Love, Fudge, and Team Work

For starters, Happy Memorial Day everyone!

John and I, along with my family, had a cookout with the neighbors. After a couple of hours of 'healthy relationship competition' (as John called it) in a game of Kirby Air Ride, we decided it was time to head back over to the house, sit back, relax, and watch some television.

Most of the time, it is hard for us to agree on a show to watch, but when we see Cake Boss, we both approve. And just our luck, it was a marathon! After about an episode of watching them put together delicious, mouth watering looking cakes, I decided I was going through one of those cravings, girls, you know what I am talking about.

I got up from the couch and tried looking for the bag of salt and vinegar chips that were in the pantry the day before. Come to my attention, my dad had eaten them. Disappointing, but I moved on. I then looked at the tv to see the chef talking about fudge. And that little light bulb appeared over my head. FUDGE. And not just any fudge, my grandma's homemade, melt in your mouth, fudge. So of course, I had to call her because I had never made it without her next to me. I recieved the directions over the phone and she told me to call if I needed any assistance. It was exciting for me just because I had never done it by myself before, and because I got that time to talk to my grandma about something we both enjoy.


Now, it was time to create. I read the ingredients and 2 cups of sugar seemed a lot less when it wasn't in the pot. I then added the 4 tablespoons of cocoa as directed, and lastly, the cup of milk. I put the oven on high and watched it boil. John started smelling the chocolate and came over to see what all I had done. When he looked into the pot, he glanced at me and asked me if something was missing because it was watery, and not thick like fudge. I smiled realizing that was what I had said to my grandma the first time I watched her make it. I told him to be patient and never to doubt my grandma's fudge recipe. He then had the idea to make a peanut butter cream cheese topping to put over the fudge when it was done. He just winged it. He threw in butter, half and half, loads of peanut butter, and cream cheese. After the creamy chocolate boiled and started folding, I tested it in cold water and knew it was ready to beat. I added butter and vanilla and let John beat it while I stirred his peanut butter creation. I ran over to him to check the fudge, and by this time, my mom was also in the kitchen interested in the fudge. It was ready and I knew it. I could feel it. Of course, I had to call my grandmother for the 4th time to make sure. He quickly poured the fudge onto a plate and it hardened immediately, we almost didn't have time to spread it. Then, my mom grabbed the peanut butter mixture and added it as a finishing touch.


The three of us stepped back and realized how much work that actually took, but it was a success. After it cooled, we were in heaven! John's peanut butter topping was amazing and the fudge was perfect, creamy, and delicious.

What Is Christianity Becoming? The Museum of Idolatry

Have you ever come across a website where your first thought was something like "what in the world" or "is this serious"? Have you ever had your beliefs mocked and ridiculed?

As I was browsing the web, just trying to possibly find a topic, and I came across a website that literally made my jaw drop in disgust.

The 2nd youtube video on this website is a "man" called The Demoniac Preacher, 'preaching' to his audience while he mocks my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is also a advertisement of a Sunday service at this "church" and the introduction is, and I quote: "Jesus' death and resurrection are just not relevant anymore. So...rather than risk being irrelevant, Pastor Tom Skiles decided to preach about the movie Avatar on the highest holy day in the Christian Church". A church service on Avatar? On Easter Sunday?

Also, this 'church' promotes a play called Corpus Christi. The only reason I have ever heard of this disgusting and offensive play is because it was performed at Tarleton (another reason why the school now disgusts me). Anyways, ever heard of it? Well if you have not, read on for a quick summary.

The 'gay Jesus' play may be hitting the stage in North Texas after all.
Cathedral of Hope , the large Dallas church whose ministry is primarily directed toward gay and lesbian Christians, has announced that it will host a Los Angeles production of Corpus Christi, a play by Tony Award-winner Terrence McNally. The play is about a 20th-century Christ-like figure (called Joshua) who is gay. In one scene, Joshua kisses Judas at the senior prom at "Pontius Pilate High School." In another, he performs a wedding ceremony for two of his disciples, who are also gay.
Earlier this month, the play made headlines when a theater student at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, chose to direct a version as a class project. The student's play was to be staged on the Tarleton State campus. But that show was canceled at the last minute, after vociferous criticism from Stephenville clergy members and others.

Another name for this play is the "Gay Jesus Play".

First of all, I find it shocking that a so-called 'christian' church supports and promotes gay and lesbianism. Does it not specifically say in the bible that homosexuals will NOT enter the kingdom of heaven? Don't believe me. Get a bible and read it! Here are examples:

• If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.(Leviticus 20:13)


• Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)


• Romans 1:26-27 - For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

And what is even worse about this, is while introducing this play, the director said that although there may be some who disagree with this play, he would ask that you not judge. THEN has the audacity to use the bible and say "Judge not lest ye be judged"!

Needless to say, you should check the website out for yourself and speak up against those who mock your beliefs. This is unacceptable and I speak for myself when I say that I am tired of the mockery, I am tired of people thinking it is ok to say it is ok to be homosexual by trying to say Jesus was homosexual. Jesus was perfect, sinless, and died on the cross so that christians could go to heaven, so that they could be forgiven for their sins, and this is how 'christians' are repaying Him? Pathetic. I am at the point now where I do not even want to call myself a christian if this is what 'christianity' is coming too. I know my beliefs and I am sticking to them. I believe in God, the maker of heaven and earth, who sent His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. Why is there any need to label my beliefs if I stand strong on what they are? Should I give anyone the right to think that I believe Jesus was a homosexual or that I think His death and ressurection are irrelevent to Easter Sunday? Should I give anyone the right to believe that this church's preachings are acceptable? NO! If being a 'christian' means mocking my Lord and Savior, supporting homosexuality, and leading a life of hypocrisy, then I am not a christian.

Here is the website, check it out and get the word out. It is time we start standing up against this mockery and hypocrisy. Also, notice the categories on the side labeled "Christian Erotica" which is a link that takes you to a section of the site where you can purchase pornography, sex toys, prostitution in the church, how you can meet homosexual singles, a "Belly Dance for God" video, and it also talks about about a youth group sex series. The video of this series starts with a line that reads "12 reasons to do it before you're in 12th grade" and "Undress her with your eyes before you get caught". Whatever happened to lust and immorality being a sin? Have these people forgotten that Corinthians says that every other sin is committed outside the body, but immorality is a sin committed inside the body which is where Christ dwells? Or do they just not care? And this is supposed to be ok? This is supposed to be what God wants?! Or how about their line "Undress her with your eyes"? Is that not lust? What if I mentioned Matthew 5:29 where it says: "So if your eye--even your good eye--causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell."? Once again, maybe they just don't care.

http://www.alittleleaven.com/
http://cathedralofhope.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=305

That's the website. I know you'll be just as shocked as I was. And just incase, I added the website for the church in Dallas (the 2nd link).

What Is It I Want To Write About

Due to my university choice, my major on its way, and living life, I have been thinking over and over about what it is I want to do with my major. What is it that I want to write about. This question kept me up at night because there are so many different topics out there, but if I had to choose one, what would it be?

After going through all the "what ifs" I could think of, I narrowed my choices down to a few topics. During college, I may write about the adventures of college life or if that doesn't seem to go anywhere, I can write about my truest and deepest passion, dance. I have been dancing for 5 years now and I love every bit of it. Dancing is my own personal escape from the world around me, it is truely my dream and John recently reminded me by asking why on earth I haven't been dancing. When my response like "I don't know", I knew something had to change here. So I took myself back a minute and remembered what it felt like to walk into a dance studio, the smell of wood and the view of ballet bars and mirrors. With a good, worn out pair of jazz shoes, one pant leg pulled up so I can watch my form, and a smile on my face, I am ready as soon as my feet touch the floor. Once the music plays, I disappear from the world as I know it. Everything fades; thoughts, fears, stress, everything.

Choreographing is an activity I really enjoy. The past semester at Tarleton, I taught at a dance studio with a good friend of mine and it reminded me just how much I have been missing. It has also motivated me to get a grip and do what I love to do. I am going to take classes this coming semester, and who knows, maybe I'll tryout for the dance team next year. Maybe when I get on my way in my career, I can open my own dance studio and start a dancer's magazine. We'll see.

Lastly, my final topic is travel. I have not been to very many places, but I have always wanted to travel. My boyfriend and I have been dreaming of taking a trip to Ireland together. I also want to visit Italy, Spain, Russia, Australia, and South America! There is so much to see, and I only have one life to live. Hopefully when I get out of college, I am blessed with a job in the travel industry. I would love to write about the experiences I have and the people and places I discover. Who knows, maybe I can change the ideal vacation to something more than just renting a cottage in the same boring place every year. Maybe I can motivate my readers to visit the Alps, admire the paintings in Rome, appreciate the volcanoes in Hawaii, or have the drive to go scuba diving in the Caribbean.

So now that you know my ideas, what do you think?

Anyways, I am so excited to see where life takes me, and I am ready to get there with all the people who love and support me.

Johnson City Exotic Zoo

So advice on planning a unique and fun trip for your family is all right here in this post. Read it and weep.

Johnson City Texas is one of those towns that if you blink, you miss it. But it also has so much history because it was the home of President Lyndon B Johnson's Ranch. Back in March, John and I visited Johnson City for the first time, just something to do over spring break. We found a little shop famous for their jerky, a cafe called The Silver K that turned out to be quite delicious, we visited Lyndon B Johnson's Ranch house, but also on this journey of ours, we found the Johnson City Exotic Zoo. Of course, John is allergic to just about everything that breathes, so he did not really want to go on a bus for an hour that was infested with animal hair and saliva, can't say that I blame him. I only have 2 dogs and he gets itchy and sniffles, not to mention what would happen if he was surrounded by over 150 different species. Who knows, maybe someday I will get him to go.

After I came home raving about this place to my family, my mom decided it would be fun to take my grandparents there on their visit here. The idea struck her fancy and she made up her mind.
We took the back road, which turned out to be 1) a beautiful route and 2) way quicker than 35 to 290. Once we got there, I was surprised that the tour was only $11 a person and a huge bucket of feed was only $6.

We all got onto this bus looking thing connected to a tractor, and as soon as the gate opened, the animals came flooding to the bus. They just walked right up to you and started eating. My favorite was the buffalo. I had no idea how sweet those animals are, even though it is quite disturbing to feed them. They stick their heads up and stretch out this long blue tongue and wiggle it around at you until you drop food in their mouth.

The llamas were a little irritating and word for the wise, if they throw their ears back, RUN.
My dad was right in the middle of feeding one, and this hideous llama just spits right on my dad. First off, their "spit" isn't actually spit. It is mucous from their stomach, and let me tell you, IT STINKS. My dad was disgusted and even mentioned that it smelled so bad, he'd rather have been sprayed by a skunk. Of course, all of us were laughing because it didn't hit anyone else but him. Oh well, guess that is just his luck. It was still funny, and he won't live that down.

I was also highly amused by a 5 year old camel named Goober. He made the weirdest noises and loved to stick his entire head and neck right into the bus. The tour guide told us to hide our buckets of feed because Goober would snatch them right up.
Needless to say, my grandfather REALLY enjoyed it. But then again, so did everyone else. Personally, I can say it was a good experience for me being that I love animals, but it was also a great way for my family to spend some time together, with a dash of fun.

And lastly, I think my newest fear is of ostriches. This one in particular was about 13 feet tall. His head came over our tour bus. I had no idea how HUGE they were, not to mention they are vicious. I learned that you can tell when they are becoming aggressive by how red their legs turn. Let's just say, I kept my distance, no hesitation.

So if you are trying to plan a fun day trip with your kids or even your whole family, take a day or two out to Johnson City and visit the zoo. I promise you'll enjoy it. Well, if you don't get spit on by a llama.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

So tonight, just to change things up a bit, John and I went to the Round Rock Express game. Being that I absolutely love watching baseball, I was pretty psyched about going.

We started out by walking around the stadium just because John had never actually been there, or at least, he doesn't remember ever going. They have a pool, several concession stands, a place called "The Fun Zone" were kids can be kept busy throughout the game by bungee jumping, rock climbing, or playing basketball.

There were also a few stands up around the area for an organization called United Way. Basically, John gathered information to see if they would sponser 4JP. He didn't really ask many questions involving his personal organization but he did ask plenty of questions on the organizations they currently sponsor. Turns out, they really do a lot in the community. They help with the maternity home, the dioscease of Austin, The Caring Place, and basically any organization involving health, finance, or education. It was actually interesting to hear the summaries from each different table and all about what they do in the community. Hopefully they will sponsor his project so he can really get going on the advertising. Who knows, maybe it will help with more muscians, fund raisers, and such.

Anyways, after our little journey around the field, we decided to sit down and enjoy the awesome deal on hotdogs. $1 for hotdogs at a baseball game, not too bad. We sat next to some of his buds from work and I felt special that he introduced me to them all. Close to the end of the 7th inning, we decided Dippin Dots sounded amazing. So, instead of being smart and checking to see if there was one close by, we walked all the way to the other side of the field to the table we saw earlier. They were a tad bit over priced, but worth every bite.

By about 10:30, the game was over and Express won by 3 points, the final score was:
Express: 9

Las Vegas 51s: 6

All in all, it was a good game and the night was fun with my baby with me.

4JP- A Christian Organization

I am sure by the title, you are wondering what 4JP means. The first time I saw that abbreviation, I had no idea what it meant either, so don't feel bad or out of the loop. My boyfriend John Vandivier has recently started a project called the "For Jesus Project". As he has explained, it is a christian organization looking to promote the making and listening of local christian music. How else could anyone possibly keep people motivated to listen to God's word? God DOES speak to you through other people, maybe I am that person.

Check out the facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/4-Jesus-Project/117374014940785#!/pages/4-Jesus-Project/117374014940785?v=info

The website for the project is:

http://www.4jesusproject.webs.com/ (Right now, it is still under construction but within a week or so, it should be up to date with a full description of the organization as well as the beliefs of the founder, news, and even a link to send a prayer request!)



Please support John and his inspiring organization. God Bless :)

Back In Action

So it has been a while since I have posted, but I am finally done with my freshman year of college and I am on my way to bigger and better things! First of all, I am transferring as far away from Tarleton as I possibly can. Long story short, it just was not for me. I am more and more eager to get my major in Mass Communications. The more I think about it, the more I feel ready.
I've been in my first week of summer, going onto my second. Moving out of the dorms was the biggest pain, especially being on the third floor with not one single elevator and TONS of boxes to carry down to my car, which by the way, had a $150 ticket attached the the windshield. I have been trying to get it repealed because you cannot just simply put up a handicap sign, and say I was parked in the wrong area. Yup, you read that right. The day I parked there, there was NO handicap sign, the next day, it magically appeared.

Anyways, by the time I got home, I was so ready for summer. I walked in the front door and my grandparents are both on the couch! I have not seen them in a year, so it was fun to spend some time with them again. We went to the Exotic Zoo in Johnson City and got to feed all different kinds of animals, not to mention, my dad getting spit on by a llama was also priceless, but I will save that trip for another entry.

Tomorrow night, I am going to a baseball game with the love of my life, John Vandivier! I will of course, have to tell you all about that, or maybe not. You will just have to wait and see!