A Continuation in the Computer and Car Saga

The good news is that one of my dad's work buddies gave us a computer that wasn't being used - so that is a BIG blessing! So my IM friends - I'm connected again if you want to chat. The bad news is we are not sure if our files and pictures from the old computer can be recovered. So I've already resigned myself to that loss and have learned some hard lessons through it - but life goes on.

As to my car - our mechanic called a couple of days ago saying that he was still waiting on some parts and that he was going on vacation till Tuesday or Wednesday - so I'm HOPING for sometime at the end of the week.

One thing God has been teaching me through all of this is that HE PROVIDES. Nothing can happen that is too bad or too much. He still comes through. It looks like He has provided a job for the school year and even in the meantime he's provided a job. I'll be helping out at LBA's Summer Camp for about thirteen hours next week. A fun job that I get paid for! So I'm continually being reminded that God is my Great Provider. I feel blessed.

Guess What?

The letter reads:

Dear Alanna:

We want to personally thank you for your interest in an employment opportunity with Kohl's Department Stores. We enjoyed meeting you and learning about your background and experience.

We have had the opportunity to meet many qualified candidates for the opportunities we have available. Although you demonstrate many qualities, we are unable to offer you a position at this time.

We will retain your application on file for any future opportunities that may develop.

If you have any questions, please contact the store.

Thank you again for your interest in Kohl's. We wish you the best in all your endeavors.

Sincerely,

Ben XXXXXXXX

Pers/Ops Manager

Kohls, StoreXXX

Miami Twp, OH

But my dear bloggers, had this not been a letter of decline, I would have really been in a quandary. Because Tuesday, Troy - manager - offered me a position at Panera Bread!! I go in Tuesday to get my name into the computer and to set up my direct deposit! God is good all the time!! This manager knows I am unavailable to work on Sundays yet says he thinks he can work around it! Thank God for a sympathetic manager! He told me not to expect too many hours this summer, because everyone is wanting hours now. So, I told him that I just really wanted to get my foot into the door so that I can have a job throughout the school year (and next summer, hopefully!) So I'm very excited about this new adventure, and really think it's all going to work out. So never fear - I will keep ya'll updated! :)

PS I apologize that this entry is all scrunched together. I tried to add breaks, but it's not seeing them or something!

How to Make Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Recipe adapted from Sally Fuller in Collector's Cookbook

First turn on some music.

(This particular set up is how I best receive KLOVE in this location of the house.) :)

Saute diced celery, green pepper, and onion (around 1/2 cup each), and one diced garlic pod in olive oil.

Brown meat. I did probably about a pound of hamburger and half a roll of Italian sausage. Drain grease. Mix meat and veggies.


Add 1 cup of water, 2 small cans of tomato sauce, 1 can of tomato soup (I substituted about 1/3 jar of Ragu since we didn't have tomato soup), 1 small can of tomato paste, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 small can mushroom stems and pieces, chopped. Stir Well.


Finally, add Italian seasoning (I just shake some out - lots!), 1 tsp. of salt, black pepper, and a shake or two of dried parsley. Let simmer for four hours stirring occasionally. (I simmered it for about 2 1/2 hours because we ran out of time - and it was still very good.)

This is a very poor picture of the end result (Parmesan cheese is on top) but according to the family and myself, it was very tasty! Mom and Andrew were running errands so I had the whole afternoon to myself, and enjoyed it very much! :)

P.S. Interview tomorrow (Wednesday) at Panera at 2:30 p.m.!! :)

Blueberries, Movies, and Chambers

This morning I found myself being awakened by my alarm at around 7:20 a.m. -- The first day of blueberry picking! There's an apple farm near our house that also has blueberry and thorn-less blackberry bushes and it's really become quite a place. Each year there seems to be so many people! It is so fun picking them - so big and so many! Here's a picture of my beauties:

Recently, my dad (after much consideration) joined Netflix and the first two movies came in the mail, one being Pride and Prejudice (2005). I have *gasp* never read the book or seen the movie, so it was a wonderful evening realizing a treasure I have missed! It took us a little while to get used to the British accent, and we had to pause the movie several times to discuss what was going on, because the story line moves very quickly. One time we had paused the movie and I asked my dad to explain to my brother what was going on, and dad says something to this effect, "I don't know what's going on. Where's John Wayne? He talks slower 'Welll, liisten heerre...' ." We all died laughing. (Dad and Andrew are huge John Wayne fans.) But I greatly enjoyed the movie and as soon as I finish A Tale of Two Cities I want to read the book Pride and Prejudice and probably more of Austen's books.

Well, I need to get off here, but wanted to leave you with some Chambers I read last night.

"Worrying always results in sin. We tend to think that a little anxiety and worry are simply an indication of how wise we really are, yet it is actually a much better indication of just how wicked we are. Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way (emphasis mine). Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God's plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God.

Have you been propping up that foolish soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God to handle? Set all your opinions and speculations aside and 'abide under the shadow of the Almighty' (Psalm 91:1). Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God (emphasis mine)."

July 4, Oswald Chambers

P.S. Car and Computer Update.

Car - still don't have it, but mechanic thinks it is the timing belt/chain and is trying to find another one

Computer - we think the motherboard has gone out, so pics and files can probably be saved, but we'll have to get a new computer or try to fix mine that freezes often

But not worried - just thankful for what I have. :)

A Summerish Day

Well - I think the worst has happened. Our home computer abruptly shut off while Mom was using it and refuses to be turned on. I'm hoping it isn't truly the worst, because I have years of pictures and important school documents on there. I'm trying not to think about it too much, because I fear I may cry! :) So, I'm updating on my dad's laptop.

Today, I had a very summerish day - I guess as "summerish" of a day that you can have in the summer. lol Mom decided that today was the day for a bike ride. So after much cajoling I got out of bed and got ready while Andrew put the bikes on the car. My mom treated us to Panera Bread - cinnamon crunch bagel with butter - the perfect quick (and cheap) breakfast! We then began our great escapade in Milford and headed due - well I'm not really sure which direction we were heading - but we headed towards Loveland. It was quite a beautiful day for a bike ride - breezy, sunny, and not too warm. We rode and rode and rode and continued riding in hopes of finding a picnic table for our lunch but finally settled underneath a large tree amongst the dead cicadas and lively ants. There is nothing quite better than a picnic lunch after a 6 and some mile bike ride. After we ate our lunch we began the long journey back. Somehow it always seems like it takes longer on the way back at least when you are on a bike. We made it back with just a slight scuffle when Mom was trying to cross an intersection the same time a car was trying to cross. But she made it out quite alive and much more cautious at further intersections. My dear mother, who was in such a generous mood today, stopped at Sonic (because it was happy hour) and got all of us slushes and limeades for I believe around $2.70 for the three of us. We love happy hour, at Sonic that is.

We made it home a little before 3 p.m. and Andrew mowed the yard, quite rapidly I thought, and mom and I decided to tackle a tree garden that had become just that - a garden full of trees. I snipped and she dug and then I left in great need of a shower and preparation for my class at church.

We fixed mini pizzas for supper - after quite a long discussion as to what we would fix (why can't we say *poof* and supper is ready?) and then headed to church. Today was Randy's birthday so we sang lots of songs, reviewed last week's lesson on the Giant and reviewed the verse and then had cupcakes and milk. (Birthday's are awesome, right?) Then I let them play outside a little early. (Birthday's only come once a year.)

I've begun A Tale of Two Cities and am extremely enjoying Dickens' writing style. He says things in ways I've never heard before - it is quite refreshing. For instance, I was just reading this part and thought this sentence was good:

"When his host followed him out on the staircase with a candle, to light him down the stairs, the day was coldly looking in through its grimy windows."

That was just one sentence that caught my eye - there has been so many. Who knew that classics could be fun! ;-)

Independent Study - DONE

So my title basically says it all - the assignments for BU115&116 are completed! All I'm waiting on is to see if I need to take the two quizzes. (I'm hoping not!)

Self - you will never let this happen again! It is July 1 and you are just now completing a class that you had since January to do!!! NEVER AGAIN! Next time, you will set goals and not procrastinate!

Ok - now that that is over ... I'm going to bed and tomorrow I'm starting A Tale of Two Cities. (See I was good and waited!)

...but have not love, I am nothing

The last two days I have been more aware of how special it is just being with family and friends. It doesn't matter where you are or what you are doing, whether it is going out for food, grocery shopping with a friend, seeing someone play air-hocky for the first time, playing Trionimoes at 11:00 at night, walking around IKEA, or hanging out at the mall - the point is that time is spent together. God made us to relate to Him and to others around us. And granted we love spending time with family and friends - people we like being around. But what about those who are different than us. Perhaps we are repulsed by their appearance. Perhaps seeing them makes us what to run away to a deserted island to get away from the corruption. But as I was so calmly reminded by a friend, Jesus was known for spending his time with sinners, prositutes, and I'm sure even homosexuals. He sees through their facade and sees a never dying soul. He loves that person no matter what sins they have commited, and may I remind you that we all have sinned. We all stand on even ground - without Him we are nothing. Why - oh why - do we brush by them, trying to avert our eyes, act like they are not there when the only thing we accomplish is deceiving ourselves that all we need to worry about is ourselves. But they are out there, by the millions, searching, searching - they are searching for God, but don't even realize it. Why then don't we turn aside and care and love and give and show them that God does make radical changes in our day? That they can truly experience joy and peace and wonder and forgiveness? When will we stop living so shallowly? What will it take for us to give all that we have into people - the only everlasting thing to invest in?

Lest you think I'm on some rampage - this little post is for me. God help me to live deeper, give deeper, and love deeper. For if not to do these things, what is our purpose to live?

Well, it's over

the interview, that is. Got there around 4:55 p.m. and there was a line of about six people - group interview. So not only was it my first "real" interview but I had to do it in front of 7 other applicants and two interviewers! It really wasn't that bad. Most of them were my age; one lady was older. It's funny - I spent just a little over an hour with them, and I already feel like I know them. Strange huh? Basically the format was the interviewer would ask a question and then we each would answer trying to be as creative and unique as possible so not to "ditto" the last person's response. They asked us a whole slew of questions like, "What personality traits do you think a Kohl's associate would have and do you have those traits," or "describe any community service work you've done that involved teamwork," or "what would you do if you saw a fellow employee steal something from the store?" So, it was a lot of on-the-spot thinking and trying to sound as sophisticated as possible! :)


Even though I'm not sure I'll get the job (there were 7 other applicants than me, and they had a second group of applicants waiting for us to finish), I'm thankful for the experience, because now I kind of know what goes on during an "interview." lol


I had Kingdom Kids tonight. I just love those kids, even when they are all talking at once, and all of them want to pass out the cups, and I'm trying to keep one boy from talking during prayer, and two girls to not talk during the story, and on and on and on. But seeing them sing and do the motions to the VBS songs, and watching them in amazement as I measured 9ft. out on the tape measure to show them how tall Goliath was, and hearing them request prayer for their daddies and cats and dogs - I just can't help but love them!

I was listening to Focus on the Family today w/ Dr. Dobson and he had a guest on his show and they were talking about how overstimulated we all are. He was explaining it all out scientifically, but basically overstimulation lowers our ability to receive pleasure. So the little things in life don't bring us pleasure because we need something "more" to get excited. I don't know - it's all interesting. So if you want - you should listen to today's program.

So - in order to be less stimulated, I'm going to sign off and enjoy taking a shower and reading my Bible and getting a good night's sleep!

PTL (Praise the Lord)

Today I stopped back into Hallmark, Panera, and Kohls to talk to managers about my applications. Hallmark was first. The manager was very nice but told me that they were well-staffed right now and didn't have openings. I stopped at Panera next and asked for the manager. I told him that I had turned in an application about a week ago and was wondering if someone had looked at it. He took my name and asked me to wait while he looked at the application. When he came back, the first thing he asked was if I would be able to work any Sundays. I told him probably not, because I was very involved in my church. But I did tell him that I was very flexible during the week and could work as much as he needed me to work. He also asked if I would be able to work in the fall. I told him that I live at home and commute to school, so I could work probably 10 - 15 hrs. a week. He said the general manager was on vacation till Wednesday, but he would make a note for him to call me and set up an interview. So I was pretty excited about that. I then stopped at Kohls and was making my way back to Customer Service when I saw who was behind the desk. It was older lady who I had asked about my application last week, and she basically told me that I had to wait until/if someone called me. So, I didn't really want to talk to her again. I was hoping to talk to somebody else. So I looked around Kohl's for a little bit - and realized that I was probably wasting my time, because I don't really have extra money to buy clothes - hence the reason why I need a job! So I went home and told my mom about it all, and started working on my Independent Study. Then mom told me she needed to use my cell phone, so I went to get it out of my purse and realized I had a voicemail. It was a 722 - number that I didn't recognize. As I listened, a Joanne from Kohl's had called me letting me know that there was an interview on Wed. at 5 p.m. and to call her if I wanted to come! Isn't that crazy!?! So I called her back and said that I indeed did want to come to the interview. So now I have one definite interview and possibly another one from Panera! God is good! And even if these interviews and job opportunities fall through, I'm not going to worry (too much :-) because I know my life is in God's hands and He will take care of me.

Well, just wanted to share the news. I'll keep you posted. And your prayers would be appreciated. This will be my first "real" interview with people I don't know! :)

The Days are Just Packed...

This is why I love summer:

• VBS - which means awesome new songs like "A ya wiki, B ya wiki, C ya wiki"
• Church softball games
• Singing a reggae version of "Silver Bells" accompanied on guitar by my brother
• Watching Youtube videos late into the night (Carnival of the Animals, Trans-siberian, the 5 Browns)
• Playing Clue at 12:05 a.m. with Andrew
• Thunderstorms
• Fresh Gardens
• Having to watch for garter snakes in the plants
• Vacations
• Catching up with friends
• And lest I forget - endless time for READING and I don't mean textbooks!

Yup - summer is just awesome.

P.S. Know where my title came from?