I have just added the ability for people who post comments to get email notifications for updates!

I am so happy that I now have this option!

I am tempted to sign up even though I get notified already.

I have to say that The Red Pepper is one of my most favorite places to eat.  There are two locations in Kentucky, one in LaGrange and the newer one in Crestwood.  Same menu so going to either one is a great treat.  I will say that the Crestwood location has both indoor and out door seating and more tables than the smaller LaGrange Store.

And they are incredibly friendly-of course, it doesn’t hurt that I am in there at least once a week eating.  The other day I was meeting some co-workers for lunch and when I pulled up Laura said “Oh, Look, here comes Molly again.”  My co-workers were in awe!

They also know my standard order and occassionally try to steer me to try something new.  But, honestly people, the Miss Madison is the BEST sandwich ever created.  Check this out:

• Whole Grain Bread
• Turkey
• Spicey Mustard
• Mayo (that I sometimes ask them to old)
• Red Onion (that I also ask to be held)
• Benedictine
• Lettuce and Tomato

Heavenly.

I have tried other things and Laura hasn’t been wrong on what is delicious yet.  So, if you are ever in the area or even driving on Interstate 71 through Kentucky, head on over, you will not be disappointed.

We had Consecration Sunday. I absolutely LOVED it.  For years MY church (I have forever called it my parents church because I was never certian I was staying for any length of time) would have a team of people go do home visits and discuss your finances and get a tithing pledge card filled out.  I always hated that practice and luckily for whatever reason (hiding under the sofa) never had a home visit.

My tithing or lack of isn’t subject to a committee-and I know myself.  I am much less likely to give when my personal generosity is in question.   The bonus was a catered lunch AND a guest speaker-who happened to be the guy who was my Youth Minister at this same church. 

His sermon ROCKED!

He talked about how being a good steward isn’t just about the money you tithe, it is how you live.  How can you buy a pair of shoes for $85.00 when child labor in a third world country made them and they got paid pennies?  He mentioned Red Letter Chrisitians.  He talked about UNChrisitan (which is the next book on my reading list). He kicked (figuratively) rear end up and down the isle.

It was fantastic.
It was two things at once-my little clue that THIS IS where you are supposed to be DEAL with it and stuff I have been LONGING to hear, I just didn’t know it.  The title of the sermon was “A Peculiar People”  and I am one.  I always have been but people may not have used the word peculiar, they used ecentric, odd-bohemian.  Part of me was extremely proud of the nutball labels, but there was also a part of me that wasn’t so keen on being so darned different all the time.

And then he tied it all up in a nice package that related to giving and tithing.  Good stuff.  One of my favorite verses he mentioned.   Wouldn’t that make a nice tatoo (ok, if I ever grew the ovaries to actually have one…it would be so fun!)

1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
1 Peter 2:8-10 (in Context)
1 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)

So, now knowing EXACTLY what/who I am…puts a bit of pressure on me to make some changes that I was considering.  And woodoggie, they are not going to be easy.

Starting this week we are going to a “cash only” system for groceries and other day to day needs…the debit card will be for doc visits and gas (because we get a 3 cent discount when you use a debit card) and (the one that is going to KILL me)-no more trips to sonic.  It isn’t just the monitary cost, it is the environmental cost-the price of gas to get my happy arse over there AND the supersized styrofoam container that the beautiful pellet ice and unsweet tea is housed. 

Done. 
No more.

There will be more changes, but these are the first two.
I am terrified.

I love this tune and it is totally catchy.
I wish that I could get so lost in worship that I could be like this video and not be aware of what is going on around me.

Not to mention NYC is one of my favorite places on earth.

And you can listen to more great music over at Amy’s Signs, Miracles and Wonders

This weeks prompt is Wedding.

There is a part of me that is considered posting my first wedding story because it is flat out insane and makes a great read.  It also proves that poor union was doomed from the start. 

But, no one wants to remember that one- not me, not my former spouse and certianly not Sunny (which is the current one, but saying that sounds like he is the flavor of the week and well that is just not right!)

So, let me get back to what I am SUPPOSED to be writing about…

Wedding.
This one, that took place almost a year ago (one month from tomorrow), in Ames, Iowa.
(I love that town)

October 27th, 2007.

It was an awesome fall day-not even to chilly.  The most awesome thing about this event was the bride (me) had gotten over all of her “it has to be perfect” typical bride bitchiness. I did all of that the first time around. 

This time it would be completely stress free.
Seriously.

About 3 weeks before the wedding our special orders from India arrived.  Sunny’s was perfect and totally wearable (and he did wear it)…mine, not so much-unless my arms were as long as my legs and I walked on all of them.  I didn’t care.  I could have gotten married in a flour sack.

Just as long as it wasn’t a pair of blue jeans, I would be fine.

Mom and I went shopping for fabric and had the dress made in two weeks, it was beautiful.  Mom was worried about the shoes I would wear.  SO, I didn’t wear any.

Sunny and I had alot of fun pulling elements from other cultures and traditioins to create our ceremony.  The image above was one such touch.  I had been to a wedding several years ago where the bride and groom signed a wedding contract-as did all their guests as witnesses to the covenant AND supporters of the union.
We have it framed and it is hanging in the kitchen, were we can see it every day (if we look).

If you want to see more pictures, head over to my loving spouselets flickr account.

Head on over to Sunday Scribblings to read more on the topic.

(don’t you hate it when you are looking for a specific image and you can not find it for anything…well pretend that is inserted here!)

I guess an alternate title could be I ain’t no Jack Sparrow…
or Johnny Depp (he also seems to like the stacked bracelet-150 things on your arm gig like Richards).

Which brings me back to my entry.
Rag Bracelets.

My Clay buddy Lisa Clarke did a blog entry about the same time I started seeing these things pop up around the net.  She sews alot more than I do so she had more fabric choices. 

I have 2 shirts that I was using to make the lining of a jeans purse (that broke my sewing machine) and this past week in florida, I bought an old plaid polo.  I think it is great fun to make rag jewelry out of old shirts…I think they will fray faster and heck, right now I have a Tommy Hilfiger dress shirt and the plaid Polo AND a cheapie from walmart all thanks to your local goodwill.

I would marry it!

Lastnight I reorganized my iGoogle and it is perfect now first thing in the morning I can see exactly what I need to start my day and plan a bit.  Sure there are other things I could certianly use on my home page but check it out:

home page goodness

I have a weather widget that will let me know if there is severe weather in the area, I have the news, I have my email and bookmarks and reader AND google maps (do you know how often people ask me how to get somwhere?-they OBVIOUSLY don’t <3 google like I do!) 

Right now my favorite thing is the daily bible verse.  I had that widget about 6 months ago, but it never worked-I took a chance and re-added it and WOO-HOO.  Instant inspriation.

I am also checking out the theme of the day because I get so tired of the same stuff every day-

Variety.
The spice of life man.

Do you remember when Olivia Newton John had that song and it was a Jazzercise or aerobic class standard?
When THAT is what workout music was like?

That just doesn’t work for me.

I need music that is a lot harder.
And raw.

I was putting together a few workout playlists for my iPod (so I don’t get bored on the EFX) and I realized that praise music it is not!

Right now my favorite playlist contains the following:
Stronger
Hips Don’t Lie
Paralyzer
Low
Don’t Stop The Music
Sexyback
God Says Nothing Back

So, I started thinking about other playlists and several places online have lists
The FITNESS Top 100 I just don’t see how some of the tunes on this list are gonna get my blood pumpin’
More FITNESS This includes a list of celebrity playlists-could be more promising.
http://www.inthegym.net/  This one has a workout song of the day-I think that is pretty cool.
Women’s Health Playlists includes lists by some stellar athletes.  (bookmarkin’ this baby)
Military Playlists  These are great fun-I like what they named some of them like “Shut up and Push Maggot!”

I think that is a healthy list to keep me musically occupied for months.

What is your perfect workout playlist?

Heh.
Hardly.

We were in bed by 10:30 everynight and up eating our fiber and yogurt by 8:30 everyday.

That is how you “do” Florida when you are 40. (ok, or WILL be 40 within the month).

How can you resist this?

And this is what we did until noon everyday we were there.  Which is all my and Tara’s lily white bodies could handle with out becoming our own lobsters. 

After showers we went shopping-everyday.  To the “flea market” on Sample Road, to every store on Atlantic Avenue-down to Doc’s for Ice Cream and then to every store on the way back!

A Delray Landmark and Awesome place to eat-Boston's

Every night we ate out.  The first night Tara and I were there we went to the Mellow Mushroom-I don’t know why I keep trying-slightly over rated I think (It was much cooler when I didn’t know it was a chain). The first night Margo joined us we went to Boston’s on the Beach.  Their fish dip is one of my favorite things.  Then, we went to Two George’s and I had a crab cake sandwich-it was ok, but nothing like my Boston’s.  The last night we went to Boheme Bistro and let me tell you, I can not wait to go back-the humus was outstanding and the salad I ordered…just stunning.  Next time, I am going to bring ALL my pennies because dinner was more than we had budgeted, which is why I had salad.  The service at the Bistro was also excellent, which I can not say about any other of our evening dining-I think that many servers saw a table of women and assumed they were going to get a crappy tip…and because they sucked, they did (if ONLY 15% is crappy).

Check out more beach pic’s here<.

I was thinking about including a list of what I bought…but that would seriously be boring let me just say that I had to take the 12 lb laptop out of my checked bag so I would be under the weight limit.

We had fun.
Old lady fun.
It was awesome.

I read an article a couple of years ago in the Southeast Outlook.  I have searched online for a copy because it was the best explanation of our responsibility regarding email, forwarding and urban legends. 

I can’t find anything close. 
So, I am writing my own!

Most people who have sent me an email asking for me boycott a major retailer, or why I should or should not vote for candidate A, B or C, or pray for so and so’s missing kid…have gotten an email from me with a link to snopes.com or truthorfiction.com with exactly why I won’t be sending this on to 10 or 20 people.  Sometimes, I will send it to EVERYONE on the list…especially if I have gotten the same email from 2 or 3 different people in one day.

Checking the validity or the truthfulness of an email is not that difficult, heck; one can even type a phrase from the email into google.com and get results.

I realized the reason that all of these email forwards bother me so much is because they are basically lies.  For the most part, probably harmless-but it isn’t even that alone.  They are untruths that take away time and energy for efforts that could better serve our fellow humans.  Shaun Groves also had a fantastic entry on his blog on this subject last week-specifically about the candidates and half truths surrounding them. I love what he said at the end:

 “The point is that we as Christians should love every candidate and each other enough to learn and disseminate only that which we can be certain is true.”

http://www.breakthechain.org/
http://www.pleaselearntherules.com/  which is awesome to email someone that keeps sending you the Maxine emails that have been circulating since 1995.
http://info.org.il/irrelevant/may02-smilepop-soapbox4.swf  an oldie but a goodie!

And a few verses I am considering adding when I compose my email;Ephesians 5:10, Job 34:4 and I thessalonians 5:21.