Random Dozen

Linda at Second Cup of Coffee is busy this week and so SouthLakesMom from I Didn't Know THAT! is hosting.


The theme is Spring . . . and any other random questions that crept in.

1. What is your favorite sign of Spring?
warmer weather and sunshine

2. Did you remember to spring forward on March 14? If not, how did it impact your day?
yes, we remembered. 

3. If soil, time, talent and climate were no problem, what vegetable would you plant in a garden this year?
tomatoes and green beans

4. If soil, time, talent and climate were no problem, what fruit would you plant?
strawberries

5. What is your least favorite insect?
spiders

6. March 22 was World Water Day. To celebrate, here are some water questions. Do you drink bottled water? If so, what brand?
sometimes I do.  
No particular brand.

7. Have you ever been somewhere that it was not safe to drink the local water? If so, how did you handle that?

I've been on a couple of cruises and when we were on the islands they told us not to drink the water or even have drinks with ice in them.  So we either drank bottled drinks or we waited until we were back on the ship.

8. How many glasses of water do you drink per day?
Depends.  Sometimes not any and sometimes 8 or so.

9. March 24 is the birthday of Harry Houdini. Have you ever watched a professional magic show? Share.
I have watched some, but for some reason, I really don't like magic shows very well.  I really don't know why.

10. Have you ever been a participant in a professional magic show (up on stage!)?
Nope

11. March 24 is also the birthday of Steve McQueen and Clyde Barrow. Do you like Westerns or gangster movies? If so, what is your favorite?
I don't much like gangster movies, but westerns are fine.  I love John Wayne.

12. (Really random) What U.S. state that you've never visited would you like to visit someday?
All of them.  lol  But I'd love to go to Alaska and Hawaii...and for some reason, I'd love to visit Texas.  Maybe because it seems so many of my blogging buddies are there.

Giveaway at Me & My Boys by Trish

Trish has a giveaway on her blog you really should go check out. She's celebrating her upcoming 1st blogaversary. You'll love the giveaway and if you spend some time reading her blog, I think you'll love that too.
Go check Trish out at Me & My Boys...our life, one laugh at a time. I promise you won't be sorry you did.

Carrots, Eggs & Coffee

I received this story in an e-mail from a friend and just had to share it here.  Hope you enjoy.

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee....You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened..

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

Our family is going through some tough times right now, but I can say without any doubt this song is true in my life. I hope it blesses you like it has me today. And I thank each one of you that have been praying for us. God is so good to allow me to have friends like each one of you.



Click here to join in with others participating in Then Sings My Soul Saturday.

Flashback Friday

Mocha with Linda has started a new meme called Flashback Friday.  This is week 2.  Click here if you'd like to go visit Linda and read more Flashback Friday posts and/or join in on this new fun meme.


Today's prompt says:  "While not all of the Flashback Fridays will be "firsts," this week's topic falls into that category. Turn back through the pages of your life to your memories of dating and tell us. . .

When was your first date? You can choose either your first date ever or your first date with your spouse - or both! How old were you? What did you do/where did you go? Did anything memorable - either good or embarrassing? If it was your first date ever, did you continue to date that person? If so, how long? If you are sharing the story of the first date with the person you married, did you know he/she was "the one" or did it take a longer for love to bloom? Any other memories you wish to share about those wonderfully awkward first dates?!"

Our (Tracy's and mine's) first official date was in 1988. We actually had gone out with his mom and dad and brother & sister-in-law to the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo, but we've never called that our first date.  Anyway, Tracy was the minister of music and choir director of our church and when I started going to that church I joined the choir.  I sang in the choir for almost a year before he ever talked to me.  Anyway, we went to the zoo around Christmas with his family and then in January 1988 we had our first date.  My sister and I lived in an apartment together with another friend.  Anyway, we got a friend of Tracy's who also sang in the choir to invite Tracy to come to our apartment to have dinner and that I would make lasagna for everyone.  Now mind you I was 30 years old and I didn't have the nerve to ask him over. What's that say about me and at that time, Tracy was a very quiet and shy kinda guy.  I'm not sure how he ended up in the ministry, except he was just obedient to God.

Anyway, that night the 3 of us girls who lived together were there and then Tracy came and so did the friend that asked him for us, along with his wife and their 2 kids.  Everyone was so nervous, except for Tracy (or he just hid it really well).  I mean, the guy who asked him was so nervous that he ended up putting his kid's shoes on the wrong feet.  It was hysterical.  We've laughed about that night so many times since then, but evidently he liked my lasagna and maybe me too because a year later we married and we've been married 21 years now.