I decided to do 32 facts with one extra since I am turning 33 this summer!
1. I don't have a favorite color. I like colors so much I could never narrow it down to just one.
2. Both pregnancies, I wanted boys. Now that I have them and there is so much testosterone in this house maybe my dream of adopting a little girl will come true SOMEDAY.
3. Fish & Seafood = YUCK!
4. That being said, I LOVE Maine, home of seafood and lobster.
5. Ogunquit and Kennebunkport Maine are AMAZING and I dream of living there.
6. If not for my parents, I already would! I just can't leave my parents!
7. I LOVE to sing and did so often in church growing up. I even sang in my little brother's wedding last year.
8. My little brother was my best friend for 31 years.
9. He hasn't spoken to me in nearly a year.
10. I miss him. A LOT.
11. I always wanted to live in a studio apartment in New York City for a year.
12. Before I could plan such arrangements, I met Joe.
13. We worked together on 3rd shift at Jewish Hospital Medical Center East. I was an
ER Registrar and he was a security guard.
14. I COULD NOT STAND Joe when I first met him.
15. Nine months later we moved in together. Two years later we were married. My how my opinion of him changed. We've been together a total of 8 years now.
16. He totally surprised me and bought me a piano as a wedding gift. It was in our apartment when we came home from our rehearsal dinner. I bawled my eyes out.
17. I played piano for nearly 8 years. I hope to start back up soon.
18. I am a Gleek and a Twihard. Is there a name for that?
19. Two months ago today I had plastic surgery and I am PROUD of it!
20. When I am alone in the car I sing at the top of my lungs and move to the music. This probably looks foolish to other drivers. I don't care. I feel free.
21. I can't burp, whistle or snap my fingers. Is this some disorder or something? I feel flawed. LOL
22. Cotton gives me the willies. Please never ask me to get you a cotton ball out of a bag! I beg you!
23. Clowns terrify me. Please don't ever dress as a clown to scare me. I will harm you totally unintentionally.
24. Another word of advice, I also freak out when tickled and you could get harmed unintentionally then as well. Consider yourself warned.
25. There is a small birthmark on my upper leg that is shaped like Mickey Mouse. I couldn't make this stuff up!
26. Reality TV is my secret obsession. I can't get enough. Sad but true.
27. I have crushes on many a white-haired celebrity such as Richard Gere, Anderson Cooper and Dr. Drew. Are any of you psychology majors that can tell me what this means? You know I had to post a pic of each...eye candy anyone? :-)
28. I wish I could travel the world. It seems such a waste to never see this wonderful world GOD created. I long to see it all and take it all in. Maybe one day.
29. Housework overwhelms me. I DESPISE IT! Right now I have dishes piled up on the counter and in both sinks. Laundry piled up on the table. There are toys and mess EVERYWHERE. I am not even exaggerating. As soon as I finish this blog I MUST GET TO WORK.
30. I was run over by a sled freshman year. YES, you read that correctly. I was full fledged run over by a snow sled, with an adult and child on board, that was pushed down a HUGE hill on a street by 3 grown men. This thing was in attack mode when it hit me. I have pics and a scar from stitches on my lip to prove it. And yes when we came back to school everyone was singing "Krystal Got Run Over By A Snow sled" to the tune of "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer". Humiliating maybe?
31. I don't like to eat veggies. But I'm a grown up now so you can't make me!
32. I drove an adorable Ford Escort in high school. In certain sun light or street lights it would look either hot pink, red or purple. It was like those hypercolor shirts back in the day. Yeah you know you remember those. Anyway, I LOVED that car! I named her Hooker. Get it? Hooker.....Escort....I crack myself up!
33. Lastly, I believe that Justin Bieber is just one more sign of the coming apocalypse.
HAPPY MONDAY LOVES!
DAY 3
LOVE IS NOT SELFISH
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love;
give preference to one another in honor. —Romans 12:10
We live in a world that is enamored with “self.” The culture around us teaches us to focus on our appearance, feelings, and personal desires as the top priority. The goal, it seems, is to chase the highest level of happiness possible. The danger from this kind of thinking, however, becomes painfully apparent once inside a marriage relationship.
If there were ever a word that basically means the opposite of love, it is selfishness. Unfortunately it is something that is ingrained into every person from birth. You can see it in the way young children act, and often in the way adults mistreat one another. Almost every sinful action ever committed can be traced back to a selfish motive. It is a trait we hate in other people but justify in ourselves. Yet you cannot point out the many ways your spouse is selfish without admitting that you can be selfish too. That would be hypocritical.
Why do we have such low standards for ourselves but high expectations for our mate? The answer is a painful pill to swallow. We are all selfish.
When a husband puts his interests, desires, and priorities in front of his wife, that’s a sign of selfishness. When a wife constantly complains about the time and energy she spends meeting the needs of her husband, that’s a sign of selfishness. But love “does not seek its own” (1 Corinthians 13:5). Loving couples—the ones who are enjoying the full purpose of marriage—are bent on taking good care of the other flawed human they get to share life with. That’s because true love looks for ways to say “yes.”
One ironic aspect of selfishness is that even generous actions can be selfish if the motive is to gain bragging rights or receive a reward. If you do even a good thing to deceitfully manipulate your husband or wife, you are still being selfish. The bottom line is that you either make decisions out of love for others or love for yourself.
Love is never satisfied except in the welfare of others. You can’t be acting out of real love and selfishness at the same time. Choosing to love your mate will cause you to say “no” to what you want so you can say “yes” to what they need. That’s putting the happiness of your partner above your own. It doesn’t mean you can never experience happiness, but you don’t negate the happiness of your spouse so you can enjoy it yourself.
Love also leads to inner joy. When you prioritize the well-being of your mate, there is a resulting fulfillment that cannot be duplicated by selfish actions. This is a benefit that God created and reserves for those who genuinely demonstrate love. The truth is, when you relinquish your rights for the sake of your mate, you get a chance to lose yourself to the greater purpose of marriage.
Nobody knows you as well as your spouse. And that means no one will be quicker to recognize a change when you deliberately start sacrificing your wants and wishes to make sure his or her needs are met.
If you find it hard to sacrifice your own desires to benefit your spouse, then you may have a deeper problem with selfishness than you want to admit.
Ask yourself these questions:
• Do I truly want what’s best for my husband or wife?
• Do I want them to feel loved by me?
• Do they believe I have their best interests in mind?
• Do they see me as looking out for myself first?
Whether you like it or not, you have a reputation in the eyes of those around you, especially in the eyes of your spouse. But is it a loving reputation? Remember, your marriage partner also has the challenge of loving a selfish person. So determine to be the first to demonstrate real love to them, with your eyes wide open. And when all is said and done, you’ll both be more fulfilled.
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).
TODAY'S DARE
WHATEVER YOU PUT YOUR TIME, ENERGY, AND MONEY INTO WILL BECOME MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU. IT'S HARD TO CARE FOR SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT INVESTING IN. ALONG WITH RESTRAINING FROM NEGATIVE COMMENTS, BUY YOUR SPOUSE SOMETHING THAT SAYS, "I WAS THINK OF YOU TODAY."
(In your Love Dare Journal or a notebook) What did you choose to give your spouse? What happened when you gave it?
Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder. James 3:16
HOW IS YOUR LOVE DARE GOING? DO YOU SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? I KNOW I SURE DO!
I LOVE that he bought you a piano as a wedding gift. So romantic. And housework overwhelms me too:). Great list!
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