In a Perfect World

So, I don't think I have posted before on my utter hate for grocery shopping and all things Wal-Mart. I know that I shouldn't put hate out there, but let's face it, it is totally the truth. When I left my full time job to work part time and stay at home more, I realized that there was a whole new facet to this wife business. Taking care of the house, cooking, laundry, grocery shopping....I had never realized how involved this was. But, I was willing to take it on and dove in head first. And then, that lasted about a week. Because we all know that I am all about things not being an inconvenience to me.

So it has taken, you know, two years for me to balance it all out. I realized that in order for me to work part time and keep an organized house and a happy husband, it is much better for me to have a schedule and make lots of lists. Because I am nothing without my lists (and just as a side note, I do have very cute notepads which make the list writing all the more enjoyable). So you would think that in these two years grocery shopping would have found a comfortable place in my heart right alongside the laundry and cleaning and cooking. But, it most definitely has not.

I am trying to figure out why I hate this act. I have thrown around reasons and tried to make sense of the madness. One of the conclusions I have come to is this:

I have an unwanted dependence on Wal-Mart.

I mean, really, where else can I go to get chicken breasts, crackers, paper plates, deodorant, a dvd, a card for my mother, a bedspread, an oilchange, and a fan? And what about those prices? Nothing compares (a little shout out to Shenade O'Connor). But here is the thing, EACH and EVERY time I go to "the Wal-Marts" I come out completely frustrated. And as a typical rule, I like to avoid situations that make my face twitch. So, this is the conclusion that I have come to, I don't like grocery shopping because Sam Waldon had a great idea to include everything you would ever need into one huge store. And if it's everything I would ever need, it's everything tens of millions of people would ever need, which means all those people are in the same store as me all standing in the two lanes to check out. I mean, why have the other lanes if only two are going to be open?

So, I thought of a solution.

How great would it be if I could go online and buy all of my groceries and then have them delivered to my front door? This, my friends, would be heaven. But then as I thought about this perfect grocery shopping situation, it dawned on me, this is the exact reason that people in other countries hate us. Because we don't like being inconvenienced. So with all of that said, I realize my need to not be inconvenienced, but I so would grocery shop online if it was available. This is the land of opportunity. One of you three readers should really consider this profession of an online grocery store and delivery. I would be the first customer NO DOUBT about it!

Truly a Marcie Moment

"Jamie, your face got red today. Was that from being out in the sun?"

I really need to start thinking before I talk. Seriously.

The Yard Sale Kind

Ok, so today I discovered that there are a breed of people that I had not previously known about or had experience with.

The yard sale kind.

I, happen to love a good yard sale. But what I consider a good sale is one that begins at 10:00 on a Saturday and has pottery barn items marked down to a dollar. Now, I have never actually been to one of these, but if you know of one, then please share.

Anyway...

Our church is having a yard sale to benefit our churches mission team to Albania. My friends, Mark and Hannah (check out Mark's blog), and I have had just loads of fun sorting through people's junk....sorry, I meant belongings. There were glass vases, used puzzles, used curling irons, used sheets, books and more books, vhs tapes, and some items that I'm just not sure what they were, but I am sure they were used.

Now, to a normal breed, these items might appear to not have much value. But, to the yard saler it's like a little bit of heaven opened up and plopped down on the plastic tables right in front of them.

I have never known that these people existed. I had heard stories, and had been promised that they would show, but didn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes today. Hannah and I arrived at the sale at 7:00 a.m. (yes, it was a stretch for me to be there) and we were greeted by six shoppers. AT 7:00 AM.

I can't tell you the last time I got excited about anything at 7:00 AM nonetheless excited about other peoples stuff!

This one couple pretty much cleaned us out. I would be lying if I told you they didn't look like the Clampits driving away in their loaded down truck.

Now, I am not knocking this breed of people. I greatly appreciate their love for items found in other peoples attics and garages. I find it amazing that people can find a use for an old humidifier that doesn't work. Since I live in TN, I will no doubt see the humidifier used as a potting device in the front yard of a trailer. And believe me, I know about trailers.

I shall be the first to say that my mother in law is an avid shopper of the yards. I actually have a dresser in my guest room that was bought for $15 at a sale by her. So I show much love to this breed. Thanks for supporting families across America with your willingness to wake up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday and dig through people's unwanted belongings. We salute you American yard sale shopper. We salute you.

"Stop looking at me Swan"

The other day, Jamie called me to our back window. He said "Look what we have in our pond!"

I responded "How pretty! We have swans!"

Jamie looked at me and grinned "Babe, those are geese."

I feel like it was an honest mistake. Who says that swans couldn't land in our pond in the middle of west TN. I think it could totally happen.

"Holy Leisure"

"Holy Leisure"

It refers to a sense of balance in the life, an ability to be at peace through the activities of the day, an ability to rest and take time to enjoy beauty, an ability to pace ourselves. With our tendency to define people in terms of what they produce, we would do well to cultivate "holy leisure". And if we expect to succeed in the contemplative way, we must pursue "holy leisure" with a determination that is ruthless to our datebooks.

-Richard J. Foster
Celebration of Discipline
in his chapter on Meditation

How far from this do you think we are in modern Christian culture? Why is this even important?

The Madness Has Come to a Victorious End

The hype. The excitement. It has all come to an end. The blue and orange are once again the college basketball champions.

As many of you know, the basketball tournament has been a big deal at our house this year. Jamie and I are big Gator fans. We were there, in Atlanta, when the Gators were victorious over the Arkansas Razorbacks in the SEC championship in football. We were sitting on our couch with our "Gator Get Up" on as they slaughtered Ohio State in the BCS National championship in football. And we have been there every step of the way on this road to greatness in the NCAA basketball tournament. It is all just to much.

Jamie and I couldn't be together last night as the Gators won their second straight championship. But the Gator spirit united us over the miles. At one point in the game I actually raised both of my arms up in the air (like the "touchdown" call in football) and hollered "It's good". This was after Lee Humphreys sank a terrific three pointer. At another point in the game, I stood up from my cozy position on the couch, clapped my hands together very rapidly and shouted "Come on Boys!". I think it is quite possible that they heard me through the television screen because they went on to V-I-C-T-O-R-Y (can't help it, it's the cheerleader inside of me) over the Ohio State Buckeyes.

I am just so proud. It's all just too much. It is the first time in history that one school has held both titles in football and basketball in the same year. It's also the first time in history that the same starting five players won two national titles in a row. That's what the Gators are all about, making history.

And I must add, that I was victorious in my picks. I didn't enter Jamie's office pool, but I would have walked away the proud owner of $40. Jamie, luckily, had good picks too so he won the office pool, so really I still got $40.

March has been chalked full of basketball madness. It has all come to an end. It is a glorious, victorious end with the Florida Gators reigning in as back to back National Champions. It truly is great to be a Florida Gator.