Reflection on other post

This is simply for the few ...and I'm sure it is just a few...who are confused at the September 27th post.  First of all I think most of you know which one of us post each blog...but ...anyway...The Phillies won the Northeast division.  Meaning they made the play offs.  The Mets well....I'm sure you get the picture...we are very excited!!!!

Pray for our country

I just finished my study for the day on 2 Timothy.  Today my devotional focused on Paul's words to Timothy encouraging him to stand firm in his faith.  How many times do we face shame because of our faith?  How many times do we not pray at a restaurant or not pray before a meal when we are in front of non-believers.  How many times do we bring up the name of Christ in conversation? Or even acknowledge Him in conversations that deserve His mention.  How many times do we laugh at a joke or participate in a conversation that goes against everything that as Christians we are to stand for.  Or how many times do we pray for or with someone or even tell them we will pray for them when they express a hard situation in their life?  I don't feel that I am ashamed of my faith because if someone asks if I am a Christian I'll say yes.  Is this really enough? I don't think so.  Can others tell who I live for without asking me? Do others see in my words, work ethic, actions, and motives something that is different? something that reflects Christ?  I hope so.  We don't face the same persecution that Timothy and Paul were up against, but that doesn't mean we don't give in to pressure all the same.  I am currently watching the Presidential debate that we recorded from last week.  I desperately want to vote for a President who can demonstrate personal conviction and take a stand whether or not it is popular with their party.  Andy and I have started to daily pray for this election; it has both of us a bit nervous.  If we want America to be a country that takes a stand for Christ even morality we need to have it start with us in the daily routine.

NL East Champs

The Phillies rule, and the Mets drool.

Bowling!!!

So Monday night Andy and I set out to have another adventure.  This time we decided to go bowling at  nearby mall.  Every now and then we realize that 'we aren't in Kansas anymore.' We had been told that Canada did have ten pin bowling, but we were misinformed.  So I picked up what looked like a shot put and threw it as hard as I could down the lane toward five pins.  Even though there are only five pins every round the high score on this game is 450 a 150 increase from the ten pin game.  I'm not sure how this happened.  My favorite part about this new game is that I'm good at it.  For the most part I go bowling or go play any sport for that matter with Andy and I'm usually in for a little lesson in humility.  I was pleasantly surprised by my new found talent, I'm not so sure Andy was as pleased as me at discovering it :) 

An important year for rock and roll

The following rockers died at 27:  Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and Kurt Cobain.  In the coming year, I will have experienced more life than any of them.  And as my "favorite" sister-in-law pointed out, it's never too late to record an album.

My favorite hockey player ever, Ron Hextall, had his number 27 retired by the Philadelphia Flyers.  

Florida, the 27th state.

There are 27 constitutional amendments.

27 outs in a baseball game.

27 years old today.

I have left my "mid-20's" and am now in my "mid-to-late-20's".

Happy Birthday Andy!!!

I love reasons to celebrate and today I have a great reason to throw my hands up and party.  Three months ago I married my best friend and the best looking guy I've ever seen :)  He gives me reasons to wake up with a smile everyday.  For those of you who know Andy you'll know that every chance he gets he makes you laugh.  Well, I have the privilege of being his audience daily.   Being married for only three months I have already seen what a great listener he really is ( I guess I like to talk a bunch) and just how patient, genuine, and compassionate he can be.  I could go on for hours on just how great he is, but he might read this and start to blush.  So I'll just say from my heart that he is truly a gift from God to me.  So what a day to celebrate! Happy Birthday Andy!!!!

A whole new world

So when we moved to Canada I knew life would change a bit.  I was newly married and moving somewhere cold.   Other than those two major changes (single to married; hot winters to frozen solid Septembers) I thought everything else would be the same. I was unaware that Canadians have been deprived of what you and I might call ordinary foods we take for granted.  I know that Mexican food will always taste better in Houston than in Rochester just as Rochester will always have every Italian food known to man when Houston doesn't know what Ricotta cheese is.  However I was unaware that anyone in North America wouldn't know what pepperoni is.  Andy is very upset at this.  We also have found that german chocolate cake is discontinued in Calgary, which I might add is all Andy wants for his birthday on Monday.  Finally no one here knows what apple cider is.  It is fall here already and I thought it would be nice to sip on some hot cider and remember my home in NY.  This is not really an option.  I've asked numerous people and they give me a blank stare as if I'm talking a different language.  I have found that the Starbucks here offers a hot cider imitation, but it still isn't the same.  I'm still exploring my new home and enjoying most of my finds, but I'm reminded every now and then that I am far from home.

a hurricane poem

All of the Huss's and all of the dogs,

Went to escape the hurricane.

How many dogs will leave the Huss's?

Not as many as came.

We're praying for everyone in Houston.

Birds vs Boys

Every experience you have is an opportunity to learn something new about yourself, your friends, life, or just the world.  I think being married is one of those experiences that takes this simple truth and magnifies it by 100 percent.  I'm constantly learning more about myself,  Andy, and in our special situation the Philadelphia sport teams.  I was under the impression that tonight was just another ordinary football game.  Little did I know.  Apparently the Eagles and the Cowboys are classic rivals.  I saw my husband transformed into what I guess is called a die hard fan.  To do my part I took dinner off the stove and ordered a pizza.  If we are going to celebrate this much over a Monday night game, we may as well do it right.  So pizza and beer....what a way to watch the birds on their way to conquer the boys.

EEEEEEk Ike

It is easy to sit and watch the news and feel very distant from the situations they are reporting on.  This week that was not the case.  I turned on the news Saturday morning and saw streets that I had walked on, driven on, and called home just couple short months ago.  When I was in Houston during Rita I remember people calling me being so worried about my safety.  I was safely evacuated and more attentive to what damage was happening to the city and how I could help than my personal situation.  I didn't experience moments of panic or fear. I was safe and I knew it.  For my parents it was another story.  They only saw the photographs from the newscast and couldn't reach me on my cell.  I finally know how they feel.  Although not blood related, Andy and I have family in Houston.  So to all of you (who we can't reach by phone though we've tried and tried) know that we are praying for you.  I'm sure that you are all safe, but that doesn't mean that your daily lives haven't been affected by this storm.  We love you all.  Let us know how we can pray and if there  is a way for us to help out.  Hope to talk to you soon!

rocky

Temple is playing football at Buffalo today and the Buffalo band and stadium keep playing songs from the Rocky soundtrack (Eye of the Tiger and Go Fly Now).  Temple is a Philadelphia school.  If Buffalo wants to pump up their team, someone should write a song about hot wings.  Instead they steal Philly's song to pump up their team.  And they're not the only one.  This happens all the time.  Write your own awesome inspirational songs!!  

In other news, Carla and I were talking and she claimed she had "nothing else to say."  I laughed at this.

A new favorite

So those of you who know me well have been asked as least once to sit and watch an episode of Prison Break.  It started four years ago when unsuspectingly I happened upon an episode.  Since then I have converted many of my friends, family, and even some acquaintances to Prison Break mania.  Season four has just started, and I am still one of the shows favorite fans, but lately I have begun to expand my horizons.  I'm not sure how we started to watch this show ( and yes this one is 'we' Andy has proven to be a bit resistant to jumping on the Prison Break mania band wagon...but we'll get there..anyway, this new show is a favorite for both him and I)  but it has proven entertaining.  So drum role please....its House.  I know maybe not what you were thinking, but it keeps us guessing.  Andy who loves any sort of puzzle gets as excited as I do ( which is quite a feat) at guessing how they will cure their newest patient.  The only draw back to the show surfaced this week when I woke up with a sore throat.  I spent the morning contemplating how many different infections or types of bacteria could have somehow entered my system.  And I was quick not to overrule the sneaky or unsuspecting ways that these things sneak up on you.  You never know a leaky faucet,  a flea on a dog ...I might have walked by ...a dirty door handle, fumes from a car a couple of miles away.  These all carry germs and House always seems to find the most crucial detail in something ridiculous.   I ended up having a head cold, but many other diagnoses scared me first.  Andy thinks I'm crazy...and I'll admit I think I am a bit.  I didn't mean to get so bent out of shape over a head cold; I just wanted to be cautious.  Shows can affect you more than you know...I mean put me in prison...I'll get out.... 

Wednesday

I never valued my automatic car like I should have.  It is amazing when something is gone how much you can miss it.  I drove my wonderful husband to work this morning. Interpretation being that I drove my new standard in rush hour traffic right to the heart of downtown Calgary.  Up until today I've been so proud of how well I've been doing with this new challenge.  Lets just say that I came home today a bit on the humbler side.  I still made it home, and although my mood was temporarily not pleasant that soon changed.  I am currently watching What Not to Wear and eating an avocado, so the day has improved.  I'll keep you all posted.

I'm back

So this weekend  consisted of 30 hours of dancing for me.  Crazy, but lots of fun.  So I needed a day or two to catch up on life...but now I'm back.  Today we are going to try some 'deep thoughts' from Carla.  No really I've been thinking about something these past few days.  What is prayer and what does it have to do with our lives?  I'm studying Timothy right now and the devotional I am in brings these questions up.  I guess my normal response would be to repeat what I've always known about prayer.  It is talking to God, and so it allows us to thank, ask, repent, and lift up others to God.  I believe all this, but I stopped the other day and questioned my answer.  Yes, prayer is to talk to God, to thank Him, to be real with Him, and allow us access to Him, but it is so much more.  It is time for God to talk to us as well.  It is time for us to lift up others  to Him because we believe that He can work in their lives.  Prayer is done to change us and others.  Do I pray to bring change to my own heart as well as to others lives? Do I pray for my family and friends actually believing that He can heal wounds, soften harden hearts, mend families, and change lives; or do I just pray because I am suppose to?  My devotional actually asked the question, If every other Christian's prayer life was like yours how would this world be changed?  I have to say this convicted me.  I want my prayer life to be a source of change in this world.  I want to pray anticipating that God will respond and that people and families I pray for will be touched.  I guess it is just allowing faith to present itself even more in my prayer life.  To believe my God is big enough to answer.  Just thoughts to ponder.  (For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about...I'd love to explain more...shoot me an e-mail at pcjprescott@gmail.com)