Super fan goes to NC

That's what my husband calls me around this time of year. Yes that's right football season! I just love it. I can't tell you why, but I do. And having one of the best husband's, yes I acknowledge he is in the creme de la creme grouping of men, he purchased for my birthday Steeler, Panther exhibition tickets.

The stadium is very well kept and has a convenient lay out , if you visit a lot of stadiums that is, and being married to a Sports writer I do. It's coridoors are large and it's easy to find your way around. It's biggest plus - the bathrooms are plentiful and clean. I didn't even have to stand in line at half time, now that's well planned. The whole stadium looks new and it's been around since the late 90's.

We were evacuated to wait in the open air concourse area because of a rapidly approaching thunder storm, I took stock of the opportunities around me, Twittered...and had my face painted.

and made a friend.

As we scanned the growing mass of fans, we noted that there was at least a 40 - 60% ratio of Steeler to Carolina fans. Black and Gold was every where you looked.

Game play was rather "vanilla" to quote the Sports writer.

So I amused myself in other ways between the potentially exciting plays. The people watching at this game was fabulous!

(Our new coach)

There were these two very genteel southern ladies or as mi quierda amiga would say colorful old broads. They were a hoot between harassing the stadium employee assigned to our section with questions like "Are you here to take role?" and shout things to their team like "Keep on him dingle" or my favorite " Pass the ball dipstick" I lost track of the number of times I saw one or the other of them come up and down from the concession stand with their glasses of beer. I have two visuals for you, gold lame strap heels and fun foam flower visor - priceless.

The city of Charlotte isn't bad for a view either, especially when it gets dark and it's all lit up.

A very large THANK YOU to Andrew G who lent me his camera to photo essay our trip.

Ours has bit the dust so we're to buy a new one soon. Have pity on my husband, it's like buying a new car for me

On the way home we had a great breakfast, and saw a "cow bus" and the Big Peach in Gaffney.

Next time we're over that way, we'll be doing a little shopping at the outlets too.

And so it begins

Tonight we have Opening Mass for new year of Faith Formation classes. 6:30pm and feeling blessed to have a mostly teen crew.

FJ has returned and it looks like Life Teen Mass at 5:30pm is safe for the moment. No definite word about it starting on the 9th though.

I hear my self saying moments a lot lately, that's either wisdom of learning to make the most of each moment or finding myself behind the 8 ball. I'll go with wisdom....makes me feel more secure : )

The Jeff Report lives again!

Ladies and Gentlemen announcing the much anticipated - Jeff Report! Yes in an unprecidented manuver today, Jeff has started blogging on his blog. Tune in to find out what's on our favorite Sport's Editors mind and plate. http://www.thejeffreport.blogspot.com/

Traveling Phone

Walking around with the camera phone feels very different than having the actual camera, but it works...mostly.

The "G girls" and myself at the Goo Goo Dolls concert.

Kennedy Space Center & Cape Canaveral

Annual B-day lunch with los J's menos una.

Capt Bab's and the A-Boy!
The Good
The Bad

The Blurry : )

Starfish and casting nets

There are about 5 or 6 people who have responded to the call to read the Bible and CCC in a year. That is too awesome!!! Starfish Begs, I haven't forgotten. Thanks.

For now posting on our blogs is good, I am going to look into the Yahoo! communities and see if going that route give us any advantages. But want to remind everyone that there is no pressure to share your thoughts on every reading. If you are inspired do so, if a particular reading or set doesn't stir much that doesn't mean it isn't working and moving you somewhere spiritually speaking.

I started at 337, and know I suggested we all do so, but for those of you who know me (and love me) hold on...I moved down to 365 to truly start from the bottom and work up. If you've already started at 337 and want to join me down at the bottom, know that the thoughts on 337 isn't wasted. I don't know why starting at the begining of the last pile made more sense at first than starting at the end of the pile. Either way we're all in the same section.

Invitation to enrichment - Jn 8:31-32

"If you remain in My word, you will truly be My disciples, and you will know that truth, and the truth will set you free." (NAB) New American Bible

I was going through the handouts for the RCIA classes today and found amidst the usual Catholic Updates http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU.asp a beige pamphlet with this simple title printed in unassuming font: Read the Bible and the Catechism in a year.

It's put out by CHResources in Zanesville OH. When you get to their website http://www.chnetwork.org/ you can get the down loadable PDF version or pay for a pamphlet. I chose the download www.chnetwork.org/journals/readguide04.pdf

There is a forum listed on the site www.chnetwork.org as well, but I'm probably going to just post my thoughts here and invite comments as we're not all local anymore, unless there's a better way to do it - yahoo groups? They - the pamphlet people say this can be done in about 30 mins a day and is sorted into monthly sections. They suggest an opening prayer and of course to have a Bible, any version you choose so long as it has the full Scriptures found in the Roman Catholic canon. It's not like I don't already live at the church. It's not like I have nothing else to prepare, search for, cook or clean, but I have to say something about this is really right, right now.

Maybe it was the simple layout of the pamphlet or the idea that anything in small doses is do-able or maybe the time is just right, but I really feel I'm being called to do this. So I'm nuts. And like misery, insanity loves company, so if any of you would like to do this with me - I'm going to be starting with the last section 337 Eze 40-21 Sir 36:1-14 Rev 5 and 2623-2636 of the CCC and work my way back down.

If it's meant for you as well, please walk with me.


P.S. for those of us who are in SPX area, if you'd like to meet at Kaiteur - that fabulous new coffee community cafe in North Rockdale - I'm up for it : )

The Weekend of Many Meetings

Yesterday - new catechists, returning catechists - in English. Hoy, la reuníon para clases regular en español and LifeTeen group 1. ¿Listo para este semana? ¡No pienso! Pero, tengo mucho trabajo.

When you comment, and I hope you do, be gentle.

Searching

We're getting ready for the start of the new year and I find myself searching, for new catechists, new assistants, a new youth minister. Searching for ways to spend time with friends, with young adults going off to college. Searching for what my purpose is as I turned another year older. I was feeling very overwhelmed searching.

Then I thought or rather was inspired to think. Searching, although it can feel like lost wandering to me, is difficult because it's involves something being out of my control. Searching actually implies trusting. Trust that there is something definite that is there, that is ready, that is coming, but not yet. Trusting that I will have the ability to see it when it gets here. Trusting that it will happen in time. Bottom line trust in God.

New skin I'm in

O.K. so I'm making some changes in my life and the new blog skin you're looking at is no big really compared to the others, physical and spiritual, but I think it's pretty cool none the less. I thought the previous one was cool, but was a little difficult to read.

Also with help from the illustrious Miss Barb and Harry, I'm going through the family archive of slides. Turns out my "shutterbugness" is inherited from both sides of the family. My maternal grandfather, Charlie was quite the artist and my father loved photography too. In trying to catalogue his picts I realize that my photo essayist style comes from Dad. AHHHHHH that's a hug on the heart.

These are pictures from the Pittsburgh flood of 1972.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery

www.Dailylit.com - taken from The Bronzed Shoe Archives on blogger. You can suscribe to the RSS feed or get an email at your choice of days and time and choose any number of books in small digestible pieces. So great for reading gluttons like myself who need to attend to life while reading a fantastic book. I get my first of 581 installments of The Count of Monte Cristo tomorrow! Sweet. I know NERD! I am embarassed, but embrace how cool I think this is.

Prayers Requested on the Passing

"Whoever hears my word and believes has passed from death to life."-John 5: 24-29


Prayers for Harriett, mother of Hal and for George father of Heidi, father-in-law of Al.





George's memorial is today at 11am at Hope and Life Fellowship, Centerville on 124 and Harriett's arrangements have not yet been finalized.

And I continue to wait

Name of the three categories of the college of Cardinals?

Waiting for the Boy Scouts

My brain is fried as I sit here waiting for the Boy Scouts to leave, because the guy for lock up is not here...so I amuse myself...

I scored 8 out of 10 on this fun Encarta quiz! Can you do better?
True Colors: Do You Know Flags of the World?
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/departments/education_1/Default.aspx?page=quiz91&Quizid=91>1=10187&qpt=results

Much going on

It's been so long since i came to the page. Here's the latest by category.

Miraculous - Had a very good report from Bink's last CTA. The vertebral artery that they surmised had dissected has now completely healed and is working like it should! There is no fibro whatever dysplasia and some of the tiredness could be the blood thinning meds, which if her anti coagulation tests come back looking good she'll be getting off of those too. Life is indeed good!

Heart warming - Miss Judy is back in the big Peach for the birth of her 4th grandchild. I got a chance to meet the new addition to the royal court of Iowa, the Lady Katherine. She is a budding 8 + pounds and absolutely adorable. I also got to meet her older sister, Princess Elizabeth and she is precious as well. We hit it right off and we enjoyed an afternoon of alphabet books, Sesame Street, St. Brendan's 5:00pm Mass and a glass of Southern Red from my favorite winery.

Exasperating - We are searching for a new Youth Min and have several viable candidates, so that is underway along with the usual start up excitement, but not having a Number One is telling on my nerves. Pray for Barb and Joe.

Exhilarating - I've lost 33 pounds! I have a further goal, but my chemical, hormone whatever levels are all looking good so unless there's something the upcoming test shows we could have a baby Gillespie yet. God's will, not ours, but if you have a moment could you put in a good word for us as parents?

Mundane - I've started reading the last book in the Harry Potter chronicles. I've only gotten 150 pages in and I still think Snape is going to turn out to be good. Or rather like the rest of us, I think he's basically good not evil. For those of you who have finished it, don't kill my buzz please. I want to be surprised or shocked as the case may be.

Informative - a Catholic quiz:
Some people call me "The metropolitan of the Roman Province." Who am I?

The phone saga of 07 continues

I am waiting patiently, well not anymore for the tech from Verizon to call me as scheduled. However no such luck. I've of course done the two things he said to do, so it's very shortly off to the Verizon store to get a new phone.

My father was right.

My father shared a lot of wisdom with us as we were growing up and he was often right about life. Tonight after just getting cut off of an hour long tech support call regarding my new PDA phone which has wiped out all my contacts and mail, and is unable to sync or can't stop syncing depending on it's cycle, I heard his voice very clearly..."Honey, the more bells and whistles something has on it, the more )(*&(*^there is to go wrong. So keep it simple and you'll be happier." After a night of unexplainable data corruption and strained nerves...the man was right. Boy was he right. Because I'd use a lot of words to describe my current mood and "happy" is definitely not one of them.

36th Annunal Firecracker legion Baseball Tournie

Day 1

Two games today. In the first game at 10a, Conyers Post 77 pulled ahead of Troy Ohio's Post 43 with seven runs in the bottom of the 5th. However, they ended up losing 8-7. The second game at 2:30pm they were neck and neck with Jacksonville Post 283 and pulled up another 8-7 but this time as the victors.


Normally, I'm at the beach by now, but with two games so close together and not much fan support, it seemed like a good day to catch the action. So with a record of 1-1 so far, the Conyers boys seem good in individual play, but lack the ability to pull it together as team for smooth and confident play. They are also allowing what I would call some stale innings and have some limp fielding, but are able to generate enough energy to pull it out. Mr. Jeff is writing his own report for the Citizen, so I' thought I'd try to update my "readers" too! : )

Another day in paradise

Mr. Jeff is feeling better. He still has some lingering affects of "the bug from Binks" as he's referring to it.

Miss Annie is off watering the plants at the monastery I think.

Chloe is doing what she does on long summer afternoons, sleeping.

I'm doing laundry and taking care of little things that I haven't attended to in a few months.

Our air con is making a laughable attempt at keeping the heat at bay.

Heard from the boss yesterday evening before I left work. He was checking in to make sure all is well. And it's fine. I felt badly saying we're fine without him, but we're fine without him. He is doing well in Alaska, seeing a lot of things and I think sounded relaxed and in a good mood for the first time in a long time. Good for him, and that's good for us too : )

if you haven't see it yet, check out "that Catholic Show" it's wonderfully short, sweet and to the point. I'm looking forward to using it for our RCIA class as opening for discussion. Catch episodes 1-4 very excellent faith formation and very entertaining http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThatCatholicShow

Prayers please

Mr. Jeff is under the weather with a particularly vicious stomach virus.
Also for our youth minister who is ill today.
And for Miss B who is home healing.

Keep them in your prayers today please.

A lesson in perspective

Avalanche Ranch was closed out yesterday - WAH HOO! Looking back we had a very successful run and things went rather smoothly. We had great staff to work with and everyone pitched in with as much as they could muster each day.

Interestingly to me, day 1 God is Real - Wah Hoo!, brought some behaviorial issues that I thought I might not see until day 2 God is present - Wah Hoo!, and in a moment of surprising clarity and insight my boss lifted my spirits. He asked me his usual yearly question - if I was "please with the day?" I responded "yes, but there were some behavioral challenges." He looked at me with a smile and said something along the lines of... When you have that many people together (150 +) are you really surprised that you'd have a few behavioral challenges?

He was right and I tried to put the "fires" we had to "put out" the rest of the week, from daily decorating and supply wrangling to personality conflicts and family emergencies to whatever in my mind in perspective and it worked.

I prayed really hard at the beginning of every day for the grace sufficient unto the day to get done what the Lord wanted, more than what I wanted. And at the end of the day prayed to be grateful for the joy that was present in the room and in the individual smiles from the kids and leaders and also for everyone getting home safe.

It was a good lesson in perspective - God's not my own.