How about 165 words?

For the last couple of Sundays, Mark has been challenging us to write our stories in 100 words or less. He feels it's important for all Christians to be able to share they story in a short and concise manner, so that when the opporunity arises you are prepared. Well, a hundred words is hard. I like to talk, especially when it comes to my story with Jesus. But here is my attempt. It is 165 words and you know what, it'll have to do.


__________


Melissa's Story

"I knew there was something more: I could feel it. I’d get intrigued when I heard God’s name. I thought about church but church was scary and weird. I was ashamed and embarrassed to ask anyone because I felt like I should know these things – it seemed everyone else did.

When I was 17, I gave in - asking my uncle a question and then accepting a church invitation from my cousin. I cried the entire service. I didn’t know why; I just felt something. The sermon title was “You can be happy,” about how Jesus could bring happiness to my life. I just kept crying. Then someone asked me if I wanted to pray and I actually wanted to pray.

I left the church, thinking 'I’m not sure I know what just happened but I know nothing will ever be the same again.' That was ten years ago, and nothing has been the same since. I found that something more – it was Jesus."


__________


So, what's your story?

Speaking of Jessie....

The Kaisers told me an interesting story on Sunday. I left Jessie in the Kaiser backyard on Sunday while I went to church and Timmy was at work. When I picked her up, they told me that Jessie had a "traumatic morning." Apparently, while Mary and George were driving home from church, they saw a couple walking a dog that looked like Jessie. Mary's reaction "Wait! That is Jessie!" In her church dress and heels, Mary runs down the street to the couple, asking them if that was there dog. She calls out "Jess" and sure enough if her typical manner, my dog starts shaking her butt and wagging her tail.

The Kaisers think that while she was in the backyard she must have somehow hit the gate. The gate must have been unlocked and popped open. Out comes my dog. Chester and Buffy remained inside like good doggies. Apparently, the couple that had her, saw her cross Oak Lane three times. In case you aren't familiar, Oak Lane isn't a fun street; I don't like making a left hand turn out of the Kaisers because of the traffic on this street. But she crossed it three times and then made her way to Scully's a local business down the street from the Kaisers. That's when the couple found her. They said they were walking her around, hoping that her owner was out looking for her. If they hadn't found the owners, she was going to call the number on her tag in the morning. (Up until two days ago, Jessie only had her license tag and her microchip, so there was no home number on her.) Thankfully, they were walking her along Oak and Mary and George were driving home at the same. If not, Missy and Timmy would have had a very bad Sunday.

I start crying if I think about it too much. Going to bed at night without her. Waking up and not knowing if she was safe all night. She has a microchip, but that is only helpful if someone finds her and takes her to a shelter or vet. I, of course, think she is so beautiful and so great (despite eating poo and suffering from separation anxiety), that I fear whoever found her would keep. But God took care of us on Sunday. And I am so grateful.

Beast Of Burden

Here's a few pics of Jessie modeling her new dog backpack. At first she skulked around with her tail between her legs - generally looking persecuted and uncomfortable. Before long, though, she was trotting along like always. It was just a trial run, so she only had a 20oz bottle of water in each side pouch. I'm hoping to work her up to carrying all of her own supplies for future backpacking trips, though. We'll see.

Continuing Christian Oddities

Building on Melissa's previous post (and my comment to it) about goofy church signs and such....

A church sign in Upper Chi - "God's gift is the church, assembly required."

A license plate coming down Oak Lane - "It's time to vote for Jesus."

And, lastly, this nugget of awesomeness from the checkout line at Acme:

Scrabulous Part 2

I am working from home this afternoon, compiling the data from Sunday's surveys. I can do that at my desk at home, which is great since my computer at the church is dying and needs to go to the hospital. So, while I sit here, I decided to give into Scrabulous. That was this morning. This afternoon, coincidently, is the National School Scrabble Championship on ESPN. These 12-14 years are making me feel very, very pathetic.

In other news not related to Scrabulous - my dog eats poo. It's really nasty. I love walking her.

Also, Jessie barked at me a few times this morning. I could tell she wanted her balls that rolled under the couch, so I got them. Well, now she keeps barking me and it's an angry bark "Missy, get my toys!" Uh-uh. I tell her to go sit down and threaten the spray bottle. Then after a little while, she comes back at me and barks some more. She has become quite talkative lately.

Oh yeah, Timmy and I took some pictures from our recent trip to Orlando. However, they are on our phones. I don't know how to download them onto my mac and I don't think Timmy has thought of it. But soon enough, we will share our exciting pictures from sunny Florida. Don't get to crazy - they're not that exciting. Just enough to make a blog :)

Scrabulous

So I just finished my first game of "Scrabulous" on Facebook. It's basically an online game of scrabble, for those not in the know. My final score was 428 points, which is a personal best to say the least. I present to you the fabulousness of the words I used, along with their total points. (Keeping in mind that several were placed in such a way that they formed two or more words on the board, along with various triple word/triple letter spaces.)

1. Paying - 14 points
2. Tutu - 12 points
3. Oregano - 14 points
4. Azure - 72 points
5. Wince - 41 points
6. Bird - 27 points
7. Inflect - 34 points
8. Hovering - 96 points
9. Kraut - 28 points
10. Em - 23 points
11. Loom - 11 points
12. Vibes - 42 points
13. Pe - 14 points

Yessir, that was one fine game of Scrabble.