Such an odd end to the week & a somewhat eye opening weekend!  Lots of good conversation though- thought provoking really...

Sometimes you just have to re-evaluate some relationships...and maybe there are actually times where you have to cut the cord.  It is painful...you seriously go thru withdrawals..I hate it!  But I've had to learn over the last few years that as you get older the number of really close friends dwindles down to just a couple...I guess I found that sad at first, but now it seems to make more sense as I get older.  I struggle w/ how God wants me to handle certain relationships...you do what you think is the right thing & yet still someone gets hurt.  But I guess doing the right thing doesn't ensure no one getting hurt.  And then there are those people that no matter what....it's always gonna be someone else's fault.  They are never to blame for anything!  I feel like generally both parties are at fault to some extent.  There is always something each of us could have done better. 

I had dinner w/ a friend this weekened & we were discussing church & how different cultures have these crazy ideas about God & who He is to them.  I mean- there are people that just live how ever they choose all week fully intending to just go to church on Sunday to repent.  (I've even recently heard a song on the radio making reference to such behavior!)  I do NOT get that!  I know Baptist have been accused of having a "license to sin"...because they believe in eternal security....but this Baptist raised girl does not agree with that.  I do not think it's ok to live however you want...cause God loves you anyway...while that is true - it's basically just taking advantage of the relationship!  Do I want my friends to treat me that way?!?  No!  So why in the world would I think it's ok to handle my relationship w/ God that way?!?!  And the subject of forgiveness came up ...it comes up a lot these days!  I think God is really trying to show me some things about this topic.  And I wanna say I think there are verses that kinda back this up, but unfortunately don't know the scripture references.  But I'm coming to the realization that prolly the ppl that struggle w/ showing forgiveness are the ones that feel that they don't need much forgiveness themselves.  Therefore it's harder for them to give others forgiveness!  Does that make sense? 

I went to see Elizabethtown this weekend---such a good movie.  It reminded me a lot of a relationship...they just stayed on the phone for hours talking about everything & then in the wee hours of the morning they decide to meet!  Crazy stuff....guys make you do crazy stuff...I will attest to that.  And the movie made me want to go on a road trip -but having the right companion(s) is crucial!  And one more thing I would like to share about this movie...I had no idea how hawt Orlando Bloom is....his arms are great....and such an awesome smile!!!  I don't know that I've ever noticed a guy's smile that much til him...hmmm-lol  interesting!

I went to the Rams game yesterday w/ Joel!!!  It was fun....I can't believe how much they charge for food & drinks though...it's shocking!  $8 for Mexicana nachos...$5 for a medium soda...$10 parking....still spent a ton of money even though the tics were free...my mom decided to have my bro bring me $30 for the day (which didn't even cover all the costs)...she is so sweet!  Not sure why she felt the need to do that though...I didn't even say anything to her about money!  I felt like a teenager still at home getting $$$ from their parents.  She's a very generous woman...I hope I can become as generous as her!

Went to Journey last night....20+ somethings everywhere!  I couldn't believe how many ppl my age were there.  Eric described it so well even though he only made it for the last 10 minutes....it's awesome that there would be that many young ppl there....generally in churches after youth group...there's a gap of this age range....and then around 30 some people come back to church.  So it was phenomenal to see such a crowd, but I don't know that it felt like a church service...maybe more like a Bible study.  They are doing a series on intimacy, romance & sex.  The pastor talked about how our cultures leads us to believe that commitment & passion don't go together.  For instance - usually when you see a passionate couple in a movie..they aren't married.  And when you see a married couple in a movie...they usually aren't passionate w/ each other.  But that is not how God designed us.  Genesis 2:22-25 ~ "Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib and brought her to Adam.  'At last!' Adam exclaimed.  'She is part of my own flesh and bone! She will be called 'woman,' because she was taken out of a man.'  This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined into one.  Now, although Adam and his wife were both naked, neither of them felt any shame."  How awesome & the pastor also read from Song of Songs 7.  Dave was slightly disturbed by the description of a woman's breast like grape clusters...and climbing up her like a tree...or something like that.  lol  He apparently had no idea such verses were in the Bible.  But I think we forget that God ordained marriage & all the benefits that come w/ marriage.  We look at it as if it were dirty...when in fact that is not at all how God intended it.  Our sinfulness has made it that way. 

Alright----this is a forever long post...so I'm gonna sign off now....peace out!  Your thoughts on marriage?  Romance?  Intimacy? 

 I can't believe I won!  I won the tickets to the Rams game on Sunday! We had a drawing for this Sunday's game...now I hear the Rams aren't doing so well...so maybe you think I was the only one who signed up, but that's not so...lol  It took me a minute to even realize I had won!  I'm thrilled...I've only been to one football game...should be a good time...even if I don't know much about football...hehe

Then I'm going to visit Journey w/ some friends & have dinner @ Elephant Bar Sunday night. 

In other news- I've just made contact w/ an old highschool friend....I kinda had a crush on him back then.  He lives in New York now...he thought I was married. lol  Ha! That's so far from the truth!  But speaking of that ...I've started thinking that after you hit a certain age...all these people start coming out of no where making reference to your age & still being single.  I've had to start saying things like "back off" - "I know I'm still single...did you think I forgot!?!"  And all these ppl are trying to hook me up...what is going on?!?!?! Thanks guys..thanks for making me feel like I'm not worthy enough w/out some silly guy next to me...lol  I'm not really bothered by this all...I actually find it kinda humorous...but it is interesting. 

It's one of those days...I've been thinking about so much I want to say, but don't even know where to begin....basically just lots of random stuff...which is prolly pretty normal for me really. 

Yesterday morning there was a handicap grandma driving behind me...I'm wondering now if she became handicap because of things like painting her nails while driving...no kidding- that's what she was doing yesterday....I was a bit nervous she wasn't going to pay attention & end up rear ending me!  lol

FYI - Market Pantry brand pop tarts do not compare to the real thing!  Target was out of Frosted Brown Sugan Cinnamon (the best!)...so I decided to give the off brand a chance...MISTAKE!

Why do people smoke? 

Odd thing - there was this helicopter outside my window at work yesterday morning...they hovered in the same spot for over 2 hours!  We still can't figure out what they were doing...luckily they didn't run out of gas...lol  That would have sucked for them!

I'm in need of some modification!  And I finally finished reading Captivating last night....awesome book!

I really need to get back to drinking more water....I don't drink a lot of anything, but here lately I've noticed it's normally soda whenever I am drinking something.  It just seems to taste better w/ everything I've been eating lately.  I need to get it together!  lol  And all this fast food is gonna kill me before I'm 30(which isn't that far away)!  I need to tighten down & stop being lazy about packing healthier lunches or something!  But surprisingly enough I am down a few pounds...not sure how that happened!  hehe

Just a few quotes I've made note of the last few days:

The goal of Scripture is not to be learned, but lived!

You have only one life to live.  It would be best to live your own!

Security is not found in the absence of danger, but in the presence of Jesus.

So much going on...don't even know where to begin!!!

Much better today though...in case anyone cares...lol

But my family needs prayers...specifically my 1 month old niece...she's in the hospital...they're doing tests to try to determine what is wrong...the little girl has an IV in her foot & they've done bloodwork & a spinal tap that I know of...

Then I hear that my aunt died earlier this week...that sounds terrible, but they have never been close to dad (uncle's brother) & our family....they are really quite frustrating....this whole family situation needs lots of prayers...I've just been so annoyed by many of my family members because of their ridiculous behavior!  It's like the kids need to tell the adults how to act...I guess you could blame it all on Tanya!!!!

Had lunch @ Qdoba w/ Joel today...we hadn't been there in seems like weeks!!!  It was tasty!!! Think I'm headed to the hospital to check on my niece...do some cleaning...maybe some Animal Crossing...then prolly helping another friend w/ some cleaning.  Have a wedding tomorrow in Farmington...maybe a girls night when I get back...Sunday is church & lunch w/ either family or friends (haven't decided)...prolly some laundry @ my parents...then carving pumpkins w/ Joel & we're gonna travel to each other's towns on Animal Crossing-hoping to buy a fishing pole while I'm visiting Bellside - lol...and I'm soooo thrilled about the pumpkins...I'm excited like a little kid would be...sure to be a good time!  Busy weekend, but getting to spend time w/ friends...I need that right now...

Anyway---hope you all have a great weekend....lots of love & pizza grease (anyone know where this came from or did I just make it up yesterday?!?! lol  cause I really have no idea how I started using that phrase...how hoosier!)