Can you hear me now?

Do you have satellite radio in your car?  When I purchased my car, it came with Sirius XM radio . . .and I listened to it sometimes.  I mainly listened to one station - The Message - and I really enjoyed it.  I renewed my subscription a couple of times - both times begging and pleading until they lowered the rate.  This last time . . .I just couldn't justify the expense.  The lady asked, "what would it take for you to renew?" (after much haggling).  I said, "could I have it for three months for free?"  Well . . .she couldn't do that so . . .I was stuck with no music.  Yes, I know I can plug in my phone and listen to my play lists . . .but eh . . .I also know that there is an older Christian radio station in town . . .but I don't like some of their theology and politics.

One day, I was scrolling through (of course, I am sure that I was sitting at a traffic light or perfectly still and parked in the driveway!!! :-) ) trying to find something entertaining.  I either want total silence in the car when I'm by myself or music that I love  .  . . cranked up really loud.  Do you like music in the car? That day, I found WAY-FM - 89.9.  I love this station.  If I'm going to listen to radio in the car, this is my go-to station.

But . . . there is a problem.  The station originated in Florida. (I think that is correct)  Their signal is not always strong here in Alabama and sometimes another radio station bleeds over and you hear not one, but two radio stations . . .so you can't hear either one very well.

I was trying to listen on Saturday when this irritating mumbo jumbo happened.  I immediately thought that is how God sounds to me quite often.  He might be telling me that he loves me or he might be guiding me to follow him, but the world and all of her enticements is so very loud.  .  .  . so mumbo jumbo happens in my head.

I don't have an answer for this.  Prayer, I'm sure, would help.  I can ask God to help me hear his voice above the tumultuous sounds around me.  But sometimes . . .sometimes I CHOOSE the "noise" over God.

I don't usually leave posts just hanging in the wind . . .but I'm going to leave this one . . .because I'm still thinking . . .and hopefully, I'm trying to listen just a little bit better.  (I think he is telling me to go finish dinner for all those young adults :-) )

Taking Stock

I saw this over on Cassie's blog --   thought it sounded like a fun thing to do today!!

Cooking: fresh veggies from the "veggie man" - he sells fresh veggies every
Tuesday and Thursday in our church parking lot!  Actually, love cooking anything on
our new gas
stovetop!!
Drinking: orange gatorade (really weird, I know!), sweet tea, diet pepsis (a given!!)
and margaritas
Reading: have been trying to read a lot - goes back to days of "summer reading clubs"
at the library - have read the newest James Patterson recently and am now reading
all sorts of other
books on my kindle
Wanting: time at the pool and a pedicure - can't seem to find time for either!
Looking: we've been in the "buying" mode for the new house - everything from porch
furniture to rugs to living room furniture . . .I think the next thing I will be looking for
is pictures for the walls!!
Playing: with our son and daughter-in-law's new puppy, Riley!
Deciding: what to serve for dinner on Tuesday nights!!
Wishing: all the little stuff would be finished at the house
Enjoying: our new home
Waiting: for our furniture to arrive . . .it is taking so long!!
Liking: my new job!
Wondering: who was in the park this morning training two dogs . . she even had the pouch
with treats in it
Loving: working at Trinity . . .and of course, my hubby and children
Considering: working on a new "planning your funeral" guide for the church - we've had a
death a week since I've been in this new job!!
Watching: the Big Bang Theory (love it!) and Modern Family and also the Smithsonian
channel  (Mark is obsessed with it) and Naked and Afraid (another pick by Mark) . . .
and anything else that is an outdoor show (Mark loves them and I usually just go along 
with the flow where the TV is concerned)
Hoping: that I can figure out the difference between wanting, wishing and hoping
(lots of those kinds of questions in this quiz)
Marveling: at the incredible moon this weekend . . .and also, every day I "marvel" at
the number of things that Mary (predecessor) just "knew" about
Needing: to go and get an allergy shot and take Andy's white robe (ALB?) to the dry
cleaners and go make a deposit at the bank
Smelling: tea tree oil . . .
Wearing: the coolest (as in temperature - not as in - "she wears the best (coolest) clothes" -
clothes I can find
Following: ok - this sounds corny . . .tried to think of some clever person who tweets . . .
or something cool on facebook . . .or whatever . . .but I keep coming back to . . .
following Jesus . . .or trying to follow him
Noticing: that we have an unbelievable number of spiders in our house
Knowing: that God is at work at Trinity UMC and in my life
Thinking: that I need to go back on Weight Watchers . . .dadgumit!
Feeling: like I need a nap - right now!
Admiring: how some of the young mothers at our church take care of their sweet children!
Buying: see above - just bought a new house and lots of stuff
Getting: rid of stuff . . .yes, I know I said that I've been buying stuff . . .but I've also been
amazed at just how much junk we had accumulated over 22 years in the same house so we've
been getting rid of lots of stuff
Disliking: not having shelves that I can reach in our laundry room (they are mounted so
high that I have to stand on a stool!  Big dislike!)
Opening: all the air conditioning vents...HOT! (this was Cassie's answer and it applies to me . . .
so I'm using her answer on this one!!)
Giggling: not today . . .but normally at the crazy things people say.  Every church member
should work for about a week in a church office
Feeling: blessed beyond measure - God loves me!

Can you believe it? DIY!!

The title of the post makes you think this is about something truly interesting . . .but it's not really. . .BUT It was actually pretty amazing to us!!

We bought new bedroom furniture 22 years ago - when we purchased our previous home.  It is nice furniture - and it still has a lot of years left . . .but it had ugly shiny brass (gold) drawer pulls.  

Our daughter, Laura, sent a pinterest link to me several weeks ago about a DIY project.  I was standing in Walmart on Sunday night trying to find that email. . . .I could have purchased all my groceries while I waited on my phone to find and load the email!!  The girl who had written the blog post that was in the pinterest link used a Krylon spray paint.  I couldn't find the one she used.  I did find this though:

11 oz. All Surface Metallic Satin Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint and Primer in One by Rustoleum 

I took a day of vacation on Monday so that the sheetrock repairman and the painter and the carpenter could all come to my house.  I had plenty of paperwork to do and I even went to the pool for about 30 minutes BUT I wanted to do something really productive.  I removed all of the drawer pulls from the dresser and two night stands . . .and there were a lot of them.  I pulled a couple of flattened cardboard boxes from our stash and spread those on the patio and lined up all of the pulls.. . .and I painted.  After an hour or so, I went out and flipped the little top pull up and sprayed again.

We were amazed at the coverage.  I held it up to our door knob and locks and it matches perfectly!!

After Mark got home from work, we put all of them back on . . .man, my wrist and shoulder hurt today from using that screwdriver so much . . .I am such a wimp!!  Did I take a picture of the finished project?  I forgot!  The dresser and night stands look great.  (in the picture above, you can see our lovely "window treatments" -- wardrobe boxes!!  Our plantation shutters are supposed to finally be installed on Friday.  Thank goodness!!)

This was an inexpensive project - we didn't even use a whole can of spray paint and it only took a few hours. . .Mark liked the way they looked so much that he took the hardware off the screen door and sprayed it last night.  

Have you had good luck with a DIY project lately?