The strangest thing happened today.  A guy in a red car pulled into my driveway, came to the door, rang the doorbell, and handed my mom a dozen red carnations.   He said "I'm supposed to deliver these here" and left.  No company vehicle, no card, no name, no anything. just a dozen red carnations. We don't even know who they are TO.  It's Fathers' Day tomorrow.. Did one of my sisters send them? 

If they're not for Dad, did Dad send them to Mom?? Says he didn't...

But if they're not for Dad.. and they're not for Mom.....

Who would have sent them???

Sorry I've been gone so long (but that's not what this post is about)

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500's:

These are interesting.

Most people got married in June, because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of  flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children! Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and  off the roof. Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying "dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a "thresh hold."

(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old."

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust."

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake."

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found t have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer."

And that's the truth... Now, whoever said that History was boring ! ! !

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd
waht I was rdgnieg!!!

THE PAOMNNEHAL PWEOR OF THE HMUAN MNID

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it desno't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.   Azanmig huh?

Well. It's been awhile. and I'm about to write about nothing.

I have been CRAVING Dance Dance Revolution. Not in the arcade. I've only played it once in an arcade (actually at LaserQuest while waiting for a game). It wasn't as fun.. But in my home (or my school since that's where I fell in love)... OH THE JOY OF DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION.

So today, I have been on ebay, trying to track down all the necessary equipment. A PS (this is the only game I will play.. so i don't care if it's a fancy PS2 or not)  The pads (these are actually surprisingly cheap). and my preferred game, the Disney Mix. 

I found a PS that after shipping will be about $40. Another one for a potential $25. GREAT

I found nonslip pads (necessary for a hardwood floor..) for between $20-40 including shipping.  PERFECT

Then I started looking for the game itself. The CHEAPEST I could find was $133!!!! PLUS shipping.  CRAP!!!  The other was $145 PLUS shipping. CRAPPIER!!!   Apparently, it was made in limited quantities, is no longer made, is rare and very hard to find.  :(  I've played the normal DDR game.. it is of no comparison.  But there's no way I can allow this one game to cost me over $200 bucks!!!

ALTHOUGH

- it's more like exercise than a video game
- it would get me more active and wake me up a bit!
- the youth would love it. if there's any video game that will bring junior high girls to church its DDR! (tee hee)

Bah. I am a cheapskate. What can I say. I can't do it :(

Not today anyway.. Ask me if I'm feeling frivalous tomorrow! 

My mom and dad are coming home today from visiting my sister. No, they're not in Hawaii, but Aloha is a more fun word than "welcome home"

I spent my day (after church) doing one of two things:  cleaning and sleeping. What a day.

Hope you had a good one.

I don't watch a lot of television anymore, but it seems that all my favourite shows that are all on at the same time.  This makes Tuesday and Wednesday nights full of not much else (although I go to Bible study on Tuesdays before the Amazing Race and American Idol come on)  My television "schedule" has become this:

Tuesday:
8pm - American Idol
9pm - Amazing Race
Wednesday:
9:00 - Alias
9:00 - American Idol (taped upstairs to watch afterwards)
Thursday:
8:00 - Survivor

That pretty much covers it. And sometimes Extreme Makeover Home Edition if I can catch it on Sunday nights, but I've missed quite a few. And the Law and Orders when I feel like it, which hasn't been too often lately. That's too much tv.. so hopefully, they'll stop putting all the shows on the rotation at the same time!!!

Help!! I need help!!  My VBS decorations are falling short of what I envisioned

I made a 7 foot tall, 8 foot in diameter acacia tree.
I made a 3 foot tall, 3D baby elephant
I made a watering hole
I made Serengeti Eddy's campsite complete with tent, sleeping bag, camp stove, binoculars, campera/tripod, water bucket etc
I painted a 10'x20' sunset scene with an 8 foot giraffe and a huge fat elephant silhouette in front
I made 4 African drums

PICTURES HERE!!

Yet that room is so BIG that everything gets swallowed up and it doesn't look decorated at all!!!  What am I supposed to do now?? VBS starts on Monday and I'm not sure what else I can add quickly!!!  SO.. I need your Q-E-C ideas!!! (Q-E-C = Quick Easy and Cheap) Anything!! Name it. I"LL decide if it's doable or not!!!  I'm going to take pictures, but my batteries are dead, so I'll have to take them tonight.

*edit* I guess it would help if I told you the theme for VBS!!! We are doing Group's Serengeti Trek, so it is a safari theme, hence what I've already made.  Any ideas will be a help. THANKS

It's a good thing my parents are flying United...

Click here -> JetsGo, JetsGone!<- Click there

Click here and take the unofficial IQ test. Then let us know how you did!!!  I got 8 of 11 the first time through but quickly fixed one before checking the answers.. The other two had me stumped

It's funny... I didn't blog for almost 3 weeks because I was busy and I could never think of anything useful to write when I did sit down and attempt to.. But now that I'm back at it, I have like 4 or 5 thoughts a day that I just wanna write!!  But I am not one who likes to mix thoughts in one blog.. One blog per idea is my persuasion.. SO ... I'm fearful that if I write everything that comes to mind, no one will read it!!! but they keep piling up.. I think, "well, I'll write one today and save that other thought for tomorrow.." but then tomorrow comes and brings with it 3 or 4 thoughts of its own!! How does one keep up AND not overload readers???  haha, if only that were life's biggest problem!!

And now look... I've gone and wasted today's blog!!! Well, this'll have to be a two blog day, cause man, I'm going to explode!!

I've decided I've missed my calling.  I went to Bible College when I should have gone to acting school and taken set design.  Haha, realistically, there is not an artistic bone in my body. I just take other people's ideas and run with them. This week, I have made a 3D elephant, elephant and giraffe silhouettes, and 3 african drums. Tomorrow, I'll finish the drums, paint the animals I've already made, and start on the sunset background.

Any ideas how I will make a acacia tree??? or a tree that looks like it may come from the Serengeti??  They had an amazing tree in Spring Lake when we did VBS there... It was made quite simply... but I don't think I can duplicate that one... Especially since they used the ceiling to support the tree limbs (tucked limbs up into drop ceiling tiles. We're in a gym, and there's no way I can go to the roof!!  So I'm in need of a easy to make tree.

I'll give you some pictures once I have things all finished up :)

It's been a busy couple of weeks and it's not going to settle down for the next few!  Well, I'm not sure that going on three days of retreat is supposed to be counted as "busy" but it does take you away from what you usually do and then you come back and have three days to catch up on. I was home for a day and then took the youth to the rally in Roblin. Now I'm home and last minute plans for the WinterFest in Inkerman are underway.  Then I have ONE WEEK to get ready for VBS () and then I go to Michigan for a week. I get back on Saturday and VBS starts on Monday.  After that, I should be able to take a breather and see where life is taking me!

Sorry this isn't a deep or even meaningful blog. Guess I just wanted to make excuses why I haven't been around in awhile! I'll try another one soon.

So much good news. I don't know if one blog can take it all.. so I'm just going to blurt it all out and go to bed!

1- I went to see Kalan Porter last night at Winterlude (Canada's latest Idol who plans on kicking Reuben Stoddard's butt at worlds.. just so you know...) He was just as amazing in person as he was on television.  And I thought I had died and gone to heaven when he pulled out that white cowboy hat of his. I almost forgot that "him and I" would be illegal!!

2- I found out last night while waiting to hear Kalan that Theresa Sokyrka is coming to Ottawa on March 30. Anyone wanna go?? Anyone?? I'm going regardless...  (**edit** its a little pricier than I'm willing to pay... $25 a pop... so I don't think I'll go... but I DID find out that she is coming out with an album on April 11. No one signed her, she made the album on her own with no company help.. that would probably explain the price of the ticket! But I can't wait for the album!!**)

3- I found out today that Diana has a ride to my house and we're going to Spring Lake for March Break!  It will have been a year since I've been there. So I'm horrible at keeping in touch.. but that doesn't mean I love them any less and am VERY excited about going to see everyone (Adam, CJ, if you by chance ever read this, MAKE SURE I CAN FIND YOU!!!)

4- I am taking NINE youth to a youth rally this coming weekend. It's an awesome thought to think that God has entrusted our church with the lifes of nine of his precious youth. Pray with me that God will help us to give them what they need and teach them what they need. God knows I don't know what that may be!!! Did I mention I went to school for CHILDREN"S work!?!  I guess God knew what he was doing when he convinced me to change my last elective to Junior High Ministry. Thanks for the help Troy!!

There hasn't seemed to be much to write about this week. I guess I missed my weekly (it's only happened once...) Alias report... sorry. It was funny

I'm going to hear Kalan Porter tomorrow. For those of you who don't know, he's the most recent Canadian Idol and he's singing at Winterlude tomorrow at 8:15. If you wanna join me, I'll be the one under the tree (I have no idea if there's a tree)

That's it. I"m going to a movie tonight. That's my excitement for the week.  We're going to see Finding Neverland. I know nothing about it.

Enjoy :) Later!

Amazing Race is on tonight! Just prepping you.. I will edit this blog into being something useful later.  In the meantime, get ready to send Adam and Rebecca packing! (One can only hope....)  And once they get home, SHE'LL be sending HIM packing... packing his way out of her life!!!

*edit* I was correct. I called it. Adam and Rebecca were last.. but they were not eliminated as this was a non-elimination leg of the race  HAD they been eliminated, they would have left my FAVOURITE three teams to be the TOP three teams. As it is now though, they are in Shanghai, China with no money to start the next leg... They've been told that'll be a difficult place to have to beg for money. Matthew, any truth to this?? I wouldn't have a clue.

Anyhow, season finale is next Tuesday.  We shall see if John and Kris (my favourite team by far) can pull off the million.

My line up:  4th - Adam and Rebecca
                 3rd - Freddie and Kendra
                 2nd - Hayden and Aaron (my original favourite)
                 1st - KRIS AND JON - He's precious and she is beautiful and together, they make
                          a lovely couple. 

That's the middle of my prayer. Why am I asking God to bless Stephen? Well, cause Stephen is an all around good guy! And cause Stephen is smart.

Here's my story. I got a new computer. I had an old computer. My old computer and I had been through a lot together. It contained 4 years of school notes, assignments, internship stuff I had collected, addresses, birthdays etc etc. I transfered everything over the house network to my new computer and donated my old computer to a worthy cause (clearing the huge desktop off my moms counter in the kitchen). Dad swiped it off for her and set it all back up like new. THEN I tried the files I had transfered (i've never been the smartest kid in class...) Nothing. All I had were shortcuts to files that no longer existed. My father felt for me... short months after HIS graduation, he had a fire and lost all of his stuff as well. Luckily, mine was a computer mistake and not an every belonging mistake... So I started from scratch. New everything (except my music and photos.. somehow, they had managed to transfer properly)

BUT, (this is where the "God bless Stephen" part comes in) yesterday I was looking through my desk drawer looking for a blank cd when I came across one that read "Sarah's computer stuff". My mouth dropped when I realized what this may be. Near the beginning of this past semester, Stephen had so graciously given of himself to help me reformat my computer AND he had burned all my files to cd in case anything happened! So I plopped the cd in the drive and POW!!! There were like 80 % of the files I had thought were gone forever!!!  Now all I am missing is my final semester (class notes and assignments), files from camp this summer, and my Pampered Chef history...

So there we go. My prayer for today... "God bless Stephen!"

Surprise!! This post has nothing to do with any boys. Well, I guess it does.. but not the one you're expecting. It's about a boy named John. And a girl named Victoria. They're gone HOME. They will not be infecting my television screen for another hour next week!!! Relief has come at last!!! This day could not have come soon enough!  Thank goodness for not bringing enough donkeys!!!

(Amazing Race, in case you're lost!)

My list of favoured outcome order has changed slightly.. I'm not sure if I ever posted one anyway.. but here's one. Consider it changed from my ORIGINAL order. Even though my top three are still hanging in as the top three.

5th place: Adam and Reecca (formerly dating... emphasis on FORMERLY)
4th place: Lori and Bolo (married pro wrestlers)
3th place: Freddie and Kendra (engaged models)
2nd place: Hayden and Aaron (dating actors)
WINNERS:  Jon and Kris (dating long distance)

Yup, so thats that.

Ok, so this isn’t a “deep thought” but it is something I would love input on.

This past Sunday was the starting marker of my position as children’s pastor at my church.  One of my primary roles is our “4F Club” (Family and Friends Focusing on their Faith) on Sunday nights. This is an intergenerational club where families come and enjoy the evening together. We start things off by singing some upbeat songs and an activity that everyone takes part in in mixed teams. After those things are done, we split for about 25 minutes to our age oriented classes for a Bible study (all studying the same thing each week) and then get back together for a snack time before it is all over.

We had a kid start coming a few weeks ago and when he went home, his family asked him if he had fun. His immediate reaction was “Of COURSE I had fun.  It’s a club!”

Here’s my project. I wanna make it even MORE like a “club.”  I want it to be a fun place where the kids (and their families) look forward to coming each week.  Something special, something that makes them want to not miss a week. Think back to when you were a kid. What did being part of a “club” mean?  What made you want to be a part of whatever “club” you were in? 

We’re thinking about

1)      making membership cards for all those who attend

2)      finding a key verse and calling it our “club verse” (better name??)

3)      making a “club logo”

I haven’t been brain storming for an extreme amount of time, but these are the ideas I have initially come up with. What other things would make this a “club” and not just another night at church? 

man, i'm SHOT! Christmas break has had its toll on me.  My whole body hurts and I'm SO TIRED!!! I had a TREMENDOUS day at work. I missed my kids SO much for the last two weeks. It's good to see them again. We only had 8 kids today because we have so many City of Ottawa working parents -- Federal Holiday.. they stole my kids They've had em for two weeks! IT"S MY TURN!!

But maybe seeing I'm this tired with only 8, it was a good thing that it wasn't a 17 day.  Here's holding out for 19 tomorrow   Have a good day like me. I've decided your day is all what you make of it.

Final thought for the day: It's true puppy love if he can shave his head and still be the most precious boy in the world.

I ordered a computer on Boxing Day. And I bought a car a couple weeks before Christmas. My car has been in the shop since Dec 21.  My computer has not been shipped from Future Shop yet.

SO, THE RACE IS ON. What will get here first? The fixed car (silly headgasket. Who needs one of those anyway?) or the new computer? 

I'm taking bets.  Place your bet on which will be here and when they will get here.

The prize consists of... my utmost praise for you being so smart.  I will shower you with congratulations and encouraging words. That's it. (There's no real prize. But I would like my computer and to get my car back!)