" because we know you are in the presence of the King!!!

i know this about myself...

One of my friends told me the other night (and this may not be exactly what she said, but it is close) "Randa, I love you and you are probably one of my favorite people in the world, but you are weird!"  Some people may not know how to take that, but I accept it and move on.  I know myself, I have lived with myself for 31 years now, and I know that I am weird. 

In middle/high school I went through a phase of "I am woman hear me roar" and I can do it myself, I don't need no man to do anything for me.  I don't know why this phase happened, everyone around me was convinced that I would never have a boyfriend because of this.  I did have a boyfriend, but I can't say it was the most healthy relationship because of this.  I eventually learned that living in West Texas, you aren't going to find a true man that is actually going to let you open any door for yourself, so I got over it! (Why I decided to share that, I have no idea, I just felt it should happen). 

In other things that I know make me slightly weird, here is a list that I will expound on in later posts:

• I have a (what some may call irrational) fear of smelling.  I don't want to be "that" person!  As I said earlier, I will expound on this later, and I will also share with you my scale of smell (now your on the edge of your seat I know). 
• I have to have my movies alphabetized! 
• I won't finish the last of anything.
• I will find something wrong with pretty much anyone that I date--Just call me Charlie McKenzie!
• You start a movie after 8:30, I am going to fall asleep...that is a fact that has been proven time after time. 
• I tend to obsess over small things and not pay attention to big things until the very last second.

I know there are probably many more, but this will get to started and dangle a little bait out there for you for (at the rate I'm blogging) a good 6 months. 
Feel free to add comments that add to the list of things that make me weird...I will accept the things I can not change and work on those that I can. 

I'm so excited...I'm so scared...

If you are a child of the 80s/90s like myself then this clip will be all to familiar to you...


Minus the addiction to caffine pills, I kinda feel like Jesse Spano right now.  I have gotten a crazy idea in my brain to lead a women's Bible study for the women in the singles group at my church.  I am terribly excited about the idea of it and the study itself, but leading it kinda scares me. 
We have decided to do the study "No Other Gods" by Kelly Minter and this excites me beyond belief.  I am a fan of Kelly Minter and a fan of meeting with other women to study the word of God.  However, usually when these meetings occur I am the one that sits quietly off to the side and inputs my thoughts only when called upon.  We aren't starting the study until September so today I went and purchased the book.  I plan on going through it at least once before we actually do it as a group.  I feel it is going to be a challenging study in the lives of all of us involved and it is going to cause us to search our souls and confront the truth in alot of areas, but I am ready. 
Having said all that, if you think about it between now and September, say a little prayer for our group of women, that God would begin preparing our hearts for what He has for us in this study and and we would not just think of this as a time to get together with other women, but as a time to get together with other women and talk about the God that we serve. 

Ranger game observations...

My friends and I have been to about 9 Rangers games this season (yes, it is only the end of May-quit checking your calendars).  During the attendance at said Rangers games, my friends and I have stumbled upon some bits of information.  Now understand that when I say "stumbled upon" that simply means that our own minds have created these things...they may not (and probably aren't) based on any hard facts, just our reasoning skills at work.  These bits of information include:

• Mike Napoli may stink in real life.  This is based on the fact that at a game vs. the Phillies, he went up to bat in the top of the 2nd inning and his curly locks were WET!!!  They weren't just damp, but wet people.  They looked as if either A) he just got out of the shower--which isn't the truth as he was playing a baseball game or B) he has been playing an entire game in Miami or Texas in July or August.  Again, neither A or B were true as they were in Philadelphia in May and it was the beginning of the game.  Based on this information we I have decided that Mike Napoli may in fact emit an unpleasant odor in real life.  To any one that may be reading this an know Mike Napoli please let me know if this is a true statement or not.   Also, his song when he comes up to bat is "Blame it on the Alcohol"--this is not helping his case in my mind!
• Mitch Moreland is ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!  There are facts needed to back this statement up, just looking at him will tell you this.  Also, while on the topic of my boyfriend Rangers outfielder/infielder Mitch Moreland, let me say...Mitch, keep the scruffy look, it does you well my friend, it does you well!!!
• Apparently in Minnesota, when someone goes on the 15-day DL, 15 days is a suggestion.  My other boyfriend Twins catcher, Joe Mauer, has been on the 15-day DL since mid April.  Unless the Minnesotian (is that even a word??) calendar is different than mine, that my friends is longer than 15 days.  Just saying!  Also, since we are on the topic of Minnesota, I did find out that if I have my teacher certification through a university, I can take the certification tests in Minnesota and become a teacher there...just in case I needed to move there.  
• My friends and I have a favorite game to play at the ballpark that is totally unrelated to the actual baseball game itself.  Our favorite ballpark game is "How many beers has that guy had!?!?!"  I think the name of the game is kind of self explanatory so I won't go into details, but know that if you join us for a game you may be asked the question..."how many beers has that guy had!"
• For the record...this is not made up or based on other facts...this is a true statement!!!  I CAN'T STAND RANGER CAPTAIN OR THE "TEXAS HEROS" MASCOTS!  I could have put I hate that stupid horse (which is usually what I call Captain) and I can't stand Sam Houston, Davy Crockett or Jim Bowie.  But somehow I feel the last part of that statement may have cause folks to hunt me down, take away anything Texas I may own and sent me to another state.  So for the record I can't stand the mascots, the men themselves, while they each more than likely had their own flaws I am sure they also had some delightful traits. 

I am certain there are many more insights that have been gained by our attendance at the Rangers games this season, but as it is 9:20 a.m. on a Saturday and I have been up for a while, my brain is done.                         

something borrowed...

Last night I went with a few of my dear friends to see the new movie "Something Borrowed".  This movie is based off of the book "Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin.  If you know me, I typically read the book before I watch the movie.  In this circumstance I didn't get the opportunity to read the book first so I had no idea what to expect of this movie.  All that I knew about it was that it included one of my favorite people ever...

This guy....

And let me say...he did not disappoint in this movie! 

When I first started watching the office 7 seasons ago, I fell in love with Jim!  I adore his personality!  And then after I saw John in anything else he seems to play the same role as he does on the office...which leads me to believe that that is how he is in real life.  Can I just say...I WANT ONE!!!

Is it the fact that John is from Boston?  Is it the fact that he is tall?  Is it the fact that he is so mellow and chill?  I don't know what it is ol' John, but I adore him! 

And while I am at it, let me go ahead and talk about another adoration of mine. 

This guy...

In case you are unaware of who this guy is, this is Joe Mauer, catcher for the Minnesota Twins.  He is also number 7.  There are so many reasons that I adore this guy, I can't even begin to list them.  I recently read an interview with his mom regarding his perfect woman.  http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/121292429.html
I could probably fill those shoes!  Just sayin'! 

 

there are two things I can't tolerate....

One of my co-workers once stated to her students "There are two things I can't tolerate:  foolishness and lactose!"  Needless to say, as soon as I heard those words come out of her mouth, I lost it.  I was laughing so hard it was out of control! 

WARNING:  The rest of this post is complaining (or $*@#&ing and moaning--that is for you Kandy)

I have come to realize that I also have two things I can't tolerate:  ungratefulness and laziness.  While they are not quite as entertaining as my co-workers, they are true.  Now let me explain...

Ungratefulness:  I can not stand when you do something for someone and they can't say as much as a nice "thank you" or all they can do is complain about what you did wrong.  If you know me, I am not one that is big on receiving a lot of praise for anything that I do.  If I do something for you, I don't want a big production, I don't want a big announcement about it, I just want a simple thank you.  If it is something that is done and you have not even made an attempt to do it, then don't complain about the way someone else has done it. 

Laziness:  Don't get me wrong, I have my fair share of times in which I don't want to do things, but if I know something needs to be done, by golly I am going to get it done!  I can't stand when folks are fully capable of doing things and just put forth no effort to do things!  I mean come on people, let's use some logic here...you have to do something, get it done and there there will be time to be lazy! 

Ok...I am done with my rants and raves for today.  Thanks for sticking with me! 

i have been blessed...

I have been blessed

And I feel like I've found my way
I thank God for all I've been given
At the end of every day
I have been blessed
With so much more than I deserve
To be here with the ones that love me
To love them so much it hurts
I have been blessed...

These are the lyrics to the chorus of Martina McBride's song "Blessed"

I can't think of any better way to describe my life right now. 

A year and a half ago, I made a decision in my life to change churches.  I had been attending the same church for about 5 years and without going into all the details, it was time for a change.  I began attending First Baptist Church Arlington and immediately felt at home.  Ove the year and a half that I have been there, I have made some great friends.  Friends that I can be myself with and not have to fear judgment.  Friends that love & accept me despite my flaws.  Friends that share my interests and have interests of their own.  Words can not express how blessed I am to have these people as a part of my life. 

I think the only thing that would make my life better at this point is if my (excuse the slide back to 7th grade for a second) "BFF" would move closer so that we don't have to drive an hour and a half to see each other.