Hymnology

Over the past few weeks, I have randomly been getting the words to some of my favorite hymns in my head at the most random times! I was placing IV piggybacks into the freezing refrigerator at work the other day and suddenly I kept hearing "On Christ the solid rock I stand...all other ground is sinking sand!"

I am very grateful that my parents raised me in the church and made sure that I was plugged into many activities throughout my childhood and teenage years. My mom was a choir mom and every Wednesday night during elementary school I was at Saint Stephen Singers Choir. During my fourth grade year, I earned my very own The United Methodist Hymnal after memorizing the first verse to twenty or so hymns. We had to go test in front of the choir moms to make sure that we really knew the words, but I am grateful that I know many of these verses still!!

Don't get me wrong....I do love the newer praise and worship songs that we sing every Sunday morning, but I really do miss singing some of the great old hymns. I have fond memories of singing hymns every Sunday morning with my mama in the pew (my Dad was usually still up in the choir loft!). She always seemed to tear up especially on Easter Sunday because the hymns would remind her of my grandma and grandpa. I do have fond memories of hearing my grandpa's booming bass voice sing a good ol' Southern Baptist hymn. He was never a very loud speaker, but he could sing loudly!! It used to entertain me during the 1.5 hour service when I thought I was going to die of boredom. I was a Methodist and we didn't know how to worship longer than one hour...haha!!

Growing up, I always dreamed that during my wedding the congregation would sing my favorite hymn and my groom's favorite hymn. It always got me thinking of what I would finally choose as my absolute favorite hymn!

Here are some of my favorites!



Up From the Grave He Arose (I loved this on Easter Sunday!!!)

1.Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior, waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Refrain:

Up from the grave he arose; with a mighty triumph o'er his foes; he arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever, with his saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!
2. Vainly they watch his bed, Jesus my Savior, vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord! (Refrain)
3. Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior; he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord! (Refrain)

It's Me, It's Me, O Lord (Standing in the Need of Prayer)

Refrain:It’s me, it’s me, O Lord,standing in the need of prayer.It’s me, it’s me, O Lord,standing in the need of prayer.
1 Not my brother, not my sister, but it’s me, O Lord,standing in the need of prayer.Not my brother, not my sister, but it’s me, O Lord,standing in the need of prayer. (Refrain)
2 Not the preacher, not the deacon, but it’s me, O Lord,standing in the need of prayer.Not the preacher, not the deacon, but it’s me, O Lord,standing in the need of prayer. (Refrain)
3 Not my father, not my mother, but it’s me, O Lord,standing in the need of prayer.Not my father, not my mother, but it’s me, O Lord,standing in the need of prayer. (Refrain)


Standing on the Promises

1. Standing on the promises of Christ my King, through eternal ages let his praises ring; glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:Standing, standing, standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; standing, standing, I'm standing on the promises of God.
2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail, when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, by the living Word of God I shall prevail, standing on the promises of God. (Refrain)
3. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, bound to him eternally by love's strong cord, overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword, standing on the promises of God. (Refrain)
4. Standing on the promises I cannot fall, listening every moment to the Spirit's call, resting in my Savior as my all in all, standing on the promises of God. (Refrain)


My Hope Is Built (probably my favorite!!)

1. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
Refrain:On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.
2. When Darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. (Refrain)
3. His oath, his covenant, his blood supports me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay. (Refrain)
4. When he shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found! Dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne! (Refrain)


Blessed Assurance (probably my second favorite!!)

1. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

Refrain:This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long; this is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.
2. Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight; angels descending bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love. (Refrain)
3. Perfect submission, all is at rest; I in my Savior am happy and blest, watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love. (Refrain)


Here I Am, Lord (this one makes me tear up!!)

I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry, All who dwell in dark and sin my hand will save. I, who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright. Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?

Refrain: Here I am, Lord. Is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.

Preschool Brunch

I had a wonderful visit with my babies this weekend! This lucky aunt got to eat lunch at 10:50 AM with Brennan at his preschool. Those poor 4 year olds are basically eating brunch at that hour! Being the only adult at a table full of fifteen 4 year olds was a treat! Brennan and I sat across from Hannah and Julia who provided much comic relief for me. Hannah, I have decided, is Brennan's future wife. She passed the kind eye test, was wearing a lovely blue dress, and is hilarious. Hannah had the perfect combination of smarts and grace. She wanted to let me know that the fruit painted on the wall was a pomegranate and pointed to every item in her lunch as "healthy" or "not healthy." She did quite well until she got to her Hostess cupcake and just decided not to name its "health factor."

We then all had a great discussion on pickles! Poor Julia had quite an unfortunate lunch. I'm thinking that her daddy packed it for her as strawberries were sitting directly on her pickles in her lunch container. Hannah proceeded to let the whole table know that she hates pickles. Her sister, mom, and dad like pickles, but she thinks that they smell bad. One time her dad ate a pickle in her bedroom and she made him get out!! What a fun time I had listening to her stories!

So as I was eating lunch, I was looking out for a little boy named Will. Brennan told me before he left for school that morning that Will in his class said that "Lightning McQueen was for babies" after seeing Lightning McQueen on Brennan's lunch box. I'm trying to give Will the benefit of the doubt and think that he has a mean older brother who has told him the same thing...but he's treading on thin ice with this auntie. I actually pegged a poor little boy wearing a Texas Longhorns shirt as being Will, but his name was actually Trevor. I felt bad for giving Trevor the evil eye!

I know that we have to let our babies grow up, but I pray so hard that my sweet Brennan and Ella will have minimal meanness and teasing in their lives. This aunt can't handle anymore sad stories right now!

Butterfly in the Sky....

So I could think of a ton of butterfly quotes, but my absolute favorite is from You've Got Mail:

"Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one. It got on at 42nd, and off at 59th, where, I assume it was going to Bloomingdales to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake - as almost all hats are."

(See my big head post about the whole hat mistake....I concur!!)

I went with some of my sweet co-workers to see the Butterfly Exhibit at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. We had tons of fun! I had my pathetic camera while most people there had their professional type cameras. Their cameras made my little "point and shoot" digital camera look like a disposable camera, but enjoy the pictures!

Love My Parents

Just a random "love my parents" post!

I love my mom because she is the MOST selfless person I have ever met. She would fight my every enemy, obtain my every need, and fulfill my every dream if she could! I love you!

I love my dad because he knows how to cry. He is mad at me because he was "crying like a baby" on an airplane as he finished the book I bought him, Same Kind of Different as Me. I can't wait to sit in the movie theater with you as we watch this story on the big screen. I love you!

I hate Abuelo's...but not because of their food!

BLANKET STATEMENT: I love my mom so much, and this is not meant to make her feel bad....it's just actually pretty funny when I look back at it!


I have come to hate Abuelo's, but not because of their food...but because of the events that have occurred there with my mom's attempt to ignite my love life.



Abuelo's incident #1 (November 2004):

The incident begins at the start of my Thanksgiving break, and I was EXHAUSTED!! It was my third year of pharmacy school, and I was being killed by all the stress. I had planned just to go into a vegetative state that evening when my mom comes home and tells me that I am going to Abuelo's with my dad and her friend Shirley to celebrate my parents' 30th anniversary. I kept telling my mother that my parents just needed to go by themselves for dinner since it was THEIR anniversary. That would just not do with my mom...she was being severely pushy....which she really isn't very often! Well it turns out that a single and wonderful (couldn't be so wonderful because he turned out to be a t-sip) medical student had been invited to attend this dinner too! I screamed....threw something (maybe a hairbrush)....called my brother to ask for his support....and stated (SCREAMED) that I was not going to dinner. My mom begged and pleaded because it would not be ANY fun for this medical student to show up and have dinner with just my parents and Shirley. I could just NOT win this situation!

Well after some time to calm down and a permanent scowl on my face, I got in the car headed to Abuelo's. The medical student walks in, and I am floored! I actually had been on the same internal medicine team as him during one of my rotations. This boy was not for me....he was a Zach Morris....when I am more looking more for a Screech (a non socially-awkward and kind Screech). I really heart nerdy, cute boys. Anyway....he was a pretty boy, and he drove a black Firebird....that should tell you enough right there! Let's just say that I never really saw that boy again. Can we say AWKWARD dinner?!?

Abuelo's incident #2 (November 2009):

BACKGROUND:
So here is a typical conversation that occurs between my matchmaker mother (MMM) and any random boy's (typically from my past) matchmaker mother (BMM) in a shopping location in the city of Amarillo (ex: Sam's, Walmart, Target, United, or local nail salon)


MMM: Wow....(insert random single boy's name) is STILL single?

BMM: Yes!

MMM: Alisia is STILL single TOO!

BMM: (Insert random single boy's name) has a heartbeat!!

MMM: No way!!!...Alisia has a heartbeat TOO!

BMM: (Insert random single boy's name) lives in the United States!

MMM: You'll never believe this!!!....Alisia lives in the United States TOO!!

BMM: Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

MMM: It's a PERFECT match!! When can we get them together?!?


Ok...it probably isn't that bad, and I may be a tad bit dramatic...but come on!!


So my mom ran into a sweet family friend from the past while they were both getting pedicures. These family friends used to live on the street over from us. Todd, nameless boy, and I walked to elementary school together every morning. We all then carpooled to middle school together. The nameless boy was always a sweet boy growing up, but we weren't as in touch with him when Todd and I entered high school and we moved to a new neighborhood.

So you got a little background now. Well when I was home for Thanksgiving this year, my parents decided to go to Abuelo's for dinner. I think I actually might have joked about the previous medical student incident that I described above. We were almost finished when all of the sudden walks in the WHOLE family from the past including nameless single boy. I get up and give nameless single boy a hug and we talk a little. His parents also come over and they talk to us for quite a bit. Everything was normal...nothing out of the ordinary. My parents then want to go over to their table and say goodbye and see nameless single boy's brother and his two children. I tell my parents to just go by themselves, but they were pretty insistent that I go over with them. We small talk a little more, and then we are on our way out. My parents actually invited random nameless boy over to our house to come visit Todd the next day, but it never worked out.

So let's fast forward to February 2010. I am sitting at lunch with my parents and friends....and it comes out that the reunion just described above was PLANNED....not by random chance!!! It was planned by my mom and his mom....my jaw almost hit the floor!! I was mortified....I could feel myself turning red as I remembered going over to the table of his ENTIRE family and saying howdy! Can we say AWKWARD again!! They probably ALL knew except for poor nameless single guy! This is where you can start feeling sorry for me. Nameless single guy is a great guy, but I have NO idea what made our mothers decide on this crazy plan! I wonder if he has any clue...it makes me completely embarassed!



I love my mom with all my heart, but some of the choices she has made to try to find me a husband have been a bit awkward! Just venting! Should I start writing a book yet?!?

Reconnaisance Mission to Find OPERATION COTTON

Well I was kind of hoping that my two readers would have forgotten about the little series I started called OPERATION COTTON, but I know that you probably just think that I am lazy or have forgotten. Let's recap on the last time I wrote about this subject which was Week 4 of the series:

Oh my goodness...what was I thinking?!?
Patience and persistence...that's what I need!
Eye of the Tiger, It's Your Life, and Don't Stop Believin' are my theme songs!
After accomplishing this goal, I visualize something from Coach in my future!
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Well for those of you who don't exactly know what this operation entailed, it was my training schedule for a "Couch to 5K." I was making an acrostic to motivate myself to follow through with this athletic training plan. The name OPERATION COTTON came from my desire to obtain a cute t-shirt from the 5K race I ran so that the WHOLE world would know about my mad running skills. As you can see, I have failed pretty miserably at this mission. Christmas hit, and my exercise routine kind of came to a halt.

I am pretty upset with myself because I truly wanted to follow through with something that made me healthier and allowed me to achieve something athletic in my life. I like to equate my athletic ability animal equivalent to a hippopotamus. I once compared my athletic ability to a monkey, but that is giving myself entirely too much credit. Didn't monkeys play basketball or football or something in Space?!? I have a caring co-worker who often asks how my running is going, and when I tell him how discouraged I get, he tries to think of ways to make running more enjoyable or offer the thought of maybe trying to start riding a bike. Me + bike + Trinity River trail = FIASCO. I've got to keep up the running gig!!

Let's take a trip down memory lane as we go back to my enchanted (NOT!!) middle school years. I was forced to take P.E. during my 6th and 8th grade years. My 7th grade year was the most awesome year ever because I got to take Computer Skills and Life Management in the place of P.E. Coach Smith was my P.E. teacher for both of these horrible years. Coach Smith and I kind of had a special understanding...she knew I HATED P.E., but she still tried to push me. Every six weeks, you were alloted two sick notes from your parents to allow you to sit out of P.E. class...it was never hard to get my mother to write one!! The two sick notes were like Willy Wonka golden tickets in my mind....especially during the gymnastics six weeks. I would have rather bought my lunch every day in the school cafeteria for a year than to have to perform the crazy gymnastics skills we were forced to do. Each girl had to get tested on different gymnastics skills in front of Coach Smith. So let's see...the only skill I ever passed was a somersault. Yes...to the world...I CANNOT do a cartwheel...GASP...I know! I would save that golden sick note for the cartwheel test day as well as for the back bend test day. The note at least saved me from the test for one more day of my life, but I was always then forced to test the next day, which I failed miserably! P.E. was my only "B" during that six weeks.

For some reason I liked Coach Smith, and for some reason she liked me (or felt pity on me!). She chose me to be interviewed by the NBC news station reporter when the solar eclipse occurred. Maybe she picked me because I was so quiet, and she knew I wouldn't do something crazy like do a cartwheel in front of the camera...hehe!!! I was just happy that I didn't have to put on my stinky P.E. clothes that day! I know that my caring mother called Coach Smith and probably had a long discussion with her about how much I hated P.E. Coach Smith never gave up on me, and when I was in high school, she always sent me a sweet note when I made Superintendent's Scholar every six weeks. I actually ran into her back in A-town when I was in pharmacy school. For some reason, she always remembers me! It is probably due to the sheer terror that she can't believe that there is actually someone out there who can't do a cartwheel!

So back to my present day athletic situation...I did very good last week at getting back in the saddle of my version of "running." This week has been sketchy due to my cold...excuses, excuses!! I encourage you as my reader to keep prodding me and keeping me accountable to follow this mission. I have Coach Smith to make proud, and there is also that promise I made to myself that I deserve a new Coach purse! I also would like to up my hippopotamus status to maybe a stately, mature mare!! What do you think?!?

So here we go:
Week 5
Oh my goodness...what was I thinking?!?
Patience and persistence...that's what I need!
Eye of the Tiger, It's Your Life, and Don't Stop Believin' are my theme songs!
After accomplishing this goal, I visualize something from Coach in my future!
Ruh-ro...I messed up! Back in the saddle again!
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The Talented Friend

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a friend that I am blessed to call my talented friend!! I am late as usual, but I guess I have the holidays to blame!!

You have always been in my life! Since you are my cousin who is only 1 year and 3 months older than me, I only have family memories with you in them! You were always at the kids' dinner table with me, were always willing to let me share your bed when we visited Ohio, and were always there for a good laugh!

I used to love eating Christmas dinner with you at Grammie and Granddaddy's house. We always thought we were high society putting a cinnamon stick in our tea...that was until we went low society by interviewing each other using our eating utensils as microphones or making bread people out of our bread. Oh and there was "One the sandbox..." that always made us die laughing at the dinner table for some reason! I would pay good money to be able to sit at the dinner table at Grammie and Granddaddy's old house on Old Sawmill. I wouldn't even mind the cigarette smoke smell! I would love to touch the fuzzy wallpaper one more time! I am sure the house would seem so much smaller to me now, but growing up I always thought it was a mansion. Sorry to digress!

I have many Christmas morning memories with you as well. We often had to open our gifts from Grammie and Granddaddy at the same time because we got the same present. Whether it was matching sweaters or dolls, we didn't mind getting the same thing. You were definitely the closest thing I had to a sister, so I thought it was exciting to match you. There is a one picture that sticks out in my mind where we are wearing matching bright turquoise t-shirts that say "Texas" on the front corner. We were styling!! Christmas at Grammie and Granddaddy's also often ended with me receiving a teeny bopper board game in the early 90s. I remember loving playing Dream Phone, Mall Madness, and Girl Talk with you!!

Other wonderful memories with you include hunting for snipes with Granddaddy. Boy he tricked us! Then there was the card playing that always took place when we all got together. I am thankful that I was exposed to all these poker games, and it was always fun to get to choose which game to play when we were the dealer. Poor David always wanted to play "In Between the Sheets" which we never wanted to play. I would also pay good money to hear Granddaddy say, "Nothing is wild but the dealer!" I also miss playing "Penny Poker" with Grammie and the wonderful old coffee can (think it was Yuban brand) that was full of coins! I'm making us sound like we belong to Gamblers Anonymous, but I also have wonderful memories from our Las Vegas trip with Grammie and Heather. We truly lived it up! You taught me how to play Blackjack, and I got addicted to your little cheat card that always told me what to do. I think we may need to return to that city together sometime.

Getting to the title of my blog post, you are my talented friend! We are very different in the fact that you perform and do wonderfully on stage while I would rather take a beating than get up in front of people and perform. You are such a talented actress and singer. I loved getting to hear you sing Ave Maria at David and Joy's wedding this summer.

I am so proud of how successful you have been in your career. You were so brave to move to the Big Apple...and to stay there (even after 9/11). I admire how you aren't afraid to move jobs and have moved up the ranks quickly in your career.

I had such a wonderful time visiting you in NYC after I graduated from A&M. It is always a pleasure to hang out with you because you have such a fun-loving and easygoing personality. Your laugh is wonderful! I truly wish we got to see each other more often. Maybe you need to attend a conference in DFW soon! Or maybe we need to plan a vacation together!!

I thank God for placing you in my family and for having a cousin that I love so dearly!! Although my children (if I ever get married!?!) probably won't be close in age to their cousins, I pray that they love each other as much as I love you!

O Canada How My Heart Aches For Thee

There are several things about Canada that have always made me sad for its citizens. As a kid I was always amazed by how every book had a higher price in Canada compared to the US. Then there are the winters that must be just miserable. Oh...and nationalized healthcare...don't get me started!


But this is just a social injustice:

Canadians can't use Chi flat irons in their homes! What is their government afraid of?!? That they will burn their ears off?!? I don't know what I would do without my Chi! I guess the poor Canadians will just have to wear hats at all times to hide their hideous hair...at least it is cold enough to warrant constant hat usage!