Give Me Five Monday Meme #22

Monday, April 28, 2008

The 'Give Me Five' Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple short list! Here's how it works. Each week, I will put out a random topic from my list of topics and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back here! You can add photos, links or stories or just a simple list of your own of 5 things that relate to the topic as it pertains to you and your life experiences. It doesn't have to be in any order of importance unless otherwise specified.
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Give Me Five things you have been busy with in the last 2 weeks since the last GM5!

First off, I want to apologize to all the bloggers who regularly participate in the Give Me Five meme for Monday, I hope you have not been too discouraged as I have taken these past 2 Mondays off from the meme. I appreciate your loyalty, understanding and patience! I say this with all sincerity, "Wow, what an insanely busy last couple of weeks I've had....and it's *still* going!" I literally have so much going on, I haven't had time to update my blog properly much less keep up with what's been going on with any of you and visit your blogs! I thought this topic would be a great chance to update us in both directions! I don't think 5 is enough for all the specific items...so I will break it down into 5 categories:


1. Work-Well, April 15th was as usual. It's always such a hectic time in our office. Things are starkly different, even on April 16th! The phone is quiet...there aren't tons of clients in and out. The fax is quiet....nice! I love it when you get almost used to the fast paced, high stress, anxiety filled 6 or 7 day-long day-work weeks and then there's the ... aaaaahhhhhhhhh, release of pressure the day after. Not to say there's not still alot of work to be done...after all, your *normal* works gets pushed aside during tax season and you end up with a pile up of new work loads to get out. I dislike it when people make jokes about us taking vacations on April 16th...like just because the 1st income tax deadline is past, we have nothing to do now. People are gravely mislead sometimes and it's quite frankly, annoying.


2. Personally-I have been trying to resolve to start eating better and getting more active. I feel like I am on the verge of it. It's one of those things that until I just resolve in my mind to do it and I want to be this other way...it won't happen. My car's control panel is acting weird, I'm hoping it's covered under my warranty but I haven't taken it in to be serviced yet. I've been told I have one of the best warranties...so my chances are pretty good. Now that tax season is over, I am also trying to resolve to get my house in order too. I just have so many irons on the fire, I can't wrap my mind around my own needs right now. Also, because of all this stuff, it's putting a strain on my finances..so I am trying to keep my head about that and not just say, oh well and spend unnecessarily.


3. Friends-Lots going on here. On April 16th, a friend of ours that we used to go to church with passed away. It's so sad on so many levels...where to start! Ok, this is a 42 year old wife and mother of 3...her youngest being an 11 yr old daughter. This woman used to be heavy and underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost down to a size 0! Things were not so good for her growing up, I believe her mother was overly critical and so on...she always had issues with weight and as she began to gain some weight back, she began to push away her friends. She really pushed everyone away several years ago, she stopped answering emails or taking telephone calls and even wouldn't let you in if you stopped by to try and talk to her. As far as why or how she died, at the time of her service, last Monday April 21, they still didn't know what had happened. She complained that she didn't feel well before going to bed and the next morning her husband got up with the alarm and she didn't. What a shame, she had an infectious smile and personality. She really loved her kids and was a huge supporter of all their activities. She will be missed! One of my other friends had to have exploratory surgery last week because of some tummy issues. Her son, one of my favorite "nephews" had to have his adnoids out today...I just got here from the surgery center. He'll be ok...he just needs lots of love and rest!


4. Family-This Sunday coming up, May 4, I am hosting a baby shower for my cousin. You may remember some of the other posts about that. It's really beginning to come together now but there's still lots left to do. I'm really excited, I think it will be alot of fun for everyone! My mom and I will work on the favors and get those done...probably tonight. I have alot of other projects to finish but most of it is done now. It feels good to be ahead of the game, normally, I'm behind and frantic! Don't get me wrong, I'm still stressed but it's not a panic stress, it's anticipation stress...not as bad :) We have a wedding to go to on May 17th down in the country. It will be nice, but weird. Nice, because, you know, it's a wedding and I love those. Weird because it is on my dad's side of the family and they actually invited my mom too and she's coming with me! My parents divorced a few years ago and it's not that they don't get along, they just really don't have much to do with each other. She doesn't see or visit people on his side much...there's just not that much opportunity to, really. After my cousin's daughter was killed in the car accident last year and we all went to the funeral service, it's almost like all the cousins went, "Hey, I remember Aunt JoAnn!" LOL So she received and invitation too. It will be fine, it's not like my parents fight and argue anymore, so it will be fine.


5. Spiritually-Last, but certainly NOT least, my spiritual life. The past few weeks have been great! I've been extra busy not only with tax season at work and planning the baby shower for my cousin but also planning a Mother's Day Tea at church! There sure is alot that goes into planning something even as simple as a tea! Plus, the same friend who had surgery last week and I are the 2 main people doing the planning and executing of all the fine details so her having some down time has added some to the pressures I have to get things done. Not to worry though, things are getting done and the tea will be a very nice treat and everything will be enjoyable!

Also, answers to prayers from my teenage years...it's amazing how God works in His perfect timing! As many of you know, I heart Kirk Cameron! He was my teenage heart throb...but really, I can't say now that I remember pining away for him like *that*...I do remember wishing I could meet him and tell him about Jesus and feeling very frustrated that me being just a normal everyday girl here in the Mid-West probably meant that I would never get the opportunity. So I used to pray, probably when I was about 13, 14 yrs old, because I knew I'd never get the chance to, that God would send someone into Kirk's life to tell him about God and Jesus so he could get saved and go to heaven and I would have all of eternity to meet him! I know, selfish, but true! I prayed this way because it was being impressed upon my heart way back then and I remember, a few months later, I saw a photo of Kirk Cameron with his arm around Billy Graham and I just had a peace about it!

Kirk Cameron has since been busy about the Lord's work and evangelizing his beliefs to many people. I am so happy that my prayers have been answered and not only that, I got to meet Kirk Cameron because of it! Kirk and Ray Comfort and others through a ministry called "The Way of the Master" came to my mom's church doing a conference called "'Transformed' Never be Lukewarm Again!". The conference was fantastic!!! Ray Comfort's comedic delivery really made it fun and personable. Kirk Cameron was very passionate about his message and friendly and I was able to meet him at the book signing! One of his big security guards drew near as I began to mention that I prayed for him when we were teenagers but all was fine, of course. I was excited beyond all imagination to have such an opportunity to tell Kirk myself, an unexpected cherry on top!

Thank you Lord for such an added bonus! You made the long lost teenager inside me light up and sing! I never expected such an awesome return on a long lost and almost forgotten prayer. You sent his wife, Chelsea, into his life and through her faith, brought Kirk around to You! Fantastic, I couldn't be more pleased with the results! Kirk is hard at work teaching, inspiring and motivating fellow Christians to get out there and talk to the unsaved world! What I learned from that conference, I will hold with me dearly forever and I appreciate the work they are doing for You! What an awesome God You are!!!!!

Give Me Five Participants

1. Connie 2. Tammy 3. boogiemum 4. TT&TOT

5. Anna 6. Dawn\'s Daily Life 7. Kwizgiver 8. Penny Lane

9. Shannon H. 10. Alison 11. Bethany

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