People are really desperate around here (as I am sure they are in your neck of the woods as well) for money or things they can sell for money. My office is in a building that we share with three other offices. (VTR owns the building and rents out the other two offices). We have five AC units on top of the building. Last week when we went to turn on the AC we noticed that it was blowing hot air. The next day when we tried again it was the same thing - hot air. We called the AC company and had them come out to check what was going on. When the guy came down from the ladder he told us that we needed to call the police - we had been robbed. Apparently someone came and stole the copper wiring out of 5 of the 6 units. Why they didn't take from the sixth unit we don't know - maybe they got spooked or something. In any case our units need to be completely replaced and in the meantime we are using fans and trying to stay cool in our offices. Luckily it hasn't been that hot so it hasn't been too much of a problem. When the police came out to write a report they told us that crimes like these are on a rapid rise. They said with the economy the way it is people are very desperate to get money or things for free. He told us that people stealing gas out of other people's cars is also drastically increasing. When will we get out of this recession? If I am struggling I really feel for the folks who are single parents or aren't working, etc. With gas being so expensive I have been thinking about selling my car. Unfortunately SUV's sales have plummeted and I would lose a couple thousand dollars if I sold. Ugh. And I am having difficulty making ends meet even more then before. On Sunday I bought my groceries (as usual) and grabbed five apples. When I went to check out I noticed the price was about a buck an apple. It is my fault for not looking at the price beforehand when I grabbed some... I bought gas yesterday for $4.60/gallon. I wonder if my boss will let me do four 10 hour days instead of five 8 hour days? I dunno. What are some things you are doing to help save money in these hard times? Or am I the only one struggling?

I have developed a routine over the last three weeks or so that I am enjoying and is really helping me stay with my new "get fit" plan. I have been walking three miles with Janell every morning before work from 5:45 - 6:45 AM. Then I go to Fresno and work and get back to Kingsburg around 5:45 PM. I try to be at my parents' house by 6:30 and eat with them and then walk another two miles with my mom, SIL, and niece. I try to be back home (with errands and odds and ends around the house done) and in bed by 9:30. It has been hard trying to get my body to be tired by 9:30 PM. I am a night owl and before I started walking in the morning I tried to be in bed by 10:30 which was a challenge enough in itself. But, I am a person who definitely needs her sleep and I try to be in bed for eight hours - asleep or not. My schedule doesn't really allow for me to do anything social or "fun" during the weekdays - but I do enjoy the social time that I get while I walk and it just makes me look forward to the weekends all the more.:-)

Last Saturday I went to see "You don't mess with the Zohan." We walked out about 45 mins into the movie. DO NOT GO SEE THIS MOVIE. The fact that it is a PG-13 is ridiculous. This movie is disgusting. For example: he becomes a popular hairstylist because he gives each customer something a little extra in the back room after each styling...if you catch what I mean. Adam Sandler is a funny guy - why does he have to resort to such things? Anyway, do not even rent it. Obviously as a Christian I find this movie even more revolting then maybe the average viewer - although I have heard through the grapevine that many have been shocked by the content. It turns my stomach to think of how many kids will be seeing that movie...:-(

Today I am having lunch with Liz (Christenson) Sanchez. I am excited to see her and meet her new son. We have been friends since jr. high and that girl is so darn funny!!! I love her and wish I could see her more often.

On Sunday my pastor spoke on fear and what it means in regards to fearing the Lord. He referenced Proverbs and several other passages that referenced how people feared the Lord and what God wants when He instructs us to fear him. Obviously it is not a run and hide type of thing - but rather a reverence for His holiness, obedience, respect and admiration (not being foolish), and love. Do I fear the Lord? Sure I do. At all time? Not quite!! When people interact with me do they walk away with the impression that I am one who fears her God? I'm sure not nearly as much as I would like them to. Anyway, it was a great sermon and I have been pondering my life and wondering what I can do differently to better fear God - and thus loving Him and others more. One I know for sure is continue to get fit - which is my project for the summer. I am being obedient to Him by doing this. (Some might be disobedient to the Lord with their bodies, as I have been, some in other areas, it is different for everyone.) What I'm saying is that disrespecting what God has given me (my body - His temple) is sin, overeating is sin, using food for anything other then fuel and nutrition (what He intended it to be) is sin, and that I use it as an excuse to not relate to people as well as I should. By me getting fit (which might not be skinny to the world's standards) means that I will be more able to serve Him better. I am in the midst of some of the hardest work of my life (this is NOT easy) but it is the right thing to do - and sometimes the right choice doesn't feel good or isn't the easiest. God has really been working on me in obedience in this area, and I have been stubborn and He has always won and I sometimes grumble back at Him...it has been some challenging times - but it also has been RICH times too! I wonder what we will be working on next? Lord knows He won't be done refining me until my last day here is done!!