Pencil Portrait Doodles....part 3...

Sara - just before she laughed.... (wink)

Pencil Portrait Doodles....part 2...

He's not about to go out without his duck cane and his conductor's cap.

Nope, not ever.

Pencil Portrait Doodles....

A young man waiting for the bus - in a crowded city - but he knows no crowds - as he escapes into the noise of his mind.

If one looks closely, one will see the background is a bunch of written words...his thoughts...spilling into the noise...

Illustration Friday-Tropical- parts 2 and 3

Illustration Friday: Tropical

In my commitment to draw something at least weekly, I've taken from Illustration Friday's suggestion and drawn the subject: Tropical

Something Silly for Illustration Friday

Suggested Topic: Moon

My pencil drawing - just something quick, fun, and whimsical...

Finding Emmanuel....Amidst the Garbage....

Continuing with this month's blog prompt: Looking for Emmanuel:

Okay. This is difficult to post. Because I'm putting some really difficult things out here in cyberspace - making them public - for all the world to see. But it needs to be done, because it's cathartic and part of the healing process. So here goes...

Anyone who knows me well, would know that my desire is to have a neat and orderly house. My house was, at one time, very neat and orderly. We hosted weekly church home group meetings in our home. The floors were always swept, the dishes were done, the kitchen counters were clean, the laundry was folded and put away, my desk was clear, my bed was made (well - no, my bed wasn't made - ever - that was my one "sin" as far as housekeeping. I mean, why make the bed when you're just going to crawl back into it in a few hours? Besides, my husband's health issues cause him the need to stretch out on the bed to relieve the pressure on his spine several times throughout the day - therefore - unmade bed - always.)

Over the past three years, my health has deteriorated. I don't move as well as I wish I could. It takes me at least three times as long to accomplish something as it once did. And it's frustrating. As a result - my house has some areas which could be featured in that show about the people who are hoarders. The piles of stuff have gotten completely out of control - and, my perfectionistic personality won't let me clean them because in my mind, if I start something I must finish it - and knowing I would never have the energy to finish what I began in one sitting due to my MS - 90% of the time, I just don't ever start.

Enter: The Volunteers.

We were blessed to have a busload (I kid you not - they arrived in a bus (or so I'm told - I never actually poked my head out the door to see the actual bus, however, I have no reason to doubt the bus did, in fact, exist) of people swarm down upon our home to help organize and clean. Wow. Amazing. How blessed we were. God is good. ....almost.

For I, in the midst of all the chaos (and there was a lot a chaos) of having 12 strangers descend upon our home to sort, organize, and clean, was COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED.

Five hours of moving furniture, sorting through closets and pantries, packing things to be donated to the mission, etc, and after the dust settled there is still so much to be done. That same day, a social worker appeared at my door to meet with me for an hour in order to discuss the possibility of qualifying for someone to come into our home on a weekly basis so hopefully, the hoarder piles don't begin to grow again. She is fairly sure, due do my disability, that I will qualify for some help in this area. I should be thrilled. I am not.

The reason I'm not? Because in the five hours of chaos, my entire world was turned upside down. This morning, I was in a good mood, until my husband brought in a ten pound bag of sugar from the garage - where it was placed after we rescued it from the bags of food which someone thought should be tossed. I was reminded in an instant of the upheaval of this past week. The "cleaning crew" threw away hundreds of dollars of (perfectly good) food. They discarded things I asked them to keep and kept things I asked them to throw away. They moved things and placed them in God only knows where places. I can't find anything. Over a dozen times I've looked for something where it was or where I think they may have put it only to find it's missing in action. I listened to a woman who doesn't even know me whisper to my husband, hoping I wouldn't hear her, that I just need to spend 15 minutes a day and clean this house up when she doesn't HAVE A CLUE about my physical condition or what we go through on a daily basis in this house. A $38 Tupperware brand new container lid was probably pitched - the can lids which I was so excited to finally have a place to use them in an upcoming art show, lids which I've been collecting and saving for two years - pitched. A wooden shelf from the garage - another piece I was thinking would be great in the art show - painted all snazzy and awesome - I also discover is gone - and a palm tree - a gift from my aunt which I have had for over 35 years was stuck outside and left for dead in the cold. I thought they had moved it behind the bookcase and it was simply obstructed from my view (until the bookcase will be moved next week when my son-in-law comes to help my husband move it.) Last night, I learned the palm tree has been outside for five days in the freezing temperatures.

Needless to say - I'm frustrated. Yes- they helped us. But they did a lot of harm. And I guess I just want to have someone validate my feelings of frustration rather than every time I bring it up, I hear my husband say he's trying to look at the positive. Okay. Good. He's a better person than I.

So, after seeing the bag of sugar, and allowing all these frustrating thoughts about the missing things and dead palm tree all flood my mind again this morning...I snapped at my husband about something stupid. Why? Because he's here - and he gets to be the recipient of all my frustration, anger, and hurt.I snapped at him...and he retreated to his man cave while I sat at my desk in tears, crying out to God as I tried to sort out all the feelings in my head.

I prayed, "God, where are you in all of this? Why can't I just be content that I had a bus full of friendly strangers come in to help me? Why am I so full of animosity? Why am I so overwhelmed?"

Then I thought about the friends who came to visit last night. We shared an evening of conversation about the Lord. We prayed for each other. We enjoyed a meal together; none of which would have happened had the busload of strangers hadn't helped me unearth my kitchen counters.

With tears streaming down my face, I began to praise God for the cleaning crew. Randy emerged from his man cave and we went to a quiet place in the house and talked. We held hands as we prayed together. He asked the Lord to soften our hearts in order that we would not make a big deal over ridiculous things. Through all the mess and confusion, and chaos and misunderstanding; through the sharp words and the tears, God was using it for His glory.

Randy then retreated to his man cave to continue studying for his class as I sat down at my desk to check my email. I opened the email account only to read this verse - the "encouraging verse of the day" from my favorite Christian radio station, KLove:

"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ." Philippians 3:8

Sigh....there He is...in the midst of the garbage - in the midst of the chaos - in the midst of the pain - I finally see Him; Emmanuel.

Blog Prompt: "Looking for Emmanuel"

Looking for Emmanuel. How appropriate - as I am often reminding friends to take the time to recognize God's presence in their lives. We know He is always present - for He promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. And He is God, who cannot lie.

As often as I tell others to take time to recognize Him at work in their lives, is how often I forget to take the time to seek Him in my own life. I go through the days - at times with my mind in a blur, and my heart held captive by a myriad of emotions and situations too personal to reveal --so much so that I stuff inside and stuff inside until inevitably, I explode in a puddle of tears. All the hard stuff, all the things of life - they sometimes add up to a whole lot of chaos and doubt, fear and frustration, uncertainty, and a thirst for peace and rest which many times I think are impossible to attain, even for our Great God.

The other evening, I was blessed to attend a Christmas concert with my daughter. Sitting and basking in the glow of worship, the Lord spoke so quietly to me and said, "Daughter of mine, I have not forgotten you. I have not forsaken you. I know every tear you cry. I see the hurt. I see the pain - both emotional, and physical which you carry. I promise if you will lay it all at my feet - all the hurt - all the fear - all the frustration - all the junk - all the pain...I will take it and transform it. And I have not given you more than you can bear. The cross you carry, the burdens which at times seem overwhelming, I chose you to carry them for I knew you were able. For I have a great plan for your life. A plan which exceeds your highest expectations. The pain - it will return to you as a blessing, and you, in turn, will bless others as many will benefit from all you are experiencing. Let me take your pain and I will give it back to you - re-purposed."

You may imagine, after that conversation, I was in tears.

A few moments later, there was an intermission during the concert and one of the band members took some time to talk about an opportunity to sponsor a child in another country. My husband and I sponsor several children already - therefore, I knew that I wasn't going to volunteer to sponsor another. But God

I said, "God, You know we already sponsor four children." God said, "And now there will be five." And I said, "But it may cause pain in my finances..." And He said, "...and I will take the pain and turn it into a blessing..."

Okay. God wins.

He always does.

Imagine my surprise when I raised my hand to accept a sponsorship packet and was handed a photo of a beautiful seven-year-old girl. My heart melted. I thought about all the blessings this life affords me and my family, and how can I possibly be fearful and frustrated that helping this precious child with this sweet face would ever burden me and cause pain in my finances? I knew immediately God would provide. And then I saw her name: PAIN

There He was. Emmanuel. God with me. Turning my pain into purpose already....

The end.

Blog Prompt:"Learning to Thank God for/in the Hard Stuff"

Who said this would be easy? No one. Not the thanking part. That's not so difficult. It's the bearing of the soul, the true confessions, admitting to myself and to you, the reader, exactly just what is the hard stuff.

My list is long. Where to start? With the easy thing...

My health. The state of my mobility, or lack thereof.

That is difficult. For years I have thought if I ever reached this point. If I ever couldn't walk without assistance, If my legs failed me, or the fatigue robbed me of the ability to take more than 20 steps without resting, I would handle it with grace. I would be thankful in the moment. Grateful for the opportunity to learn something. To show others that I still trusted God in spite of it all.

I had visions of me scooting around in an electric scooter or requiring the assistance of my walker and being content. Guess what? I'm not.

The truth is, it's completely

So I have to say that today, I'm still in a place of learning to be thankful to God for this. I am grateful. Grateful for His patience with me. Grateful for His promises to never leave me. I'm grateful...but I'm still dealing with the fact that it's unfair and I mourn the losses...oh how I mourn my losses. At times, to the point of depression, to the point of admitting defeat and not even wanting to bother at all. My thankfulness is misdirected and needs adjusting for sure. But for today - I'm just grateful that I'm even able to acknowledge that this is the most difficult challenge I've had to face in my life. And yes - I hate it. When I'm actually grateful for the lack of mobility...well...I'll let you know.

So there you have it. The hard stuff. The end.

No Generation Gap Here...or is there...

Never mind!! It doesn't matter...

I was in the kitchen doing the dishes - looking out over the pond and the blue sky - this song came to my mind and I began to sing - not too loud - nobody else could hear me. Randy was outside mowing the grass and Miss O was in her bedroom with the door closed...

I turned the water off just about the time I finished a verse...

...and I hear Olivia begin to belt out "....all I know is I'm not home yet. This is not where I belong. Take this world and give me Jesus. This is not where I belong! When the earth shakes, I wanna be found in You. When the lights fade, I wanna be found in You...."

Tears filled my eyes and my heart smiled as I realized we are both on the same page.

Different decades.

Same message.

No generation gap here.

___________________________________________________

Train up a child in the way he should go:

and when he is old,

he will not depart from it.

-Proverbs 22:6

___________________________________________________

In My Father’s house are many mansions;

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again and receive you to Myself;

that where I am, there you may be also.

-John 14:2-3

___________________________________________________

Someone fill the silence please...

I don't know if there were ever

a time when I have wished

I could trade places

more than now.

Why her?

And not me....

My heart feels empty

in the silence of this house

a house usually filled with laughter

and singing

and all manor of chaos

I would take it all now

if I did not have to listen

to the tick tock

tick tock

of the pendulum within my heart

which mark the moments

until she is here with me again...

In Silence I Sit

In silence I sit waiting.

Yet the noise is overwhelming.

When will Your voice be heard

above the din

above the noise

above the barking in my head?

The voice that calls from within,

calls to You

to be heard

to be recognized

to be healed.

Those around me tell me to be still-

be still and know You are God.

They offer prayers

and words of comfort,

Yet their words do not penetrate

through the noise.

For it is not hearing I lack.

It is my sight.

When will I see?

When will I see?

When will I see?

Your glory?

My eye is filled with mist

and I long to see Your face.

Therefore, in the noise of the silence

I will wait for Your glory

to be revealed in the fog.

Rubber Ducky, you're the one...you make bathtime lots of fun....

For those not in the know...this is us with the World's Largest Rubber Ducky - currently afloat in the Ohio River in Pittsburgh. I think it's in the Ohio....Maybe it was in the Monongahela, or the Allegheny...can't remember now....ANYWAY...it cost a mere $20,000, so I doubt we will be purchasing one any time soon for our pond. :( I said to Randy, "so why exactly is this here anyway?" - to which he replied, "If you inflate it, they will come..." ha. And trust me..there were PLENTY of people on site buying souvenir duckies and t-shirts. As for us - we passed on the merchandise - and just enjoyed a nice leisurely stroll around Point State Park.

A giant footprint?...

The person we asked to take this photo cropped the head off the duck!!

To get a sense of the enormity of this thing....here is a photo of Olivia making friends with a woman and her dog. Wherever there is a dog to be found...one will find Olivia!

Oh Glorious Day

Today I've been spending some time meditating on the glory of God. In fact, quite a bit lately I've had my focus on the glory of God. The former glory. The new glory. How He's changing me from glory to glory.

The fractal: Amidst the Presence of God I was singing the chorus of an old hymn...."oh that will be, glory for me ...glory for me ...glory for me ...when by His grace I shall look on His face ...that will be glory, be glory for me."

What will it be like to behold the face of my Savior?....I cannot imagine. Moses could not behold His glory. God had to hide Moses in the cleft of the rock, to protect him from the glory of God as He passed by:

"And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And he said", God said, "I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand up on a rock: And it shallcome to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen." -Exodus 33:18

“For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.” - Haggai 2:6-9

The glory of the latter temple will be greater than the former....

He will fill the earth with His glory....like water the seas....

Come quickly Lord...show me Your glory....

It's all FACEBOOK's fault

I haven't blogged since October....

I'm overdue, to say the least.

Basically, that averages out to one post per quarter whenever I used to write here almost daily. Facebook, the demise of my blog.

Why have are we all migrating to Facebook? Perhaps it's the satisfaction of receiving instant notification whenever someone comments on your status update. Or perhaps it's the dozens of annoying ads which appear in the sidebar. Speaking of ads, I have noticed there is now an ad at the top of my blog page. How and why does this occur? I dislike the ads.

Maybe we're all on Facebook because we can look simultaneously look at the little space that tells us how many friends we have causing us to not feel lonely. I doubt that's it.

I know, it must be the games: Farmville, or Bingo, or Candy Crush. For what it's worth, I don't play the games on Facebook. Well, I do play Candy Crush on my phone - which is connected somehow to Facebook, but it doesn't count as technically playing a game on Facebook. By the way, I've been stuck on level 39 for two weeks. I can win, but only with a score high enough to achieve two stars. My need to excel requires that I win with a score high enough to achieve three stars. What is up with that?!

I'm the same way with my graduate courses. I MUST earn an "A" in every class. I must always reach the top.

Seriously. There must be some deep psychologically-rooted reason why I won't settle for a "B". Even my mentor has noticed (how could she not) and has suggested recently that my loss of a point on a recent assignment was due to the fact that my professor has me all figured out and is trying to teach me something about my need to succeed. The grade was accompanied by his comment which said he was "admittedly picky" about taking away the point. What?! So my perfect score is now imperfect. ....oh, yes, deep root reasons why that bothers me. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to process that to learn what those reasons may be, because it's already 8:39am and I have yet to check Facebook and get started on my school work.

If I ever figure it out, I'll let you know.

Two months.

Okay. So it's been two months since I've blogged. I've been told that if I no longer blog, there's a chance that my blog could be removed from the sidebar of the Traveling Scarf Sister blog!! Oh no!! So...I'm blogging...

Here goes...

I have to say that what is concerning me the most at this particular time is that I am unable to crunch the wonderful sugar-glazed almonds that I purchased while on a recent trip to Michigan. That's right. I have an entire bag of them sitting next to me on my desk and I cannot eat them because of the massive amount of metal that currently resides on my teeth! Whose idea was this anyway? Braces? They're for teenagers. I'm much too old for this stuff. Although I will admit that the newly-acquired metal structure has assisted me in my weight-loss efforts as eating is currently not a very pleasurable experience.

The above photo is not very flattering...in fact, a little scary...oh well...

Each day it does get a little easier however, and one day soon (well, not soon, but in two years...) I may have a beautiful, straight-toothed brilliant smile to show for it. Well, my smile may not be brilliant. Unless of course, I choose to bleach my teeth, for they have yellowed over the years...as all teeth tend to do. I think if I've gone to all this trouble of braces, that I might just have to have my teeth bleached when all is said and done.

For now, I'm content to gum my morning oatmeal... and figure out the best way to dry my mouth before applying the wax that is supposed to provide a barrier to prevent my cheeks from being torn to shreds....let me just say...do not use a washcloth...the little loops on the terry cloth fabric get snagged on the tiny protrusions of the braces and then you're left with this!

So now...it's back to dreaming about the day when I'll again be able to enjoy a piece of celery slathered in peanut butter....sigh....

Almost Midnight

11:49 pm as I type this...on August 31st. If I hurry, I can manage to submit this blog post before the clock strikes twelve and it will officially mean that I've managed to post something in the month August.

It's been a busy summer - to say the least.

A week in Gatlinburg.

A week in Nashville.

A week in The Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia.

And all the in-between days spent either on the boat or at the pool.

It's been a good Summer.

I am blessed.

There are many, many stories which didn't get told here...things you may have enjoyed reading. I really should be more diligent in posting.

Looking ahead to the Fall --another road trip!! - This time to Michigan, where I will join with some of the most amazing women on the planet. It will be a time of renewing friendships and making new memories. I love my Scarf Sisters and am so blessed to be a part of this wonderful group of women.

Well, I see it's almost midnight. I really must hit the "publish" button!

I'll be back soon (believe that and I've got some swamp land I can sell ya!)

I leave you with my traveling gnome - he goes with me on every road trip.

Those Must Have Been Some REALLY Good Waffles......

So...I was leaving WalMart - having just been shopping and minding my own business and texting photographs of canned SPAM to Margie....the sun was still trying to peek through the clouds.

I loaded my groceries into the car - looked at the sky toward home and said, "oh my."

I turned on the radio just in time to hear KLove broadcast a tornado warning for Greenville. I knew I had to drive right into the storm to get home. I prayed, "Lord, calm the skies and keep me safe," and then proceeded to drive through VERY HEAVY RAIN - visibility almost zero. The rain was pouring down in torrents - sideways - the wind was blowing - branches and leaves were flying - I was dodging debris on the roads - literally.

It took a little longer than usual to make the five mile trip home. Thunder cracking and lightning flashing everywhere.

As I pulled into the garage, lightning struck our flag pool which is about 15 yards from the house.

I began carrying groceries inside where I found Randy and Olivia eating waffles. I said, "There's a tornado warning and lightning just struck the flag pole."

Randy replied, "Yeah, it sounded really close. What do you think we should do?"

To which I replied, "I think we should go to the basement."

He then declared he would do so "just as soon as I'm finished with my waffles - I don't want them to get cold."

I'm thinking to myself...."really???!!!"

Moths...it is summer, after all.

It's been more than a month since I've blogged. I'm way overdue. It's after midnight.

The glow from my laptop and one tiny desk lamp are all that's lighting this corner of my home. There is a moth fluttering around the light. It's a bit annoying. I'd turn out the light, but then I couldn't see as well and the moth would just begin to flutter around the computer screen and that would be more annoying.

I have nothing profound to say. The Summer is slipping by and I've been in some sort of a limbo state. I only do what is absolutely necessary to survive. I've tackled no big projects or delved into any of the dozens of books I said I would read during the Summer months.

Soon it will be time for me to start back to school. And I will look back on these days regretting that I haven't filled them more fully with all the projects I had planned.

Instead, I am just 'being' - perhaps that's not such a bad thing. Being, instead of doing. Too often I am doing and not enjoying the being part.

Like the annoying moth that is flitting and fluttering around this light...I think I need to squish it.

That is all.

Random Stuff About Me

I'm writing a blog post - random things that you may or may not know about me. I stole the idea from my friend, Victoria, however, since I'm giving her credit, it's technically not plagiarizing her idea. I think.

1. My wedding rings are too loose and spin around all the time. Drives me nuts. I won't get them re-sized for fear that the jeweler will mess it up.

2. I spent considerable time changing the background of this blog before I submitted this post, simply because it was time.

3. I have always loved my name, Deborah Louise, but have secretly been upset because my mother's cousin has a daughter also named Deborah Louise. What is up with that? She was named first.

4. There is no way to mend my daughter's broken heart over finishing Fourth Grade and leaving her favorite teacher behind.

5. My hair used to be so thick that my hairdresser had to thin it out for me. Now it's getting so thin that I take biotin supplements in a desperate attempt to not feel as if I'm going bald!

6. I have more scratch paper than I can possibly use in a lifetime. (This would be the blank sides of printed-on-one-side-pages.) I cannot possibly throw them away.

7. Greeting cards from friends and family...I typically keep them. Unless you're just an "acquaintance" - then I'll cut the card in half and save the front of the card to use again as a postcard while discarding the back of the card which has the writing on it. I've been doing this all my life. I think I've only ever re-used three card fronts as postcards. Ever. It's a disease. I'm convinced.

8. I have a lot of trouble with people who believe that coloring always must be done "in the lines." Art is so much more than that!

9. My good friend in college once wrote a paper for me which I submitted as my own for extra credit. I was busy studying for finals. She was bored as she had no finals (she was student teaching.) That paper caused me to get an "A" in the class. I may have only earned a "B" - I do not recall. I have felt guilt and shame about this for YEARS!

10. I despise being on "terminal hold" when "continuing to hold for the next available representative."

11. When my husband was away for the weekend, the surveyor delivered a survey of our property. I put it "someplace safe" - and now I have no idea where it is.

12. Recently, I discovered a stash of Christmas gifts which I never gifted. I'm wondering if they can be returned? They are three years old.

13. I'm sometimes disorganized. (You're saying, "No! Really?")

14. Our entire house is wallpapered. It was that way when we moved in. I loved the paper everywhere. I still do, but I'm so "over it" and want to redecorate (especially our daughter's room) but don't because I know it will be too much work.

15. I love our satellite XM radio which we have in our vehicles.

16. I cannot throw away bubble wrap until all the bubbles have been popped.

17. Our dog is afraid of the popping bubble wrap noise.

18. I must pop bubble wrap in organized rows.

19. My daughter prefers to twist it or walk on it. This bubble-popping procedure drives me nuts!

20. As I've been typing this post, I have thus far been on "terminal hold" with a company for 25 minutes.

21. I am fascinated with magnets.

22. I love thunderstorms.

23. When making french toast, I always add vanilla and cinnamon to the egg/milk mixture.

24. Several cards have been sent by me to my current "secret sister" at church...but thus far I have received nothing - and a birthday and anniversary have come and gone. I'm guessing whomever has my name this year is a "dud"....did I just call someone a dud?? One year my secret sister died. I hope that's not the case this year!

25. I take vitamin supplements almost every day - but am very non-compliant whenever it comes to medications.

26. One year when I was in college, I "wallpapered" an entire wall in our apartment with empty boxes. It was quite colorful to see the images of Cap'n Crunch, Tony the Tiger, etc, all over our walls. I'm almost tempted to do it again today. (Please refer to #14.)

27. I've been working on this silly list for several days.

28. The last book I read was The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn. I HIGHLY recommend it!

29. I own more books than it will ever be possible to read in several lifetimes. It is impossible for me to part with them. They are everywhere - in cabinets in a shed, in cabinets and on bookshelves in the basement, on bookshelves near my desk, on bookshelves in the bedroom, stacked in boxes and in bookshelves in my studio area. If I had $1 for every book I owned, I probably could take a vacation. My husband was thrilled when I bought a Kindle - (I have over 100 books on my Kindle---that's 100 less books cluttering up our house.) Currently, I'm reading two books: Convicted by Tim Hughes (a free book I downloaded onto my Kindle via Amazon. It's actually very good thus far (I'm on chapter six), and Lying on the Couch by Irvin D. Yalom, a "real" book recommended by an author of one of my textbooks. Both are works of fiction. Oh, and I'm reading Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity - nonfiction - one of the textbooks for my next class.

30. This is #30 - I'm trying to decide if I should stop this list now, since it's a nice "round" number, or continue to bore you with more....

31. The bookmark I'm using for the above-referenced "real" book is a business card from Papillon Paper Emporium - a gift shop in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, from a trip I took there two years ago. Did I mention that I have trouble discarding business cards? I mean, if people and businesses go to all the trouble of creating and printing business cards and/or paying someone to do the same, the least I can do is cherish their card forever and ever. By the way, I have learned via their website that Papillon Paper Emporium has since moved to a new location - thereby making the business card which I have in my possession completely worthless. I still cannot throw it away.

32. Okay - just one more for good measure: I haven't painted my toenails since the first week of December - I'm thinking since it's Summer, and sandal weather - it's time.