Day off... off day?

Saturday was my day off and I went to help a church in need in Downtown Riverside.

A team of us drove out there in the morning and stayed til about 2pm.

The team as a whole met various needs such as:

• painting the exterior of the building (well... more like priming, we'll have to go back to paint)
• Dug up their lawn to fix their sprinkler system
• Repaired some of the parking lot light fixtures

It was definitely a blessing to be apart of, however... I was having the most off day!! I was a hot mess pretty much the entire time.

First of all,

I was sent to the car to get some supplies, I was handed Michael Bustillos' car keys (the car I drove to the church in) and then walked into the parking only to spend 10 minutes trying to get into someone else's car... completely different type of car mind you, the only ounce of justification I have for my idiocy was that it was the same color haha

After that I was volunteered to run to the store to get more supplies (no need for explanation as to why 'I' was volunteered to make the run) It took me an hour in Lowes to figure out the difference between a 1/2"x 3/4" Tee/no Thread/Adjuster/transformer... I finally asked the guy, you think he'd be used to girls looking aimlessly for stuff in there.

ok, so I get back to the church, only to realize that I didn't purchase PVC cement for all the PVC I just purchase... GREAT! I humbly handed the MEN the bag and told them I'd be back.

When I returned I decided I would just sit and paint... what harm could I do to just stand and paint? right?... wrong, I found a way.

As I was painting the trim to a window, I was so focused on not getting paint on the window seal that I was not noticing the bucket of paint I was spilling ALL over the sidewalk :(

Thank God is was water-based paint... but wait! There's more. I quickly ran to get a hose to clean up the mess. Without thinking any of my steps through (of course) I turn on the hose full blast... I swallowed my stomach as I watched the spilled paint from the sidewalk now getting splashed onto the BRAND NEW fence... different color paint mind you.

I spent the next hour cleaning off the fence, scrubbing the sidewalk, and avoiding all eye contact possible...

It was definitely just ONE of those days :(

overall... a church, a pastor, a community, and a team of servants were blessed!

so I'll stop complaining.

Ps. we are going back to that church to finish up some things, so if you are interested in helping out, hollah!!

~Jolene

Captivating

I'm reading a few books right now... one of which is Captivating by Stasi Eldredge.
Good book, even though I was hesitant to read it the past few years because I thought it was going to be super cheese ball. In reality, it's pretty dead on with the minds, emotions and the overall mystery of a women's soul.

Tonight's smack in the face:

"We (women) don't feel worthy of pursuit. So we hang a "do not disturb" sign on our personalities, send a "back off" message to the world. Or we desperately seek pursuit, losing all self-respect in an emotional and physical promiscuity. We don't feel that we are irreplaceable, so we try and make ourselves useful. We don't believe we are beautiful, so we work hard to be outwardly beautiful or we "let ourselves go" and hide behind a persona that has no allure. We try so hard, and in so many ways, to protect our hearts from further pain."

Ladies, read the book... there's much more and it's awesome!

Fellas, you might want to check it out as well... it will definitely help in the long run.

Story of the day

Business woman" Candice sold our dryer on Craigslist for $30.

Candice asked Jolene to be at the house when the buyers came to pick it up and pay.

When poor little Pedro came to the door and picked it up Jolene felt sorry for the guy.

Jolene and Pedro continued to talk for 10 minutes regarding Paying it Foward and blessing others with what we dont need.

Jolene was unaware of the swindling that was going on.

Jolene then realized that Pedro knew the price and had already aggreed to the cost with "Business woman" Candice.

Jolene took the $30 dollars and bid mr. pedro good morrow.

As Pedro was putting the dryer in his Metro Van, to his surpise quarters starting falling out of it.

Jolene didn't know what was going on or how $4 worth of quarters got in there.

As Pedro looked at Jolene to see who would be keeping the quarters,

Jolene smiled and said, "There all yours!"

Frugal-Friday

Do not worry, I'm not going to start posting ways to be Frugal on Friday... that would be redundant to Thrifty-Thursday.

However, It technically is Friday and I forgot to post yesterday and I have been on this website for the past hour, so I felt it appropriate.

check it out when you have time:

http://frugalliving.about.com/

that's all :)

Chick Flicks = Chick Porn???

Hello, now I know I am making a very powerful comparison and statement, but it needs to be said.



Disclaimer:

• I am in no way condoning porn


• I am a fan of chick flicks


• Don't get all crazy... its just my observation

Women love chick flicks (well, most women, there are the Debi Hogues out there). We love them for many reasons; whether its the cutesy romance we all wish we were involved in or the cute clothes the lead actress is wearing that we all wish we owned or the heart melting, 'perfect-scripted', awe inspiring I love you/Kiss in the rain scene that every girl whether she admits it or not wishes would happen to her.

We are girls, give us a break! We want to be adored, we wish to be called beautiful, we desire to be desired... thats how we were made. These Producers/Directors/screenwriters know this and ruin our lives with it!!

These movies should be harmless and be viewed simply as they were intended to be... as entertainment. A fabricated love story which behind the scenes consisted of dozens of highly trained individuals who work months on the perfect lines, casting the most beautiful people, strategically planning each scene to be portrayed as organic and a common love story.

Common?!! There is nothing common about racing the clock to the empire state building to see if the love of your life (whom you've never met) is there waiting for you, or falling in love while dangerously standing on the front of a gigantic, tanking ship, and when you think common, does an epic love story occurring over multiple decades between a woman and man as they age in the opposite direction only ending with an 85 year old women holding a 3 months old baby in her arms with all the passion of life-time lovers come to mind?

Didn't think so.

It's because there is nothing common about chick flicks; they are created to entertain our fantasies. The danger lies in the fact that most girls do not realize that. Instead we hold these movies as our standards of relationships. I'm not saying that we can't have romance and will never kiss a guy in the rain, BUT it probably won't be after he just returned saving a country in your honor... I'm just saying.

Let us create our own romance, our own love story.

In conclusion, as (I believe) porn most often taints the minds of men who sadly set false standards of what the sex experience should be like, I boldly compare the similar affect to what women experience from obsessing over chick flicks.

Few of you may disagree with me, but I think for the majority,

I had you at Hello... ;)

New addition to Halmark

There needs to be a "Dysfunctional Family" greeting card section within Halmark.

Where are all the cards that fit the... "Uh, we're not really that close, and you were never really there for me, but you're my father so... I love you" or "Happy Birthday to the best step mom! Thanks for everything you've done for me! well, everything except breaking up my family"...

There are very few people in my life that I can actually find a card for where the words printed on the card truly express my feelings towards them. (Side note: the few cards that work for me are often found in the Mahogany or the musical card sections)

I think blank cards are the best way to go; get one with an awesome picture on the front, appropriate for the occasion, and write your own words of encouragement, love, grattitude, etc.

Just a thought... I may even email Halmark.