Meaghan Smith

Meaghan is my friend from college. 



She is many things:


Intelligent
Giving
Loving
Faithful
And a child of God.


And she works in Ethiopia with Wycliffe Bible Translators.
http://www.wycliffe.net/


Mr. T and I are blessed to invest in her ministry.


A wise investment indeed...

The Lemonade Stand

A couple weekends ago, Mr. T and I embarked on an adventure. 
It was an adventure called, "The Lemonade Stand." 
An adventure that was forged to raise money for Jessica Weast, who works in Ethiopia. 

We want to support her. 

Why? 

Because she's doing a great job, serving a great God, in great ways!  And we love her.

But we don't love "The Lemonade Stand."

The Lemonade Stand sounds like a cheerful, yellow, stand of lemony sweetness - but it's not.

It's actually an energy draining, bee-infested, cesspool of hard work and despair. 

Last weekend was McCook's Heritage Days - a lovely event, filled with parades, hot air balloon launches, craft fairs and more.  Upon the approach of Heritage Days I thought, "Why don't we have a booth!  We could sell lemonade and bottled water for $1 and raise money for Jessica!"  Sounds simple. 

And it was simple - until we added tea, soda, coffee, hot apple cider, candy, pickles, craft jars and OH MY - what were we thinking!!!

Mr. T was such a trooper.  He hauled tons of merchandise to our little booth, then hauled half a ton of back to our car when it didn't sell (because the Methodist church was giving out FREE bottles of water.  Or maybe it was the Mormons.  Either way - UGH!)

In the end, we raised about $420 for Jessica, so not bad, all in all.

Somewhere in the midst of the whole thing I proclaimed, "It would be easier to BE a missionary than it is to try and SUPPORT a missionary!"

I don't think that's really true.  Missionaries, like Jessica, work really hard and love others well.  And compared to the work we did at the Lemonade Stand, I'd say we got the easier end of the deal.   

It Used to Be Said That...

...Monopoly Deal was my new favorite game.  

That is until Monopoly Deal almost ended my marriage this weekend.

I know you're thinking, "Monopoly Deal doesn't end marriages.  People end marriages."

Just like people say, "Guns don't kill people.  People kill people."  Well, maybe you're right.

However, PEOPLE who are overly-competitive, immature and sore losers who play Monopoly Deal are setting themselves up for failure.  

No, I'm not talking about Mr. T. 

I'm talking about myself.  That's right.  The one and only - ME - who has been playing Monopoly Deal with Mr. T for the past two days and has NOT WON ONE SINGLE GAME!!!!!!

I don't like to lose.  Really, ever.  But I can handle it most of the time. 

Unless I'm losing to Mr. T.  I really, really hate losing to him.  Not sure why. 
I'm not the only one according to this:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/blog/2011/09/marital-showdown

Anyway, we have played SEVERAL/MANY/MULTIPLE games and I have not won a single one as of recent. 

This does not bring out the best in me.  I do not triumph over my sinful nature when being faced with such a great challenge.

Instead, it brings out the card throwing, tortilla chip chucking, stomping up the stairs, slamming the door, "You're a stinky poop brain!" shouting side of me.  

It's ugly.

And worse yet, we are playing tonight with the Scollards.

And it's likely I will lose.

In which case, there will be two more people on this earth who might witness my Jekyll and Hyde act firsthand. 

I need comfort.

Desperately.

From the only two who can help.

And their names are Ben and Jerry.