Excuse me while I rant...

~ Christians and churches are not perfect (and this is the primary reason that many people tell me that they are anti- organized-religion; I tell them that I don't go to church because I'm perfect. I go because I screw up on a daily basis and I need a regular reminder that God hands out grace to me anyway. My church, and all churches, are full of imperfect people.), but it still disappoints me when decisions are made at a church that are based more on "dotting the i's and crossing the t's" than on what Christ would want us to do.

~ I do not like being talked to like I'm a child. I'm almost 40 and I have the stretch marks to show for it...so don't talk to me like you'd talk to a 10-year-old.

~ "Darn you, Jimmy Johns. Darn you!" Chances are you don't know who Jimmy Johns is unless you are an Alabama football fan or a college football fanatic in general like myself. For those of you who are unenlightened, Jimmy Johns is one of our returning linebackers for the season and he got arrested this past Monday for selling cocaine!! Hello.. COCAINE?? (he even sold it ON the grounds of the football complex!). Did he not realize how blessed he was to get a free college education and the chance to play football in return? And, although I pray that he gets his life straightened out, as a selfish Bama fan I'm extremely worried because we now have just one, count it ONE, returning linebacker for our team next year (and he is just a sophomore!).

~ Several weeks ago, I lost my cell phone. (Remember this about me? I lose phones, keys, cash on a regular basis. That--and spilling food or drink during every one of my meals--is probably my worst habit.) Today Gary got our bill and it included more than $100 in OVERSEAS calls. In those two days that I didn't cancel my account (thinking I'd find my phone!), someone was apparently using it to call Cuba or China or something!

~ Why do all car problems seem to happen at the same time? McKenna's Mustang is, I think, officially dead. We thought we could fix it, but this time the transmission is completely out. So she decided she wants Gary's old pickup instead (it really is a cute Ranger and, for some reason, she likes driving it around!). But, of course, the brakes had to be fixed. And then, my car is in the shop and was supposed to be fixed by today but the dealership's painter decided to call in sick two days in a row. That's fine, except my old Oldsmobile that I'm driving doesn't have any working air conditioning. And...Gary tried to get his "regular" truck working the other day and it wouldn't start. (And, by the way, did I mention that we look like some serious White Trash with five vehicles in our very small driveway? We have got to sell one..or two...of them soon!)

But, as Seinfeld said in one of my favorite episodes (the one where George decides to do the opposite of everything he'd usually do and it gets him a date with a gorgeous blonde and a job with the Yankees), "Everything always evens out. I lose a dollar, I found another on the subway. I'm like Even Steven," there is ALWAYS lots of good stuff to go along with the rants.

Like...

~ Last night at softball practice, one of our pitchers got hit in the temple by probably our hardest hitter. It knocked her to the ground and we were all fearing the worst (you could hear it hit her head. It was really scary!). But after the paramedics came and checked her out, and then she had xrays done at the hospital, everything looked fine. Thank God!

~ Last night, we were also making some plans for our upcoming trip to the World Series in Maryland at the end of July. We will have a free day and are arranging a tour of the White House for the day. Can't wait! (That, and the fact that we will be at the BEACH for a week, is all realllllly good!!!)

~ We are going to a state softball tournament this weekend. This will involve some good softball, bed jumping, and hopefully a championship!

~ Despite the aforementioned drug-dealing arrest of one of our players, college football season is a mere 60 days away. Yay!!! (And I will be AT the home Bama games again, thanks to my wonderful Alabama Professor Dad!)

Why are all of those four things sports-related?? (Easy answer: I'm a sports nut!) I promise, though, that there are other things right now that make me happy. Like...

~ A pineapple-and-creme snow cone, a new mystery novel, "Kung Fu Panda," that new Madonna-Justin Timberlake song (I totally groove to it whenever I hear it!), getting sweet hugs from Scout, having McKenna make enough money this summer that she's not always asking to borrow any from me, and left-over birthday cake!

And, oh yeah, something else I love are any old "Seinfeld" episodes. Since I already mentioned Seinfeld earlier in my post, I thought it would be appropriate to close with scenes from one of my two very favorite episodes (my other favorite was "The Pen," when Elaine did her "Stellllllla" line from A Streetcar Named Desire. LOVE that one!). This one was actually on tbs yesterday and I caught the end of it. I had to go online and get my "fix" of it.

So enjoy...

(How great is this line? "The sea was angry that day, my friends. Like an old man trying to send back soup at a deli.")



In Kramer's eternal words, "Who wants to have some FUN?????!!!!"

I hope you have a FUN-filled weekend!!! See you on Monday!!!!!