Odd Compliments

Hello all! Happy Monday! A most Happy Monday indeed because this is the last Monday I will ever have in the insurance industry. THIS IS EXCITING NEWS, FRIENDS! If you're not in the industry, you may not completely understand my sheer excitement here. One day, I started to blog about it so you'd understand why but half way through, I changed my mind. This is my virtual happy place. No insurance babble of any kind is allowed. Mostly because it's not that entertaining and would probably consist of me whining a lot...and we all know nobody likes a whiner. We're getting off track here...

Anyway, I've come across a new favorite of mine: Daily Odd Compliments. These are ...a-maze-ing (please allow two seconds per syllable to say that in order to fully comprehend the amazingness I'm trying to write about. Go back and reread that part if you need to. I'll wait....)

...Not only do they encapsulate all the awkwardness that I completely relate too, but they make me smile - kind of like the same smile I make when I see a gas station after three hours of driving in the middle of Kansas (middle of nowhere) with nothing but that 64 oz of root beer on my mind. True story.

I'm in a splendid mood, the sun is shining, and I ate the most splendid oatmeal for breakfast this morning. That's right. I said splendid twice in one sentence. This is a perfect reason for me to shower you lovelies with the most awkward compliments ever...simply because I'm very thankful that you take time out of your busy day to read my thoughts. What a great way to make a girl feel good!

Please note that I came up with...none of these. I'm not that hilarious.

They are all from the beautiful mind of

 Logan Rhoades, creator of ---> http://dailyoddcompliment.tumblr.com/

Hey! I just wanted to tell you...

You make me happy in a way that puppies licking my face makes me happy.

 Hehe...cut it out puppies.

Okay, keep going.

You know?

-and-

You make my dreams come true.

Aside from the weird ones.

But it's best not to talk about those.

Hey, what's that?

Not my weird dreams. Let's move on.

-and-

You know how there is a card section

called "Blank Inside"?

Well, if you were a card, you'd be called

"Beautiful Inside and Out.

Also With a Nice Personality."

-and-

I'm so glad you're not clingy.

Unlike the finger residue from Cheetos.

I swear, it's like every time I'm done eating them,

I have a chore to do.

-and-

I believe in you,

like I believe deer hooves

are really just tiny little gloves

for their tiny little deer hands.

Which, for the record, is something
I believe in fully.

-and-

Honey Badgers care about you.

Which is ironic because, as we all know,

honey badgers are not well known

for their feelings of admiration.

And yet here we are,

talking about how much they care about you.

I swear, animals are so neat like that.

-and-

You're like the prettiest thing I've seen today.

And I was looking at, like, a bunch

 of sunset pictures this morning,

so.....

Call me old-fashioned,

but I would give you an apple.

I know that doesn't seem like a big deal now,

but like, a hundred years ago,

giving someone an apple was a sign of respect.

I should also mention that I don't know history.

-and-

I like you as much as

a cat likes to be left alone.

"Don't touch me."

(that was the cat)

-and-

I wish I could test your hugs,

I'm known for giving the best hugs ever,

but your posts make me so happy

that I figure you have

to be an amazing hugger.

Ahhh, there. Don't you feel so much happier now? Are those not some of the best compliments...EVER?? I see you sitting there in front of your screen. You look like this right now:

...and might I add that you look so cute right now, making that face, that I want to throw a rainbow at you. That's right: a rainbow. Except 'throw' sounds violent and not so fun. So let me correct that:
I want to...toss a rainbow at you.



Okay, that's enough gooberiness for now. Take care, friends :)



Be a part of the Amazing Adoption!

As some...or most, maybe many of you know, adoption is certainly something that is very close to my heart and a journey I hope my husband and I can embark on within the next few years. That's why I'm so excited to play a (small) part in someone elses!

When I attended Higher Ground (I need to blog about that too...), Erica Kennett was the director of the weekend. It was there that I first learned of her and her husbnads desire to adopt a child overseas. I believe that was the first time adoption had ever really struck a personal chord in my heart...and has continued to do so. It has been just recently that I stumbled across Erica's blog that gives a peek inside their world and hearts, especially concerning bringing their sweet baby girl home.

So, why am I telling you this? You can be a part of their amazing adoption too! How? Well, I'll let her tell you all about it here: http://krazykennetts.blogspot.com/2013/01/amazing-adoption-raffle-ipad-mini-bundle.html

Still need some incentive outside of doing something better with your money than going to MickyD's? How about winning an iPad mini bundle? It's a sweet deal that anyone would be happy to win! For every $5 donated, you get an entry in the giveaway.

Once you've donated, blog about the Kennett's adoption (that gets you another entry in the giveaway), share it on facebook (that, too, gets you another entry!). At the end of the day though, whether you win the bundle or not...by donating to their adoption, you are playing a role in bringing this precious child to a home that will love and cherish her beyond imagination! I can only hope and pray that someday, my husband and I will be just as blessed to do the same with our own little miracle baby.

Spread the word, do your good deed for the day and be happy knowing you helped make a difference!

Later gators!

Willow Tree Will...and some swirly thoughts that need emptying...

Revelation 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

My Uncle Chris died this past Saturday in his sleep.  He had just turned 60, I believe. We weren't very close, I had only met him a few times in my life...but in the times I did, I concluded that he was a very sweet, reserved man.

Watching the news of his passing fade in and out of my grandparents thoughts has been heartbreaking to say the least. I wish I could take away their pain. He was their first child, first son...thinking about it leaves me with a long sigh and a sad shake to the head. I've drawn a blank as to how to console them...because what do I know of losing a child? There are no words to bring immediate relief - just prayer and more prayer...or simple silence. There was a lot of that on Saturday.

It's left me over the past few days mulling over my own life and eventual death. Yeah, it's a bit morbid to think about the end of my road... but it's inevitable. No matter what I do or think, my life will one day have its last page read and the book will close with a soft thump as the pages firmly press together.

What will my final words or thoughts be? Will they be positive, enlightening, happy? Who will be the last person I speak with, touch, laugh with, cry with...what will my last facebook status be? (I know...so silly to think about that last one.) Will I leave this world with a lasting impression of goodness and light? I hope so. I'd like to think that for the most part, I live my life in that way. I am human though and am prone to those moments where I feel like I'm coming unglued completely. I hope those moments (okay...days, to be more realistic) become more far and few between so my chances of leaving this world with a smile will be much greater.

They say that the mourning process is more for those that were left behind than the person who has passed. Or something to that effect. Can I just say here...I don't want anyone to be upset when my time comes...unless you refused to get to know me. Then you should be sad because I'm awesome and you missed out (kidding, kidding...or am I??)

I'm not afraid of dying...I'm ready to kick it with Jesus anytime! I know exactly where I'm going - no doubt in my mind. I have often tried to imagine the greatness of Heaven. I know anything I come up with is simply a small smidgen of what it really is. That's exciting. Eternal life after this temporary one here. Yes, I'm allll about that! 

I know losing a loved one is hard, heart-breaking and painful - I've been there. I know there will be some sadness for my loved ones when I depart, it's just how life goes. I just hope that whenever that times comes, I'll have lived out a life that was fulfilling, that I won't have any regrets. I'll hopefully have lived a life that touched many...I'm hoping to create a positive ripple effect in some way or another.

Another thought that has crossed my mind over the past few days is funerals/burials. So much money is spent for our mortal comfort on boxes and stones...for a place to visit a person that is no longer there. Now, I'm not knocking any of that at all. We all deal in our own ways and there is nothing wrong with that  if that's what you or your loved ones prefer. But you know what I want? Of course you don't...so let me tell you!

I want a simple cremation. Mix up my ashes in some fresh dirt afterwards and plant a willow tree on top of me in a field. It sounds weird now that I've typed it out but hear me out...to me, it signifies a new life, a new creation. I'll be better, stronger, prettier, healthier, HAPPIER in Heaven than I'll ever be here on this earth and the tree can signify that. It's not a cold piece of granite but a living, growing thing! I think it's appropriate. If my loved ones want a place to pay their respects, they can do so by tending to the Willow Tree (they're my favorite, by the way)...reading under it, letting kids play with the hanging branches, birds making they're homes in it...that's what I want. To me, that's far more beautiful (and much more economical and environmentally friendly!)

Side thought: I wonder if blogs can be legally binding...if so, I, Jennifer Leigh (Joiner) Evans, hereby declare, plant me under a Willow Tree in a field! Tend to it when you miss me and know that I'm enjoying a wonderful life with my Creator!

I know this has been an off-kilter kind of post today - my emotions are kind of all over the place with a few other things going on. I normally try to have a general message throughout each post, something that might benefit someone else and I'm not really getting that vibe from this post today. I hope I haven't depressed you...today I just needed an outlet to get these thoughts out of my mind so it wasn't just floating and swirling all around. You know how that goes, don't you?

I'm not sure how to end this post today. So, in an effort to avoid writing a bunch of choppy sentences that don't mesh well with everything else, I'm just going to end this...

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Until next time!