BBQ

To document our travels on the 2008 BBQ Tour through Kentucky and Tennessee I have created a separate blog:

http://binghambbqtour.blogspot.com/

For the next week or so visit us over there to see some of our favorite BBQ joints for 2008...and check out our sweet tee-shirt courtesy of my Father =)

Easter

Why Easter stubbornly resists the commercialism that swallowed Christmas.

Okay, so at first I was skeptical of this article, I mean, with all the bunnies, egg hunts, etc. that have been known to follow around the Easter holiday, was it really so "pure" (in the uncommercialized sense this title suggests) of a holiday in today's world? After reading through it though, I was quite pleased. The writer was definitely onto something.

I think my favorite part was:
Even agnostics and atheists who don't accept Christ's divinity can accept the general outlines of the Christmas story with little danger to their worldview. But Easter demands a response. It's hard for a non-Christian believer to say, "Yes, I believe that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, died, was buried, and rose from the dead." That's not something you can believe without some serious ramifications: If you believe that Jesus rose from the dead, this has profound implications for your spiritual and religious life—really, for your whole life. If you believe the story, then you believe that Jesus is God, or at least God's son. What he says about the world and the way we live in that world then has a real claim on you.
Easter is an event that demands a "yes" or a "no." There is no "whatever."

What do you think about that? Personally, I enjoy the author's bluntness...

So, what's it gonna be?

"Yes," or "No"?

I choose, "Yes".

One

Happy One Year Anniversary Blog =)

My hair might not be brown anymore, but we'd had a fun year nevertheless.

Traditional

How does one deal with traditional parents in these modern times?
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23711796/

That was the subtitle to an article I read today which was a Q&A addressing the issue: His parents are against us 'living in sin'. It really made me stop and think...do people really see this viewpoint is "tradition" and "out-dated"? Does the general public feel that marriage is "traditional" and "out-dated"?

One thing that I love about the Christian faith, MY faith, is that it transcends time. My values which have been shaped by my faith are not "traditional" or "out-dated", they are Truth. Sure I may "respect" you and your beliefs, but I will NEVER tell you I agree with them, or tell your that you might be right too (see blog post "Controversy" on absolute truth if you are having a hard time with this...) These parents should feel free to speak the truth in love into the lives of their children and their significant others. The key here is "in love"...which I know for myself can be so difficult when speaking truth about something that to me is second nature, or a "no brainer". I think it's something all of us could use a little extra care when handling...

Family

"I am praying for you..."

I've waited so long to hear these words from this particular person. It brings the biggest smile to my face, you have no idea. I love you so much and I am thrilled that you are in The Family!

Scores

So I am hesitant to find out my exam scores. Husband thinks it'll be "fun". Sometimes Husband and I do not think the same things are "fun". This is one of those times. He thinks it will be motivating either way...either motivating to study harder if I fail, or motivating to know that I CAN pass these stupid things. I'm too scare I will become un-motivated. So I won't look at my scores online.

Sadly for me, Husband is no idiot. He Google-ed "CPA exam test score results" and found the website...then did a quick Gmail search for my ID and, most surprisingly, regurgitated my social off the top of his head without missing a beat. What in the world! I did not want to know...nor did I want to be there when he looked. I was, on both accounts.

My score has not yet been processed.

I told him not to tell me if he looked again...or at least not when I was around...he can use his judgment as to whether or not it would be beneficial for me to know my score (i.e., he can tell me if I passed).

These exams make me feel ill.

PS - I suck at giving up coffee...heart palpitations or not, I love that warm sludge.

Beth

So, a day or so ago I was commenting to a Sister how awesome it would be if Beth Moore had a blog. I had searched Living Proof Ministry's website for evidence of one for some time, but to no avail. Her weekly devotional postings stopped a year or so ago..and I had seen nothing of the like anywhere.

Then I got this email:
I'm eating lunch reading my fav. blogs and I see a link on the side Beth Moore's Blog, had to pass along. :)

How exciting for a Thursday!

I immediately clicked on the link and read the latest posting. It was refreshing, real, and full of that God-given talent for writing/storytelling/giving-you-the-proverbial-kick-in-the-pants that Beth has been blessed with...

http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/2008/03/something-on-my-mind.html

I contend that my God is awesome! I may not have specifically prayed for this type of encouragement, but I am blessed by His ability to know ME as I sit here today. Thanks for the encouragement send today by both Beth and my Sister =)

Coffee

I'm a dork.

This afternoon I determined that my body was not pleased with coffee. I was avoiding eating my lunch due the fact that I could feel my heart pounding in my throat and my stomach doing what I can only describe as "it's own game of Twister". I eventually ate my lunch and then emailed Husband to tell him my "I think I'm sick" complaint of the week (Hi, my name is Rachael and I'm a hypochondriac in training...now that that's out of the way...) After hitting "send" it dawned on me. It wasn't the caffeine that I was taking issue too, not entirely at least, it was the acidity.

My first stomach ulcer screening/testing occurred at age 9, yes, that's right, during 4th grade. I have had issues with my stomach for as long as I can remember. My weight fluctuates like crazy and it's all quite bizarre. I am in the middle of preparing for and taking the CPA exam(more like exams, but whatever). A potential for stress? I'd say so. The combination of the added "stress" on my stomach, plus all the acidity has turned my stomach into a crazy land of extra acid. Not cool. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach is probably not helping either...

That's it! Until my exams are over, there will be no more coffee. No home-brew, no lattes, no Starbucks Tall Skinny Mochas.

Husband will be thrilled that my Starbucks runs have come to a stand-still for sure! I'll get getting a happy tummy AND a happy Hubby all in one shot!

Offended

I was horribly offended this afternoon while reading an article on the recent film "Juno". The message of the article was that giving a child up for adoption leaves the birth mother with a sense of guilt and a depression equal to that of losing a child to death.

EXCUSE ME?

Giving a child up for adoption when you are an unmarried woman should make you feel anything but guilty! (You can feel horrible for choosing to be unfaithful to your future spouse, I won't argue with you there at all.) How selfish have we become? Do these women really think they are better fit as a single-parent (they obviously have shown great discretion in their extra-curricular activities and ability to care for oneself in the past...ha!)

As I have said since I first realized my history, I am proud of my birth mother for choosing the road she did. If she EVER told me she felt guilty, that pride would swiftly wash away. I would rather live my life not knowing her true feelings than to live knowing I'd rather kick my birth mother in the face than give her a hug.

Chaulk another one up on the "con" list for "ID-ing Birth Mother".

For more thoughts see a few recent Dr. Laura posts on a similar issues:
Disgarded Babies
Next Time, Try Marriage

Style

So for my birthday my gals convinced me to get a hair cut. Not just any hair cut, but one where:
1) Salon and/or Spa was found in the name of the hair-cuttery;
2) Someone specialized in cutting curly hair;
3) Was not JCPennys, or any other mall-chain-esque establishment;
4) Was not Chez Bing with me sitting on the bathtub and Husband cutting my hair; and
5) Someone would "consult" with me about my hair and what might look "good".

Last night, I did just that.

It was all very different. First off, before anything happened, we discussed what "ideas" I had about my hair. I had none, other than that I didn't want to look like a mushroom with my hair poofing out at the bottom. Idina (my hair stylist(?) looked like Idina Menzel and since I can't remember her real name, I shall call her Idina) told me that I needed layers. These layers would help to "shape" my fluff. Awesome. She also told me I was not using enough gel, but all i all was pretty impressed with my "fake" curls. Then I was directed to sit in a chair to get my hair washed. Some other chick came out to wash my hair. She did not talk. It was awkward...mostly because I think she was confused about hair not being quite so "dirty" to necessitate the hard scrubbing she gave it. I got wet...and my head felt strange. Back to the hair cutting "station" where Idina came back from goodness knows where, and started cutting away my hair...in the end she confirmed that more variety of products the better, and that I used a tad too little gel. Apparently, quarter is better than dime when you have lots of hair...like me. She also walked me through how to straighten my hair should the need ever arise (in my head I thought to myself, a) you have no idea just how terrible my hair looks striaght, and b) that's what BFF-T is for...

All in all an interesting experience, I definitely wouldn't do it all the time (due to Husband and my reaction to the tab at the end), but then again considering I only cut my hair about 4 times a year, how often is "all the time" really?

Pictures turned out sucky...guess you'll just have to find me to see what it really looks like ;-)

Cussin'

Someday I hope my kid is as brave and bold as this kid...

"I finally told my friends, `I don't cuss.' And I said, `If you want to hang out with me, you don't cuss."'
It took a couple of years, but enough friends finally came around that Hatch formed a 50-member club

...and considering the club's shirt is Hokie Orange...he'll fit in nicely ;-)

Doctors

Why don't boys go to doctors/dentists for preventative check-ups?

Is it the inefficiency?
Is it the ego?
Is it the "I'll know when something is wrong with me" delusion?
Are they afraid of finding out their vulnerabilities?
Are they scared?
Are they too lazy to schedule appointments?

Guess this is reason 986 that God made woman; to nag man to go to the doctor...

...maybe not.

Name

What's in a name, really?

People misspell my name on a daily basis. So far in my lifetime I have been "called":
Rachel
Rachal
Rachelle
Rachaelle
Racheal
Rachael

and Jodie.