Secrets, Guilt and Other Useless Information

Now that I have your attention, you may be a little disappointed in this post. Although, all of the above will be included....it's not nearly as exciting as it sounds.


The Secret....I've been keeping is that I painted my dining room about 2 weekends ago. And I don't believe I've told many of you. The color before was a faux treatment of a green over a yellowish gold with very little of the gold showing. The green was a nice shade of green....if you love the color of the green felt on top of a pool table. I grew tired of it. I went a little funky. I'm warning you.

Before:

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What I was aiming for:

























And AFTER...



Sherwin Williams Antiquity:

It's not lime green....it's more like pea soup....or like a green pear. This happens to be Jordan's favorite color...so I know she will like it. And I like it. If you are crunching up your nose right now at this color, believe me when I tell you it looks better in person.

Now for the Guilt: Today's sermon was given by a visiting pastor who leads a World Ministry in India....feeding thousands of orphans and teaching them about Jesus. After a very moving testimony, he asked if we would pray about giving to the Missions of our church with it earmarked for this particular ministry. Only $10 will buy a blanket for a child who lives in the coldest part of India where many die from the exposure to the elements. When these blankets are delivered they teach them about Jesus and Christmas...and how Jesus was poor and had nothing and was swaddled in a blanket.


Well, that opened the floodgates. I sat there and cried. The slide show was ridiculously sad....so that kept the tears flowing. At this point, I am crying for these orphans, and all the empty shopping centers, and the children whose parents never look in their backpack, and people who suffer from Gout....and I start thinking about how I am just one person and how in the world am I going to fix all of this mess?



Here comes the guilt. I am going to London next week. And I spent yesterday shopping for comfortable shoes, toiletry items, and a new carry-on bag. I was feeling so guilty about spending this money because you know....2 children in college and now a wedding and already the cost of the trip. But now I really feel guilty...because now I have these orphan children staring at me from the slide show...and the pastor asked the congregation to pray about this pledge....and then put the pledge cards in the bowls of pottery placed at the alter. I am thinking let's give them hundreds. I am needing to fix this. I look at Chuck and he makes no eye contact. I whisper can we pledge something? He says okay. I whisper how much should I put? He says...in a rather loud whisper... how about $25.00 one time. (He says one time, because that is one of the boxes you can check....but monthly is on there, too.)





And that would be the difference between me and Chuck.

I am worried that the people behind us heard his low ball number. And he is probably sitting there thinking when the heck will she realize money doesn't grow on trees. I can report that we came to a compromise and pledged enough to buy a couple of dozen blankets. We will give monthly an amount that we spend on junk like People magazines and fast food when we have food to cook if we would just cook it.


We then went out to eat after church. Guilt. Is that God or estrogen? I really don't think Chuck feels guilt. So it must be estrogen.





For Chuck: Chuck, I do know that money does not grow on trees. And I do know how hard you work and how stressful it is for you. But I have been cursed with a love for shiny things and a bleeding heart for all of the world's woes. My particular soft spot is for children. Because they did not ask to be born and I cannot imagine a child being an orphan and living like a wild animal. And my brain says FIX IT. And then I can't, so I go shopping. If you think it's exhausting being married to me, try being me.





Thank you for compromising with me today.






And for some useless information: I made some more photo blocks last week so I could finally send my faithful reader, Debbie....who Dixie chose to win a photo block back in September...her prize. I made a few Halloween blocks while I had the mess going on in the kitchen. The possibilities are endless with this craft.

I know, I'm all over the place. Welcome to my brain.

Happy Halloween Week. May your jar be loaded with candy.

I have tons of laundry to do so I can pack for my trip this week.
I hope to have lots to post about when I return.