Questions Questions and where are the answers

My friends email their responses to my blog and I couldn't believe how many responses I got about Miley Cyrus blog. Mainly, because I brought up Billy Ray's mullet. LOL. I love my friends. They are sincerely whacked. Now for a serious subject. So many of my friends know that we are looking for a place of worship. Not a perfect place that would literally be impossible but one that the entire family feels God is leading the family too. I have had mixed responses from my friends regarding our search. I have 100% approval for those who know about this to search out where God will have us worship. So on with the questions? Do you have to find another church? Yes, here is how I can calmly and maturely put this...first God has given us peace and second just because I don't like the renovation or change in management of a particular restaurant doesn't mean I don't want you to enjoy the place. But I don't have to keep patronizing it if I disagree with the service. Painfully true. Do you and Jeff give Megan a say in where you will go? To say we don't give Megan a say would be for me saying Megan doesn't pray. This will be her place of worship too and she will have an opinion and a valid say. Do you tithe? Now...here is where my belief may differ from yours and that is o.k. I am still trying to figure all this out along the way too. Jeff and I WILL tithe even through the transition...why? Because everything belongs to my Lord. He commanded and we will be obedient. The big question is where? Well, we prayed about this and sought out wise counsel from Pastors to strong Christian friends. And taking nothing away from them...once Jeff and I finally quietly surrendered to the Lord...answers came by the droves. My precious cousin Kathy Maze and her talented son Josh Maze (lead singer for Tandem) will be traveling on a mission trip to England to a very hostile area. Pray for them. A precious lady who meant the world to me was killed this past winter and her husband and children need support to continue the ministry she loved in Ethiopia. We also want to support a couple of starter churches we feel strongly about. I don't know the technicality of it all. And I really don't care because Jeff and I came up with the same answers after seeking the most important source of all...the One who owns the cattle on the hills and who has blessed us beyond measure. And finally....How will you know it is the right place? It is just like finding your husband or your home..you will just know. I can't wait for that moment. I am not scared, I am excited. Not only for myself but for my family. They desperately need a place of worship not just to receive but to also give. We have tried some and they were not for us and we have tried some that could be the one....but along the way...we have met a lot of great people. Because face it, when it is all said and done we will be joined once again in one place of worship! Thanks for caring enough to ask the questions....I think the Beatles said it best....I get by with a little help from my friends!

My Oh Miley

Well several of my friends asked me to weigh in on the whole Miley Cyrus picture controversy. I must admit I haven't been in a controversial conversation on this blog well since I left a very controversial place. Trust me you don't even want to get me started on that one! However, I did want to give my two cents worth in on this issue. I have several friends who are also mothers of teenage girls. We all agree on the key issue however we vary on the rest. How do you feel? Here is my opinion regarding raising my teenage girl. A very pretty teenage girl. There is not a day that goes by that my girl does not try to push the boundaries that we place in front of her. Is she rebellious? NO! She is 14. They push you stand strong. They step over the line you have drawn and you push them back over OR SOMETIMES you give a little and draw another line. It is a give and take tug of war called parenting! It is not for the wimps and idiots. You are not their friends YOU ARE THEIR PARENTS! Now...here is where I vary with a couple of my friends. I love Megan's sense of fashion and sometimes lack of it. She is so unique. One day she dresses punk the next she will be a prep. And YES...sometimes she tries to dress provocatively...that is when we say "try it again" before she exits our home. But there are times that I like the mature, trendy style of clothes she is wearing. She wears them well and I love to see what "look" she will pull off. I believe you can dress trendy, modern and relevant without looking like a slut. AND THE LAST THING I WANT is my child dressing like one of women from the Texas Polygamist compound. How much hair spray does it take to make all those women look EXACTLY alike?...Aquanet must love those people. No wonder so many have so many wives you can't tell them apart. So how do you strike a happy medium? Well that depends on your daughter. Megan has one friend that is perfectly happy to throw on a t-shirt and pair of jeans, hair barely brushed and she looks beautiful. Another of her friends wears more make up than I would ever WANT Megan to wear. Does Meg wear make up? Yes! But she knows how to apply where it accents her beauty. And some days she can do without make up! It is HER CHOICE to select her style as long as she is not advertising sensuality at age 14. That is why I have a problem with the whole "naked sheet" picture of Miley Cyrus. Someone convinced her, her parents and her agents that this was beautiful or as they called it "artsy". It will be art alright on the walls of a whole sleuth of perverted nasty men who will think ANY 14 to 15 girl will be theirs for the taking. Billy Ray....do you know the thoughts that will be provoked because of that picture about your daughter. Thoughts that will make you mullet stand on end. So agree or disagree with me that is alright but I bet you will agree with the sincere fact that this crazy world is taking the innocence of our precious children away a little condoned bit at a time. The walls (if any) of immoral behavior are very easy to jump over but I chose to desperately try to build a good solid wall of moral defense around my daughter through prayer, interaction, involvement, support,guidance, relationship and yes...even...rules, limitations, BOUNDARIES and loving nosiness! Can they still go astray? Life does not come with guarantees. However, as her parent I will not place her in front of the train or in this case in front of a camera.

What a weekend!

Well, here it is Sunday night and I must say this weekend has been extraordinary! Megan had a blast in St. Louis, they took 3rd place! She rode Mr. Freeze and Superman and bought the t-shirt! She is glad to be home. Scott and Brandi are neck deep (they would probably argue drowning) in finals. But praise God they come home this weekend for the summer! Now for my weekend! Well, let me start by setting the stage a little. I have a very technology minded family. Name the game system...we have it. I am not bragging or boasting. We are also savers. We WILL NOT buy it when it first comes out. We go by the......if you wait just a little bit the price will come down...mentality and then we save. We will not go into debt over something frivolous. And did I mention we are cheap...we work too hard for our money. Now back to the technology side of things... Scott is BRILLIANT when it comes to what every little machine we have in our home needs to make it work. Well, actually everyone is very technically minded well everyone but ME! I still had a portable CD player instead of a MP3 player until just a few months ago. My stereo system in the bedroom STILL has a cassette player. I am the technology loser of the family. But I love to spoil the other three with the latest greatest thing. When the Ps3 came out it was sold out EVERYWHERE! When I spotted one I bought it on the spot. I had money set aside just for this occasion. I couldn't wait to get it for Scott and Jeff. I still remember that "little boy" voice of my husband on the phone..."you got me a what?" "really...are you serious?" I LOVE THAT VOICE. Look, my kids make straight A's, don't use bad language, don't drink or smoke, keep a clean house.....I am blessed. I love to reward them not because they have "performed" to my criteria but because I love to bless as I have been blessed. They are grateful for what we give them. Do you know that still to this day...Megan nor Scott have ever asked me for money? No, I am not kidding. They will tell me they need money for school, etc...but actually whine they need money for something they want...NEVER! They are good kids! Well, fast forward to this weekend...all I wanted was a cheap camera. I don't have one. Jeff has a fancy smancy video camera that is digital with all the bells and whistles. I wanted a plain digital camera...that is it. I knew how much I wanted to spend and the color (very important) etc. I had saved my money and did not want to go one penny over. Jeff started the evening by reminding me it was tax free day and we were going shopping. He took me out to dinner and then to one of his favorite places BEST BUY. It was crazy! My husband knew exactly what we were going there for. He wanted me to have something to call my own. He knows how much I love to blog, work online, research my projects and recipes. I love online movies and books. HE KNOWS ME! How do I put this into words? He didn't buy just anyone a present...he bought the woman he knows more than anyone else knows me....what he knew would make me use the "little girl" voice. He wanted to make me smile. So, fast forward 1 hour and a lot of negotiating and researching on my husband part and I walked out with the exact camera I wanted ($20.00 cheaper than they were selling it for) and a brand new laptop computer courtesy of my husband. OH YEA! It is beautiful. So I am typing my first blog on it.....I will have to say it took both my husband and my Scott on the phone to get it up and running. I told you technical loser but the owner of her very own laptop!!!!!

Ah, Your my best friend.....

O.k. this blog will probably sound a bit contradictory. Tomorrow, Megan will leave us for the weekend to go to band competition! I am excited for her and excited for us. First, I am excited for her. As much as I will miss my baby so very much I know she is not meant to hang with old folks forever. I don't want to be one of those Moms who guilts her children just because they well...want to be fourteen! You know the Mommas I am talking about..."Oh sweetums ..Mommy baby gonna miss me....hmmm" (cue the vomit) If I was going to hang out with 4 of my best friends, spend the day at Six Flags and spend my parents' money...I would be psyched too! I am also excited for us. With the insane schedule Jeff and I keep it is sometimes impossible to find a weekend alone. It is also so very encouraging about our future with an empty nest one day. I love my husband more than anything and I love hanging out with him. He is truly my best friend as well as the love of my life. I hate to hear women my age who "can't wait" to have a weekend to themselves away from their husbands. I WANT AS MUCH TIME AS I CAN GET HANGING WITH THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD! It is a relationship in my life that I will fight to the death for and love moments like this weekend that I can invest even more into the most important relationship I have on this earth second only to my relationship with my Savior. Do I want my kids out of my house? YES!! I want them to grow up, grow mature, grow healthy and create a home and family that I hope we have set an example of love, support and togetherness. Now....I didn't say though that after some much deserved "us" time that I won't be thrilled to death to see that school bus drive in BMS parking lot or get that call from my State Sophomore! This will be a great weekend for all of us!

The Biggest Loser

One of my friend who reads my blog regularly and then sends it off to my out of town family asked that I give a Biggest Loser update. For those of you who have no idea what that is....we are having a weight loss contest where I work. I am in charge of it. It is quite humbling to weigh in front of one witness (since I am a part of the program as well). We give excellent prizes and everyone has been so supportive of one another. It is alot of fun. I have lost 5.8 lbs. in one week. I think that is great! Zoey has been walking with Jeff and I and also lost 6 lbs at her Vet appointment. Success all around. The most inspiring thing has been my coworkers. Old and young, black, white and indian...everyone has one goal...a better ME! One lady started crying at her own success! Another talked about exercising for the first time in years. Everyone comes in with about 20 people cheering them on! I love Tuesday afternoons at my office. It is just encouraging! The Biggest Loser in our offices lost 14 lbs!!! Wow! Well off to work.....

I Promise....

Two very small words with HUGE responsibility and commitment. I promise! There is no wiggle room in those two words....there isn't I'll try my best or we will see....I PROMISE.
This has been an exciting, fun, stressful and tiring week. Jeff and I had something going on every day this week and this week is proving not to be any different. The end of the school year brings lots of competitions, ceremonies, trips and events. We ended this week with Megan's birthday party. We took 5 girls and 4 adults downtown and back again for a fun filled day of manicures, pedicures and Bigfoot food! I laughed so much around these teens that my stomach literally ached from laughter. My precious Scott and Brandi added in on the entertainment. Let me just say.....there was an ice sculpture involved, an ice war and (cough cough) 8 ozs of lesbian pornicating asian meatloaf potheads. If you think I hit my head or taking something, I just have to say you had to be there. We laughed our heads off. At one point the girls wanted to see the river so off we went to take pictures at Thom Lee Park. I watched as these gorgeous girls, most of which I have known since they were in the 2nd grade, posed as young women for the great birthday pictures. It took me back for a moment to see all of them standing there so grown. Even more shocking and also encouraging somehow was the conversation later in the evening as I drove the girls home. How absolutely heartbreaking to hear these girls talk about girls in their school who have already lost their innocence, taking drugs, getting drunk, high, parents divorced, child abuse, dropping out of church....the list just went on and on. Oh I had to resist lecturing or giving the "motherly advice". I am so glad God shut me up and told me just listen. Because after the multiple list of insanity that could be going on in these girl's lives, I heard of why THEY WOULDN'T do these things. I heard one girl after another talk about wanting to stay pure, go to college and one day marry the man of her dreams. At one point in the conversation you could tell things were getting kind of "heavy" and one of the girls pulled the other ones close and said I PROMISE.....I will always be there for you so if you ever want to try any of that stupid crap just call me and I will first hit you and then be there for you. That kind of friendship...that kind of commitment...that kind of unconditional love most adults walk away from. I praise God for Taylor, Ashleigh, Danielle, Terry, and my precious Megan. Five girls trying their very best in a very wicked world. And for Brandi who is such a beautiful example of how to be a strong, intelligent, dreaming, beautiful, pure woman in this messed up world. I PROMISE to be one adult who doesn't walk away...I PROMISE!

Do we have to use the power chain?

Saturday morning and all is quiet in the Balentine home. Jeff and Scott stayed up playing Rockband until the wee hours and Megan and I decorated for her birthday party today and went to sleep. There is something so wonderful about right now. My front door has a beautiful design on it that allows the sun to filter in and place this gorgeous, changing, reflecting design on my wall. I open all the blinds and just soak in the morning. Soak it in before all these teenage girls come over and this house will be anything but quiet. This has been a stressful week for Meg. And just like EVERYTHING in my life, my walk with my Lord....well MY LORD comes to mind with everything. He is constantly showing, teaching and refining. Take for instance, Thursday, we were at Megan's much dreaded orthodontia appointment. Megan's teeth are quite unusual. They are shifted ever so slightly. So at this stage of her braces, they must apply what is called a "power chain". Sounds painful? Well let's just say Megan couldn't even drink afterwards much less eat. I watched as her dentist applied this device on her mouth and then begin to twist, pull and tug. It almost looked like he was going to pull Megan's teeth right out her mouth. Megan was tough....she always is. I would have been a big baby! At the end of all this torture.....in about 8 months..Megan will have a beautiful smile. All the pain, torture, lip gum and Motrin will be worth it. But in the middle of the struggle and tugging it can be exhausting. That is how I feel my Lord taking my life. I am mature enough I believe in my walk to realize that something beautiful waits at the end of the all the struggle, tugging and Motrin but yet I am a big baby! My Lord is definitely using a power chain on me. I had this perfectly thought out planned existence and God smiled and said No. But this is how I want things to be and I hate change...God smiled and said you will be fine. But now things are weird and uncertain and I have no choice to rely on Him for the ending of the book. And of course God smiled and said That is exactly how I want you...dependent on me! Well I hear someone stirring....hopefully it is just my Zoey. She doesn't want to disturb this tranquility...she just wants food!

Happy Birthday to Megan, Happy Birthday to Megan

Fourteen years ago Jeff and I were preparing to leave our home in Millington with our little bag packed and head to Methodist North. We had a scheduled C-Section to bring our little girl into this world. We arrived at the hospital early (for those who know me that wouldn't be a surprise). I was feeling bad, mainly a backache. They strapped me into a machine to monitor her heartbeat and then I waited. Jeff and I had almost two hours to sit, talk and dream about what she would look like and how we would do raising a girl. To my surprise I was in labor! The backache was actually back labor. I had to have a C-section so they did not like this at all. Jeff and I laughed. Jeff said and I will never forget this..."Our girl is already wanting to do things her way". Never a truer statement said then and now. About 5 minutes (literally) before they wheeled me down I said "Jeff what if the ultrasound was wrong....what if this is a boy...we never discussed boy names". So on the spot if Megan had been a boy she would have been Shaun Russell Balentine to match Scott Ryen Balentine. Don't ask me? It was 5 minutes before a C-section give me a break! Well, fast forward 14 years because that is exactly how it feels. Everything way to fast. To my precious Megan, do you truly know the joy you have brought your Dad and I? The laughter, practical jokes, weird sayings, the hugs and kisses, the OMGs let me tell you, the totally unique way you can pronounce words, your absolute unconditional love and admiration for your brother, your compassion for the underdog, your beauty. You my love are one of kind. Unique- different- set apart- special. And I thank my Lord and Savior that He would see fit to give me such a gift. Happy Birthday Meg Meg!

Can you smell the rain?

There is a particular aroma right before the storm. For those of you who don't play outside before a big spring time storm you are missing a blessing. It is the smell of the wind churning everything up and rain. It is distinctive, undeniable and intruding. It is announcing there is a storm coming better get inside! For the past two fun filled but crazy weeks I have had the same conversation with several different people. Each of these friends noticing the good things going on in my life. I will admit by the grace of my Lord things have been good. My job is going great, my family is prospering and drawing closer and my health has never been better. Lucky? Oh no, blessed! See I know exactly where all this rest has come from. I had been under a mountain of suffocating stress and trouble that has been lifted by the Creator of the mountains. Scriptures tells us even the mightiest of warriors found shelter, peace, and rest. I have enjoyed the rest. I will not deny it and I am grateful. And TRUST ME even though I am not looking for trouble I know trouble will come. I know my time of rest is granted by the One who first and foremost knew I needed it. But we rest and regain our strength that we may fight again. I can hear those now who say HUSH ARE YOU CRAZY LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE. That makes me laugh. Because no matter what if you are His child you will see your share of troubles, woes and pain. It is inevitable even expected. See the greatest lessons I have learned from the Master were not in times when I screamed Hallelujah with a smile on my face but when I said Praise Him through tears. So I will play outside and watch the lightening off in the distant and smell that rain and praise the One who brings the storms.

And then there were two....

I feel it has been forever since I have blogged. This has been a fun but crazy week. Alot going on at my job and my home. Megan is running track and joining the high school marching band so I spend alot of time at BMS and BHS! And my wonderful Tigers just won a chance to play for it all in the National Championship! This weekend will also end on a high note as the family and some friends will join in worship tomorrow. I am looking forward to this new chapter. I love a new book. Will I like it? I don't know, I won't know til the end. But I have never read a book that I didn't learn something new. Anyway, I just love the fact that all the above are so excited. I haven't seen this much excitement over something new in a long time. I know Megan needs this more than anybody and furthermore she deserves it. She has seen such ugliness for a long time and lived through as much as some adults I know. That is unfair for a teenager. Don't give me that bull that it builds character or taught her something. That is what is wrong with this world. Our children have seen so much and been through so much that nothing shocks them anymore. I can't do alot about this crazy world but I can try my best to control how much craziness I subject her too. Well, anyway...tomorrow a new chapter and the finish to a FABULOUS week. My husband is screaming at the TV screen thinking Kansas can really hear him so I will close with this. Just like my mighty Tigers....don't count us down for long. God has big things in store for all us if we would just dare to DREAM!!!

The Biggest Loser

I bet I can read minds....my friends are probably thinking I could of told you that! I am so pumped up about this contest at work. I am in charge of the Biggest Loser Contest at my work. They have given me a large budget and I can't wait to give away prizes each week. We came up with some great prize ideas in our prep meeting today. The names of the teams are hilarious! We sound more like pro wrestlers than company teams. Plus, I get to be a part of it! I can't believe I am actually going to weigh in at work. We are hitting the sand in June so this gives me a great incentive to loose! Also, I just love the opportunity to be creative after crunching numbers all day. Again, an example of exactly what my Lord knew that I would need. We are also participating in the March For Babies and Relay for Life. It is so cool to watch people give back because they are so grateful! For instance, we are selling these Baby Step Cards for the walk. I must admit I thought to myself who would buy cards for $2.00 each? But the most amazing thing happened, people started writing their healthy children's names on the cards. Now the entire front lobby is covered in these cards and we are several hundred dollars into our goal just on card sells! It doesn't matter the age or skin colored...everyone is proud of their kids and grandkids! So it begins, I am off to walk. Let the games begin!