Yes we do...No you don't...YES WE DO

Today, for the 2nd time in my life, I was told to leave the premises. (The first time is another story...)

I was finishing up moving an office and the owner showed up and was unhappy that her tenants, the company we purchased, were leaving. Our attorney said "get your stuff.". Her attorney, supposedly, said "we need more time."

The police said (yep, it almost got ugly) "get your stuff."

Score!

I love an adventure!!

What? A fun day at work?

It's nice to have a fun day at work. I have been tasked with packing up an office building over the next couple of days and although that doesn't sound like much fun, it was actually enjoyable today because my co-workers are great. We had to start our journey at the peak of this morning's snow storm - it was really bad on the roads and we had a lot of pit stops to make. With a 4-wheel drive truck and a smile on our faces, we headed out and made it safely to our destination. There was some intentional slipping and sliding and a lot of laughing. We had lunch out together and it's amazing what you find to talk about.

I have been feeling like the old-new kid on the block the last couple of months. Most of my new team sits on the direct opposite side of the building so I don't get to interact much with them. Lately though, we have been spending more time together and I am really enjoying getting to know each one. I know that all but two of the team are Christian - we share our faith with each other comfortably and that is so fantastic! Today I discovered that one guy not only sings with his church and is putting together a youth night of music for them, but whose stepfather and uncles have a fairly well-known group called "Voice Won."

So cool =)

We watched in awe as the sky lit up in blue....

Unfortunately, somewhere in downtown Loveland electricity was arc'ing! We could only guess that a tree limb had fallen on an electric line. I heard large tree limbs falling this morning at home in the surrounding woods and we had to move some off of our road on our way out but fortunately, we still had power. No satellite though!! The dish is all iced over.

When I walked Copper last evening, he was loving the snow. If you say "Get the snow!" he jumps up and tries to grab snowflakes as they are falling. Cracks me up. Yes, as everyone knows, I love my dog... =) This morning though, different story on the ice covered snow. Every step was a cautious adventure for him. However, when he did step down, through the ice and into the snow, he would then stick his nose down into the new hole and sniff like he had just found a secret tunnel and then come up with a snow-covered muzzle and excited eyes.

Hope everyone is safe today!

Complimentary Angles

Complimentary angles. That's what Dave and I must be. He likes diet pepsi and I like diet coke. He likes the white meat, I like the dark. When we order salads, he grabs any onion on mine, I grab the croutons from his. He is thinking of something and then I am asking him a question about that same thing. (He will laugh at me and yell "Stop doing that!") I forget something at home, he goes back to get it for me =)

I can slice nice thin pieces of tomato, he can fry the bacon.

Together we make a right angle.

A long week

It's been a hectic week of hosting a training class. And if there is any doubt about the truth in that, when I got out of the shower this morning, Dave said that if I were holding a cup of coffee, I would look like the picture P-Ray posted 1.18.09. =)

Push those boundaries!

Getting in shape is a great goal...but I have to say there is just something wrong about a man sitting at his desk on one of those huge orange pilate exercise balls.

Just wrong... lol

Breaking Habits

New Year's resolutions are usually about creating good habits - or in reality, breaking bad ones. Not an easy task though sometimes. Here's where self discipline comes in.

So, wouldn't it be nice to have some reliable tips for kicking these habits?

If you have any helpful hints for others on a habit you have broken, are working on, etc., comment it here!

First, always begin any journey with prayer!

Next, here are two of mine:

Smoking - I smoked off and on for years. Finally, I quit and I found it helpful to drink a whole glass of water whenever I had a craving. It killed the urge. It also helped to have type of hard candy handy.
I have been cigarette free for eight years

Drinking out of the milk jug - Buy your milk from Sam's! No way you can drink from that thing without it going all down the front of yourself... =)

You know it's cold when...

The dog goes back to bed.

This morning Copper got up with us as usual and was taken outside. When he came back in, he ran directly upstairs and got back in bed!

Lucky dog.

Moving on

If anyone read what I wrote yesterday, I am sorry for ranting. It was a time of emotional response and since I can't vent to anyone at work, I used this space. I read it again later and gave myself a literal kick in the butt for posting it.

For me, this space is supposed to be about sharing my walk with Jesus with others - not about trite work incidents. It has to be personal because, well, it is personal! But petty little incidents are not worthy of my time or anyone else's for that matter.

Okay, Moving on...

Last night I listened to John's message from Sunday by downloading the podcast from I-Tunes. We at CP are so fortunate to have such a great guy to assist Ray with the messages. 10 thumbs up!

Reading Ray's blog, it is very scary to think that someone could come in to our church and just starting blasting. It seems to be one of those things that we think couldn't happen to us but the reality is that it could. Makes you think.

Bacon-Challenged

Hi, my name is Trish and I can't fry bacon.

Okay, I attempt to fix it but it is either too crunchy or too chewy. I fixed a pound last night to include with fan-tabulous baked potato soup and threw it away! Dave graciously offered to fix some more and guess what? It turned out beautiful.

But, the real problem isn't that I can't fry it, it's that I am inconsistent. When I do fry bacon, at least one person in my house is happy because Dave likes it crunchy and Erin likes it chewy. So, the real issues are -

1. Consistency. No two times are alike! crunchy, chewy, crunchy, chewy
2. Satisfying. Trying to please two different people with the same thing at the same time is difficult.

So, these two things realy made me think (while Dave fried up the next pound, I had to time to ponder...)

Being consistent. For those who are OCD (or CDO), this probably isn't a challenge. But for those like me who have ten different things going on all at once and have OCD as well, it CAN be a challenge. Something to work on. ** Along with consistency comes dependability (can I get a "Uh Huh!")

Satisfying more than one person. Another lesson. We're all different and have different, although similar, needs. I have really learned a lot about this while serving with children at CP and over the years with soccer, scouts, 4-H, etc.

There are some children who want to participate, some who want to serve, and some who just want to "do." All of these are great traits and definitely necessary and make any children's class well-rounded. If you have ten kids all wanting to just "do" that would be a little difficult! As the big kid, you have to get to know each child and what gets them into the message. Whether it be reading from the Bible, handing out supplies, or commenting on the lesson, or even just listening, they each need to be involved in some way for the message to be effective.

So there is my admission for the day. I can relate anything to food. =)

You say Tomato

I say "Ragu'

Dave and I had are Thursday night date night and stopped for some soup. I haven't been feeling well so soup has been the only thing on the menu this week.

I love Campbell's tomato soup - my papa made it for me as a kid and I have been hooked since. However, the tomato soup I ordered for dinner last night was wretched! I looked at it, smelled it, and then looked at Dave and said...this smells disgusting. It smelled like spaghetti sauce! Okay, so I was brave and took a spoonful and the smell didn't lie...it tasted like Ragu spaghetti sauce! I thought I was going to lose it right there.

On a positive note, I took the soup back to the counter and the person behind the counter agreed with me and let me have a different soup instead. Customer service wins every time you know.

Would you like a Free Lunch?

Are you ready for some...

Serious Movement?
Unbelievable Excitement?
Outrageously Super-Hyped Kids who love Jesus?

I am! We've been stirring in the community - now its time to rock-it! (rocket????)

Anybody else ready to feed the children with the Fan-Tabulous news about Jesus? If you are then we NEED you! Please email me at tbegley@belcan.com and let me know that you want to be a part of building the greatest children's program around.

It's time. It's here. It's now.
(It's past time! It has been here! It should have been yesterday!)

We'll have a kick-off lunch-n-learn and map out a spectacular path for the year.

Oh yeah, that means Free Food =)

If you google "42"...

...the first result is quotes from "The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

Thank you all so much for the well wishes!!

Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything

42

=)

Yes, I am 42 years old today. And, one of my all time favorite books is "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." (not the movie...) If you have read it, you will appreciate the # 42. The version of the book that I own is a trilogy, in four parts!

If not, you could also say what is the answer to 6 x 9? 42 (in base 13...)