Funny Animals Talking

Holly and Kelly: Yet again, we aim to tickle your funny bone with this video that first appeared on Facebook this morning.  We've watched it numerous times and it's still making us laugh.  Enjoy.

"Dwarf" Invasion

Holly and Kelly: We are still deep in the trenches of the Hobbit fandemonium, so imagine our utter giddiness when we stumbled across this gem of musical happiness.  If it doesn't make you laugh (which it does for us, on many occasions) then we hope it will, at the very least, bring a smile to your face.

The band is from Wellington, NZ, by the way.

Who's kidding who?

Kelly: Hey look, here's a random funny, especially if you're a fan of The Hobbit and The Office (the British one...)

The Office: An Unexpected Journey

Now that we've gotten out of the way, we're going to delve into the purpose of this post. There are many that I know that carry the name Christian, myself included. However, there are those that I know that carry that name and the way they act/speak do not reflect that. Having said that, I'm going to share a story. I was on my way home with my clinical group and two of my classmates were in the front seat. For about 10 minutes they were talking about another classmate and her current relationship. What they were saying...were some of the most judgmental remarks I had ever heard. I had my headphones in and was listening to my iPod, but finally I had to put an end to it; it was getting ridiculous. I took my headphones out and said "could you please just stop?" And that was that. I didn't say a word the rest of the ride home.

It makes me wonder; do we ever think about what we say or do or do we just do/say it and forget who hears or sees? I catch myself thinking about that a lot. And it has made me think if I am guilty of the same thing. Are my actions building people up or tearing them down? Are the words I'm saying about others, whether or not they even know it, those of love instead of hate or judgment? So as a result, I'm trying to be more consciously aware of what I say/do around others. I want my words and my actions to resemble that of love and kindness instead of the opposite. It's our Christian duty to build people up with what we say AND do. So if I have ever said or done anything that has not been reflective of that, please tell me. IF I say or do something that is not reflective of that, call me out on it. I don't want to just throw words out there; I want to BE better. I think we should all try to be better. Having been a victim of bullying, words...really do hurt.

Holly:  When I heard our pastor preaching those words this past Sunday, all I could keep thinking was "Dear God, that used to be me."  The going-through-the-motions, catty, lukewarm, stagnant Christian who only showed up for church on Sunday and youth group on Wednesday.  Other than that, you really couldn't tell much else.  After that Sunday I vowed that I would NEVER go back to that place.  Kelly brought up the fact that by me saying I would never go back, that I was already moving forward.  Also, when I heard our pastor preaching those words this past Sunday, all I could think was "I sincerely pray that I am not like that."

To be completely honest, because I too, sadly, know many Christians who do not act as such, it does not surprise me the number of people, particularly those in my age group, who are either leaving the church or are not interested in it at all.  I can't help but think of (and please pardon my extreme example) Westboro Baptist Church...a CHURCH, no less, who claim to carry God's message but instead are infecting the nation with their blatant and sickening hate and ignorance of those different from themselves. That is NOT the way to go!  Period.  While God is vengeful (I mean, have you read the Old Testament??) and definitely powerful, I am captivated by His neverending love and mercy for all of His people, and ultimately that's what keeps me running to Him again and again.  I too am also trying to BE better.  The next time we see someone slandering, gossiping, or being downright spiteful...what are we going to do about it? Let it slide, or speak up for those who may not have a voice?  I detest spitefulness and meanness...I think there is too much of it and it has to stop.  Words really do hurt people.

Bottom line: I am here to live like Christ.  Please make sure to tell me if I'm not.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters...Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and truth.  ~1 John 3: 16, 18

Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.  Capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.  ~Albus Dumbledore

A Dog's Perspective (Really Makes You Think...)

Holly: So there is this country (1/2 of this blogging duo has been there!)

Where there is this band

Which features this guy

Whom you probably recognize as Pippin from Lord of the Rings

Anyway (ha, that was fun!), Kelly and I stumbled across them recently and while Kelly was busy being all student and stuff, I listened to their most recent album.  Which opens with the track below.  But it isn't a song.  It's a monologue, written from the perspective of (I'm going to assume...) a dog.  I had to listen to it a couple of times to get all the words, but for some reason it really made me think. It's poetic, almost...poetry. What do you think?

*P.S. I copied these words by ear, so I apologize if they aren't completely correct*

"Dog's Waltz"

I dreamt I was a dog
Running through pale through the long wet grass
Enjoying every moment as it came and went
Not a second of my existence spent worrying about a future I knew nothing about
I laid panting on some cool concrete
And watched the humans busily rushing back and forth, shouting, crying, laughing in a language I didn't understand
Trying to stick to the five-year plans
Buying and selling, hoping their second house investment was a good one
Fighting wars for oil or land, or because their God is a better God, a vengeful God, the only God
And I close my eyes...
When I wake, I find a stick
And I busy myself throwing it around, enjoying the stick for all that it is
Then I see another dog with a better stick, and I think "I might fight him for it"
Maybe I'm evolving 

First post of 2013: Operations!

Kelly: No, we are all fine. Not THOSE kinds of operations! Anyway, today has been a day full of operations, as I just posted on my facebook. This morning started out with Operation Temporary Cat Refugee.  Good friends of ours who live in the apartment building next to us found themselves infestered with roaches!!! We got a call last night asking if we could house their 3 cats and bunny for a few hours while the exterminators sprayed. They chilled out in our bedroom, played in the closet and watched ER with me. It was a good morning. The reason we kept them separated is because Wiley is SUPER alpha male and gets very angry and upset in the presence of other cats. So he was completely oblivious to their appearances while Yoda caught a glimpse of little Aurora (not pictured). She was a bit curious for the day.

2/4 refugees for the morning :] 

Then Holly wanted to rearrange our bedroom. So after the kitties left we turned into Operation Rearrange ALL THE THINGS!!! Tomorrow I will be Operation Ow I Hurt Like Crap because I didn't wear my wrist brace. Tendonitis really sucks sometimes. But the wrist pain actually goes away if I wear my brace for a few days. All will be well in due time :] So after we watched Jeopardy, Holly decided to go check on the kitties again to make sure they were ok. About 10 mins. later, she pokes her head in the door. Mischief (orange kitty pictured) got out! We still don't know how he did!!!! But he did. So we spent 20 minutes trying to chase him down. I eventually grabbed our kitty carrier (he loved it earlier today) and he took the bait. I wouldn't have minded chasing him down, except he thought it was funny and it was FREEZING COLD outside! I could almost here him taunting us. But he is safe and sound back at home. So that was today. A grand day. And now Yoda is asleep on my lap. All is well.

Holly: In addition to the newly-developed Operation Big Screen Bilbo Baggins/Martin Freeman/OMGeezers For The Third Time On Sunday, my current operation is Operation Holly Hopefully Has A New Job So She Can Work And Not Die of Boredom And Stir-Craziness Because Old Navy Is.........aksdjhfkajsldhfa...anyway.

Basically what's going down is I am scheduled for 2 days this upcoming week (Thursday and Friday).  Those two days will be my last.  Yes, I'm quitting.  I'm not going into details, but the basic jist of it is it's not worth the gas money and time for so few hours (I work for 10 hours those 2 days, and I've only worked one other shift).  By the way, I have not made that public yet so I would appreciate it if this was kept on the down low...other than you fine people the only other person I have told about this is my mom.  I know you all won't say anything, but just wanted to be up front.  Plus, I have been offered another job (hopefully...we're still working the kinks out).  It will cut my commute time from 35 minutes to about 5, which is a HUGE blessing.  I can't really say much else (really...I can't), but please pray/send good vibes/do whatever you do.

About all to report here.  Go be nice to some people.  And chase some kitties.  And if you haven't seen The Hobbit yet, I pity you.