Tired of Today's Fashion Trend

I don't know about you, but I am really tired of seeing people who look like their clothes were shrunk in the wash. Well actually, it is mostly the women who's clothes look shrunk. The trend with the guys is wearing clothes that are too big. I can't stand seeing guys with their pants falling down and seeing the top of their boxers. I am tired of sloppy over-sized clothes on guys. Did you know that the "style" of guys letting their butts hang out of their pants was started in prison? It was to signal to other inmates that you were willing to let them have sex with you.

Now the women...the pants don't come up high enough and the tops are real clingy and don't go down all the way to cover their midsection. This is ridiculous. It is even worse when a woman is fat and flabby and rolls of fat are revealed that I NEVER wanted to see. TACKY!!!! When will these terrible fashion trends end? It is all so nausiating.

Thirteen Favorite Comedy Movies Vol. 2

Thirteen Things about Joe Norman This list is not in order of how much I like them. I have trouble deciding that. 1…. Gross Point Blank (Starring John Cusak & Minni Driver granted a Dark comedy) 2 . A Night At The Opera (Marx Brothers) 3 . The Wedding Singer (Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore) 4 . Airplane (Too many stars to name) 5 . Ferris Bueler's Day Off 6 . Home Alone 7 . The Three Amigos (Chevy Chase, Martin Short, Steve Martin) 8 . Uncle Buck (John Candy) 9 . BIG (Tom Hanks) 10 . A Fish Called Wanda (John Cleese, Michael Palin, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline) 11 . So I Married An Axe Murderer (The first Mike Meyers movie) 12 . Foul Play (Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn) 13 . Adventures In Babysitting (Elizabeth Shue) Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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MeMe Time

Meme time
stolen from Jackie:

[A is for age:] 41

[B is for booze of choice:]I'll put Coca~Cola as Beverage of choice. No Booze for me.

[C is for career:] student for now, Music Education someday soon.

[D is for your dog’s name:] Fudge was my 1st, Samson was my 2nd...both are dead now.

[E is for essential item you use everyday:] computer

[F is for favorite music/song at the moment:] Switchfoot's latest CD

[G is for favorite games:] Chess, Pente, Paper Toss (Thanks Kelly)

[H is for Home town:] Dallas, Texas
[I is for instruments you play:] Piano

[J is for jeans] Wrangler relaxed fit(mainly for the price.

[K is for kids?:] 1 Step-Daughter, 1 Son

[L is for last hug?:] a friend at school here...Heather

[M is for marriage:] recently divorced after 11 yrs of Marriage

[N is for name of your crush:] Jennifer Garner

[O is for overnight hospital stays:] Mumps at 17 yrs old; dehydrated, fever was 105

[P is for phobias:] just a little claustrophobia, hand-shaking

[Q is for quote:] "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right."
~ Henry Ford
[R is for biggest regret:] My part in the failure of my marriage.

[S is for singing (couldn't think of what to put for STATUS, so I changed it):] Everywhere I go. It is my favorite thing to do and I always have music in my head.

[T is for time you wake up:] When my alarm goes off...at least most of the time.

[U is for underwear:] Yes, I wear underwear...Hanes brand...that is all I am sharing.

[V is for vegetables you love:] bell peppers, cucumbers, Carrots, Brocholi, Celery, fresh baby spinach, Jalepino peppers(but they don't like me), most veggies.

[W is for worst habit:] procrastinating

[X is for x-rays you’ve had:] teeth, neck, back, knees, shoulders, chest.

[Y is for yummy food you make:] Steak, and Chicken Fajitas

[Z is for zodiac sign:] Do not believe in that...although I THINK I am a Virgo.

Pressing On

Today I want to share some verses that I look to when I am feeling like I can't go on and life is too hard. The first passage I want to share is among my very favorite. I used to be a long distance runner and this was something that I could reall identify with. It was used in one of my all-time favorite movies, "Chariots of Fire" The main character in the movie reads this passage and asks; "So where does the strength come from to keep going when you feel like you can't go on? From within." The Lord gives us inner strength when we have His Word written on our hearts.

Isiaih 40:28-31 ~ Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Of coarse these verses in I Corinthians also speak well to me because of my background in running long distance. Paul says he "disciplines" his body and brings it into "subjection". He makes sure he is physically prepared. Exercise is not easy. It is painful. It is necessary for the body to undergo stress and pressure in order to increase in strength. God made our bodies to be active. He also made our spirits to be active. We must learn to discipline ourselves so that when trials come, we will endure.

I Cor.9:24-27 ~ 24Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Here in II Thessalonians, I am reminded that the Lord is faithful. This is important for me to remember. Many times in my darkest hour, I have felt alone...but I am not alone. As long as I am faithful, I can depend on God to be faithful to me as well.

II Thes.3:3-5 ~ 3But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. 5Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

Here in Hebrews I am reminded that I must look to Jesus as I run with endurance. Jesus is my prime example of how I need to live my life.

Heb.12:1,2 ~ 1Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Here, Paul was feeling weak. He was struggling with a "thorn in the flesh", but he realized that it was to strengthen him and also to keep him humble that the glory would be God's. We too can find stength when we are weak. Every difficult time or situation will help us to grow that much stronger in Christ.

II Cor.12:9,10 ~ 9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul tells us here in Philippians that he presses on; he forgets the past and reaches forward, pressing toward the goal. We must not dwell on past mistakes or failures, but continue to look ahead toward one day being in Heaven with God.

Phil.3:12-16 ~ 12Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.

I pray that this post will encourage those who read it. God's word is a powerful resource for us and we need to remember to study it daily. Until we feed on the Word of Life regularly, we will be weak and mal-nourished. Seek to please God in all you say and do.

Thirteen Places I Have Lived While Growing Up

Thirteen Things about Joe Norman 1…. Farmer's Branch, Texas (I was born at Baylor 9. Medical Center in Dallas. My family lived in Farmer's Branch at that time. It is a suburb in North Dallas.) 2 . Milwaukie, Wisconson ~ VERY young 3 . Somewhere in Kansas...I can't remember where exactly...give me a break...I was a toddler at the time. 4 . Springfield, Virginia (I think I was 2 yrs old when we moved here. We stayed until I got out of kindergarden.) 5 . Denison, Texas (I repeated kindergarden.) 6 . McLean, Virginia (I was in 1st and 2nd grade.) 7 . Grand Prarie, Texas (suburb in between Dallas and Ft.Worth. I was in 3rd grade.) 8 . Lubbock, Texas (I was required to repeat 3rd grade) 9 . El Paso, Texas (I was in 4th grade here) 10 . Garland, Texas (A suburb in North Dallas.I was in 5th grade and half of 6th grade here) 11 . DeSoto (A suburb in far south Dallas area. Finished second half of 6th grade and one half of 7th grade) 12 . Richardson, Texas (Another suburb in North Dallas area. I lived here from the 2nd half of 7th grade until I graduated from Highschool.) 13 . Plano, Texas.(A suburb even farther North Dallas area. I lived there for three years.) If you want a reason for all the moving, my dad was a preacher for most of those years. I think I got them in the right order and all, but it is pretty confusing. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Bona Fide Bunkum 2. Ginger 3. treasure of jewels 4. daddy's roses 5. a blog 4 chilady 6. carmen 7. integrated ambiguity 8. amy 9. Cozy Reader 10. sonja 11. Feathers

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

What Music means to me

How important is music to you? Here I am in college and I am trying to finish my degree in Music Education. I recently did a speech for my beginning speech class on the problem of many public schools cutting the music classes out of their curriculum. Many with the power to cut music out of public schools seem to think that music is expendable. Have you ever known a nation or tribe that did not have music? Why do you think that is? Music was considered vitally important in the education of ancient Greece. There have been many publicized studies that have shown that students who are involved in some kind of music education do better in school. They are not sure if the music training helps these students get better grades or if students who get better grades tend to want music training.

But then the experts who conduct these studies have not talked to me or others like me. I struggled with school especially when I was young. I had to take kindergarden twice and third grade twice. Was I not as smart as other kids? No. It seems that the problem was that my brain had to go through an extra step to translate the abstract. In other words, it took me longer than most students to read anything, numbers, letters, anything. Once this was identified as the problem, the teachers would give me extra time to finish tests. That made a huge difference.

I did not start taking any music lessons until I was 12 yrs old. I was very shy and introverted. I was VERY afraid to get in front of people. At 12, I started studying piano from a private teacher. I took to it like a fish to water. But when I had to play in a recital, I was petrified. My teacher encouraged me to take every opportunity to play in front of anyone. I forced myself to go to the nursing homes and play the piano. If I visited any friend who had a piano in their house, I would ask to play. This helped me very much.

I also joined Orchestra in 8th grade. I was amazed that they offered it at my public school. Again, I was learning to play cello very fast. I also joined the school choir in 8th grade. My choir director was super impressed with me and made me a part of her small group, the Madrigals. There were 8 guys and 8 girls. At that time, I was singing, tenor, bass, and sometimes alto. Because of my piano and cello lessons, my sight-singing was very strong. I have also always had a good ear.

I continued to do well in piano, choir, and Orchestra My reading ability in general got much better. I was still slower than average, but I was getting faster. My piano teacher taught music theory and music history for all grade levels. We took tests on both at SMU that were given by the Texas Music Educators Association. I always got straight A's in music theory and music history. My confidence was improving all the time. My school grades were getting better too.

In the late 80's, I started doing things I never dreamed I'd have the nerve to even try. I started leading the singing at church. By the 90's, I started teaching Bible classes. When I returned to college in 2000, I went to a community college. I maintained a 3.86 GPA while going to school there. I was on the Dean's list and a member of Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society. Now I am comfortable getting in front of people and talking or performing. This would have never happened if I had not studied music. Music has helped me in so many ways. I love it so very much.

How Old Is The Earth and Is the Bible reliable?

First I want to address the question of how old the earth is. No one can really establish how old the earth really is…not scientists, nor Bible scholars, nor anyone else. There are several modern methods scientists use to estimate the Earth’s Age. Of all the methods used, C-14 and potassium-argon are the two methods considered to be the most reliable according to most scientists. Yet, these methods are completely dependant on the assumption the production rate of C-14 in the outer atmosphere had not changed at all in all of history and the decay rate was the same in the past as it is today. They also depend on the assumption that there were never any major cosmic events at least in the past 45,000 years that could possibly change the C-14 production rate or decay rate. This causes much doubt as to the reliability of these methods.

What we know for sure is that the historical period of man goes back only to about 5,000 to 7,000 B.C. as scientists accept it. Most scientists believe that intelligent man has been on the earth for about 1,750,000 years. If this is true, what has he been doing all that time? Man’s historical record only goes back about half of one percent of the alleged time scientists think man-like creatures have been on the earth.

For many years, archaeologists did not believe that the Hittite nation, which is mentioned in the Old Testament, really existed. Then, not long ago, they uncovered ruins and found the Hittite nation did in fact exist. Archaeology continues to do nothing but find more evidence to support the accuracy of the Bible in History.

Now as for the legitimacy of the Bible, let’s first point out that there are 66 books of the Bible and was written by approximately 40 men over a period of nearly 1,600 years. The 1st books of the Old Testament were written by Moses, about 1,500 B.C., and the last book of the Bible was written by the apostle John, approximately A.D. 100. The writers used different languages primarily, Hebrew and Greek, with small portions in Aramaic. In many instances the writers had no access to the other books of the Bible dealing with events of their own time, yet they wrote in perfect unity, each complementing that which the others had written.

The unity of the scriptures could not have been achieved except that God guided the various writers. In other “sacred” books of the world, there is nothing that can be properly called history. They are for the most part jumbles of heterogeneous material, loosely placed together, without order, continuity, or unity of any kind. The Bible on the other hand, is a history with a beginning, a middle, and an end. There is nothing like this, nothing even approaching it, in any other collection of sacred books in the world. It is filled with prophecies in the Old Testament that were fulfilled in the New Testament. Many were not possible to be forced to happen. Example; Psalms 22:18 predicts that the Christ’s garments would be divided. It was fulfilled by the Roman soldiers in John 19: 23-24. No bones of the Savior would be broken; Psalms 34: 20. This was fulfilled in John 19: 33-36.

What are the chance possibilities of making over 85 prophecies concerning Christ hundreds of years before His birth and having them all fulfilled in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus?

Hebrews 11:1;
1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is the "substance" of things we hope for...substance tells me it is NOT subjective, nor is it blind. the "evidence" of things not seen...tells me that faith is built on solid proofs. A comment someone made to me was wrong. I told someone that I KNOW what God's view on homosexuality, sex outside of marriage, and many other worldly practices are because the Bible tells me. This person's response to me was, "You only 'think' you know...you believe you know, but you don't really know." The problem I have with that statement is that I really do know...I would not believe if I did not know. I do not believe the Bible is the Word of God and it is without error just because I was raised to believe it and "blindly" believe it. I looked for EVIDENCE to support the claims the Bible itself makes about being inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error.

What puzzles me is that we only have a handful of ancient copies of the writings of Socrates...no originals...and yet, no one doubts the acurracy of the copies. There are more ancient copies of every single book of the Bible than any other ancient written work ever discovered. The consistency of all these copies is nothing short of absolutely amazing. Yet, many doubt the accuracy and reliability of the Bible. Many who claim to be Christian even doubt the accuracy. One thing I can guarantee though, most of the people who doubt the accuracy of the Bible are not avid readers of it and may not have ever read more than a handful of verses in their entire lives.

Thirteen of my fears

Thirteen Things about Joe Norman 1…. God...the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 2 . I fear a home invasion...I know I shouldn't, but I do. 3 . I fear seeing my kids die before I do...I'm working on overcoming all but the first one. 4 . I am a bit clostraphobic. 5 . I am a bit of a germ-a-phob 6 . I fear sky-diving, but I am not really afraid of heights. 7 . I am stage-fright...but have mostly overcome it. 8 . I am afraid of any animal that can kill me...and/or eat me(mostly predators). 9 . I am afraid of drowning...even though I am a great swimmer. 10 . I am afraid of burning to death...here, or eternally in Hell. 11 . I am afraid of airplanes...but do okay when I fly anyway. 12 . I am afraid of becoming a human vegitable and having to live like that. 13 . I am afraid of most anything that is real painful...needles are not real painful so they are not included. I am trying real hard to overcome all my fears, but the first one like I said; that one is necessary...and good for me. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

What is the love that makes a marriage great?

I just watched the movie "The Wedding Date" and although I liked parts of it, I did not like all the sex outside of marriage. I know that is the way most of this world does things and it is no big deal to many, but it bothers me. One thing I really did like was near the end of the movie. One character said, "I'd much rather fight with you than make love to any woman in the world". That was the guy that was hired to be the lead girl's wedding date. He was a male escort or "prostitute."
Earlier, he was talking to a guy who found out minutes before his wedding that his fiance` was having sex with his best friend. She had ended it with the best friend and told her soon to be husband because she realized that she did not want to trick him into marrying her. She wanted to confess and know that if he married her, it was because he loved her in spite of stupid mistakes in the past. The soon to be husband was not sure what he should do. The male prostitute said something about how hard it is to love someone else completely and let them love you back. He also said that you will know if she is the right one for you if you know all her faults and love her anyway.
The couple did get married and the lead girl that hired the wedding date, made a toast to the newlyweds. She said to the husband..."No one can love her better than you. You two be good to each other."
Then I was very teary eyed. But I wonder how true these things I heard in the movie really are. Marriages are falling apart at an all time high in this country and nearly every other country as well. No one really seems to be able to love someone else even when they make mistakes and/or have certain faults. No one seems good enough to the majority of people to grow old with. As I see it, selfishness is at an all-time high.
My marriage was not all I thought it was, and definitely was not all it should have been. We both made mistakes. But the difference was, I never stopped trying to make it work...until, I was forced to give up. I hope that I make less mistakes if and when I get married again. I am sure I will make less mistakes...but more importantly, I hope that the woman I choose to marry, will love me no matter what and realize that anything worth having is worth fighting for. Marriage that lasts and is happy, takes 100% effort from both people in the marriage...working as a team. My wife should be my best friend, my lover, and willing to face the world together.