Is it an epidemic or am I just in the wrong part of the country?

It seems like people all around me have a disease called "blame-itis". This disease apparently causes people to slack on work that is expected of them and then to blame it on somebody else or something else when clearly they are just a slacker, no excuses!!! This disease is affecting people that I work with who are incidently being paid for their slacking, CRAZY...I know!! It also seems to be affecting people that I go to school with, and it disturbs me a little more in this group of people who will be licensed pharmacists in a matter of months, but anywho...growing up, my parents told about people like this, but it seems like I see it more now. I am not sure if there is a higher incidence now because I am getting older and it is a disease of our generation or maybe a disease of people in their 20's-40's or maybe it is a disease of this geopraphic region (we are farely new to middle Tennessee). I am not sure, but I wish the infected individuals would move to an isolated island where they could wander around aimlessly blaming each other for whatever, but I guess until that happens I will continue picking up their slack while looking for a cure. If you know of a cure, please fill me in. (By the way, I have tried telling them they aren't pulling their weight, I have tried ignoring them (and hoping they will go away). Neither of which seem to cure the problem.) And yes, Mom, I do pray for these people and my attitude towards them.

"a going problem"

Well, we tried to bring Duke inside to enjoy the comforts of air conditioning. He had a visit to Barks-N-Bubbles to get a bath, then we came home to try out the inside life. Kala was very disappointed that he followed me inside the house instead of being put in the backyard as usual. She followed him around the house making sure he didn't touch any of her toys or her bed, etc. Then once he smelled the whole house he peed 5 times in like 3 hours!!! I think he has "a going problem" as the commercials would say. He is an old man who just can't hold his stuff in, and I am a young girl who just doesn't have time to clean up pee 5 times in 3 hours, and I don't have the heart to spank him like we did Kala when she used to pee in the house because he is so old. EJ did make me spank him once and I will have to say that the next 2 times he peed, he stayed on the tile, so there is hope for him. But for tonight we sent him back outside and listened to him whine at the back door all through dinner so we didn't have to keep an eye on him while eating. We will probably let him sleep inside in the kennel, but no drinks after like 5 pm for the old man. At least for now, Kala is enjoying the house to herself again.

God's Living Word

I was looking for the scripture, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father," which I thought was Colossians 3:13, but what I found was ",bearing with one another, and forgiving each, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you."
God has truly been convicting me over the past few weeks about holding grudges and not letting things go. It always seems easier for me to get angry with the people that I am closest too, but it also is easier for me to forgive them 70x7 times because I love them so much. It is the people that knowingly do wrong and do it in my face just because they can or just because they are lazy that I have trouble forgiving. Then every little thing they do just irritates me even more unti I am in full blown rage, and I am so convicted because I know people will never see Jesus in me when I allow satan the opportunity to fill my mind with anger. Our pastor has been doing a series on the Great Commandment and he has stated multiple times in the last month that we must "Love God first, most and best," and everytime he says that, I nod my head in agreeance with his statement but then I allow satan to have my anger towards these few people which means...I am not loving God first, most, or best. I know that there is such a thing as righteous anger and as much as I would like to proudly say that my anger is righteous...I know that it isn't, if for no other reason that I don't deal with my bitterness appropriately.
I began writing because I am amazed on a daily basis at the way God's Word continues to speak to me and draw me closer to Him, but I ended up confessing my sin to the world (or the few that may read this) but I ask you to hold me accountable for my sin.
He must become greater and I must become less.

we have arrived

well, we have officially entered the world of blogging. this is mainly a place where friends and family can keep up with what is going on in our lives. we may occasionally use the blog to vent about life's "hardships" (so please excuse our complaining) but mostly we will just post new and exciting (or not so exciting) things that are going on in our life.

One of the most exciting things that took place this past summer was the addition of a family member. EJ's cocker spaniel, Duke, has come to live with us so he could enjoy freedom in what will probably be the last few years of his life. He has been on a runner in EJ's mom's backyard for the last 8 years because his mom and stepdad moved to a new house at that time. We jokingly say he is in his retirement home now (which really is just a fenced-in backyard with a fabulous dog house that EJ and his stepdad built). He is 11 years old but not a cranky old man yet. He still likes to play and cuddle with us, but he is not too sure of Kala yet. Kala is beginning to welcome him into her yard but she still has a way to go. She is soo afraid that we will pet him more than we pet her, and I think she is secretly scared that she will become an outside dog rather than being able to enjoy the comforts of being an inside dog.

Well, that is the most exciting news I have for now. We are off to take our church directory picture (I know...the excitement continues to multiply.)