This is what the world is coming to

Overheard at Starbucks yesterday morning:

Lady to the man standing in line ahead of her: "That is a beautiful ring you are wearing! How gorgeous!"
The man said thank you and continued in small talk with her.

The weird part of this story is that he was clearly homosexual and was wearing a 4 karat round solitaire and a diamond eternity band on his ring finger! Come on lady, you cannot convince me that you did not for a second think this was inherently wrong and ironic!

December 23

And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
Revelation 16:7

The phrase ‘another out of’ does not appear in the original Greek text. Thus, newer translations correctly render this verse: ‘And I heard the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.’ Now whether this voice be figurative or literal, I cannot say. But this much is sure: the voice which cries, ‘True and righteous are thy judgments, O Lord,’ originates at the altar.

In our own times of trial and tribulation, there can be a tendency within us to question the fairness of the Father.

But the altar, the place of sacrifice, the Cross speaks just the opposite.

If you don’t see this, you’ll go through life one day blessing the Lord in the amphitheater and the next day cursing Him because of your troubles at work.

God demonstrated His love for you in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Therefore, I must look at every trial I face, every hard time I endure through the lens of God’s love as shown on the altar of Calvary.

‘What shall we say then? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?’ (Romans 8:32). Because God loved me enough to hang on the Cross in my place, to pay for my sin, to die for me, I know everything He does in my life — whether or not I understand it at the time — is right.

If I complain about my job, boss, paycheck, kids, singleness, employees — it only means I am not listening to the cry of the altar, that I have forgotten Calvary. Allow the Cross to ‘altar’ your view, precious people, as you look at everything in the light of Calvary.

This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon. "A Days Journey" is a collection of 365 short devotions from the New Testatment.
Pastor Jon Courson

Sanctuary City

Read this article about immigration in Houston. You decide if we are a Sanctuary City.

Emergency Room

Wednesday morning I awoke slowly. I started my coffee maker as usual and drank my first cup as I put on my make up. Soon I began to feel winded. I felt as if I could not catch a full, deep breath. I continued to get ready but I asked God to comfort me and strengthen me. I also practiced breathing exercises hoping I would feel better for school.
Feeling out of breath is not new to me. It has been going on since early 2004. The first time it happened I had just quit smoking (yes, I has smoked off and on since 2001) and felt that maybe this was related. The breathing problems persisted occasionally over the next 3 years as I continued to smoke.
On October 31st 2006, I quit smoking for good. That was it. I had to be done with this nasty habit because of it's devastating effects. I no longer wanted to reak of it nor did I want cancer.
This past year after I quit, whenever I worked out, I felt it was incredibly difficult to get through my cardio without feeling worn out and breathless. There also were days when I would wake up and be out of breath for no reason. I would have to lie down and try breathing exercises. I finally took myself to the doctor in July of 2007. This doc said it could be asthma so he gave me Singulair and an Albuterol inhaler to use before physical activity. I slowed down on the work outs but was still waiting tables and used the inhaler infrequently.
Nothing much changed with medication. I began teaching and had about 4 or 5 episodes of feeling out of breath. Not just out of breath but it felt I had this pressure on my chest. I also felt faint and weak for most of the day.
Last week I had 3 days of it. By Thursday I broke down. I tend to keep health issues to myself for some reason. Maybe I think it is not that bad. Maybe I do not know how to talk about it. Whatever the reason, it was not the best idea to keep it to myself though.
I was at school trying to make a dr. appointment but my doc did not seem too accomodating or caring about my issue so I quickly found a new one. The nurse said she would try to get me in by Friday. It was Thursday and I needed to see a doctor today! So right as my 6th period kids were entering class, I just started crying and could not stop. Luckily my friend the speech teacher came to the rescue. He took my kids into his classroom so I could calm down. I called my mom and she gave me advice and prayed with me. Soon enough I was ready to take on my last 2 classes for the day. I then had to work my usual d-hall shift and then went home to relax.
Friday morning during my conference period I got into my new doctor. The nurse administered an asthma test which showed my breathing was just fine. No problems there. The doc asked questions and basically surmised that my sinuses were backed up and I needed a nasal inhaler to breath better. Okay, she seems to know what she is talking about I thought.
Fast forward to Wednesday where I left off...
I got to school and had an hour and a half before my first class because of finals. I was still struggling to breathe deep and I felt more faint by the minute. I got online to research my symptoms on Web MD. Everything about chest pressure and breathing problems kept saying to go immediately to the ER. What? I have never been to the ER and that only happens on tv anyway...besides, I have a class coming in soon. What will the administration think? So I just started sobbing. I prayed about it to calm down and sent a quick email to the appropriate people that I would be leaving to go to the hospital and asked if they could cover my classes. The secretary swiftly arrived in my room to see how I was and let me leave to the ER. I left crying and called my family. I called my sister and before I could get the words out, she was on her way to meet me. I talked with my dad and eventually my mom. My sister met me at the ER and I filled out the paperwork. Soon, I was seen by the entry nurse and then taken to a room where I was told to put on a gown. Why do I need to do that? I wondered. Another nurse arrived to ask me questions. Then another nurse came in to ask me other questions. She was very competent and knowledgeable. She was also funny and full of positivity. A little while later I was getting blood drawn and having an EKG done on my heart. I was then take to get chest x-rays. This whole ordeal was about 3 hours long so it was awesome to have my sister be there for support. It was very encouraging to have her by my side as we talked about life. Eventually Dr. O'Malley (yes, Holly and I grinned at each other when we heard that was my dr. for all you Grey's fans) came to review the tests and rule out possibilities. He was a Northerner with the gentleness of a Southerner. He was very thourough and kind. He said my oxygen levels were perfect and my x rays showed nothing. Heart was great too. He, along with the nurse, thought it could have been anxiety or a panic attack. I do not think it was that at all because I am still having the same problems today. But they did suggest that I get my thyroid checked as well as my hormone levels. In the ER, they are prepared for emergencies so the other issues need to be checked out by specialists.
Praise the Lord I was checked out by 12:45pm and on my way to lunch with my sister. The principal's secretary called to check in on me and of course my family wanted to know what was going on. My mom wanted to drive in from Lake Charles but I told her that would not be necessary. I am a big girl now ;)
I spent the rest of the day napping and resting. My breathing was still a struggle up until I fell asleep. The next day I felt better but not perfect. All my students wanted to know what happened to me. The staff and teachers were also very sympathetic to what was going on with me. It was incredibly encouraging to come back to such warmth. I really feel like we are a family at school and I am thankful the Lord has placed me there. Most everyone is so understanding and supportive.
Today I am still feeling the effects of this breathing issue. The next step is setting up an appointment over Christmas break to get everything else checked out. I would greatly appreciate your prayers at this time for wisdom from God and that I would not be fearful.
Joshua 1:9 says, Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Even though I still do not know what is wrong with me, I am trusting the Lord for the direction. He was taken care of me through this experience and for that I can only be thankful. I am definitely praising Him for allowing my sister to be there, for my school to have been so understanding, and for great hospital staff that made the experience more enjoyable.

Politics and Cuba

Ever since I travelled to Cuba this past summer, my heart beats widly for this oppressed country. If I hear anything related to Cuba, Cubans, or Castro, my ears perk up. This was a country I sadly did not research up until I was praying about a mission trip to go on so now I like to stay updated on the status of Cuba. Tonight I was just checking out Mike Huckabee's page (2008 Republican candidate) so see where he stands on the issues when I noticed that he has a Cuba policy! It is worth your time to read it (and see what other views he has).

Civic duty

Sunday afternoon I was leaving T.J. Maxx when all of the sudden I heard the screech of tires as a car tried to brake before crashing into the glass wall of a store. Several of us shoppers stopped to see what just happened. 2 Hispanic males got out of the 4 door American made sedan to survey the damage. Their fender had completely fallen off and the building was damaged. As I drove past them, I saw that these two men were about to pull out of the parking lot leaving their fender behind and without calling the cops to report their accident! I don't think so! I quickly memorized their license plate and wrote it down as they sped down Sage towards Westheimer. I then called 911 and reported those criminals. Why would they be leaving the scene of a crime so quickly? I have a few reasons:
1. They have priors on their records.
2. Their car is stolen.
3. They have no insurance.
4. They are illegal aliens.

I feel it is my civic duty to help protect my city any way I can (and help Houston with the immigration problem). There are not enough cops to do the job so why not help them out?

Bliss

I have to say my day has been quite wonderful. I went to a brunch with some good girlfriends and enjoyed gourmet cooked food by one of my greatest friends. She made a quishe with eggs, spinach and canadian bacon. We also feasted on muffins, pound cake, pumpkins waffles, blood red oranges, chocolate truffles and spiced hot tea. Yum! We also had fun conversations and enjoyed one another's company. I absolutely love eating with my girlfriends. It's like we instantly connect and bond over food. It warms our hearts and it enhances our quality time tendfold!

Right now I am washing laundry, dusting my bookcase, putting up pictures, drinking coffee, cleaning and listening to the playlist of a fellow blogger. I am at peace and resting in the Lord in my sanctuary. Who knows what the rest of the day holds?

"...Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the Lord. "And I will heal them."
Isaiah 57:19

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom favor rests." Luke 2:14

The language of middle school

Miss K posted about the poor grammar of her students so I had to respond with one of my own!
I confiscated this note from an 8th grader back in September...this was written by Home Wrecker to Tall Drink of Starbucks:

Subject; your'e hawt
Hey hawtie,
wuz up. so you go out with _____.
So I was wondering if you were going to the party that AJ throwing. So buddy, I think you are really hawt, but you r takin (LOL). and If u were not takin I would ask you out. (LOL) So if u go to the party let me knowh !!! And if ya gurl friend doesn't go I will dance with, cuz me and Alex don't go together.
Give me ya numba!!
P.S. Your'e hawt!!!!
Holla at me if you wear shorts cuz I am going to wear shorts.

I do not how many times I grade warm ups, worksheets, homework or projects that I see this SAME text messaging language and poor grammar! I know them kids be in Language Arts....don't they teachas teach any thang??

School boys: again

Today Robert was taking his apron off and proceeded to do a stripper dance as well as sing and spin the apron above his head. At the end of class he got onto a chair and demonstrated his suggestive dance again.

I laughed so hard.

I didn't get it on camera.

Dang it.

But I did ask him if he had a "job" outside of school, to which the class just roared with laughter.

School boys: continued

Friday Robert also laid on the table and asked me to take a picture of him:

School Boys: hilarious

One of my funniest boys, Robert, loves to ham it up for the class. He is sweet, friendly and loves to make everyone laugh. I can never keep a straight face around him! Last Friday during our cooking lab he picked up a girl's purse and just strutted across the classroom. I luckily had my camera and asked him to repeat it. As you can tell from the video, I am laughing hard.

Non traditional wedding fun

Watch this!

Could anyone ever question if I was a conservative??

You Are a Conservative Chick

Like Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Ann Coulter, you're conservative and proud of it. You speak your mind, even if everyone else around you disagrees. As you see it, you have to stand up for traditional values and what's right.

Are You a Liberal Lady or a Conservative Chick?

I am a city girl

You Are New York

Cosmopolitan and sophisticated, you enjoy the newest in food, art, and culture. You also appreciate a good amount of grit - and very little shocks you. You're competitive, driven, and very likely to succeed. Famous people from New York: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Tupac Shakur, Woody Allen

What American City Are You?

I can't say that I am competitive but I absolutely adore anything sophisticated!

The Call of Jeremiah

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet of the nations." Jeremiah 1:5

"Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land-against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you, " declares the Lord. Jeremiah 1:17-19

Your Fashion Guru

A friend in need asked me to assist him in the wardrobe department. I did not hesitate to answer, "absolutely!" It has been my dream to do makeovers (especially on some guys at church).
Before I knew it, I was joined by 4 guys from the singles ministry at the Galleria Monday night. We started at Express for Men and picked out colorful button tailored shirts. We then moved to jackets, sweaters and belts. As we visited clothing items, I discussed why it would work on their particular frame or why certain colors would go bring out their eyes. The sales guy was giving us weird looks..."why is she helping these guys? Does she work here?" He probably thought to himself. My friend even brought his camera so there we were in the middle of a quite fashionable store with a massive professional camera taking shot after shot. Weird church people.
After over an hour in that store, each guy walked out with at least one item. Yay! Our last stop was Macy's. I quickly ransacked the men's section so find the perfect pair of jeans before the store closed. Jeans were our priority for 2 of the guys and by 9:45 we found them. Perfect. Right cut, right fade, right length. A perfect pair of jeans completely changes the outfit and takes it up a few knotches.
Thankfully, they listened to my words of wisdom and could not stop asking questions!

"How do I wear a tailored button down shirt?" (with a tie of a different pattern or untucked with the sleeves rolled 3/4 length)
"Do I tuck the shirt in?" (yes when it is a dressier occasion and you have a black belt with brushed silver hardware to dress it up. You can also wear a tighter fitting courduroy jacket with it)
"How long should my jeans be?" (Skimming the floor. No at the top of the shoe)
"Are you sure you can wear a sweater over a button down shirt?" (A white button underneath anything instantly gives the outfit dimension and character)
"My jeans I am wearing are not the same as those expensive ones?" (NO! Look at the wash and cut of them)
"What is the new black?" (Color)
"Heather, are you sure?" (Are you seriously asking me that?)
"Are black jeans okay?" (DISCLAIMER:There is a special kind of black jean that Express and other trendy stores sell. Those are okay. Not solid Wrangler types from Wal-Mart)
"I usually wear my belt tight so that it tightens my jeans to show off my backside." (Well if you want to dress like a European, go right ahead. They know how to dress)
"My limit on a shirt is $40. That is it." (You might have to go over that for quality. Think of this as an INVESTMENT)
"See, that shirt is gray. I just love that color." (Gray is not the best color to wear all the time)
"We never pay attention to what girls are wearing. We have no clue about fashion." (Exactly. We don't go through all that hard work and expect for y'all to understand. We just like to look nice :) )
"Now we can be all things to all men when we evangelize!" (You can relate to them more!)

I am so proud that these guys are getting rid of their faded tapered jeans from the early 90's, their flannel shirts, skinny black belts with gold buckles, ratty t-shirts, oversized sweatshirts and white tennis shoes!





If you need help shopping, I am your new Fashion Guru.

ANTM

My sweet student Chelsea said to me yesterday:

"Miss Humphrey, would you ever try out for America's Next Top Model? Because you have long, pretty hair and you are tall. You could be a model."

Comments like those always make up for the attitudes and disrespect I get from most of them...what a sweetheart.

School boys

Last Thursday I worked my usual detention shift and the room was packed with bad boys. I made them face forward and stay quiet. That is the rule anyway but I have to enforce it because they will do anything to get around the rules. This particular day included a very brazen boy named, Smooth Talker.
Smooth Talker was just a few desks away from mine so I could keep an eye on him. For about an hour, he drew loudly on his paper and then would stop to stare at me. I told him at least 4 times to open his book and read. Finally, I said:

"Why are you staring at me??"
"Because you look good! I can't help it. You are nice to look at!"(The class erupted in laughter)
"What??" I exclaimed. (Of course I could not help but laugh and that did not get those kiddoes quiet at all)
"Where do you live Miss H?"
"Far away from here. It's no where you could ride your bike to."
"Well, I got friends who can drive. I will just get my homies to drive me over there."
"Do you live close to Miss K?"
"Yes."
"I can come see y'all."
"And what would you do if you came to visit us?"
"I would cook y'all dinner, play some Marvin Gaye, light some candles..."

By this point, everyone was having a ball. Not only did I have Smooth Talker trying woo me but I had another boy entertaining the class with his Bernie Mac stand-up. Any question I responded to, he accused me of saying that all black people are that way!

Smooth Talker: "Miss Humphrey, do you date black guys?"
I just smiled.
"Are you single?"
"NO!"
"When I get older I am going to have a bunch of babies...like 200... "

Needless to say, detention was not much of a "punishment" for anyone that day...