Time Continuum

With time being an intrigue of both the husband and mine, I am realizing just how our DVD collection with regard to time has continued to expand, not per se deliberately. What triggered this notion was the watching of the recent acquisition, Stargate Continuum. The closing words of a song, life is but a dream, comes to mind, but with merry-less intense rowing. Let me just say, even beyond the story, I found extremely enjoyable being re-acquainted with years of key characters and too what they chose to do with them.

The disc also has a piece 'layman's guide to time travel' with astrophysicist Jayme Matthew discussing aspects used in the movie such as the grandfather paradox and parallel universes. Very interesting and in the movie captivatingly employed!

I'm gathering a list of time travel movies we have not previously mentioned.

common threads of the called ...

This Sunday, the husband is preaching, and I always look forward to his message. Our little church is doing rather well, as we try to seek where the Lord is taking us. The leadership is working its way through Break Out Churches, discerning the qualities of leadership that are key to not church growth, but to thriving ministry - "It is a sin to be good if God has called us to be great...". It is very enlightening.

Communion Sunday, we are looking forward to hearing from a former member. Both he and the husband and Louis Migneault (who has come on board to serve with us), not necessarily concurrently, have completed the ETP (Evangelism Training Program), our denomination local body’s way of developing and fostering ministers. The book above, was one of their reading assignments. We often have guest speakers who have evolved through this program including Benton Mulder and Rick Roeda. Keep the program and its teacher, the pastor of the Moreno Valley church in prayer – it is an invaluable program. I, myself, as a ministerial wife too gained much by mere association.

Andrew, since completing the program, is now in ministry at the CRC church in Riverside, Hope. He since also married (his wife also attended our church) and has a son. Andrew is fondly remembered by those who were members then for his good nature, humor, and penchant for gadgets. He is most remembered for his love of Christ and heart to reach the lost. His last name is Holybee (busy buzzing about Jesus) :-). See you next Sunday, Andrew.

the firm fishbowl ...

There is a world that exists ... many places of employment have a world ... but specifically the husband's company has a world unique unto themselves despite the similarities with Ohio and San Francisco offices, other firms, other jobs. And like the world of Stargate, Atlantis has visitors from outside - every now and then family and spouses enter the firm's world, or should I say off-world - most regularly twice a year for the Christmas and Summer event. I look forward to them.
This year the summer event was at the Aquarium, which is experiencing its 10th anniversary. The husband and I observed the otters, the urchin-like creatures, puffins, and the little jellyfish parachutes (remember 'Sphere') and explosions (well actually that was what the last two things looked like - you'll see them in the pix of the remains of the day). We also observed the shark tank and the pool where you could touch fish, some who looked like extras from 'Finding Nemo'.

Then we had dinner upstairs with all the attendees. Again, I was able to see people I've met over the years - Jillian, Darryl, Ana, Maria, etc. This world they've created has been 5 years in the making. The food was good, the company great, the day a success! I look forward to the next company event.

My thanks to Roni (Bless You!) - our youngest was turned into a pool shark while we explored the Pacific (pardon the billiards pun).

Being a Christian blogger

and also being on Facebook, I joined the Christian Bloggers Network. There are now approximately 500 blogs listed on the Christian Bloggers Network and I am now one. If you resemble this group, CBN is also available for you to join. I actually found it at Think Christian which link I posted on FB.

I was also pleased to join The Proverbs 31 Woman, Bible Gateway group, Christian Apologetics Research Ministry.

See you Facebookers on FB.

As the vacation days ebb ...

some of the highlights were.

• went out for breakfast
  
• went bowling at the Brunswick Lanes and had a ball (pardon the pun). Bowled 2 games and then the husband and I did one more set while the kids checked out the arcade. I had a slow start and finally got on a roll the 3rd game with a spare, strike, and 2 more spares, but in the 10th frame 2nd roll I needed 1 pin to get 100 and threw a gutter ball. *sigh*
  
• Disneyland/California Adventure.

FCS Premiere's Tomato Sawyer's & Huckberry Larry's Big River Rescue

Once again we visited the Family Christian Stores for one of their events. Today they premiered the latest VeggieTale DVD - Tomato Sawyer & Huckberry Larry's Big River Rescue. It delivers a very resonating message to the viewers. Our Senior won the store event's raffle prize - the DVD itself. All the children received coloring pages, each family a poster, and also a DVD of Veggietales' Penguins to the first 9 arrivals (we were running late, but still qualified). We're home now with additional purchases, going through our loot. I was able to add The Power of Praying to my Stormie Omartian collection for $5 as a FCS Member.

Don't forget to check out the Veggietales Review and the opportunity to win the Big River Rescue.

I'll be your Huckleberry!

Wonder of wonders! The youngest and I were going to the Family Christian Store tomorrow to see the new Veggietale. Lo and behold today I came across this free offer on the internet. If you have veggietale fans, you might want to check out VeggieTales Review. It's only for a limited time, if you are interested. Enjoy Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry!

landed a disney hoppin' adventure

We received a Disney hopper blessing complete with fastpass via the mom of a friend of the husband and had a wonderful day. We got up early to meet the mom and stopped at Denny's to have breakfast. The strategy was not to pay exorbitant food prices in the amusement park. With a solid meal, we began our amusement in Disneyland and continued to traverse the two parks all day. We took a break for lunch at Popeye's where we met a christian father and son. It was clear the Lord had our day well in hand.

You are greeted by very informative motivated green toy soldiers. We Screamed, we went on Space Mountain and autotopia (the youngest was all over the road and stalling), we river rafted joined with another christian family, fought alongside Buzz Lightyear, and much much more. We were wet, rolled, spun, jerked, tossed to and fro. We rode the train around a lot because we knew we would be walking heavily all day. I actually got in 21,000 steps! I haven't been to Disneyland since long before California Adventure opened. So it was a day of the familiar and new. We tried to partake of the Indiana Jones attraction, but scheduled ourselves out of the ability to do so. We did however start and end our California Adventure with the new in June Toy Story (with a Potato Head prelude) attraction which is a LOT of fun!

The day closed with us thankful and grateful, and with ever so sore limbs and gaming fingers and, of course in July, with fireworks! Blessings to you, Roni and Minnie!

You oughta Meet the Browns

First let me say happy birthday to my eldest! Love you, Princess! Make each moment a makeover! ;-)

Now Tyler Perry is at it once more, with Meet the Browns - you'll be with the likes of family. The cast is chock full of surprises - I particularly enjoyed discovering one of them was who played Suge Avery in the movie, The Color Purple - a Margaret Avery who has done a host of films herself. Check out what I said about her in my Diary Music post. You have basketball star and actor Rick Fox, the very talented Angela Bassett, Ms. Jenifer Lewis (remember her in The Preacher's Wife - well she has a lot of work under her belt), and David and Tamela J. Mann, spouses, who have a history of Tyler Films.

While being crazy along with Madea's cameo, this is a different Tyler, but the movie speaks of kinfolk and friends, strugglin', raising children in difficult environments and tough love, and much more. Some critics say its a step back, but I think its an expansion of Tyler. Angela took you right into her role. For me, she and the Browns touched the heart of home.

Look for more from Tyler according to imdb.com -

1. A Jazz Man's Blues (2009) (pre-production)
2. Madea Goes to Jail (2009) (filming)
3. The Family That Preys (2008) (filming)

Summa Daze

It's been really really hot. The weather has been of note all around the world over the past months. We are in the midst of the 2nd summer holiday, Independence Day, watching the movie of the same title. Our home is especially low key this year. We have two of the four girls, one staying with us for a little vacation and the other bringing her friend Jake. The husband's namesake is in Japan right now; wonder how it feels to be away on July 4th. When I was an AFS summer exchange student, I spent a July 4th in Denmark. But, back to the subject on hand. Our dogs take fireworks as a personal attack, so I usually spend much of the evening soothing their sensitivities. It has overall become a pretty low-key holiday for me. The husband is cooking ribs that I of course marinated. They should be succulent soon.

For memorial day the cousins got together. My mom's sister's sons were here with 2nd cousins too. I believe on the east side (U.S.) my cousin's sister's crew was getting together with my sister's family along with more family. I needed the ability to cam in away that we could all see each other at the same time; but alas. Too, I very much regret I didn't get in contact with my brother's son. I understand he and his girlfriend spent the day at his mom's, and his girlfriend is very lovely. I hope to meet her soon. We watched the game between San Antonio and the Lakers - I'm not a fan of Duncan but, considering the alternative of Kobe, I was a Spurs fan that evening and routed for Tony Parker. It was nice to spend time with my one cousin's new wife and with my cousin's crews in general. There were crew in the age range of the youngest too, so they spent most of the time upstairs having fun.

The next holiday is Labor Day, and we'll be on a retreat. So we use holidays to enjoy family, relaxing, and getting away - but most importantly to remember the reason for the day and count our blessings.

The youngest is off-track before beginning the 4th grade - we are spending the next week on vacation for some family time. He has already enjoyed Wall-e. With the gas prices and all, we have some localized day trips planned; won't be too far away from home. I'll let you know how these things go. Have a blessed holiday and a blessed summer.

L.A. Urban Radio

I listened to KDAY, most particularly Steve Harvey’s show because it is on when I go to work and the music is more in line with my taste then than the station’s other times of day; V100; Hot 92.3 and the black-owned KJLH (which I can’t always get because the signal doesn’t come in as strong). I listened to them all because they have different things to offer. I’m not so much into hip hop or rap – more old school, R&B, gospel and jazz. In April, V100 was taken from us, one of the more outspoken – with the likes of Michael Baisden, a strong voice of Black America. What replaced V100 is not worth listening to and removed from my set stations.

KDAY reached out to the audience and changed some of their own programming.

” Through an unprecedented partnership with Radio One, 93.5 KDAY is going to be bringing you more personalities and features that you enjoy listening to such as T.D Jakes, Donnie McClurkin and Comedy Queen Monique.”

One of the changes I am enjoying is the Donnie McClurkin show. What a breath of fresh air. I get to hear some Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Winans, Kirk Franklin, Donnie, and others to start my day. The Los Angeles area is seriously parched of gospel music radio. For a minute there I thought the Steve Harvey Morning show was gone, but it just starts after Donnie. I hear Steve on my Friday off – and enjoy not only his show and ample dose of laughter, but his spiritual message as well.

These stations stay on pulse with an important aspect of the urban community need. Michael, Cliff, the entire V100 crew, still, you’re missed.