I Wanna be a Billionaire so Freakin' Bad

Actually, I don't really want to be a billionaire, but I would rather be one than be poor.

Andrew and I sometimes play a game where we list what we would do if we had all the money in the world. Our lists are so different that it's almost funny. The main difference between our two lists is that I can never really think about what I want for myself. It is so much more fun for me to think what I could buy to make everyone else's life easier. Here is my list:

1. Pay off my parent's house.
2. Buy my mom a cute sports car, a Mini Cooper to be exact and burn old Honda Odyssey to the ground. I would even let her light the match.
3. Pay off Andrew's parent's house. We could buy them a new one if they wanted it.
4. Buy my best friend a taser. Really, I would. Of course, if I bought her a taser, the chances of me surprising her at her apartment decreases because she might attack me with the taser.
5. Pay off Andrew's school loans
6. Buy Hardeman County, Weakley County, and McNairy County a brand new paid for center. All of our buildings are falling apart.
7. I would make it so that our parents would never have to work again unless they wanted to.
8. I would pay for my sister to go overseas to do Mission Work, not to get rid of her but because that's what she feels called to do.
9. I would have my own personal jet just so that I could fly to see Stephanie whenever she needed a hug or a Route 44 Cherry Coke, or McDonald's Sweet Tea.
10. I would donate a lot of my money towards cancer research.
11. I would use my money so that my family would never have to sell our property in Park Rapids, MN. AKA My Happy Place
12. I would also use my airplane to fly to My Happy Place whenever I wanted to
13. I would buy a boat. I do want a boat for myself.

The crazy thing about all this stuff is that it wouldn't make me or anyone else satisfied in life. I'm sure it would help, but unless we have a purpose in life and have God, everything is Meaningless!

Merigold, MS

Have you ever heard of Merigold, MS? Neither had I until we took the youth on a mission trip. This trip was all about construction, which was not my cup of tea. I was in charge of the food preparation and supervising the heathens. I love my youth and they are some cool kids, but these teenagers will get distracted and lose focus as soon as you take your eyes off of them. I have developed some wonderful relationships with these kids. During the trip they started calling me Mama Dana. They loved that I knew the latest rap music and was able to listen to them without judging. I also grew a strong bond with my new good friend Rachel. After coming home from this trip, I really can't imagine ever going through out my life and not knowing Rachel. She has a heart for children and adoption. She is creative and not afraid to step on the wild side. Example: She wanted to smoke a cigar at our Music Minister's fiance's bacholorette party. She has a heart for people and wants to show everyone love. She is 5 years older than me, on her second marriage, and has 3 children and I couldn't have found a more compatible person to be my friend here in Bolivar. I can't wait until Steph comes to visit and we can go hang out with her and her 3 children. She is also the Queen of Truth or Dare. I love this woman and I can't wait to develop a deeper friendship with her over the years.

So many thoughts, so little time

I have so many things on my mind that I want to share with my very little blogger audience. I would like to share how God has instilled in me a new passion for reading His word. Recently, I had noticed and was ashamed that when we were reading from the Bible, my eyes would read the words, but my heart would not. I am ashamed to admit that. I didn't know what was wrong with me. How could I try to disciple youth and not be able to soak up what God was showing me? This has been a burden on my heart for a little while. "What a faker?" was what I was thinking. I don't know what happened because last week or so, I woke up and thought that I really needed some help with reading my Bible, so I went to Lifeway and dug through the millions of devotionals. I decided on one that went through women of the Bible. It was interesting enough and I have enjoyed it because it picked a woman and the whole week was about her. After about 2 weeks of working with that devotional, I have decided that it's not enough. I want to be IN God's word. I want to study a chapter and absorb more than just about a woman in the Bible. I hope that this desire lasts and that I will be able to memorize more scripture.

Important People

Tomorrow I will be leaving at 5:00am to chaperone a youth Mission Trip. I'm excited, yet exhausted with just the thought of it. I am using my vacation days to not have a vacation. Am I crazy? Maybe. As I have been preparing myself for this mission trip, my mind has wondered to the great examples I have had on how to be a great youth leader. My mind immediately goes to Ms. Sherry, or Scary Sherry as she was affectionately called.

Ms. Sherry has been my Sunday School teacher, my Disciple Training teacher, my sign language teacher, my make-up artist, my cheerleader, my decorator, and a friend. I learned how to work with youth by her example. She was always there to listen and to give advice. She knew what was going on in our lives, many times without us even telling her. Her home was our home.

When I was planning my wedding, I called Ms. Sherry to ask her for some advice on flowers and decorations. I think I called her several times before she finally asked if I would like for her to help us. She took my mom and I shopping in Memphis and put arrangements together that we never would have been able to do. She also did my makeup before every dance. I would always go to her house with my foundation on and she would fix me up. It was only natural for her to do my makeup on one of the most special days of my life, my wedding. My wedding was so beautiful because of her help. I love her dearly and so often we don't tell those important people in our lives how much they mean to us and Ms. Sherry is one of those people.

Ms. Sherry and her husband, Mr. John, also showed us kids what a loving marriage looked like. They never shied away from showing affection towards each other and we knew how much they loved each other. Ms. Sherry is also honest to a fault. She will tell you like it is. She didn't hide that her past wasn't perfect and shared with us what God had done in her life. I cherished her honesty and I pray that I can be that honest with the kids at my church.

I can tell what things my youth workers passed down to me. I say phrases like, "Saints and Aints," "When God talks, you don't." Because of Ms. Sherry I have a passion for teaching our ministry team sign language.

Thank you, Ms. Sherry!

What is on my desk?

I Will Try Anything Once...

Or twice, if I felt that I didn't do it right the first time.

I am trying a cleanse. It was recommended to me by a personal trainer. You might think I'm crazy, but he assured me that I wouldn't have poop running down my leg. I'm hoping that it works and kickstarts my phitness. It only takes seven days, so I will be giving updates.

Old Memories

I'm a procrastinator. It's bad. It's the end of the fiscal year at work and it's time to play Make-Up Catch-Up with my time sheets. It's ridiculous really all the stuff they make us do. I turn in one form of a time sheet every pay period, but then they expect us to keep up with in on another form, which I don't. Maybe I'm not a procrastinator, maybe I'm "sticking it to the Man!"

Imagine my surprise when I was typing in my time for the months of August, Sept, October and I'm seeing words in my planner like MOM'S SURGERY, CHEMO, EMERGENCY SURGERY and the feelings and memories all come rushing back to me. I even have the day in my calender written when we went to go pick up my sister from her summer long mission trip. That was the day we made a quick trip to my mom's doctor before we left to get my sister. That was the day we found out she had breast cancer. I was sitting in my office in tears. Who knew writing stupid time sheets would be so emotional? I'm so thankful that my mom is happy and healthy, but that first chemo treatment. I will never forget that night as long as I live.

I remember placing the damp washcloth on my mother's forehead and calling out to God to let it be me that was in pain. I remember having to help my mother to the bathroom. She could barely take 3 steps without having to stop because of the pain. I remember vowing at that moment that whatever I could do to prevent cancer-whether it was not going to a tanning bed, making sure I have on sun screen, getting my yearly checkups on time- that I was do everything that I could. I do not want my future children to see me as I saw my mother that night.

I am so thankful that God was there during those moments. Just recently my mother got a letter in the mail from a church member saying how much my mother inspired her during those months because she just kept a positive outlook on life. I used to say that my grandfather was the strongest person I knew. I see where my mother got her strength from. I pray that I have only an ounce of my mom's perseverance.

Quick Post

Here are some thoughts today:

• Don't be afraid of the unknown
• Troubles are normal, but be careful of your worries
• Most of the things that you worry might occur, don't ever happen.
• Don't be disdainful towards people who are different, smelly, ugly, stupid, or should be "placed in concentration camps (not my words)." God sent his son for them too. Smile, tell them Good Morning. Look them in the eyes because God created them in his image. Show them grace.