Too Busy

Is Friday here yet? My crazy week did not start this week, but last Friday. I was on my way home and was going to pick up a pizza for dinner. It was 430, but I got an immediate referral and had to put a hold on a baby born positive for, yes, meth. That was an ordeal.

Then Monday I had to place the baby's bro/sis in custody. Then Tuesday I had to pick up 4 more kids for, yes!! METH. That was crazy. In. Sane. It was surreal. If LEA hadn't been there I'm sure I would have been beat up or shot. The family went absolutely CRAZY! Cussing, grabbing kids, threatening me, passing out, crying, fighting w/ each other.... *sigh*

Plus, I've missed church two weeks in a row on account of my Wednesday night class. This is NOT good. That means I've been to church twice in two weeks: Sunday nights. Sunday morning I'm in Sunday school. I am spiritually drained and am in desperate for a church service.

I won't even go into the whole school thing.

I wanted to go to Landmark in Stockton, but my homework comes first.

I said all that to say what my grandmother used to say: Pray my strenf in tha' lawd. Or...Pray My Strength in the Lord.

Have a great Thursday,

Chandra

Tax Help

I have yet to receive my W-2 form, but of course I'm thinking about filing my taxes. However, I need some advice. I have been using a "tax lady" for my taxes, but this lady is of NO help. She never let's me use my educational expenses, says my mileage for work/school doesn't count, scoffs @ my church contributions, and thinks I'm kidding when I say I donate "X" number of bags to Goodwill (even though I have receipts to prove it; 45 large Hefty bags of clothing/shoes/purses in 2008). Plus, this year in

addition to all of those expenses I can add the money I spent on my sue to be George Washington wooden teeth (I kid. My teeth have come along quite well. I'm not ungrateful, Lord.)

I don't think I'm going to use her services this year. Instead, I'm diving head first into the 21st century and plan to use "Turbo Tax" or "H & R" Block's online filing.

Question: Have you ever used TT or HRB? If so, two thumbs up or two thumbs down?

Secondly, will the IRS come hunting for me in 2015 because of a mistake that I wasn't smart enough to catch?

Your advice is greatly appreciated.

Tips 4 Driving in de Fog

I live in Central California. We do not get snow. We get fog. We do not have snowy days. We do not have ice warnings. We have foggy delays. Yes, that is right. 2-hour fog delays for schools is quite the norm this time of year. With that said, here are some guidelines to make your trek in the fog successful:



1) Do not speed like a bat out of Hades. Some people like living. Ever notice how the majority of accidents are caused by numbskulls? Only, those numbskulls end up with scratches and bruises and the innocent bystanders perish? STOP SPEEDING IN THE FOG!!


2) Do not drive 25 mph in the fog. If you're THAT scared, stay home until the fog lifts.


3) Do turn on your lights. You would think this is a common thing to do. But no. People with gray cars driving in the gray fog still think it to be unnecessary to turn on their lights.


4) Do not turn on high beams. Do not turn on parking lights.



5) Do not attempt to pass, unless you can see clearly.

Now. Let's have a productive day, shall we?

Sadly, I know of several people that have named their children after Barack Obama. And I thought Chandrasekaran was bad....ok. It is. Chandrasekaran is pretty bad. Bless my dad's heart for deciding to chop the name up and dub me Chandra.

Happy 50th birthday to my mom!

This is the mom that taught me how to read and write at 2 years old, the mom that took me to the library every week, the mom that reminds me to pray for God's perfect will, the mom that raised me alone during my teenage years, the mom that has had the same job since she was 16 years old, the mom that no one thinks looks a day over 40, the mom that made sure I had 12 years of perfect attendance from K-12th grade, and the mom that is extra super duper fly.

This is my mom who would burn me at the stake if she knew I just proclaimed her age and birthday to cyberspace.

Mom, I LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH!

My birthday has come and gone. I'm not going to lie: the perk of having a birthday is...the presents!!

The oh-so-very-especial male companion in my life gave me this excellent purse for my birfday and I am very pleased and thankful. I have been wanting an Arcadia purse for awhile, and have never had the nerve to bite the bullet and purchase one.

Yay for birthday presents!

Reflections & Confessions

I was thumbing through the UPC women's magazine, Reflections, when I came across a quote that led me off on a tangent. The theme for the magazine was ''Sister's Keeper'' and the articles and devotions are all aligned with friendship. This particular writer reminded readers that the best time to make a friend is before you have a problem.

Can you imagine not keeping in contact with an individual for many years, and contacting them when you needed them? Or not knowing your neighbor's name, but asking them to borrow a cup of sugar or their lawn mower? It seems kind of ridiculous. However, a very close friend may lend you that $100, baby-sit your children, or allow you to borrow their car when yours is in the shop. When you're overwhelmed or misunderstood, that same close friend is willing to lend a shoulder or ear.

While earthly friends are priceless, I couldn't help applying this same frame of thought with my relationship with Jesus. I am guilty of using Jesus like a Bounty paper towel; using Him as a quicker picker upper, and then quickly disposing of Him. Yes, He is a healer. Yes, He is a counselor. Yes, He is the ultimate financial bailout. But Jesus is much more than a friend when you're in trouble. He is a multifaceted God that genuinely cares about every aspect of my life, and yet I do not sit by His side long enough to know who He truly is.

I know God is in no way human, but I wonder if He ever smirks when someone dials His number asking for a blessing and they haven’t spoken to Him in 3 months. Does He ever have to stop and wonder, ''Who?! Ohhhh, I remember you! I gave you that great job, but haven't heard from you since!''

I want to seek God while I am young enough to do so. I am not alluding to the idea that seeking God at an older age is a joke and not a good idea. Since I was blessed to know the truth at such a young age, I should remember that I have the ability to serve and love the one true, living God and waiting until I'm 40, 60, or 80 years old to really have a relationship with Him is not a good idea.

The best time to start a relationship with Jesus is before you need Him.

I Had a Dream

The location escapes me at this point in time, but the Bible does state to tell a dream as a dream. Let me give a brief description of the crazy, weirdo, scary dream I recently had.

Throughout my dream I was a) attacked b) chased and c) followed by three different males at night. I was chased so long my legs were sore when I woke up. I was walking through Macy's and kept looking behind me, because I thought I was being followed. However, a glance back disproved my suspicions, but the feeling would not cease. I remember being scared, and telling a Macy's employee that I needed a toy cop to take me to my car. I got into my car safely, but once on the road....a man followed me in a separate car.

I won't go into all the lovely details about being chased and attacked, but I'm considering carrying pepper spray by the dozen around my neck.

I would generally let a dream have its course and move on w my life. Maybe it's because I'm taking 4 night classes this quarter and I park across the street from campus and walk to my car-- alone. Maybe it's because I frequently exercise at night--alone. Maybe it's because I occasionally go to the mall/etc at night--alone. Maybe it's because I went running last night and LEA sirens and a ghetto bird (helicopter with spotlight) were looking for criminals and that rarely happens in Delano. I dunnnnno but I'm alert, people!!! My guard is up, my pistol...er pepper spray is raised, and my four eyes are working over time.

I'm testing Blogger's mobile blogging. A week ago today I was in Pasadena and this is a pic of a float made entirely of flowers (mainly roses).