Irn Bru advert

For Caryn:

I believe the line is
"not made by those crazy yanks!" LOL

No offense, just busting your chops

Irn Bru Snowman Advert

Sorry, I managed to delete this! Muppet

Irn Bru Snowman Advert

I know we don't have Irn Bru over here, and I don't think you have the traditional viewing of "The Snowman" either, but, this is awesome; I had to post. All the famous landmarks of Scotland, it's so nice for me to watch. Hope you enjoy it too.

Is this normal?

So to continue on with my whole tooth thing, I discovered this morning that I chew on the left side of my mouth exclusively. Is that normal? I have this wee crown thing in my mouth and it feels strange, (sorry Caryn, not trying to be gross,) and I'm scared it cracks or breaks before my real crown is ready, so I'm chewing on the right side - I don't think I've ever done that before, it feels so alien.

So, my questions are:

1. Is this normal?
2. Do you chew on one side of your mouth and if so, what side? Let's find out which side is most common.

LOL! But seriously, I want to know.

Does life ever calm its wee self down?

I know I haven't blogged for a very long time; I don't try to be crappy at this, it just comes naturally...

This week I have a Doctors appointment 4 out of 5 days, rar... I am not a sick person; it's all Dental work and, it's all my fault... The last Sunday we had the students at Vailsberg I noticed that I had chipped a tooth, and stupidly I thought, it'll be fine, I'll sort it when life gets quiet. So, a week and a half passes, it's Thursday night and I'm chewing a piece of gum when I notice that there are hard paticles in my gum; it's more of my tooth! (True to form, I have to ask myself; what could this mean? Is there a lesson in this for me? ...)

So I head to the Dentist on Friday, and they look at the guilty tooth, take a million and 6 x-rays of my mouth and then tell me that I need a lot of work done... (Hmmm... I am suspicious by nature, do all dentists just want to know the work that has been done in your mouth has been done by their precious hands? Is that arrogant? Are there that many quacks out there?) So, they come back from the x-ray dark room and tell me that I need a temporary crown; it took all that is in my to stifle my laughter.

1 Peter 5
To Elders and Young Men
1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

So, I'll have a temporary Crown, lol... Which makes me ask myself; am I not talking hold of my inheritance? (Am I being paranoid thinking that? Or was He just trying to encourage me? ) He amuses me, encourages me and most of all loves me, reminds me of my inheritance; of who I am in Him.

Beloved, are you taking hold of your inheritance? Who are you in Him?

Are you storming?

1.
Soldiers of our God, arise!
The day is drawing nearer;
Shake the slumber from your eyes,
The light is growing clearer.
Sit no longer idly by,
While the heedless millions die,
Lift the blood-stained banner high,
And take the field for Jesus.

Chorus
Storm the forts of darkness,
Bring them down, bring them down!
Storm the forts of darkness,
Bring them down, bring them down!
Pull down the devil's kingdom,
Where'er he holds dominion;
Storm the forts of darkness, bring them down!
Glory, honor to the Lamb,
Praise and power to the Lamb,
Glory, honor, praise and power,
Be forever to the Lamb!

2.
See the brazen hosts of Hell,
Their art and power employing,
More than human tongue can tell,
The blood-bought souls destroying.
Hark! from ruin's ghastly road
Victims groan beneath their load;
Forward, O ye sons of God,
And dare or die for Jesus.

3.
Warriors of the risen King,
Great Army of salvation,
Spread his fame, his praises sing
And conquer every nation.
Raise the glorious standard higher,
Work for victory, never tire;
Forward march with blood and fire,
And win the world for Jesus.

My cheesy Salvationist side is coming out! I love this song, been reading through it in devotions and then Mama J, (as Cindy calls her,) sent it to me for class; so I had to put it up. Pray through this one; it's in your songbook! (They are only $15.95 at trade! LOL)

Peace

Sitting on Pete's couch

Judges 3
1 These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): 3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 4 They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the LORD's commands, which he had given their forefathers through Moses.


Last week I was driving to Staples, had to pick up jump drive, I'd "misplaced" mine. As I entered New Jersey I drove past a rather unfortunately named Funeral Parlour, "Scarrs." This name has always made me chuckle. This was the first time in 4 years that when I drove past it that I actually saw a funeral going on; it was the funeral of a firefighter; I knew this because of the obvious presence of the uniforms and fire appliances outside the funeral home.

When I see uniformed organisations present at a funeral of one of their members, I feel an overwhelming sense of grief; everytime. I remember being at a funeral of an elderly neighbour who had been an AA, (for Americans, it's the British AAA.) There were two AA vans and four men who attended the funeral, and the sight of that made me cry; the man, Jimmy, had belonged to something.

I was bullied when I was wee, in the only place where I felt like I didn't belong, I was bullied. The girl was older than me, but much smaller, and weedier. I remember our Lynsey telling me that I should just smack her; not being a delicate child I could have knocked her out with a single blow, but I didn't, in this situation, I gave her all the power, and let her bully me. I absolutely could have knocked her into next week. I didn't belong, so I didn't want to be a part of the place where I was bullied; my answer, to not take part, retreat back, and concede defeat. (The women that raised me, (my mother, my grannies and my sister,) were not like that, I had to stick it out! It worked out in the end.)

How important is it to feel like you belong? I had this friend at camp who used to preach to me "BELONG, BELIEVE, BEHAVE". That made sense to me, when we belong, we feel part of something bigger than ourselves, so we can't screw it up on our own. When we feel like we belong, we feel safe enough to make ourselves vulnerable to share our problems and have people counsel us through the situation. When we feel like we belong, our defenses are down, and we can recharge our batteries from a world that likes to attack our every move.

I don't know if I have shared this with you before, but in Scotland we speak of our family and close friends as possessions. One of the most intimate ways we can speak of someone is to call them, ours. My mother would refer to me as "Our Mhairi" or "My Mhairi." (It's non-threatening, if you can get past the possessive nature and don't feel too like a innanimate object.) Within our corps and various other groups, how do we express our love and concern for people with out verbal and non-verbal language? Do people know our love by our actions? Would the want to belong to our corps and centres? Do we display Christ like love, or are we just a wee clique that needs a name or a family member to get us in? (I'm resisting the temptation to state that we all have a family member who got us in, and that that is the only name we need. I've decided not to say that for fear of being cheesy.)
What do you belong to? What have you allowed yourself to be vulnerable to? Or are we playing the safe game of not getting hurt? From experience, that game isn't that safe, it's as safe as sitting on Pete's couch.

Right now, as it feels like we are hopping from battle to battle, it is important that we know what we belong to. As Christians, we should know Who we belong to, and what He is about. As Christians reaching out, we should be aware of the importance of those who have not made a commitment to Him, and ensure that in all that we do, we do it in love, letting them know, they belong to us, and in turn, Him.

Fall-en cleaning

I found this as I was cleaning out my jumpdrive. It's amazing that I found it today, today saw me start my first day at Project 1:17 as part of the leadership staff, my title, Spiritual Formation & Program Coordinator, much more me than billing and filing. I'll miss the faces of those precious to me who are still at THQ.

"Today I made my bi-monthly pilgrimage to the Project 1:17 website. After reading the testimonies of those who are part of this year’s class; and counseling myself away from the paranoia that regularly attacks me; telling myself that there is no hierarchy in the family of God; that there is no position available other than “Child of God.” They are good ones this year, gotta tell you!

God has been very loud to my friends and I. He is calling us into different ministries – some of us He is being so ridiculously loud, that it could be very scary if it were not for the fact that we know He has our best interests at heart. I have no idea what to make of the whole thing; even someone who psychoanalyzes as much as me cannot make sense of it all; which is killing me!

Being back at the Project site brought the signature verse back to mind; I was sitting staring at the screen and there it was.

“Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” ISAIAH 1:17

I bet He is pleased with Himself! He should be; he gave me the smack down!"

God showed me reality that day, and He showed me reality today. The learning to do right it tough, even painful. We all want justice for others who wrong us, but shy away from justice for ourselves. Encouraging people is probably the easiest part of that verse, we can all give lip service, but can we all be faithful in encouraging others in prayer? What I know of the family of God is that there is no-one who is fatherless, for we all have the Father, it just requires those who have that knowledge to share it.

I just felt like I should share this today given God's timing; He crackss me up so He does.

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

I finally have my vacation pictures up! Only 3 weeks later, sorry Lynsey-kin-Rodgers! Please feel free to wander the flickr site. For those who do not have flickr, seriously, give it a whirl, it's a smashing wee site.

Life has the way of getting in the road of life. To update you all on my life I should tell you that I am no longer making the trip back to Scotland. (Well, I will be going back, but not for good, at least not anytime soon.) It is very bittersweet, but I feel that it is what the Lord has for me. He has repeatedly smashed through any issue that has been holding me back from staying and assured me of His faithfullness. (I wish I had the wee Beth Moore accent going, 'cause I'd give you the full, "I'm Believing God!" complete with actions! Minus the big hair!) My new job will be at the School for Officer Training, (no jokes please,) where I'll be working for Project 1:17; my title, Spiritual Formation and Program Co-ordinator. It's funny how God works, I gotta tell you! I'll be back at the school, as someone said, "forming spirits." The adventure continues...

Real Fact #143

"Q" is the only letter in the alphabet not appearing in the name of any U.S. state.

I changed my answer on the question that I was a wee bit undecided on, and I still got this city!

You Are Boston

Both modern and old school, you never forget your roots. Well educated and a little snobby, you demand the best. And quite frankly, you think you are the best. Famous people from the Boston area: Conan O'Brien, Ben Affleck, New Kids on the Block

What American City Are You?

Good job, it is the one I feel most at home in! Helped me make a VERY important decision in my life... it's the Sox all the way baby!

Blogging, it's becoming like life's wee sermons...

Lords, Ladies and Gentlefolk:

you ever felt like you are just not smart enough? This whole blog ring thing plays havoc with my self esteem. Some blogs that I read, some even that I have listed as "people to read," are just entirely too intelligent for simple brains like mine. Either,the people in question, got smacked alot harder with the genius stick than I did, or they have much more time to read than I do (which leads me to jealousy aswell as low self esteem) and therefore their blog offerings are spliced with intelligence of other thinkers. Should I comfort myself with the thoughts that they too cannot come up with something original?

I heard a story where a cadet of the Salvation Army was asking a question of a guest lecturer; the question I cannot remember, but it did reference the Army Mother, and it did cause a bit of a stir in the room, she had challenged the lecturer. The lecturer retorted with, "And which book did you read that from?" The lecturer was then viewed as the "winner" in the interaction, they shut up the brash cadet who dared to challenge their intelligence. It bothered me, so much it bothered me. How many people have actually met the Army Mother and are still living to tell the tale? The lecturer themself wasn't too much older than the Cadet, so how the hang would they have their information from an encounter with Catherine Booth? How else are we to learn of our Army history if we do not read about it in books? My own Mammie, loves to travel, but will never get to do the "Pole to Pole" thing like Michael Palin, so the wee woman gets the book and "Oohs" and "Ahs" over his experiences. How did the Geniuses become geniuses if the didn't sit their butts down to read something relatively intelligent.

I guess I am just licking my own wounds of in adequacy. Even though some of the blogs are too long for my ADD mind to concentrate on, I do enjoy them. I see them almost in the same light as Sunday sermons. You take someone who is more expert in an area then you, and read their notes, it may not make the picture perfectly clear, but it does get you thinking!

Write on my freakishly smart friends, write on!

And for my next trick...

It has been some time since I have sat my bottom down and actually checked my blog. I have not even been on a computer in at least a month - I am dreading Lotus notes tomorrow, it's just gonna be painful. I'm thinking somewhere in the mid 400's - at least 275 will be junk. I hope I don't get any IT stress!

My summer has been rather different. I have an office job; paying dept bills, invoicing etc. and some event planning! YEAH (My favourite bit.) Sitting in the office all summer would may have resulted in a tragic and painful caffeine overdose. One of my bosses assigned my to camp visits for the USE's 24/7 initiative. How awesome is that? I worked Tuesday through Saturday, and had the best summer visiting camps, setting up prayer rooms, meeting with youth from all over the territory - I was in my element! I couldn't have been doing anything nicer.

I had two weeks vacation in Florida with my mammie, daddy, sister, brother and brother in law at our friends villa. We visited all the Disney parks and had our pictures taken with the big vermin. My sister was so emotional, she cried, what a lassie.

Straight from vacation I had to head to Star Lake Musicamp, (They don't realise that music camp is two words, oh well...)where we had a tent for 24/7 prayer. I have never felt so safe at SLMC as I did this year.

Spiritually, God is leading me into some of the places that I never in my life would have expected to be. At best, I thought I would go to church on Sunday, (not the Army, when I was a wee girl I was planning to go to another church cause the Army demanded too much from me during the week,) not drink and not swear, (still working on the last one there!) God is being crazy, I have no idea what to do with Him.

Physically, it looks like I have to head home for a year. I need to sort out some debt I gained for myself while I was a student. It's very bittersweet; even so, God is speaking through that, so please pray for me at this time - He can keep being crazy, if He keeps being faithful.

It's good to be back in the land of the living. I'll post my pictures soon.

Indiana Jones... ha ha ha ha

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

"In the same way that my eyes are affected by staring at the sun too long; Lord, let my eyes be affected by staring at the Son too long."

Fipod

Once upon a time a wee girl, we'll call her Mary, went to eBay and looked for an ipod, the new gadgety thing that everyone has. Well Mary thought it would be cool to be like everyone else, and have an ipod; she had even planned what she'd have engraved on the back, "Maryitschka." So Mary eventually won an ipod, she was paying $88 for a 2GB nano, she was a very happy wee girl and excited about receiving it in the mail.
About three days later, it came in the mail. As Mary opened the mailing box all appeared to be present and correct. It was the tiny wee ipod box, said Apple Computers and everything, unfortunately, when Mary looked at the ipod itself, it was not an ipod, but infact a fipod! (Fake ipod for those who aren't hip, LOL) Thankfully the sellers were good people and are accepting a return. Mary however is now uncool and ipod-less...

How embarrassing, so glad this isn't me, that would be a red neck! LOL (In my defense when you type in "ipod" into the eBay search all items that name ipod in the listing come up, so if it has an ipod case, which this did, you get them too!) I felt like I'd been had, it was my mistake, what a silly muppet.

Oh well, I'll just keep singing to myself... "Wee chookie birdie, to ra lo ra lo..."

Prayer 24/7

It has been a wee while since I have written to my adoring fans... Oh how I make myself giggle ;)

I have had so much that I could write about, but if I write about it all, I wouldn't give do them justice. So, I'm gonna stick them all down on a post it note beside my computer and when life in the Youth Department is slow, (which will most likely be Julaugust 2009,) I'll write about it then.

Last Friday saw the launch of my territories 24/7 Prayer initiative. There were about 100 people in the Railton Chapel here at THQ; 4 were not officers. Lead by the indominable Major Janet Munn, we entered into a year of 24 hours a day, 7 days a week prayer. As we sat there, and anticipated the year ahead, it was as if all 100 or so of us were standing in the queue for the biggest rollercoaster on the face of God's green earth. I know it sounds cliche, but knowing God has lead me to believe that just about anything can happen when He has obedient people to hand. When I stand in line for a rollercoaster, I know that I am gonna scream, I know I am gonna giggle, I know I am gonna be so amused that I won't be able to let a word leave my lips as I try to take in all of what is happening around me. I'm expecting that from God this year, I'm expecting Him to be big and LOUD. So as the personnel of THQ spend time on their knees in Railton it is the hope that they build a stable foundation for the territory.

I had the priviledge of being in couple of times, the first with one of the leaders of the territory, ha, some people could say not one word and yet they would impress me; and the second time with some of my lassies. It is precious time... I wish I could share some of the prayers with you all, so being that I can't I invite you all to come and visit Railton!

Major Munn has just sent an e-mail saying that the Commissioner feels we need to keep the prayer room at THQ open another week! I feel a giggle coming on!

If you have no idea what Prayer 24/7 is, please click the link!



Peace to you all

My Church

My church isn’t perfect, (show me one that is!) but I love them, every last whiny one; they are awesome. ;) They know how to love, they know how to eat, and they take care of their own.

Yesterday, the Kelly’s had some friends round, and naturally, they invited their corps friends. It’s a great house, they have all the cool things that cool houses have, but my favourite things about that house are Zachary and Noah. They are cuter than you could ever imagine. As I was driving over to the house, I was thinking about the family, about Chip and Grandpa, Zachary and Noah. Chip and Grandpa are two men who show Christian integrity to the extreme. For the way they have lived their lives, they have caused their sons to be “marked” wee boys; marked as wee men of God. If we can inherit sin, how can we not inherit integrity? Sure, they are wee boys, they sometimes tell fibs, and sometimes lose their temper, but they’ll work through that; they are just being wee boys.

My church fusses over kids like it’s their job! I heard one of them say yesterday as others were laughing, “What’s going on? Is it cool little boy stuff?” (This was a grown “boy.”) I loved that, I loved how it came out, I loved that it validated everything about the wee boys. Sure the wee ones didn’t hear it, but what they do see is in the faces of those older than them, they see the love. They see it in the giggles, the cuddles, the smiles, the stolen sweeties shared, and the games, and even in the correction they are given.

To the Kelly’s and the Montclair Corps!

Cheers!

Haha, I sound so manipulative!

Proverbs 27:19

"As water reflects the face,
so one's heart reflects the heart."



Imagine, for everything that you ate, you had to stick the exact same to your body! (This isn't that strange a question, my mother used to wonder how hard it would be if you took apart an iceberg lettuce and then attempted to put it back together again...we bought her a jigsaw that year for Christmas!)

Most women may feel like this is exactly what happens. Imagine, that for every doughnut you ate, you had to stick another to your hips; that for every hot fudge sundae you consumed, you'd have to stick another to your back. I know we all love that back fat! (I know some exercise for that, don't do them, but I know them, LOL!)

I think it does happen, just in a different way... I found this Proverbs verse a couple of months ago; it was good to hear. When I was a wean, my mammie would tell me this story when she caught me doing something naughty. She would tell me that my heart was like a garden, and so I had to fill it with as many good plants so that no weeds could grow. If I was to leave it unattended, or put rubbish in it, I would lose control of it. I use this story all the time, it may be cheesy, but it makes sense.

As Christians, we spend our lives trying to be like Christ. We sing songs about wanting our hearts to be like the heart of Christ, we commit to getting closer to the heart of Christ, getting to know more about His heart, and here, we see that that doesn't happen without a HUGE benefit to us. I've noticed some of the kids I am around getting more and more beautiful. In their usual, fear-of-accepting-a-compliment-in-case-someone-thinks-I-am-big-headed manner, they blow it off. I really think that there is something to it. I've yet to meet a women who loves the Lord, heart and soul, who is not beautiful. I'm not talking cat walk, I'm talking gentle, humble, sincere, sensitive, all adding to the beauty of a person. I like this verse; if I'm wrong, and have totally misunderstood it, and there is some deeper meaning that the one that I am drawing, feel free to correct me. I just like it, I like that my obedience can show in areas that I have no control of; that God can bless my obedience to Him in ways that I couldn't pay the best cosmetic surgeon; ha ha, but then He is the Great Physician! What could be more beautiful than a face that reflects the heart of Christ... how hot would that person be?

Da Vinci and Disney - could they have been friends?

I haven’t blogged, (would you believe that blogged is now in the Oxford English Dictionary! I was quite impressed by that. Genius I am!) in a wee while; not since coming back from the Motherland! Ha ha. Still painfully recovering from jet lag; Scotland is only 5 hours in front of New Jersey, but wow, it’s taken its toll on me.

Yesterday on my way to work, I called browneyedgirl, (my sister/mentor/pastor,) as her husband Al, (not a blogger, technically knowledgeable male, who loves gadgets and gizmos, but has the most incredible work ethic that he wouldn’t waste his time writing a blog for fun, he’d rather make a spreadsheet! Ha ha, love him!) is in England with his big sister. So while, running a corps, a house, I thought I’d be helpful and watch her “weans,” as soon as I used all the energy I had left for the day, I crashed! I was so far from helpful to the kids, they put themselves to bed.

Heather said, “What’s wrong with you? You are no fun today!” I was supposed to be playing Trivial Pursuit Disney, and was supposed to be whooping their bottoms, but I was laid out on the couch, only opening my eyes to play referee, and sometimes I didn’t even open them to do that, I just yelled from the couch, and lost the game!

Carole came home, and I was out. She had gone to see the Da Vinci Code. I have just finished reading it; it messed with my head. You ever read something, and have a feeling that there is something very sinister about it? I’m not talking head knowledge; I knew going into it that I had to view it as a pretty wee story, that some of it would insult my own faith; but throughout the book, I ended up praying protection over myself. I felt the same when I visited Salem, Mass. I did not have the knowledge or experience to know that I could take control of the situation, (thank Heavens for the wee things He teaches us, Amen! Seriously, He’s rockin’!) but I knew that there was something bigger than me. (I am not trying to demonize the Da Vinci Code, its author, or Salem Mass. I am just highlighting that for me, they were object and places that challenged my own faith, made me feel awkward in my own skin.)

Carole Jeanne and I got to talking, not like us; we are very quiet, un-opinionated women. ;) The Da Vinci Code is very thorough when it takes apart what we believe about Christ. Some of it, I am just not clever enough to even attempt to disprove. I leave that to smart people with the surnames Rader, Forster, Bussey and Ashcraft. I know He’s King, and while my certainty is not something that I would be able to articulate to convince the masses, “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.”

And yes, I did use scripture that is reputedly fallible, (so are the people who are proposing the arguments!) You know what, if all of it is true, all of what they charge Christ with is true, I’m okay with that. I don’t know anyone who could do for me what Christ has done for me; if there is anyone, they never offered…

More Pictures...

So we are home. The New Jersey Youth Band trip is over for this year. It was braw! For more pictures click on my blogger!






















The house that George Scott Railton was born into! A wee bit of Army trivia for you!