Can you imagine looking through a telescope into space and God is looking back in the other end of the telescope?

NASA CALLS IT THE EYE OF GOD



This was entirely too cool not to share!

This is a real picture.......



 

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can get going without pep pills,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him,

If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can re lax without liquor,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,


...Then You Are Probably The Family Dog!  

Well, a lot is going on. Moms lungs have started hurting, and they still haven't gotten home from over the road...you would think that with the severity of it, at least it sounds severe, that she would want to get home and get a biopsy done. I am so angry with her and dad, I don't think they are doing what they need to, to get her home soon enough. Days ago, the doctor told her..."You need to come in NOW” Well, it is almost four or five days later, and each day I talk to her, it is, "oh, we will be home tomorrow” Well, as you can see, I am pretty frustrated and upset...and worried.

Anyhow, enough of that, I have been pretty busy in the yard. A lot of the grass died out from all the leaves that we didn’t finish raking up after hurricane Ivan. So, I have started trying to get some of the dead leaves off the grass, and get the yard prepped for some heavy seeding. I have also pretty much finished the landscaping in the front of the house. I am considering, raking up all the pine needles and leaves from the woodsy section in between each side of our house, and putting down red much. Someone down the street did that, and it looks pretty good. I might also plant some Azaleas and Hydrangeas.

I haven’t done much reading or writing lately. And I know God is impressing it on me to do so, I need to be obedient. Seems like something is always getting in the way. I am not sure what I want to write; I enjoy small articles and devotions. Until I find a larger topic, that may be where I focus my efforts.

Anyhow, there is so much to do, and so little time to do it. So I am off for now…Chelle…Out…LOL, I watch too much American Idol!

 

On a musical note, American Idol last night totally rocked! Bo Bice was amazing. Each contestant (there are three remaining) sang three songs each. First up was Vonzell Solomon, then Bo Bice, and Carrie Underwood. Vonzell’s first song was by Dionne Warwick, which was picked by guest judge, Clive Davis…her second song was “Chain, Chain, Chain; Chain of fools,” she sang it well, but I think I like Fantasia Barrinos version a lot better. Then for her last song which was judge’s choice, she sang Donna Summer’s “On the Radio,” it was great. But not great enough for me to vote for her when it is down to the last three contestants.

Bo’s first song was “Don’t let the sun go down on me,” by Elton John, picked by guest judge. Now I never would have pictured Bo singing an Elton John song, but, as Randy Jackson would say, “he rocked it out,” and it was the best version I have ever heard…he definitely “made it his own.” For his second song, he sang a song by Badlands, he preformed it a Capella; yep, he sang it with no music or band at all, and hit every note flawlessly. It went over very well with all the fans and judges…Bo is my choice for the winner. His last song, which was judge’s choice, was…

Carrie’s first song was “Crying,” by Roy Orbison, again, picked by the guest judge. Her second song was “Out of nothing at all,” by Air Supply; she again, performed well, but not the best performance. For her last song, which was judges choice, she sang, Shania Twain’s “Man, I feel like a woman.” She performed it well, but not sure I like it was well as the original. Again, not good enough to have my vote at this stage of the competition.

BO ROCKS! ;-)
 

Well, yesterday I got some not so good news. Mom called to tell me that the doctor called with her results from her dye injected x-ray thingy...not sure what the name for it is. Well, she has three tumors in her left lung. Before she had this procedure done, she was told she was fine and didn’t' have lung cancer. Well, she has had problems breathing, so she pressed the issue and got mri's and x-rays and stuff. They told her she had a paralyzed diaphragm, and that there was nothing she could do about it. Well, she pressed the issue, and had them do this last test. And...Well, three tumors.

The doctor wanted them home ASAP for a biopsy, but they are working right now (over the road truckers). Well, they will be home in a couple days, we are stressed about it, at least I know I am. We had planned on going to Disney World next weekend, but now we are not so sure about that. All of my dear friends that read this; please pray for my mom, her name is Angie Brazzell. I will keep my blog updated on her status. 

BOYS SUSPENSION SHORTENED FOR TALKING TO MOM IN IRAQ...
COLUMBUS, Ga. - Following hundreds of angry phone calls and e-mails, school officials in this Army base city have reduced a suspension imposed on a student who wouldn't give up his cell phone while talking to his mom — a sergeant on duty in
Iraq.

The angry calls about the boy's suspension got so bad at one point that secretaries had to take their phones off the hook, assistant principal Alfred Parham said.

Kevin Francois, a 17-year-old junior at Spencer High School, was suspended for 10 days for disorderly conduct Wednesday after a teacher told him to give up his cell phone outside the school during his lunch break and he refused, the teen said.

The boy said he had not expected the call from his mother, Sgt. 1st Class Monique Bates, who left in January for a one-year tour.

The teacher says the confrontation happened in a hallway, not outside, and that Francois never said the call was with his mother.

The Muscogee County School District Board of Education allows students to have cell phones in school but not to use them during school hours.

The punishment for violating that policy is that the phone is confiscated until the end of the day. But Francois was suspended for cursing and being defiant, said Parham. That was extended to 10 because "he did not want to accept the three-day suspension and to agree that he would not use the cell phone openly or curse."

"We are empathetic to all students whose parents serve in the armed forces ... (but) we do have behavior standards which we uphold," said Superintendent John A. Phillips Jr.

On Friday, the school district reduced the suspension to three days, which will allow Francois to return to school Monday, after officials met with him, the guardian who cares for him while his mother is out of the country, and a representative of her unit.

"People are fussing at us, calling us names," said assistant principal Wendell Turner.

"We are the school that serves Fort Benning," Turner said. "We're well aware of students with parents overseas."

Parham said, however, that Francois' behavior at school has been "a chronic problem."

And Francois added: "I'm not a golden child and I've been wrong, but I was right this time." 

Student Suspended for Call to Mom in Iraq

Student Suspended for Call to Mom in Iraq

COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) - A high school student was suspended for 10 days for refusing to end a mobile phone call with his mother, a soldier serving in Iraq, school officials said.

The 10-day suspension was issued because Kevin Francois was ``defiant and disorderly'' and was imposed in lieu of an arrest, Spencer High School assistant principal Alfred Parham said.

The confrontation Wednesday began after the 17-year-old junior got a call at lunchtime from his mother, Sgt. 1st Class Monique Bates, who left in January for a one-year tour with the 203rd Forward Support Battalion.

Mobile phones are allowed on campus but may not be used during school hours. When a teacher told him to hang up, he refused. He said he told the teacher, ``This is my mom in Iraq. I'm not about to hang up on my mom.''

Parham said the teen's suspension was based on his reaction to the teacher's request. He said the teen used profanity when taken to the office.

``Kevin got defiant and disorderly,'' Parham said. ``When a kid becomes out of control like that they can either be arrested or suspended for 10 days. Now being that his mother is in Iraq, we're not trying to cause her any undue hardship; he was suspended for 10 days.''

On the Net:

http://www.mcsdga.net/schools/high/spencer.html


OK, now as a military wife, this makes me ill. When you have a family member in Iraq, or another place that is at war, you don't just not take the call, I could be talking with the president of the United States and still take the call. It is not easy for the troops in Iraq to just get away to make a phone call. This principle made me so mad, I wrote her and the assistant principles this letter:

I read an article online that said you suspended a boy for taking a call from his mother in Iraq, how appalling of you to do so. As a military wife, I completely understand what this boy is going through. We a family member is in Iraq, you don't have scheduled times to call.... you take their call when it comes in. This whole situation makes me sick, and you should be ashamed of yourself. Sometimes, we need to just let things slide.

Michelle Collins
Military wife of 10 yrs

Now, what I recommend you do, is visit the school website, and email the principle and vice principles to let them know what an outrage this is. No hate mail please, just let them know what they have done is very, very wrong.

Their email addresses are:

Principal
Olivia T. Rutledge orutledge@mcsdga.net
Assistant Principals
Alfred Parham aparham@mcsdga.net
Wendell Turner wturner@mcsdga.net


 

Seemed like it took forever, but Huck is done with Primaries. He scored high enough for Jets, but didn’t want jets. He picked Helos and got it. So, basically, that means we don’t have to move again right away…we will be here in Florida for probably another year, give or take a few months. I am kinda glad, cause I wasn’t ready to move again, I feel like I just got settled in, the only way I am ready to move is if we are going straight back to Virginia Beach.

Huck is going to take leave soon, for probably a few weeks, and get some stuff done around the house, like painting, putting up the trim, putting up gutters and a fence. Also, we are talking about going to Orlando with the kids. I am not looking forward to that drive, but looking forward to getting time out as a family. I feel like things have been so crazy the past year, Huck has been here, but he hasn’t mentally been here, if you get my meaning. He has been so wrapped up in school; studying and flying…it will be nice to get a brake.

I have gotten so much done in the yard lately, that I am losing weight in the process…that is nice when you do something that has to be done, and benefit from it. I have dropped one pants size, and I feel so much better. I have also been eating healthier…I am eating more fruits and vegetables, and instead of ground beef, I use ground turkey. And instead of burgers, I have soy burgers or veggie burgers.

Anyhow, that is just a quick update on what has been going on.
 

When the world sees our sinful behavior…

by michelle collins

Yesterday, I learned quite a lesson…from a non-believer. I was emailing a playgroup that I belong to for local moms in my area about someone that had made me angry, not someone in the playgroup; it was something not even relevant to them or the group itself. I proceeded to tell them how I felt about this person and what they had said and done, and about how it made me feel (what I should have done was prayed about it); I did this without choosing my words wisely, and got an unexpected response.

This ‘non-believer’ told me in an email that what I said was not very Christian of me. Whoa! Wait a minute…what did she say? I immediately felt like my faith was being attacked and at first I was quite upset at her. Then the Lord gently told me, “She’s right, you are supposed to be representing me.” And I thought to myself, “What if I have lost my chance to be a living witness to this person, have I made all Christians look badly?”

God immediately reminded me of Matthew 5:14-15 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Had I hidden my light? No, it was in full view of the world, shining brightly the very thing that I shouldn’t have said. And God used the person I should have been witnessing to, to tell me about it.

How can a non-believer praise our God, when His followers are acting contrary to His Word? 1Corinithians 4:1 says: “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.” As believers, we must remember that our behavior is almost always looked upon differently than the rest of the world’s behavior. We must let our light shine, instead of letting it be smothered out by our sinful behavior. Or rather, have a huge spotlight shown on it. God says we are a city on a hill, and we cannot be hidden, what are you doing out in plain view of the rest of the world?

Imagine the unbeliever that has had an incident with a ‘Christian” behaving badly. That non-believer may think, “Gosh, if that is what Jesus is all about, I don’t want any part of it!” When we sin and the world sees it, and knows we are ‘Christian’, it is like crucifying Christ all over again. We are making a mockery of Christ and other Christians.

In 2 Corinthians 5:20, it says that we are Christ’s ambassadors, and that He is making an appeal through us to the world. What kind of appeal are you making with your actions and behavior? I had made one of resentment and anger, totally contrary to the nature of Christ.

I sinned in my anger, instead of doing good so that my Father in Heaven may be praised. I am reminded of Ephesians 4:26-27 26"In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.” This is the very thing that I had done, I sinned in my anger, and God had to remind me that I need to behave like a servant of Christ, entrusted with the very secrets things of God. This is one lesson that I hope is learned, and not repeated.