On the North Sea

Here is Doug and I by the North Sea. Not a beach you swim at that's for sure. Brrrrrrr!
Had a much calmer day today. Didn't do too much. Went to the Scottish "Wal-Mart" that they call ASDA and it truly is Wal-Mart. Tonight we went 10-pin bowling with Doug's co-workers and then to eat. What a trip...eating with two Englishmen and a Norwegian. Could listen to them talk all night. So much I could write about but I'm too tired. Maybe tomorrow. Goodnight. Hugs and kisses. mary

Shopping in Aberdeen, Scotland

Well today has been our first full day abroad. While Doug worked I took a taxi downtown to the shopping area, Union Square to be exact. I would have walked but that would have constituted crossing two "round-a-bouts" and I am not willing to get run over. (They drive on the wrong side of the road here you know, and very fast.) Anyhoo, had a great time.

For lunch I ate pizza, yea pizza. Vegetarian to be exact...AND much to my surprise, there was corn, I repeat, CORN on my pizza. I guess that's what you get when you get pizza in Scotland. And you will never guess where we ate this evening.......Jimmy Chung's. Yes there is Chinese food here too. I did, however, have excellent halibut last night. It was quite tasty.

We are five hours ahead of Oklahoma time and this Sunday the UK is springing forward an hour. Not only did I lose an hour of precious sleeping time at home, I am going to lose ANOTHER hour here. What do you suppose I can do with that???? As if losing one hour was not enough.

Well, it is almost time for me to turn in.

Love you guys!

Love Your Enemies

Cannot believe it has been almost a month since I last posted a post on my blog by posting a post. Sorry I am so redundant. (whew, wanted to get that word in somehow today. hope i spelled it correctly.)

What a week this has been. One of those weeks you are so happy to see in the rear view mirror. Only, the rear view mirror is cracked and you see countless reflections of the week staring back at you. All with a little different perspective.

- Monday, not much to talk about. Actually, I do not even remember Monday.

- Tuesday, started out ok, ended with a huge WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT? YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!! I tell you, not much sleep that night.

- Wednesday, more what the heck was that and not much sleep again that night.

- Thursday, purge day, vomitous day, ralph day, call it what you want day. I like to view it as, LIBERATING VOMITOUS EXTRAORDINOUS DAY.....

- Friday, stay at home sick day, can't breath through my nostrils.

- Saturday, well here we are, made it through the week and can now breath through one nostril.

But on a serious note, this was not the best week. Not only for me, but for a whole host of people I care deeply about. And of course if I am to be honest, it has been a not-so-good week for people I care not-so-much about. But still, we are all God's children and He tells us to love one another, even the ones that are hard to love. Maybe it is those folks I should pour out the love for most of all.....sounds impossible. Doesn't sound appealing at all!!! If I am to continue on this "honest" streak, I do have to confess there are certain people I don't feel any amount of love for.

If you are thinking I am recovering from the stomach flu, don't be deceived. My liberating vomitous extraordinous day was not a day of upchucking my previous meal, but the purging of negative words towards another person, to their strangely shocked face. I think we all know the kinds of people we would love to tell off, give them a piece of our minds, those people who always see the glass half empty and never seem to find the good in things? You know, the people you briefly imagine in your mind's eye what you would say to them to put them in their place and just how you would say it. You imagine yourself walking away in slow motion, hair blowing in the wind, all the while a triumphant melody plays in the background....by-standers give you high fives and for one moment, you feel.... triumphant. Only for me, the triumphant melody has made my ears ring and the words have left a terrible taste in my mouth. When God said to love our enemies, He meant it. And it saddens me to say, I don't think this person is the enemy at all. Maybe this person just needs a little extra love, a little extra prayer. I hope that is the case. I hate to think someone could be that miserable in life when they are a child of a King, saved by grace and loved unconditionally by their heavenly Father.

Heavenly Father, I pray your love will pour out from me and touch others. I confess I have no love of my own to give those who may need it most. I know you would never ask me to do something I am unable to do, unless it is something you want to do through me. I love you. Amen.