Insert Witty Title Here....

I'm not really sure what I should type for this blog, but it's been so long since last I typed and I'm feeling the pressure. Not much has been going on lately. I got my Christmas presents finished in time and everyone liked them. I crocheted a scarf for my sister, but she didn't get to wear it for a couple of weeks because it was so warm in Colorado. Oh wait, I'm not supposed to tell anyone how nice it is in Colorado. Y'all just go on believing that it's miserable up there in the winter.

I ran the marathon. Not all of it. Just 21 miles. But hey! The most I'd ever run before I started training was 2 miles and that was usually in 1/4 mile track increments. Not very exciting. This was the Disney Marathon. It was sooooooo fun! I'm ready to go back and run it again...but the entire thing this time. It was so cold at the beginning of the race...in Florida!! Who knew?

Freaking Out

It's just a few days before Christmas and I'm not ready. I know that's a real shock to those lovely people who know me, but it's true. In previous blogs I mentioned how much I love this time of year, but I neglected to mention how stressed I usually am also. I will admit it. I am vice-president of the Procrastinator's Club. Cari gets top honors. Only because she manages to wait until the last minute and in her stress and freaking out, something wonderful emerges. That's just how she is. She does her best thinking when it gets down to the wire. See Cari? One more spiritual gift. :-D But, I digress.

I'm almost finished with my Christmas gifts. I'm making them, not buying. I always cringe when people open my home made gifts. Will they think it's hokey? Will they think I'm cheap? Will they understand that home made - to me - means so much more than store bought some times? Don't get me wrong. I'm all for "store bought". I just enjoy the pleasure that goes in to hoping that whatever I make will be well thought of (Cari, sorry for the preposition, but I couldn't be bothered to rethink the sentence).

This year I've added an extra stress to my list of reasons to freak out. I signed up to run a marathon and raise money for it and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Well, I've raised 1/3 of what is needed. Great! What began as something good for someone I go to church with has also become my greatest stressor. I still see it as something good and worthwhile. I just don't want to fail. I hate to fail. That, and I'm still a little pudge. Even with the training (which I've had to do by myself), 26.2 miles still seems like a long distance to run, walk, whatever.

I am so glad that Christmas is on a Sunday this year. While we do read the Christmas story - no, not "The Night Before Christmas - THE Christmas Story every Christmas, we go straight from there to opening presents and the entire meaning gets lost, or at least set aside. I like that when Christmas is on a Sunday, we stop, go to church, and truly concentrate on what the day means. We should do that whether we are in church or not, but despite our best intentions, it just doesn't happen that way most of the time.

I'm still incredibly excited about Christmas time. I was thinking about it this morning and realizing that Christmas is almost here and I don't want it to be. I know that sounded funny, but what I mean is that I've enjoyed the days leading up to it. I want to add a few more or find a way to prolong it afterwards. The day after Christmas is such a huge let-down and it shouldn't be. It's just 364 shopping days until the next Christmas. Start early! Beat the rush! I think that's when I'll start planning. Go ahead and send your wish lists. I might get to them before Dec. 24, 2006. Here's hoping.

Thank You, ABC!!!

With all of the arguments going on now about the commercialism of Christmas and whether or not Christians should just stand back and let whatever happens happen, it was very refreshing to tune in to ABC last night. I don't watch much TV (maybe an hour or two a week) and I just happened to be flipping through the channels last night and came across one of the Charlie Brown Christmas specials. At one point Charlie Brown asks, "Doesn't anyone know the real meaning of Christmas?" Linus does. He goes to center stage (they're in the school auditorium) and tells the story of Christmas straight from the Bible. Not only was this on a major TV station, but it was shown during prime time viewing! See? Not everyone is worried about offending those who don't agree with Christianity. It helps, too, that Peanuts is such a beloved cartoon.

I still believe that we should continue our effort to keep Christ in Christmas. Otherwise, why would we celebrate the holiday at all? I realize that there are a bunch of holidays tucked together this time of year, but what does it hurt to separate them? I only celebrate one holiday on the 25th of December. So, I'm going to wish people a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year instead of saying "Happy Holidays." I have friends who celebrate Kwanzaa and I will wish them a Happy Kwanzaa. I don't know anyone who is Jewish, so that leaves out Hanukkah. I'm sure there are other holidays around this time of year that I'm leaving out, but if you celebrate one of them, just know that you're included. If you're offended by my "Merry Christmas" then I'm sorry you feel that way. I'm not sorry I said it, though.

Atheism is a Religion????!!!!

Are you kidding me? I got my copy of the Oklahoma Gazette (the free, weekly newspaper) and on the front page was the title, "Is Atheism a Religion?" The answer? Uh....NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! How stupid can you be? The dictionary defines religion as (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance. Since Atheism is a non-belief system, I'm pretty sure you can't use it according to the definitions above.

But!!! Apparently the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals disagrees. Now, let me get this straight. The courts say that we can't allow religion within their walls, but then they want to turn around and define religion. Nope. Sorry. You don't get it both ways. My cousin Cari thinks they just don't get it at all. I'd have to agree with her. Has no one else noticed that our country really started falling apart when we took God out of it?

I am tired, as a Christian, of being told that my faith offends people. So what? Your cussing, piercings, clothing, grammar, vulgar tattoos, indifference, etc. offends me. Will anything be done about it? Of course not! Too many Christians (and I'm ashamed to say that I'm included) just sit back and don't stand up for what we believe. The reason America is changing for the worse is because the only people shouting for the changes to be made are the individuals who can't remember how or why this country was founded. Men died so these people can have the freedom of speech they so recklessly spew. They're more than happy to exercise the freedoms our forefathers bled and died for, yet with the same breath, cry "foul" when a Christian attempts to use the same freedom. Get your own country! We were kinda happy with the original plan.

To those of you who do practice a different religion, more power to you. Just don't shove it in my face. I like being a Christian. If I have to die for my belief, so be it. As to you atheists out there....I don't try to force my beliefs on you. Don't force your lack of belief on me. How is it going to change your life if I don't think the same way you do? If we all thought the way you do, it would be a pretty depressing world. Enjoy your big bang theory. I'm happy with Creationism. Intelligent design doesn't even begin to cover it.

All of the atheists out there should just sit back and not exchange gifts or anything like that on the 25th of December because for you, it's just another day of the year. No matter how you twist it around, the entire reason for celebration and gift giving is Jesus. Your arguments just don't hold water. To the retailers of the world....Merry Christmas...I'm making my gifts this year. To the Christians of the world...Merry Christmas and God bless you. God bless the rest of you too. Whether you want Him to or not, Jesus loves you anyway.

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

This is what it looks like around Denver today. This is what I want it to look like in Oklahoma right now. I would put a picture of what it does look like here, but that would just be too depressing. It is actually kind of nice with the leaves changing colors and all, but I WANT SNOW!!!! I talked to my sister this morning and she said that my niece was thrilled because she got to play in all that snow before she went to school. Oh well. I guess I'll just enjoy the pics as they're sent to me from Colorado. If my niece really loved me, she'd smack her mom with a snowball for me.

Nag Nag Nag

I have been ordered by my cousin to post a new blog. What a nag!

I was going to post pics of me in the half marathon that I finished last Sunday in 3:47:31, but the site that posted the pics decided that they'd rather make money off the pics instead of just letting you copy them. What will they think of next? Anyway, you're probably better off not seeing them.

The weather was perfect for the race. It was around White Rock Lake in Dallas. It was warm out, but the breeze coming off the lake made it really nice. The fall foliage was a good backdrop for the lake also. I found out that one of the guys I grew up with was in the race also. He ran it in 1 hr and 38 minutes. 13.1 miles! That's insane! Oh well.

I have to get up in the morning and run 13 miles again with my training group. I'm not really looking forward to it for some reason. Maybe because my muscles are still angry with me for overdoing it on Sunday. Or maybe it's because I'm a big baby who doesn't want to get out of bed that early in the morning. I think it's the first one.

Well, that's all I can think of right now. Cari, I promise when I think of anything else news-worthy (well, to me anyway) I'll put it on here. And, by the way, where are all your pics? Huh? Huh?

It's Cold in Oklahoma!!!

I am so excited! I am sitting here at work (don't worry...I'm at lunch) freezing and sipping on a hot cup of chai and it is awesome! The cold..not the chai. Well, the chai is good too.

I love this weather. You get to dress in layers, eat comfort food, not shave your legs. Well, you don't have to. I'll do it at least once a week. You know. Just because. The only drawback to the cold weather is that there is less to do outside. But, give me a warm fireplace and I won't mind.

I have tossed sanity to the wind and signed up to run a half marathon in a couple of weeks. Am I ready for this? Uh...NO! Am I going to do it anyway? Uh...yeah. I'm getting a lot of encouragement from friends and loved ones. You know, stuff like, "Are you crazy?" and "You're running HOW many miles?". Makes you just warm all over doesn't it?

I'm still working on fundraising for the marathon I'm going to attempt in January. Who knew $4000 was going to be so hard to raise? Any ideas out there? Let's keep it clean. I hope everyone is having a Happy Monday. Well, try to anyway.