brenda's thoughts, watch out I'm Christian

I took a short hike the other day, only a couple miles at most and was much disappointed. Not enough boggy swamp and not a long enough walk. I really need to rethink my criteria for a good hike. I sound like a member of the Adam's family.

I did walk up on or was walked up on by a huge deer. I've never seen one so big. It had either six or eight points. I really couldn't count them because I was too obsessed by their possible sharpness and just how close he was to me. But, God is good, I was wearing my lucky sweatshirt (have I told you this before) so he couldn't see me. I was cloaked like a Klingon cruiser (Treky alert). It was really weird because he kept looking right at me as if he knew something was there (I was standing in plane sight in the middle of the road, cloaking devise activated- God is good) but then he would go right back to eating only to look up again after a minute or two. I think I creeped him out.

Saw a couple otters, those guys aren't too bright, my cloaking devise was activated and they were so sure that something was there and they were so curious that they almost came right up to me.

If I could make duplicates of this shirt I could sell it and make millions.

My mother used to yell up the stairs when we were kids, "What do you want for dinner?" If we didn't answer her she would then yell up at us, "How about liver and spinach?" Then she would say, "No response means compliance." We learned to respond when being spoken to but not before learning to eat liver and spinach.
This is a true story, as an adult I choose not to eat liver or spinach and sometimes I still choose not to respond.

OK all you readers, all seventeen of you, this is your chance to respond or at least pause a moment.

Question
Are blogs, some blogs, this blog, any blog, too open with personal information? Are the people who write the blogs endangering themselves emotionally, physically, psychologically, socially?

A couple times over the years I have been told that my blog is too personal, that I am allowing myself to be a target. 

Last year a young girl killed herself because she was harassed by readers of her blog (to the ring leader of that you are a psycho, she was only thirteen). There is a law against internet harassing now. For the record only one person has ever been rude on my blog and he apologized very nicely and even writes from time to time.

Several times I have regretted what I've written, not because it was too personal but more often because it was poorly written or too juvenile in nature.

I love writing and enjoy the rush of imagining someone is reading my thoughts but cringe at their possible reaction. I like to think that I write to help others but the reality is that I write because I like to hear my own words. I am my biggest fan. (Critics not needed.)

So Are blog writers just techno geeks who talk to themselves? Are the socially inept rising to the top of a literary fad? Or are we our only audience? Are we who write the same we who read? Most of all is it time to shut this thing down and start talking to live people?

talk to me

Which were crisp, cool and beautifully colored,

Whenever I go walking I always talk to God as I walk,

I have a pattern I follow in our conversation,

(It reminds me of David in the Psalms)

First I start out whining and fussing or angry

Then I remember God's greatness

Then I feel rebuked and ask forgiveness

Then I feel forgiven

Then I shut up and am ready to listen

Then God speaks

Then I feel peace and joy

This morning I made it to God's greatness

And was interrupted by countless hunters in the woods,

So I'll go back this afternoon and try to find and quieter and safer spot

The day before Thanksgiving,
I went grocery shopping for my daughter this morning who is out of money and has no food,
I put things in the buggy and took them out, which food items say, "you're my daughter and I'll help you" and which say, "you're my daughter and I'll save you from taking responsibility for your own bad spending habits"???
Every holiday season since I was a kid I've always watched all the Star Wars movies,
my sons says, "You gotta see what I downloaded onto my PSP.",
Its the Robot Chicken and the Family Guy versions of Star Wars,
an absolute desecration... I laughed, I know I shouldn't have but I did,
spent the afternoon in the kitchen with mom,
its a race every year to see who can cook the most,
pies, cakes, breads, casseroles,
the smell of pumpkin bread, sweet potatoes, pecan pie and French-fried onions,
probably drives the neighbors nuts,
:)

Background music is supplied by dood,

TSO Nutcracker Suite complete with electric guitar and drum solo, can't be beat

Hope you're having a great Thanksgiving eve

So I was at another meeting for people who can't quite get it together. And I'm asked, "Where do you see yourself right now? Where have you been and where are you going?"

I attend these meetings because I had a bad marriage and it left me with feelings of worthlessness and depression. Scratch that. I had feelings of worthlessness and allowed myself to marry a man who did not respect me. The depression came after.

So I'm looking forward, backward and present-ward, like I've been told to for the last year or so, when I realize that my view is based on my position.

If I'm underwater I can't see the surface or speculate on it. (Water being a metaphor for an unhealthy lifestyle) If I've been held at the bottom for a long time then (that's exactly what being in an unhealthy lifestyle feels like, like your drowning, you just keep drowning) I don't want to look back down. It's still too frightening. While I'm in that middle area, between the surface and the bottom, I'm expending all my energy just trying to stay there. I'm panicked. I can't think or move.

I think that was the most scared I've ever been. More than when, as a child, I had to get out of the boat because the motor was stuck in the mud or as an adult the night my father removed my husband from the house.

Today I'm swimming on the surface, at peace with where I've been and gingerly looking forward to where I'll go.

How did I get here? Leaning on and trusting in God. Prayer and petition and faith. Prayer and petition and faith. If you're neck deep and sinking fast or already fairly drown only God can rescue you. Prayer, petition and faith.

We figured out how to use her dishwasher and filled it up. We put the mop and broom together. I have to say it, "In my day we didn't have to assemble our mops and brooms."

I sat on the couch comforting her cat who was certain I'd take her home with me.

I watched Sarah open boxes and pull out items. She's been collecting dishes and towels and stuff for this day since she was sixteen. Now she was able to use them for the first time.

Two weeks ago she said she would cook Thanksgiving Dinner. She also said, "how do you cook a turkey?"

CONSERVATION ALERT
If you love the Ocmulgee River?
If you love the middle Georgia woods?
If you've ever been awed at the silence of alligators or the wingspan of herons?
If you've ever admired the resilience of wildflowers?
If you've ever watched an otter and was too captivated to move?

If you've ever stepped off the beaten path and felt that you never wanted to return?
If you've ever skimmed a stone across the surface of the water
and been glad that there were wild places left...
then
this is the cause for you
go here
 

http://www.saveoakywoods.com

sign here

http://www.petitiononline.com/4gahunt/petition.html

BUT

If your idea of nature's beauty is a well manicured lawn?

If your idea of wildlife is your cat stalking a squirrel?

But

You think wildlife and wild places should be protected?
If you think we have enough golf courses, apartment complexes and shopping plazas?

Then

This is still the cause for you

go here
http://www.saveoakywoods.com

sign here

http://www.petitiononline.com/4gahunt/petition.html