Why I Love My Dad the Best

When I was in elementary school, there was this contest with the local newspaper every year around Father's Day. Elementary students had to write a paragraph or so about why they loved their dad the best. The newspaper would publish this special insert with the responses. The top three kids who apparently REALLY loved their dads the best won some sort of prize. Needless to say, I must not have ever loved him the best or had enough eloquent words at 8 years old to express it because I never won. In honor of Father's Day, I would like you to leave a comment with the rest of this statement filled in: I love my Dad the best because...

(P.S. I know I said I was taking a blog break, but I couldn't stay away.)

(P.P.S. I have recently found out that there are many more of you out there reading this who don't subscribe and don't ever leave comments. I know it can feel weird to leave comments on someone else's blog, but don't. I read other blogs, and it took me a while to have the courage to actually leave a comment. I want to encourage you start subscribing or to at least leave a comment. It makes my day!)

(P.P.P.S. These are pics of my dad.)

Leaving

Hi all,

I'm going to be out of town and moving simultaneously over the next two weeks. Plus, it's the fourth of July and my sister is coming....all of that combined means I need to take a little blog break.

See you in two weeks. I promise to post pics of the house then!

Lara

To Do List

Over the next 3 weeks, I will:

1. Pack up our stuff
2. Close on the house while I'm out of town
3. Get carpets cleaned in the new house while I'm out of town
4. Have David and helpers move our stuff to the new house while I'm out of town
5. Order appliances and have them delivered
6. Clean the new house top to bottom--use sister as forced labor here
7. Unpack our stuff--use sister as forced labor here
8. Clean the old apartment
9. Have carpets cleaned in the apartment

I am choosing not to feel stressed. I will cross things off as they are done instead. This week, my goal is to just get everything possible packed into boxes/suitcases.

Addicts

Last night, David and I watched 4 episodes of the tv show "24" in a row. Now before you judge us with your noses stuck up in the air saying, "I just can't find the time to watch tv," there is something else you should know.

It is not our fault we spent like 2 hours and 40 minutes glued to the tv. We are addicts. 24 is more addictive than crack and heroine combined. If you think I'm joking or we just don't have self control, then I dare you to watch the first 2 episodes of season 1. Just try it, and see what happens. If you don't have the urge to compulsively watch the second 2 episodes on the DVD, I'll pay for your rental. However, beware if you take the challenge. You will almost certainly find yourself driving to Blockbuster or Hollywood Video at strange hours of the day because you just have to get the next DVD in the series.

Anyway, I just wanted to say, "Hi, I'm Lara, and I'm a 24 addict." I have no shame in my game.

Carrying Burdens

I listened to a podcast from Elevation Church (www.elevationchurch.org) yesterday, and one verse from the message really stuck out. The Bible says to cast all of our cares on Him because He cares for us. However in reality, most of us don't give Jesus our cares very effectively. We know the verse but just have trouble actually doing what it says. Why is that? Do we think that God doesn't really care enough to fix it? Do we think He isn't able? Do we think He doesn't hear? Maybe it is a combination of all of those things. Instead of just resting in Him, we continue to haul all of our burdens around like we're carrying 400 lb tumors. Worry, stress, and anxiety are all simply cancerous in spiritual terms. They drain away our focus, our joy, and our victory in Christ. Who would want to be a Christian like me when I don't look any better off than they are?

My challenge this week is to REALLY cast my cares on Jesus knowing assuredly that He cares for me....and then not pick up those cares anymore no matter how the situation looks.

No Mas

Well friends, I must admit. Fasting has not been my strong point....ever. Especially, now. I just don't really enjoy it. Does anyone really enjoy fasting? Well, they must be much more spiritual than me. Since being out here in CA, Pastor Mark has really helped our team with understanding about why we do spiritual disciplines like fasting. It is to focus on Jesus. I think a lot of the fasts I've done in the past have been really motivated by other things or totally unfocused altogether.

So lately, I have been eating way too much of my favorite dessert...ice cream. I am feeling the need to give it up for a while which seems inconvenient because it is just starting to get really hot here. Beginning tomorrow (I have about 1/2 pint of Ben & Jerry's in the freezer right now that must be polished off today), I'm saying no mas to ice cream and mas to Jesus. (Mas=more for all of you English speakers.) Pray for me....in my mind, this doesn't sound fun, but my spirit says "Let's do this."

Favorite ice cream? Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby. It is oh so delightful. What is yours?

Retirement

(Disclaimer: I really do love my job. It is a blessing for which I am very thankful. I won't be leaving it any time soon.)

I told David that after he gets a job as a police officer I am going to retire. He laughed at me. I wasn't joking. Maybe it's just me, but not working sounds like more fun than working. It would be incredible how clean my house would stay and how great the meals I could cook would be. Not to mention that I would get to do some killer workouts during the day when I have a lot of energy. Hmmm...yes, retirement is the only option. I've always thought that we do it backwards. You shouldn't have to work until you are 50 years old. We should all go out and live it up when we are young. Climb mountains, see the world, stay up late. Then when we get older, we go to work. Sounds better to me, but maybe I'll see things differently when I'm 50 :)