New Batman Movie

So, work yesterday went pretty well...Because of my foot brace deal-e-o I had the group that stayed inside most of the day. To be honest, it was nice because we had the AC all day. :) We made a display for our handmade jewelry and cards and took pictures of it for our work website. Then we made more jewelry and one other person helped me organize one of our cabinets. It was still clean today...we'll see how long that lasts. :) Anywho, after work, my roommate/co-worker and our boss went to Jason's deli where our other roommate met us there. We ate and just hung out. THEN we went to see 'The Dark Knight!' If you haven't seen it yet, DO IT!!!! It's one of the best movies I've ever seen. At one point in the movie (I won't tell which point in case you haven't seen it), I decided Batman might be a little cooler that Spider-man. I know those of you who know me and my love for Spider-man just got your breath blown away by that comment! The main point I am trying to get to, is go see that movie! It's fantastic! :) After that, the roomies and I came home, all enjoyed a Mike's Hard Lime and watched 30 minutes of 'Napoleon Dynamite'...one of my favorites, and then we all went to bed.

And now I will tell you about today. :) This morning was a great start. I was driving to work and I just started thinking about God's plan for me and how excited I am! I started smiling because I know he has a man that will sweep me off my feet and I'm stoked! (For those of you who don't know, I just got out of a pretty crappy relationship situation...basically, I deserve better...). God just gave me a little reminder this morning and I just smiled. :) It was a good start. After I got to work, because it was a record high today we decided to stay inside. So, we played games in the gym and then board games and cards later on. After lunch, we took some people to Wendy's to get Frosty's for everyone. :) Just before that, one of the older ladies fell and hit her head on the asphalt. We called 911. She's fine but we took the precautions to take care of her.

The best part of my day at work was one of the guys, P, always gets so excited to see me...EVERYDAY! I love it. Sometimes when I'm tired, I get aggravated but I truly do love his enthusiasm. Well, I'm not going to be at work tomorrow because of a class I have to take and today he kept saying, "Erin, I can't wait til Monday." I said, "Why Monday P?" "'Cause I get to see Erin!" I smiled. That's the best part of my job is the love these people have for all of us. Two others, L and C, gave me big hugs today. L kissed me on the cheek and C kisses my hand all the time. :) After what I've been through lately, having so much love come from those around me is so reassuring and it makes everyday worth all the heartache. (I even have P 'trained' to be a huge Green Bay Packers fan! :) :) :) :) :) My mission in life. He greets me every morning, "Erin, go Packers!!" "Packers are number 1!" "Brett Favre is the best!" I love it!)

After work, I went to the pool for a short period, read some of my book, called an old friend, worked out, made breakfast and lunch for tomorrow, did some laundry, and organized all my paperwork. I even practiced my guitar, plucked my eyebrows, and painted my toenails. :) All in all, today was a productive and pretty great day. :)

X-ray Results

So, these pics of my toes are really creepy...but they are definitely more purple today. I went into work today and my boss made me go to the doc on workman's comp. I got x-rays done and the results were a tuft or a nondisplacement fracture. My second toe is the only one fractured. A tuft fracture means that the very tip of my toe bone, not the joint itself, is what's fractured. Everything is in line so that's good. :) But I have to keep them taped together and wear a flat shoe brace the doc gave me. Either way, it takes 6-8 weeks to freaking heal! :( That sucks! I'm hoping I can still drive the buses at work...

Anywho, that's pretty much all that went down today. Nothing too exciting. Just got a lecture from my boss about how we, as employees, are just as important as the participants. They really care about us and she was "lecturing" us about how we are valuable and needed. It's nice to hear. :)

Oh, and apparently my bank account just went negative...piss!! AND I got charged an overdraft fee...my day is NOT going well.

Change of Pace

Okay. So I've been posting notes from church...but that's kinda boring sometimes. My sister-in-law, Kendi, has asked I write about my daily life. I think that's a great idea. And yes, I explain the weird picture of my toes...creepy!

So, I am going to tell you about the best job ever! I work at an adult day program and I work mostly with traumatic brain injury and handicapped individuals. Today, I got paid to go to a park for a picnic and then to the mall to window shop. :) While unloading the bus at the park, the lift came down on my foot and I think I broke at least one toe, if not two. It hurts like crap! You can't really tell in the pic but let me tell you...holy cow!

While at the mall, one of the participants, C (name disguised), went into Victoria's Secret and went straight to the panties! And C is a guy! But his favorite color is pink so I think he was drawn to that. :) He also went into one store because Shakira's "My Hips Don't Lie" came one and he started dancing to it! The BEST park of the day was when we went to the pet store and one of the workers brought out a puppy for us to all hold and pet. It was a peekanees (I have no idea how to spell it). He was kissin' on everyone and they all got super excited. :)

Last week my roommate and I (we work together) got inducted into the Red Hat Society as Ladies in Waiting. It was cute. I even have a certificate. :)

Christiantiy: Unedited-Treating People Right

Teaching from Rick Olmstead on July 20 at the Vineyard.

The Museum of Tolerance is a museum that is dedicated to the loss of the Holocaust. It is set up to where there is a door for people who think they are non-prejudice and a door for those who think they are prejudice. The entrance for 'non-prejudice' is not an entrance at all. EVERYONE has their own prejudices against a variety of people or things or personalities or what have you.

Common Prejudices
-Appearance: Favoritism-so many men/women get the job or the woman or man because of their appearance. Our world is prejudice and favors those who "look the part."

-Race/ethnicity/nationality: We don't often value people that are different. If you can't value someone, then you can't respect them. If you can't respect them, then you can't accept them. If you can't accept them, then you can't love them.

• Rick told a story about a white pastor who, when a black Christian knocked on his door, would not even let the man inside. The pastor told the man to go pray and see what God has to reveal to him. About a week later, these two men run into each other and the pastor asks the man if he had prayed. He replied with, "Yes. And God told me 'I've been trying to get into that church for years and I still can't get in.'"

-Achievement: Typically, America looks at those who have accomplished more as more successful. Look at Hollywood. Those with more movies and more success have 'achieved' so much. But we need to look at those around us that aren't famous and look at people for who they are, not their status in society.

-Age: In our world, the young don't trust the old and the old don't trust the young. We're either too young or too old. In Timothy, there's a verse that states "Don't let anybody look down on you because you are young..."

James 2:1-4, 8-9 "My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also come in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, 'Here's a good seat for you,' but say to the poor man, 'You stand there' or 'Sit on the floor by my feet,' have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thought?"..."If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers."

Romans 2:11 "For God does not show favoritism." -It's as simple as that. So why do we do it?

• Jesus treated everybody with dignity and value
• The lepers were even loved and Jesus was willing to touch them. He saw everyone as a human created and loved by God and who has a purpose.
• The place in our world where there should not be prejudice is the church, but the church can be on of the most prejudice places to be...which is VERY unfortunate.
• People need to be treated with dignity, respect, and value.
• Prejudice works both ways: You can be prejudice towards the poor AND the rich.

James 2:13 "Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"

Steps to be a doer of the word

1. Accept people for who they are. Romans 15:7 "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."-We can accept somebody without approving of their lifestyle. For example, Christians often don't accept those within the gay community, but why can't we just love them!? That's one of my biggest issues with the church nowadays but that's why I love the Vineyard! I have gay friends and love them very much, but I don't accept their lifestyle. That doesn't mean I can't love them like God loves them.
2. Gold Rule. Matthew 7:12 "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."-Church isn't just for believers!! Christ's own disciples didn't know what to believe for 3 years and they were walking by His side!
3. Love! Love unconditionally whether they love you back or not. Jesus had no enemies because of His love for everyone. John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." Love doesn't happen accidentally. It can draw people to Jesus.

Rick then told a story about a young college man. He had wild hair, weird shirts, and, well, looked like today's typical college guy. He lived across the street from a middle-class church and he decided one day to go and visit. He showed up a little late and there were no seats available and everyone was starring. The young man, Bill, decides to sit down in the isle up front. One of the deacons, who was 80-years-old, started moving towards this man. Everyone thought he was going to ask Bill to leave or hit him with his cane or something. Turned out, the deacon, with difficulty, sits down next to Bill, puts his arm around him, and worshipped with him. He loved him. The pastor then said, "You will never remember what I'm about to preach, but you will never forget what you just saw." That 80-year-old man was the only accepting man in that church and when everyone never expected it, he loved the young college man that didn't fit in. THAT'S what church should be about.

Christianity: Unedited

This is from a teaching by Rick Olmstead of the Vineyard Church of Fort Collins on July 13. I really enjoyed it. :)

From James
-James was one of those guys that showed people by his actions that he's a Christian instead of using words.
-People don't realize how strong actions are. It's true: actions DO speak louder than words.
-Talk is cheap...so "walk the talk."

James 1:19-21 "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."

-When you have sin in your life, you can't hear through the filth

James 1:22-24 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like."

"The only way you will grow up is if you see things that need changing and do something about it." -If you look in the mirror and see perfectiong...you're not looking hard enough.

James 1:25 "But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does."

-Don't be just a 'hearer.' Be a 'hearer' and a 'doer.'

James 2:14-18 "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to hime, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone, will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do."

-Be more than a believer. Be a follower.

-Most people want their life to reflect something good. You can share your faith and not live it, but it's ideal to live it.

James 2:19-20 "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?"

-Many people in our generation don't realize that the devil believes in Jesus. Like stated before...talk is cheap.

-Faith is not determined by how much we do. It's by what we do.

Rick told a story about how someone can change a 220 volt wire and be affected by that shock because it's so powerful...but God is SO MUCH more powerful!

"If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"

-Jimmy Carter

A New Beginning

Well, I have been through A LOT these last couple of months and not many people really know much of what has happened. Long story short, I fell in love and got my heart broken by someone who I still hold very close to my heart but I know that God has a plan for me and I just need to be patient once more and wait to see what is to come. I'm going to be using this blog to post a bunch of notes from teachings at my church and to just lay out my thoughts. Enjoy and continually pray for what God has in store.