Do You Know What Your Gift From God Is?

Do you?

I am going to be honest and say I don't, and it has been a struggle of mine for years. Lo will say it is for sure her and I will agree with her on that. But seriously, I really don't know.

While this lack of knowing has not hindered my daily activities, it has kept me thinking. Every Friday, the Senate has Bible Study under Dr. Barry Black. Today's topic was this subject. As I listened, I could not help but wonder exactly what my gift is. Nothing instantly came to mind. Now, I don't feel guilty for not knowing. I actually feel more inspired to pursue exactly what that gift or ability is that has yet to grasp my attention.

Maybe I am blind to my own abilities and gifts? Could that be a possibility? While I will never be as good of a person as Mama Clay (my grandmother), I try every day to use her philosophy of "You should always try and find the good in everyone and everything that God puts in your life." While it has been difficult, it has allowed me to see the positive gifts and abilities people bring to my life. Maybe our gifts are more obvious to others than to ourselves? So if we can see other's gifts better than our own, was Dr. Black right when he said our gifts are often what we are complimented on?

What really caught my attention today were these words: "Your gift can often times be what you have been punished for your entire life." Wow. Interpret that one for me.

Dr. Black continued his talk with us on the subject and it struck me when he said that many of us live and die without discovering our gift. I can name so many other people's gifts, yet can't find one of mine........ Will I be one of many who never find that needle in their haystack? Life is such a mystery.

Side Note: Mama Clay also has another rule she lives by, "You get more flies with honey than vinegar." She loves to tell my father and I that....I can't follow her on that one. Sometimes you just have to be rude, especially in this town.

Until next time.....

Thousands of Hits Later

So we did not add the clicker (number of hits) gadget until a few months ago and we are already up to over 7,000 clicks. Note: Our blog is circa July 2008, so can you imagine where we would be if we would have added it on arrival to the blogger world?

What I am getting at here is the fact that we blog for the readers, yet appreciation is always needed. Do you like constantly doing a job, yet never getting a "hey, good job" or "you rock" or "thanks for doing that"? Didn't think so.

Well that is how we are feeling here. There are three continuous responders: MSmom, Mother Teresa, and Jordan, so yeah we love you and thanks. This post is not about you three. Y'all are cool.

To all the other "followers", this is your time to shine. But as a punishment, Lo and I have decided to not blog until we get comments from our other followers. Let's say at least 10....and not counting the three constant commentators.......that's not asking too much....We know we have some...We didn't get 7,000 bumps in a few months for nothing. I know the mothers and Jordan, you are wondering why y'all are being punished for what others are doing, but let's face it, you have been punished because of other's actions all your life: not getting nap time, losing recess, not having the party because your beans got taken out of the jar, getting Barry Obama, losing From Dixie With Love...You get my picture.....

To the other followers: This can be your time to shine...

Show some love....or lose us forever....

Well not forever, but for a while.... I ain't playin dawgs.

picture from cheezeburger.com

SHOUT OUT

Happy Birthday Mother Dear!!!!!!
Just wanted to wish you a happy happy Big 5-0 birthday, with many more to come. In light of your birth, Thank goodness for that right? Or this blog would not exist!! I wanted to give a little recognition to something she holds dear, her photography. She rarely gives herself credit for her skill and talent, so I have decided to show you just a glimpse of what she can do. If you need any pictures taken, for any circumstance, Save the Date, Action Shots, Baby pics or anything, she can do it! Below is some of the work she has done in the past. Enjoy!


Landscape Photography


















Save The Date




Baby Shots





Action Shots

Following Suit... About me.

I haven't posted in a while and Wesley is starting to make me look bad, and I saw this on Jo's blog... so I thought I would follow suit.

* If I were a gamer I would be... well I wouldn't be a gamer. Ever. I guess if forced I would be... loisnotagamer. Good enough.

* If I could get a puppy I would name it.... Pickles. Or Percy. Or Mimi LaRue. Or anyname that fits my doggy. I want a dog. Bad. A bassett hound... a white lab... a doberman.. a weimeranier. I just want a dog, people.

* If I could have a superpower... I would be able to read people's minds without them knowing it / slightly know the future like Twilight (I don't need any comments!). I am a planner - I like to know things in advance.

* I just started listening to.... all Joey's playlists. I typically stick to all the pop music on the local radio station but I have been venturing out lately to jo's fun playlists. Thanks geurl.

* If I won the lottery... I would pay off my debt and start saving. That is my adult answer. And then I would buy a house bigger than my shoebox apartment that would have a nice big kitchen.

* I enjoy... turning up my music in the car really loud during rush hour and pretending that I am somewhere else... besides stuck in rush hour with jerks honking at me.

* I want kids.... in 5 -6 years. I am too selfish to share my husband right now. I can barely take care of myself... how can I take care of a kid?! :)

* If I wasn't.... working at the Embassy, I would be in New York hopefully doing something in fashion. We will see perhaps.

* I miss ..... my friends. Please come see me. And my family (hint hint... mom and dad come visit me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) thanks.

That's all for now. Back to the Olympics - snowboarding... yes!!

love yall miss yall. lo

Now I Know Why

Quality, Value, Convenience is so addicting. For everyone who is scratching their head trying to figure out what I am talking about, let me simplify. QVC is the leader among the home shopping network stations and I fell victim to its curse. On Valentine's Day Eve, we had a low key evening deciding to stay in to enjoy a relaxing evening of red wine and The Holiday (our most favorite movie that has surpassed Mean Girls, which was our college movie of choice). Little did I know, this relaxing evening was about to change. Lo suddenly realized that Rachel Zoe was debuting her line at Bryant Park and QVC was going to air it, allowing you to be the first to purchase her exciting new spring collection. Oh boy was I excited. I was jumping for joy with the anticipation of what was about to debut. I mean, my palms were sweating (ellen!).

So as a good husband would do on the eve of Love Day, we turn it to the QVC Channel and eagerly awaited Rachel Zoe, who by the way, is to die. The show starts and the barbie-like lady starts talking about how 500 items had already sold in 30 seconds and this is a record sell. QVC is selling RZ like its their job (I guess technically it is their job). Lo starts seeing items she really likes and the competitor in me came out. We were calling and redialing and calling and cussing (light verbage) at those who had dialed faster, but we in the end we were successful. One fur vest and two oversized capes were in our posession. GOOOOO US!!

And don't you worry, if you have previously shopped with them, either online or by phone you are in their database and they say "Lauren Clay at blah blah blah Avenue blah blah blah Washington, D.C., credit card number ###-####-####. Your order has been approved, thank you for shopping with QVC." Just like that! In a matter of seconds, we were on and off the phone, with the purchases on their way. I was mesmorized how on top of their shit QVC was. They have this down to an art form.

I was yearning for more competition, but luckily for our bank account the rest of the collection Lo was just okay with. We only purchase items that we love. I am very glad my social life keeps me from QVC. Just so I would forget about it, I gave it up for Lent. Mind you, Valentine's Day Eve was my first experience...

Until Next time.....

Is the Perception of Big City Peeps True?

Most small town folk believe people who live in the big city have a perception of being snooty and too busy to care about others and their surroundings. While I have to agree/disagree, the following took place at a metro (subway) station in D.C. Does it prove the perception? Here is the video. Quite amazing.



Written by The Washington Post

Now Here is a breakdown of the occurrence...Something to think about…
Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately. Two thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.

The questions raised:
*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*Do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing? Are people just too busy to stop and smell the roses?

A Glimpse at the Worst Storm in D.C. since 1899

So Davis sent Lauren this link and it is amazing. It shows how fast the snow came and the amount we got. This is only a glimpse of the damage.


Time Lapse Of Washington Snowfall - Watch more Funny Videos

This is awesome.

This is a very cool video of my brother Davis's neighborhood in Knoxville (Go Vols!) during a snow fight. Loved the music and the film :) Starting at 2:08 on the video you can see my brother..... he has on the red jacket. At the very end, the still shot of the guys is at his house with his roommates. He is in the back on the far left. Miss him so much. Enjoy!

I know the last post was like

"OMG Snow. We love snow. It's so pretty. We played and watched it fall, and did I mention it's soooo pretty. WOW, look at this pic and this pic and how pretty this is and look how cool that snow is there."

You get where I am going. Well We/I are/am over this. I am beyond tired of the snow. It sucks. I read all the Facebook statuses from friends stating "I wish the snow would hit MS or 6 inches means no school, yay! or Why does snow hit every where but where I am". Friends, or friends of friends, or I don't even know you, yet we are FB friends, snow is only cool while skiing. I am not skiing. I am living. I am trying to go to work, the gym, be normal. The snow has taken that away. I am on Day Four of not working. Most people think that is fun, BUT Lo and I are going on 6 days since we have had a normal life and are expected to get another 10-18 inches POST our already 30.....We have been forced to eat, drink, watch movies, and clean. Things most people think are normal; Things we HAVE to do, because there is nothing else TO DO. You can't play in three feet of snow. Day Three of the storm, we finally were able to walk out, and in certain areas, the snow was up to my hip bone....this is not fun snow... Do NOT be jealous.

I am becoming an Eskimo.. I stay inside my igloo only to come out to gather food. I am a Rebel. I belong in the Grove. TAKE ME THERE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S.. I am sorry if I offended any females with my pic. I was only continuing the theme of "Most Sexist Superbowl" ever. Who Dat, yea-yuh!

Here are the things that I believe will happen post reading the post:

1) My mother is saying "WESLEY"!
2) My father is laughing
3) My wife okayed this photo, it is not of her. Please don't think it is. She wears bras. I know, I wash them:)
4) My mother-in-law is laughing

and other people think I'm a perv, but I'm not, it's just that cold.

Until Next Time......

SNOWPACALYPSE 2010

Wesley and I decided to venture out to get some coffee during the blizzard and take some pics. And yes... it is DEFINITELY a blizzard - and it is still snowing!!!!! We have over 30 inches right now. Good thing we are stocked up with plenty of food - hope yall enjoy!!! These first pictures are from Tuesday before the Snowmegeddon but they are so pretty and I wanted to share. :) Apologies in advance for the super long post... but there were so many good pictures.
I think this last one is my favorite. Movies and steak night tonight!!