The Changing of Times

  So this title is misleading. I'm not talking about Daylight Saving Time....maybe in a later post. I'm talking more like me getting semi-up-to-date with the changing of the times.    I have never claimed to be anywhere near a technologically savvy person. I rocked the tiniest television for almost a year when I first moved into my "adult home". It was about 16" wide. Seriously. I was fine with it until NBA season rolled around and I couldn't make out the players' numbers on the jerseys. Anytime my Celtics came on and I watched the game I would have to sit in the floor right in front of the television. Now I have a much larger television (thanks to my parents). It's still not anywhere near a newer model television. It's one of those that are really deep and heavy, but it works for me.
   I don't have an Ipod. Of any kind. I think they're super-cool, but I just don't have one. When my MP3 player got stolen at the beach last year, I went to Wal-Mart and got another. It was cheap. It got the job done. Can I do the cool little swirl thing like on the Nano? Nope. I have to manually click down the list of songs. Can I check my FB account on it like the Touch? Nope. Can I take 8 mega pixel pics with it? Sure can't. But I can listen to music when I occasionally work out (that's the only time I listen to it). And that's all I need.
   I don't have a Kindle. I read the old-fashioned type of books. They're alright by me.
   I got a DVD player last year for Christmas. That was a nice upgrade.
   One of the (few) goals I have set for my life is to lead a simple one. I think there's something to be said for simplicity. In this society it's pretty scarce. We try to make everything complicated. You can't even go to the drugstore without being bombarded with choices. Even getting into my shower and trying to wash my hair is not a simple task. There are multiple choices and combinations of shampoos and conditioners to choose from. Nothing is simple anymore. I always felt like my lack of interest in technology just helped with my simplistic goal. However, I am pleased to announce that:
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Could you feel the anticipation building as your eyes scrolled down? That's what I was going for anyway. But for real, I am pleased to announce that after four years, that's right four years, of rocking the Crazor, I have finally upgraded cellular phones. And I didn't get just any phone; I got the Droid 2. The latest on the market. Practically unheard of for me!!
  I got my Crazor back in the day because I was starting my contract with Verizon and it was one of the free options. Naturally I went with that. I went in there after giving myself a pep-talk that I could stand up against the evil sales people who would try to sell me the latest and greatest phone with apps (this was before there was actually something called apps) that I didn't need. All I cared about was dialing out, receiving calls, and texting. I didn't even care if it had a camera on it since all the cameras on phones sucked. My goal was to keep it simple. And I did. Mission accomplished. I got everything I needed and wanted from that little Crazor. It served me well.
   Probably my favorite thing about my outdated phone was that I could take it to work and leave it all over the place. For some reason last year we could not keep a working clock in my classroom. We didn't have a SmartBoard for the better part of the year so we couldn't just look at it and know the time, and I don't wear a watch. So my cell phone (always on silent btw) was our classroom clock. Now I lose anything that is not attached to my body. Well, maybe lose is not the best choice of words. Let's go with misplace. I am known for my, shall we say, restlessness while teaching. I am constantly up moving around and since the old faithful Crazor was the classroom clock, it got left all over the room quite a bit. But the great thing was that I never worried about someone stealing it. We all know that things get stolen at school. Doesn't matter which school--it happens. Especially if the item deals with technology. Fortunately, any child who had a phone (which is the vast majority) had one that was way cooler than mine. And any child who was not fortunate enough to have their own cell phone didn't want my old thing. That would be too embarrassing. So I liked the freedom to just toss it anywhere in the room and know that it wasn't going to come up missing.
   But I finally decided it was time to get a more current phone. I really like that the new Smart phones can do just about anything. And really you can save a good amount of money with them. They have a GPS system. Just saved about $100. They have free ring tones. Just saved more money. They have a nice camera. Cha-ching. They come with the Internet. No more calling Info. They're just so convenient. The Droid 2 comes with mobile hot spot. For $20 a month you can have the phone put off wi-fi that will power your computer at home. I am cancelling my Internet at home and going to try it. Just saved $45.
   The only problem I have with my new Smart Phone is that I'm not smart enough to use it. I have no clue what is going on. I have no clue how to work my apps. I had trouble even answering my phone earlier today. I no longer have to be sympathetic to the elderly who get phones and don't know how to use them; I can now be empathetic. Oh well, I'm sure it, just like everything else in life, will get easier with time.

                     Here's me with my Crazor: A Tribute.

A Shelter in the Time of Storm

     As most of you know, I am a teacher. I absolutely love my job!!! Very much! I felt the calling to be a teacher around the 2nd or 3rd year of college, but I was already majoring in something else. When I told my parents of my intentions to change majors, they quickly tried to change my mind--understandably so. Teachers put up with a lot of flack and disrespect all while getting paid what most would consider to be a menial salary. I grew up in a small school where it was considered taboo if you didn't go to church on a regular basis. For the most part, if you got in trouble at school, your parents came up the school, not to get onto the teachers/administration for getting onto their baby, but to give their child a good tongue-lashing (or worse). My parents feared that this was not an accurate present-day  model of the school system, and that if I did become a teacher, I would wind up under-paid, under-appreciated, and unhappy. I got the "kids today aren't what they used to be" speech. Still, I remained unwavering. They conceded, knowing that it was my life and ultimately my decision. They were just trying to point out the cons to what I saw to be a pros-only list.

     I am pleased (and so are my parents) to say that I am so completely happy with my decision. This is my second year teaching, and I absolutely, positively love my job and my students. Sometimes I feel like I love my kids a little too much since I'm always making excuses to myself for their lack of effort or good behavior. But the point is: I'm happy. Could I be making more money doing something else that I'd probably love just as much? Sure. But I've never known what it was like to have lots and lots of money at my disposal so, you know what they say, ignorance is bliss. I'm all about simplicity and leading a simple life. I do alright. I don't want for anything that is a necessity (but an English Bulldog), and I have enough to do what I want for the most part.

     I don't know what it's like to be a mother, but I can honestly say I love every single one of these kids like they were my own. I get upset with them if they don't meet their potential, proud when they do, mad when they act a fool, excited over their milestones, etc.. If they do something that I don't care for or are disrespectful, I forgive them instantaneously (for the most part) because I love them so much.

     I turn the twenty-minute commute that I have to work each day into prayer time. I like to take that time to recognize my blessings, pray for family and friends, put on my spiritual armour (I certainly need it--not to stand against the wiles of the devil but my own self), and pray for my kids. I don't know what it's like for them at home. I work in a fairly large school system so there is definitely a variety. Some kids come from great prosperity;some from poverty. Some have a great support group at home; some are lucky to get dinner. It is my prayer every day that our school, and especially my room, will be a safe-haven for these kids. A shelter in the time of storm. That they will see God's love for them through me and my love for them. I have them for less than an hour a day. And during that hour, we are hitting the ground running doing some serious mathematics. A lot of times I don't know what is going on in their personal and/or home lives. Sure there are some key indicators, but I don't know for sure unless I talk to them about it. That's why I pray for them. That no matter the situation at home, whether it be good or bad, they know that my room is their getaway zone. For that hour of each day, they are loved and cared for. Hopefully that is the case with every class, but I know I can only be accountable for my one hour that I personally have  with them.

     I say all this to say this next sentence: God is good and faithful to answer our prayers! I don't want to put information about any of my students out there for the world to see so I'll just say this: I recently got confirmation that the above paragraph is much needed and appreciated. Some of these kids do feel the way I hoped they would--school and my classroom is their shelter from life's storm.  That may not seem like much, but to me it is everything. I know that my room is a haven. That even though a child's life may be upside down sometimes, they are happy in my room. Their problems aren't there for that hour. And that's what makes it all worth it!

     I'm so grateful that I have led a problem-free life. Now that is not to say I haven't gone through some tough times, but in the grand scheme of things, I've been dealt a good hand.  I had a normal childhood. I knew that I was loved by my family and my Savior. I lead a normal adult-life. God is good and so are His blessings! I cannot thank Him enough!

I'm calling it even.

     So every year I have an internal (and pointless) battle over which season I love the most. It always comes down to summer and fall. For some reason, I feel the need to only have one favorite. When summer rolls around, I'm soooo glad that it's here and I inevitably think to myself, "yep, my favorite is definitely summer." Then fall rolls around, and I'm so ready for the cooler weather, lightweight jackets, football, changing leaves (you get the picture) that I think, "yep, fall is definitely my favorite". This year was no different. I thought I had finally decided on summer since my job allows me to have summers off. This past summer was my first summer off and it was A-MAZING!!! So yeah, naturally, summer was it. Fell right into the number one spot, easily. Buuttt, now it's fall, and I'm thinking I love it just as much. So, after 24 years of battling my own self, I'm calling it even. I love them both. --Disclaimer: if you're thinking, "Wow, I just wasted a couple minutes of my life reading this meaningless paragraph", you're right. My apologies. I just really felt the need to put that out there.

     This is my second year officially living as an adult. (This constitutes living by myself, paying my own bills, and not just having a job, but having a career.) I have really gotten into seasonal decorating since becoming "an adult". Wreaths are my favorite! I think the majority of people would say their favorite decorating season is Christmas. Not mine! It's fall. Everybody decorates for Christmas--it's expected. But not everyone decorates for fall--it's appreciated. I love the burnt oranges, the burgundies, the deep purples. I put up a fall display in my yard this year. Not gonna lie--I'm pretty proud of it. (Which is why I'm posting a picture of my boss display.) It brings so much enjoyment to me, my neighbors, and passers-by. And hopefully you.

Inward Perfection

     Every first Tuesday of the month, we have a Ladies Missionary meeting. I look forward to it every month!! It is comprised of the ladies of Liberty Methodist Church and a few non-members, such as myself. We eat, fellowship, have a message, and discuss business. This month I was asked by Mrs. Geneva to give the message. As soon as she asked me I knew that I wanted to speak about Matthew 11:29-30, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." But then I realized that is what I want to speak about--maybe I should ask God what He wants me to speak about. So I did, and I dove into my Bible hoping He would either (a) give me confirmation that I should speak about those verses, or (b) give me something that He wants me to speak about. In the end, He went with plan B--which came out much better than what I had originally planned (which is always the case). Here's what He gave me:


   I started reading in Matthew 1 and just kept going. I started noticing a few themes and how they felt connected throughout several chapters. I started thinking about the inside. I titled this Inward Perfection.


   We, as humans, tend to focus on the outside. Outside appearance. Outside actions. Outside emotions. That is our nature, but it is also what society teaches us. Just look at commercials. Millions of products designed to improve something on the outside.


   As Christians, we tend to focus on the outside as well. Did what I just say come out wrong? Could it be misconstrued to sound "bad"? Is my dress a little too high? Is my blouse a little too low? Did someone see me roll my eyes at that person? The list of questions we subconsciously ask ourselves could go on and on. Or how about this--how many of you have seen or been a part of this little scenario: It's Sunday morning. You and the fam are getting ready for church. Someone is bickering and fighting. Someone is mad at someone else. Parents are nagging the whole way to church; kids are fighting the whole way to church. But as soon as you roll through the sanctuary doors--something happens. A transformation takes place. The bickering stops. The fussing and nagging stop. Everyone puts a smile on their face and acts like they have had the perfect morning with their perfect family. Why do we do this??? Outside appearances. The way we act in public is different from the way we act in private.


   As I was going through Matthew, I started noticing Jesus talking about a focus on the inside rather than the outside. There are several different angles you can look at this. I want to look at three: the literal sense, inward thoughts, and inward worries.


The Literal Sense. In Matthew 6, I started noticing a theme throughout the chapter. Several verses talked about doing righteous acts in private rather than out in the open. We should focus on worshipping inside. Literally. The first time this appears in the chapter is in verse 4. (Matthew 6:4--That thine offerings may be in secret and they Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.) Jesus talks about how the Pharisees would make sure everyone saw how much they were putting into the offering plate. Sometime they would even ring a bell when they gave offerings. Jesus says to let what you put in the offering plate be between you and Him, and when the time is right, He'll reward you in public. He knows that we want to be recognized for our servitude. And He promises to do that, but it will be in His timing.
   Later in verse 6, Jesus talks about praying in private. (Matthew 6:6--But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.) The Pharisees would often go out into a busy crowded street, stand in the middle of it, and begin praying very loudly so everyone could hear them. Jesus warns us not to do this. He says to let your prayer be between the two of you, and in His time, He'll reward you openly. Too often we find ourselves praying to men rather than to God. While I am soooo not one to judge, it is a pet peeve of mine for people to use uncharacteristically flowery language when they pray in public. When you start thinking about what you are going to say to God and plan your entire prayer out because you know you're going to be doing it in front of other people then you are praying to please men rather than God. How quickly we can go from good intentions to unrighteous acts.
   Also, in verse 18 (Matthew 6:18--That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.) The Pharisees were known for fasting. Many times they would put a white substance on their faces, like makeup for instance, to appear pale and weakened from fasting. Jesus warns us against this. If you want to fast, great. But don't do it to stand esteemed in the eyes of others. Do it with a pure heart.


Thought Life. Why is it that we put so much time and effort into maintaining our reputation when we spend so little time correcting the things that only we and God know about? Is it wrong to care about your reputation? No. But what is wrong is caring more about the opinion of other's rather than God's opinion. We care more about what strangers think of us than God. If you don't feel like this statement applies to you then let me ask you a question: how many of you have been in a situation where you feel the voice of the Holy Spirit tell you to talk to someone about God and you choose not to because it's socially inappropriate. Or because you are afraid of rejection from that person? Or you are afraid they will ridicule you for being a "religious zealot"? Yes, we are all guilty of this.
   So many times we try to change the outside without doing some deep cleaning on the inside. We try to treat the symptoms rather than the source. Example: Suppose I had a terrible pain on my side--so much so that it was debilitating. I couldn't stand or sit up straight; it ached all day long without fail. Would I keep just popping aspirin and hope that the pain would subside? Maybe at first, but after a while of constant pain, I'm going to go to the doctor and try to figure out why I'm having this pain. It is only when I have been properly diagnosed that I can truly start treating the problem. So many times, as Christians, we try to treat the symptoms of our sin rather than get to the source. The symptoms are what shows on the outside--what we say, what we do, how we act. The source is what is on the inside. The only way we can be properly cleansed is through Jesus. He must be at the source. A purging of the old man and a putting on of the new. We have to fully rely on Him and have faith in Him.
   Chris Tiegreen wrote, "We must embrace the fruits of the spirit in our thought life as much as we embrace acting them out." I thought this was pretty good. On my daily commute, I ask God to help me exhibit the fruits of the Spirit throughout the day. I ask Him to filter my thoughts, actions, and words. But I never really thought about making sure that I exhibit the fruits of the Spirit on the inside as well. It's just, if not more, as important. It's like your mama always says, "what's on the inside is gonna show on the outside".


Worrying. Worrying is a plague that affects us all. Here's what the Bible says about worrying:
Matthew 6: 25-34--Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than food, and the body than clothing? Behold the birds of the air: for they don’t plant, neither do they harvest, nor store the harvest into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one foot to his height? And why take ye thought for clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin thread. And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these lilies. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is living, and tomorrow is dead, shall he much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, With what shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the unbelievers seeks)  for your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for tomorrow: for tomorrow will take thought for the things of itself. Evil is plenty for just today.
  I think this is pretty self-explanatory.
  In Matthew 28, the disciples and Jesus boarded a ship, and the sea and wind got really rough. Jesus was sleeping and the disciples woke him up and begged Him to do something about it because they were scared. When Jesus calmed the wind and seas with a word, they marveled that He could do it. It is so easy for us to look at the disciples and judge them for their stupidity. How could they sit and worry about the storm when they have the creator of the world on board with them? How could they be stunned when they see the Savior of the world calm the storm with a single word? Yes, how easy it is for us to judge them. But I say to you, is not God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit one? How dare we judge those disciples for worrying when they have God in the flesh beside them when we carry God with us in our hearts wherever we go and we still worry. They had God beside them; we have got in us. How dare we worry about the things of this world. We have the master, creator, and savior of the universe in our hearts (if we're saved).
   Is it easy not to worry? No! It is our default reaction. We must train ourselves to put off the things of the world and look to God as our lord and master. When our worries grow larger, God grows smaller. You are indirectly saying that God is not big enough to handle your problems. God promises us in Romans 8:28 that if we submit to Him and His will, and let Him guide us, then everything will work out for good. Even if it doesn't seem like it. That's where faith comes in. Faith that God will keep His promise--which He always does.
   I hope this helps you as much as it did me!

Three Day Weekend, oh my!!!

   I had a great Labor Day weekend!!! Although everyday is a pleasure to get up and go to work(seriously, I LOVE my job), I was definitely looking forward to a four-day workweek. Especially since it was game day weekend as well.
   Friday night, Josh and I went to a dinner at the home of Greg and Carol Cadenhead. Greg and Carol live about two miles down the road from me. I love their home. They have the most beautiful view! They are the type to really "live off the land" in that they have a year-round garden. And not just any garden. It's BIG. It puts my little summer garden to shame! They also have a pet turkey (who I have lovingly named Jimmy). How awesome is that?!?! There is a big, beautiful pond. We sat outside and enjoyed a fresh salad, vegetables, lasagna, and cake while enjoying the conversation and watching the sunset over the trees and pond. It was....picturesque.
   Saturday, Jenna and I drove up to Auburn and tailgated with some friends. We had a blast!!! War Eagle(52-26)!
   We had a wonderful service at church on Sunday. While I have been considered a "regular" at several churches, Calvary Baptist Church in Tallassee is my home. It is small in population, but big on God. We are fortunate enough to have a pastor and his family who truly love God and live what the Bible says. The sermon on Sunday was excellent. It was based on John 3 when Jesus is talking to Nicodemus about salvation. Jesus tells him that unless a man is born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. Nicodemus did not understand what "born again" meant. He thought Jesus was talking in a literal sense and couldn't understand how a man can be physically born twice. Brother Jim brought up a few interesting parallels between a man's physical birth and his spiritual birth. While I am probably going to miss a few points since I didn't take notes, here's a couple that I thought were great:

• Just as a person needs to be physically born only once, a person only needs to be spiritually born once. Once you have been born, that's it. You're here. Similarly, Christ's blood is strong enough to save you once (and for all). I am a firm believer in once saved, always saved. I am grateful that even though I sin on a regular basis, I do not lose my salvation on a regular basis. The result of my sin is a loss of fellowship, not a loss of relationship. If I "commit a sin" against my earthly father, Rex Floyd, to the point that I have shamed him--I never stop being his daughter. Our fellowship may not be what it used to be while I continue to shame him, but it doesn't change the fact that he is still my father. Similarly, when we sin against our heavenly Father, our fellowship with him might falter (that's when repentence comes in), but he is still our heavenly Father.
• Being born causes someone else to suffer. Now mothers reading this might not like the choice of words: "to suffer". But the fact of the matter is that childbirth is painful. Thankfully, we have medicine to alleviate the pain, but without it, that junk is painful. (Or so I have heard.) Just as mothers have to go through the physical pains of birthing their child, someone had to suffer for us to be able to be born again. That person was Jesus. I am so grateful that He took the weight of our sins and bore them Himself. It makes me think of that hymn lyric "I should have been crucified; I should have suffered and died. I should have hung on the cross in disgrace, But Jesus, God's Son, took my place."
• When you are born, you do not have a past. When we are physically born on this earth, we do not have a past. How can we have a past when we haven't been born yet? Similarly, when you are are spiritually born, God wipes away all of your past transgressions. In Ephesians 2:1, the Bible says that we were once dead in our trespasses and sins. When we get saved, the blood of Christ washes over us and makes us new.

I'm sure there were other points, but those are the ones that I can readily recall. Pretty good, huh? After church, I got to visit with family and people considered family.
     Monday was Labor Day. Now I know you're not supposed to do any labor on Labor Day, but housework really, really needed to be done. I did laundry, dishes, swept inside and outside, mopped, organized my closet, etc. I also managed to sleep in until 9:15, watch a couple hours of television, and read a book (not the whole thing--it was that productive of a day.)

All in all, pretty great weekend!

My Absolute Most Favorite Hymn

I am a huge fan of hymns. I love to read through a hymnal like it's a book of poetry. I love to sit and meditate on the words. I don't feel like I can do that when I'm singing in church because I am forced to  move on to the next line. This is my favorite; it's words are magnificent. Hope it touches you as much as it does me.

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

1. When I survey the wondrous cross 
 on which the Prince of Glory died; 
 my richest gain I count but loss, 
 and pour contempt on all my pride. 

2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, 
 save in the death of Christ, my God; 
 all the vain things that charm me most, 
 I sacrifice them to his blood. 

3. See, from his head, his hands, his feet, 
 sorrow and love flow mingled down. 
 Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, 
 or thorns compose so rich a crown. 

4. Were the whole realm of nature mine, 
 that were an offering far too small; 
 love so amazing, so divine, 
 demands my soul, my life, my all. 

A Love for my Country; A Love for THE Country

     I want to start off with saying that I love my country. I am absolutely, positively proud to be an American. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It doesn't get much better than that. Granted, America isn't what it used to be or all that we hope it to be, but it's still pretty awesome. I am so grateful for the men and women who sacrifice to allow me the freedom I exercise on a daily basis. I am so grateful for the liberty to be different. We can say what we want, believe what we want, and (for the most part) do what we want.

     Just as much as I love my country, I love the country. I love being a southerner. I've never been anything else. I'm sure the north has its perks, but as they say, "ignorance is bliss". And I'm quite sure that even if I did give being a "yankee" a chance, I'd still choose to be a southerner. I love good ol' southern hospitality. I love that when I walk through any public place and I make eye contact with a stranger, smiles are exchanged. Sometimes even a "Hey, how are you". Northerners don't do that. There's comfort in a shared smile and/or greeting. I love that we fry everything and drink sweet tea. It tastes better. I love our southern drawl. It's endearing. And I love that we have the best football conference in the nation (not that I'm claiming to be the BIGGEST f/b fan.) Bbbbuuuuutttttt.......... War. Eagle.

     Taking it a step further: I love being southern and living "in the sticks". I grew up in the country. Me and Kelly (my sister) spent our free time playing in the woods. We had forts, named bays along the branch, and (attempted to) catch crawdaddies. It was nothing to have our legs covered in mosquito bites. (Random: Anybody remember dog days??? Terrible.) We didn't worry about strangers with candy. There were no neighbors near enough--except Grandma and Granddaddy who are literally through the woods and over the branch. We didn't have to worry about walking our dogs because they had plenty of land to roam as they pleased. As a little girl, I wanted nothing more than to live in a subdivision. I wanted to ride a bike to my friends' houses. Now that I'm older I am soooo glad that I didn't get the opportunity.

     One of my most favorite childhood memories is riding my go-cart. If any of you have not been to my parents' home (aka the home of my childhood), there is a field in front, a field in back, and woods on either side of the house. My granddaddy is a cattle farmer so that's what the fields are for. Anyway, I would ride this red go-cart ALL over the yard. One day I came home to find that my granddaddy had taken the tractor and cut me out a maze in the back field. The grass was probably more than waist-high and my maze path was cut down. It was awesome! I could go as fast as I wanted, hugging the curves, and take a sharp right right around a curve. So what if I got off track? All I'd hit was grass. Best. Childhood. Memory. I bet all those city folk didn't have a personal maze in a cow pasture when they were young. Jealous much? Probably.

     During the first three years of college I lived in Auburn. Those three years are the only exception to this next statement: I've always lived out in "the country". I absolutely love it. Last year when I graduated college, got my first big girl job, and officially became an adult (that horrendous word!!), I moved out of my parents' home and into my own. Well, not technically since I rent, but you get my drift. The first decision was where to live? Do I want the convenience of the city or the beauty of the country? Do I want the night time sounds of cars and pedestrians or do I want the sounds of crickets chirping and frogs croaking? In the end I chose the country. Now I live in a modest two bedroom home with an immodest front and back yard. It's so nice to have my own little space to have a summer garden, hang ferns off of the front porch, sit with friends on the deck, plant flowers in the front beds, and wave at the neighbors when I go to check my mail. Plus, all of that comes with the country price tag which is significantly cheaper than the city's. I feel that I made the superior choice.

     As I was driving to a friend's house yesterday after work, I looked at my fellow small-town country residents. As you know, every route in the country is scenic so there's plenty to look at. Just a few things I observed:

• people mowing the lawn
• kids playing baseball and football in the front yard
• teenager riding horseback
• father and son on the gator driving home from the neighbor's
• lots and LOTS of American flags hanging from porches

Just a few things that I smelled:

• leaves burning
• honeysuckle
• fresh cut hay fields

Does it really get any better? Now I realize that this is all based on preference. Many people would much rather live in the city. And that's okay. I think a lot of it has to do with where you were raised. I am simply saying that I love my country and the country and am grateful for both.

My summer garden

View from my window when I wash dishes

My home